Nirvanadashaka Stotram by Aadi Shankaracharya

ഭുജംഗപ്രയാത .

     .. അഥ ദശശ്ലോകീ ..

ന ഭൂമിർന തോയം ന തേജോ ന വായുഃ

    ന ഖം നേന്ദ്രിയം വാ ന തേഷാം സമൂഹഃ .

അനേകാന്തികത്വാത് സുഷുപ്ത്യേകസിദ്ധഃ (അനൈകാന്തികത്വാത്)

    തദേകോഽവശിഷ്ടഃ ശിവഃ കേവലോഽഹം .. 1..

ന വർണാ ന വർണാശ്രമാചാരധർമാ

    ന മേ ധാരണാധ്യാനയോഗാദയോഽപി .

അനാത്മാശ്രയാഹംമമാധ്യാസഹാനാത്

    തദേകോഽവശിഷ്ടഃ ശിവഃ കേവലോഽഹം .. 2..

ന മാതാ പിതാ വാ ന ദേവാ ന ലോകാ

    ന വേദാ ന യജ്ഞാ ന തീർഥം ബ്രുവന്തി .

സുഷുപ്തൗ നിരസ്താതിശൂന്യാത്മകത്വാത്

    തദേകോഽവശിഷ്ടഃ ശിവഃ കേവലോഽഹം .. 3..

ന സാംഖ്യം ന ശൈവം ന തത്പാഞ്ചരാത്രം

    ന ജൈനം ന മീമാംസകാദേർമതം വാ .

വിശിഷ്ടാനുഭൂത്യാ വിശുദ്ധാത്മകത്വാത്

    തദേകോഽവശിഷ്ടഃ ശിവഃ കേവലോഽഹം .. 4..

ന ചോർധ്വം ന ചാധോ ന ചാന്തർന ബാഹ്യം

    ന മധ്യം ന തിര്യങ് ന പൂർവാഽപരാ ദിക് .

വിയദ്വ്യാപകത്വാദഖണ്ഡൈകരൂപഃ

    തദേകോഽവശിഷ്ടഃ ശിവഃ കേവലോഽഹം .. 5..

ന ശുക്ലം ന കൃഷ്ണം ന രക്തം ന പീതം

    ന കുബ്ജം ന പീനം ന ഹ്രസ്വം ന ദീർഘം .

അരൂപം തഥാ ജ്യോതിരാകാരകത്വാത്

    തദേകോഽവശിഷ്ടഃ ശിവഃ കേവലോഽഹം .. 6..

ന ശാസ്താ ന ശാസ്ത്രം ന ശിഷ്യോ ന ശിക്ഷാ

    ന ച ത്വം ന ചാഹം ന ചായം പ്രപഞ്ചഃ .

സ്വരൂപാവബോധോ വികല്പാസഹിഷ്ണുഃ

    തദേകോഽവശിഷ്ടഃ ശിവഃ കേവലോഽഹം .. 7..

ന ജാഗ്രൻ ന മേ സ്വപ്നകോ വാ സുഷുപ്തിഃ

    ന വിശ്വോ ന വാ തൈജസഃ പ്രാജ്ഞകോ വാ .

അവിദ്യാത്മകത്വാത് ത്രയാണാം തുരീയഃ

    തദേകോഽവശിഷ്ടഃ ശിവഃ കേവലോഽഹം .. 8..

അപി വ്യാപകത്വാത് ഹിതത്ത്വപ്രയോഗാത്    (വ്യാപകത്വാദ്ധിതത്ത്വ)

    സ്വതഃ സിദ്ധഭാവാദനന്യാശ്രയത്വാത് .

ജഗത് തുച്ഛമേതത് സമസ്തം തദന്യത്

    തദേകോഽവശിഷ്ടഃ ശിവഃ കേവലോഽഹം .. 9..

ന ചൈകം തദന്യദ് ദ്വിതീയം കുതഃ സ്യാത്

    ന കേവലത്വം ന ചാകേവലത്വം .

ന ശൂന്യം ന ചാശൂന്യമദ്വൈതകത്വാത്

    കഥം സർവവേദാന്തസിദ്ധം ബ്രവീമി .. 10..

.. ഇതി ശ്രീമദ് ശങ്കരാചാര്യവിരചിതം ദശശ്ലോകീ അഥവാ

                    നിർവാണദശകസ്തോത്രം സമാപ്തം ..

भुजङ्गप्रयात ।

     ॥ अथ दशश्लोकी ॥

न भूमिर्न तोयं न तेजो न वायुः

    न खं नेन्द्रियं वा न तेषां समूहः ।

अनेकान्तिकत्वात् सुषुप्त्येकसिद्धः (अनैकान्तिकत्वात्)

    तदेकोऽवशिष्टः शिवः केवलोऽहम् ॥ १॥

न वर्णा न वर्णाश्रमाचारधर्मा

    न मे धारणाध्यानयोगादयोऽपि ।

अनात्माश्रयाहंममाध्यासहानात्

    तदेकोऽवशिष्टः शिवः केवलोऽहम् ॥ २॥

न माता पिता वा न देवा न लोका

    न वेदा न यज्ञा न तीर्थं ब्रुवन्ति ।

सुषुप्तौ निरस्तातिशून्यात्मकत्वात्

    तदेकोऽवशिष्टः शिवः केवलोऽहम् ॥ ३॥

न साङ्ख्यं न शैवं न तत्पाञ्चरात्रं

    न जैनं न मीमांसकादेर्मतं वा ।

विशिष्टानुभूत्या विशुद्धात्मकत्वात्

    तदेकोऽवशिष्टः शिवः केवलोऽहम् ॥ ४॥

न चोर्ध्वं न चाधो न चान्तर्न बाह्यं

    न मध्यं न तिर्यङ् न पूर्वाऽपरा दिक् ।

वियद्व्यापकत्वादखण्डैकरूपः

    तदेकोऽवशिष्टः शिवः केवलोऽहम् ॥ ५॥

न शुक्लं न कृष्णं न रक्तं न पीतं

    न कुब्जं न पीनं न ह्रस्वं न दीर्घम् ।

अरूपं तथा ज्योतिराकारकत्वात्

    तदेकोऽवशिष्टः शिवः केवलोऽहम् ॥ ६॥

न शास्ता न शास्त्रं न शिष्यो न शिक्षा

    न च त्वं न चाहं न चायं प्रपञ्चः ।

स्वरूपावबोधो विकल्पासहिष्णुः

    तदेकोऽवशिष्टः शिवः केवलोऽहम् ॥ ७॥

न जाग्रन् न मे स्वप्नको वा सुषुप्तिः

    न विश्वो न वा तैजसः प्राज्ञको वा ।

अविद्यात्मकत्वात् त्रयाणां तुरीयः

    तदेकोऽवशिष्टः शिवः केवलोऽहम् ॥ ८॥

अपि व्यापकत्वात् हितत्त्वप्रयोगात्    (व्यापकत्वाद्धितत्त्व)

    स्वतः सिद्धभावादनन्याश्रयत्वात् ।

जगत् तुच्छमेतत् समस्तं तदन्यत्

    तदेकोऽवशिष्टः शिवः केवलोऽहम् ॥ ९॥

न चैकं तदन्यद् द्वितीयं कुतः स्यात्

    न केवलत्वं न चाकेवलत्वम् ।

न शून्यं न चाशून्यमद्वैतकत्वात्

    कथं सर्ववेदान्तसिद्धं ब्रवीमि ॥ १०॥

॥ इति श्रीमद् शंकराचार्यविरचितं दशश्लोकी अथवा

                    निर्वाणदशकस्तोत्रं समाप्तं ॥

daśaślokī nirvāṇadaśakaṃ ca 

Ten Stanzas (on Atman)

by shrImad sha.nkarAchArya

Introduction:  

ShrI Shankara sums up the essence of Vedanta in dasashlokI .  He

states that Only Atman Is while the world of names, form and various

manifestations are just maya . He goes on to say that Atman is same as the

supreme Brahman . Shankara also emphasises, as do upaniShads that the man

who realizes Atma ALONE transcends worldly sorrow (tarati shokaM

Atmavit).

