Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Now that Sayak83 has written an article, I think Salix also has written one, so why should I lag behind. So, here is one on the fifth verse of the six verses of Shankaracharya's 'Nirvana Shatakam / Atma Shatakam' with I translate as 'Six verses to Nirvana / Enlightenment'. Hindus and others tend to take just one meaning of 'jati', i.e., castes. I had a sort of revelation last night about the meaning of this line. I will first quote the verse and then the normal translation.
Na mrutyuh na sankha na me jati bhedha,
Pita naiva me naiva mata na janma,
Na bhandhur na mitram gurur naiva sishyah,
I do not have death or doubts or distinction of caste,
I do not have either father or mother or even birth,
And I do not have relations or friends or teacher or students,
www.hindupedia.com
What does 'jati' (caste) means? It means more than just caste. 'Jati' also means type or class. For example humans belong to the class Mammilia whereas Coprmorants belong to class Aves. Letters are divided into two classes, consonants and vowels. Materials are divided into two classes, living and non-living. So, what is Sankara saying here? He is not using the limited meaning of caste, but he is pointing at all types of different classes. Humans, animals, vegetation, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, granite and besault. And he is repudiating all kinds of classes, not just castes in humans.
Sankara's 'advaita' denies all kinds of caste, type or class distinctions and says that whatever the things may seem to be, in essence they are but Brahman at the level of ultimate truth (Paramarthika Satya).
Na mrutyuh na sankha na me jati bhedha,
Pita naiva me naiva mata na janma,
Na bhandhur na mitram gurur naiva sishyah,
I do not have death or doubts or distinction of caste,
I do not have either father or mother or even birth,
And I do not have relations or friends or teacher or students,
Nirvana shatakam
By Adi Shankara Bhagawat Pada Translated by P. R. Ramachander This is one of the rare stotras written by Adi Sankara Bhagawat Pada identifying himself the Lord Shiva...
What does 'jati' (caste) means? It means more than just caste. 'Jati' also means type or class. For example humans belong to the class Mammilia whereas Coprmorants belong to class Aves. Letters are divided into two classes, consonants and vowels. Materials are divided into two classes, living and non-living. So, what is Sankara saying here? He is not using the limited meaning of caste, but he is pointing at all types of different classes. Humans, animals, vegetation, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, granite and besault. And he is repudiating all kinds of classes, not just castes in humans.
Loading…
www.learnsanskrit.cc
Sankara's 'advaita' denies all kinds of caste, type or class distinctions and says that whatever the things may seem to be, in essence they are but Brahman at the level of ultimate truth (Paramarthika Satya).
Last edited: