Sumit
Sanatana Dharma
At age of just 8 years, Shankara went in search of his Guru Govindpada. When he met Govindpada, he asked sankara “who he was”? Sankara than sang this hymn to introduce him to guru.
na bhümir-na toyam na váyur-
na kham nendriyam vá na teúám samühaç,
anaikántikatvát suúuptyekasiddhas-
tadeko’vaùiútaç ùivaç kevalo’ham.(1)
I am neither earth, nor water, nor fire, nor air, nor sense-organ, nor the aggregate of all these; for all these are transient, variable by nature, while the self is that whose existence is proved by the unique experience of deep sleep. I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na varïá na varïáúramácáradharmá
na me dháraïádhyádhyánayogádayo’pi,
anátmáùrayaham-mamádhyásahánát
tadeko’vaùiúûaç, ùivaç kevalo’ham.(2)
I am neither the varnas, nor the rules of varnas, society and customs, nor are for me even concentration, meditation, yoga and other practices; for all this illusion of “I” and “mine” is rooted in the non-self and is therefore dispellable by the knowledge of the self. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na mátá pitá vá na devá na loká
na vedá na yajòá na tèrtam bruvanti,
suúuptau nirastátiùünyátmakatvát
tadeko vaùiúûaç ùivah kevalo’ham.(3)
I am neither mother, nor father, nor the Gods, nor the worlds, nor the Vedas, nor sacrifices, nor any holy place of pilgrimage; for in deep sleep I am not absolute void or non-existence. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na sáñkhyam na ùaivam na tat-páòcarátram
na jainam na mimámsakáder-matam vá,
viùisûánubhütyá viùuddhátmakatvát
tadeko vaùiútaç ùivaç kevalo’ham.(4)
Neither the Sankhya doctrine nor the Saiva, nor the Pancaratra, nor the Jaina, nor the Mimamsa, nor any other holds good; for, by special realization it is revealed that my nature is absolutely pure. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na cordhvam na cádhá ná cántar-na báhyam
na madhyam na tiryañ na pürvápará dik
viyad-vyápakatvád-akhaïãaikarüpas
tadeko’vaùiútaç ùivaç kevalo’ham.(5)
I am neither above, nor below, nor inside, nor outside, neither middle nor across, neither the east direction nor west; for, I am indivisible , one by nature, and all-pervading like space. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na ùuklam na køúnam nqa rakta, na pètam
na kubjam na pènam nas hrasvam na dèrgham,
arüpam tathá jyotirákárakatvát
tadeko’vaùiúûaç ùivah kevalo’ham.(6)
I am neither white, nor black, neither red nor yellow, neither small nor large, neither bent nor stout, neither short nor long, incapable of being known in any manner or form, owing to my being of the nature of light. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na ùástá na ùástram na ùiúyo na ùikúá
na ca tvam na cáham na cáyam prapaòcaç
svarüpávabodho vikalpásahiúïus-
tadeeko, vaùiúûaç ùivaç kevalo’ham(7)
There is neither preceptor, nor scripture (there is), neither pupil nor instruction; neither you nor I, nor this universe. The teaching of one’s true nature does not admit of differentiation. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na jágran-na me svapnaka vá suúuptir-
na viùvo na va taijasaç prajòako vá,
avidyátmakatvát trayáïám turèyas-
tadeko’vaùiúûaç ùivaç kevalo’ham.(8)
For me there is neither waking nor dream, nor am I the one conditioned by these three states (Visva, Taijasa, Prajna), for all these are of the nature of nescience (avidhya), but I am the fourth, beyond these three. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
api vyápakatvád-dhitattvaparyogát
svataçsiddhabhávád-ananyáùrayatvát,
jagat tuccham etat samastm tad-anyat
tadeko’vaùiúûaç ùivaç kevalo’ham.(9)
All this Universe, being other than the self, is unreal; for the self alone is all-inclusive, constitutes the ultimate goal, and is self-established and self-dependent. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na caikam tadanyad-dvitèyam kutuç syán-
nas vá kevalatvam na cákevalatvam,
na ùünyam na cáùünyam-advaitakatvát
katham sarva-vedánta-siddam bravèmi.(10)
It can even be said it is one. How can there be a second other than it? There is neither absolute-ness nor non-absoluteness, neither non-entity (Void) neither entity (non-void); for, it is absolutely non-dual in its nature. How can I speak of that which is established by Vedanta?