After writing a wonderful commentary on Gaudapada's karika on

mANDukya upaniShad, and upadesahasri in my humble opinion, the best

philosophical work of Shankara, many scholars consider dashashlokI to be

the last pronouncement of Shankara on the non-dual nature of Atman . In a

very simple way using just 10 verses, Shankara expounds on the nature of

Atman -- the attributeless Truth, indestructible, and the very basis of

supreme bliss and purity.

The words of Swami Gambhirananda sums up the significance of the

sloka, `This text deals with the nature of Atman in the clearest and

simplest language . There is not a single word which is superflous, and the

teacher [Shankara] is at this best; the arrow of knowledge is aimed at

ignorance and it hits the target directly, destroying the enemy.'

        The birth of this Dasasloki is an interesting event. Sri

Sankara in imminent danger of death in the jaws of a crocodile

in the river Purna in his village Kaladi, takes Sannyasa

informally by pronouncing the prescrinebd formula. But when the

crocodile immediately frees him from its grip, Sri Sankara is

faced with the necessity of seeking a competent teacher who can

regularise the Sannyasa and initiate him in the Upanishadic

passages. He travelled north and ultimately found such a teacher

in Sri Govindapadacharya, who was in deep meditation in a cave

on the banks of the Narmada. When fervently implored by Sri

Sankara, the Saint woke up and asked Sri Sankara who he was. It

was in reponse to this simple question that Sri Sankara burst

out in a set of ten pregnant stanzas explaining the real nature

of the Self which alone he was. The Saint realising that Sri

Sanakara was a realised soul, who had come to him for initiation

only to conform to the normal method of entering the Sannyasa Order,

immediately accepted him as a disciple.

May ShrI Shankara leads us from ignorance to Truth by helping

us realize the Atman.

OM tat sat.

bhujaṅgaprayāta .

     .. atha daśaślokī ..

na bhūmirna toyaṃ na tejo na vāyuḥ

    na khaṃ nendriyaṃ vā na teṣāṃ samūhaḥ .

anekāntikatvāt suṣuptyekasiddhaḥ (anaikāntikatvāt)

    tadeko'vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo'ham .. 1..

        ̎I am not the Earth nor Water, neither Fire nor Air, I

am not space. Neither am I any of the Faculties nor am I their

aggregrate. [I am not any of these] as they are all uncertain. I

am proved however in the sole experience of deep sleep. That

One, the Residue, the Auspicious, the Only One, am I.̎

na varṇā na varṇāśramācāradharmā

    na me dhāraṇādhyānayogādayo'pi .

anātmāśrayāhaṃmamādhyāsahānāt

    tadeko'vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo'ham .. 2..

        ̎The castes are not for me, nor the observances and

duties attached to the castes and the stages of life. Even the

steadying of the mind, concentration, self-communion and other

courses are not for me. For the mistaken senses of I and MINE

which rested on the Non-Self have been abondoned. That One, the

Residue, the Auspicious,  the Alone, am I.̎

na mātā pitā vā na devā na lokā

    na vedā na yajñā na tīrthaṃ bruvanti .

suṣuptau nirastātiśūnyātmakatvāt

    tadeko'vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo'ham .. 3..

        ̎There is no mother nor father; no gods nor regions of

experience; no scriptures nor sacrifical sites; and no sacred

place-so say the Sages. For, in the state of deep sleep, all

these are negatived and that state is completely devoid(of any

object of perception) That One, the Residue, the Auspicious, the

Alone, am I.̎

na sāṅkhyaṃ na śaivaṃ na tatpāñcarātraṃ

    na jainaṃ na mīmāṃsakādermataṃ vā .

viśiṣṭānubhūtyā viśuddhātmakatvāt

    tadeko'vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo'ham .. 4..

        ̎There is no Sankhya nor Saiva, nor that Pancharatra

nor Jaina. The conception of the Mimamsaka and others does not

exist. For, through the direct realisation of what is qualified,

the Self is known as of the nature of the Absolutely Pure. That

One, the Residue, the Auspicious, the Alone, am I.̎

na cordhvaṃ na cādho na cāntarna bāhyaṃ

    na madhyaṃ na tiryaṅ na pūrvā'parā dik .

viyadvyāpakatvādakhaṇḍaikarūpaḥ

    tadeko'vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo'ham .. 5..

        ̎There is neither above nor below, neither inside nor

outside, no middle nor crosswise, no direction, east or west.

For it is all-pervasive like space. It is partless and

homogeneous in its nature. That One, the Residue, the

Auspicious, the Alone, am I.̎

na śuklaṃ na kṛṣṇaṃ na raktaṃ na pītaṃ

    na kubjaṃ na pīnaṃ na hrasvaṃ na dīrgham .

arūpaṃ tathā jyotirākārakatvāt

    tadeko'vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo'ham .. 6..

        ̎It is neither white nor black, neither red nor yellow,

neither dwarfish nor stout, neither short nor long. As it is of

the nature of light, it is shapeless also. That One, the

Residue, the Auspicious, the Alone, am I.̎

na śāstā na śāstraṃ na śiṣyo na śikṣā

    na ca tvaṃ na cāhaṃ na cāyaṃ prapañcaḥ .

svarūpāvabodho vikalpāsahiṣṇuḥ

    tadeko'vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo'ham .. 7..

        ̎There is no ruler nor rule, no pupil nor training.

There is no YOU nor I. This universe is not. For the realistion

of the true nature of the Self does not tolerate any distincion.

That One, the Residue, the Auspicious, the Alone, am I.̎

na jāgran na me svapnako vā suṣuptiḥ

    na viśvo na vā taijasaḥ prājñako vā .

avidyātmakatvāt trayāṇāṃ turīyaḥ

    tadeko'vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo'ham .. 8..

        ̎There is no waking state for me nor dream or deep

sleep. I am not Visva[the Self identified with the experiencer

of the waking state], nor Taijasa[identified with dream state],

nor Prajna[identified with deep sleep]. I am really the

Fourth(Turiya). That One, the Residue, the Auspicious, the Alone,

am I.̎

api vyāpakatvāt hitattvaprayogāt    (vyāpakatvāddhitattva)

    svataḥ siddhabhāvādananyāśrayatvāt .

jagat tucchametat samastaṃ tadanyat

    tadeko'vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo'ham .. 9..

        ̎All this universe which is other than the Self is

worthless(having no existence of its own) for it is well known

that the Self is all pervasive, recognised as the reality and

that its existence is self-proven and does not depend upon

anything else. That One, the Residue, the Auspicious, the Alone,

am I.̎

na caikaṃ tadanyad dvitīyaṃ kutaḥ syāt

    na kevalatvaṃ na cākevalatvam .

na śūnyaṃ na cāśūnyamadvaitakatvāt

    kathaṃ sarvavedāntasiddhaṃ bravīmi .. 10..

        ̎It is not one, for how can there be a second distinct

from it? Aloneness cannot be attributed to it nor even

not-aloneness. It is neither a void nor a non-void. When it does

not admit of a second entity, in what manner can I speak about

it though it is established by all the Upanishads.?̎

.. iti śrīmad śaṃkarācāryaviracitaṃ daśaślokī athavā

                    nirvāṇadaśakastotraṃ samāptaṃ ..