na bhümir-na toyam na váyur-
na kham nendriyam vá na teúám samühaç,
anaikántikatvát suúuptyekasiddhas-
tadeko’vaùiútaç ùivaç kevalo’ham.(1)
I am neither earth, nor water, nor fire, nor air, nor sense-organ, nor the aggregate of all these; for all these are transient, variable by nature, while the self is that whose existence is proved by the unique experience of deep sleep. I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na varïá na varïáúramácáradharmá
na me dháraïádhyádhyánayogádayo’pi,
anátmáùrayaham-mamádhyásahánát
tadeko’vaùiúûaç, ùivaç kevalo’ham.(2)
I am neither the varnas, nor the rules of varnas, society and customs, nor are for me even concentration, meditation, yoga and other practices; for all this illusion of “I” and “mine” is rooted in the non-self and is therefore dispellable by the knowledge of the self. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na mátá pitá vá na devá na loká
na vedá na yajòá na tèrtam bruvanti,
suúuptau nirastátiùünyátmakatvát
tadeko vaùiúûaç ùivah kevalo’ham.(3)
I am neither mother, nor father, nor the Gods, nor the worlds, nor the Vedas, nor sacrifices, nor any holy place of pilgrimage; for in deep sleep I am not absolute void or non-existence. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na sáñkhyam na ùaivam na tat-páòcarátram
na jainam na mimámsakáder-matam vá,
viùisûánubhütyá viùuddhátmakatvát
tadeko vaùiútaç ùivaç kevalo’ham.(4)
Neither the Sankhya doctrine nor the Saiva, nor the Pancaratra, nor the Jaina, nor the Mimamsa, nor any other holds good; for, by special realization it is revealed that my nature is absolutely pure. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na cordhvam na cádhá ná cántar-na báhyam
na madhyam na tiryañ na pürvápará dik
viyad-vyápakatvád-akhaïãaikarüpas
tadeko’vaùiútaç ùivaç kevalo’ham.(5)
I am neither above, nor below, nor inside, nor outside, neither middle nor across, neither the east direction nor west; for, I am indivisible , one by nature, and all-pervading like space. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na ùuklam na køúnam nqa rakta, na pètam
na kubjam na pènam nas hrasvam na dèrgham,
arüpam tathá jyotirákárakatvát
tadeko’vaùiúûaç ùivah kevalo’ham.(6)
I am neither white, nor black, neither red nor yellow, neither small nor large, neither bent nor stout, neither short nor long, incapable of being known in any manner or form, owing to my being of the nature of light. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na ùástá na ùástram na ùiúyo na ùikúá
na ca tvam na cáham na cáyam prapaòcaç
svarüpávabodho vikalpásahiúïus-
tadeeko, vaùiúûaç ùivaç kevalo’ham(7)
There is neither preceptor, nor scripture (there is), neither pupil nor instruction; neither you nor I, nor this universe. The teaching of one’s true nature does not admit of differentiation. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na jágran-na me svapnaka vá suúuptir-
na viùvo na va taijasaç prajòako vá,
avidyátmakatvát trayáïám turèyas-
tadeko’vaùiúûaç ùivaç kevalo’ham.(8)
For me there is neither waking nor dream, nor am I the one conditioned by these three states (Visva, Taijasa, Prajna), for all these are of the nature of nescience (avidhya), but I am the fourth, beyond these three. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
api vyápakatvád-dhitattvaparyogát
svataçsiddhabhávád-ananyáùrayatvát,
jagat tuccham etat samastm tad-anyat
tadeko’vaùiúûaç ùivaç kevalo’ham.(9)
All this Universe, being other than the self, is unreal; for the self alone is all-inclusive, constitutes the ultimate goal, and is self-established and self-dependent. Therefore I am that one, auspicious and pure that alone remains.
na caikam tadanyad-dvitèyam kutuç syán-
nas vá kevalatvam na cákevalatvam,
na ùünyam na cáùünyam-advaitakatvát
katham sarva-vedánta-siddam bravèmi.(10)
It can even be said it is one. How can there be a second other than it? There is neither absolute-ness nor non-absoluteness, neither non-entity (Void) neither entity (non-void); for, it is absolutely non-dual in its nature. How can I speak of that which is established by Vedanta?
