Maneesha Panchakam

(Translation from : Maneesha Panchakam by Swami Chinmayananda)

The word 'Maneeshaa' in Sanskrit means conviction /conclusive wisdom and panchakam means a collection of five shlokas. The stotra reveals the normally strong association with the body and the mind which makes even a strong person like Aacharya Sankara starts following a mechanistic mode of life.

The story behind this Panchakam begins with a Aadi Shankara going for a bath at the Ganga in Kashi along with his disciples. Shankara saw a dirty sweeper coming along. He shouted out to him to get out of his way. This was not only a moment of carelessness, but it was a seepage forth of the customs of that time, the very customs that Shankara sought to fight. The response of the sweeper and reply by the sage forms the body of the Panchakam. Shankara sees the divine in the sweeper, and heralds him as his Guru since the sweeper is able to see that he is not what is seen, but he is part of that Self which is compartmentalized into all of us.

Sweeper to Shankara:

अन्नामयादान्नमयम्थ्वा चैतन्यमेव चैतान्यात । 

द्विजवर दूरीकर्तु वाञछ्सी किं ब्रूहि गच्छ गच्छेति ॥

Oh! the best among the twice born, by saying 'move away - move away', do you wish to move matter from matter, or you mean to separate Spirit from the Spirit?

किं गंगाम्बुनी बिम्बितेओम्ब्र्मनौ चंदाल्वातिपयः

पूरे चंत्रमस्ती कच्च्न्घतिम्रित्कुम्भ्योवोर्म्ब्रे।

प्रत्याग्वस्तुनी निस्तारान्ग्सह्जान्न्दाव्बोधाम्बुधौ

विप्रोअयम्श्व्प्चोअय्मित्य्पिमहन्कोअयम्विभेद्भ्रमः ॥

Is there any difference in the 'jewel of the sky' when it is reflected in the waters of the Gangaa or in a ditch in the way side of a slum? Is there any difference in the space as such, be it in a golden pot or in a mud pot? In the ocean of the self existing Blissful consciousness, in the inner Self, devoid of thought ripples, how can there be this delusory distinction" this is a braahmana and this is a dog eater?

Shankara replies as follows:

जग्रत्स्वप्न्सुषुप्तिषु स्फुत्तारा या संविदुज्ज्रुम्भ्ते

या ब्रह्मिदिपिपीलिकान्त्त्नुशु प्रोता जगत्साक्षिणी ।

सैवाहं न च दुश्यवास्त्विती दृढप्रज्ञापि यस्यास्ति चेत

चन्दलोअस्तु स तु द्विजोअस्तु गुरुरित्येषा मनीषा मम ॥ १ ॥

This indeed is my deep conviction: he who has realised that he is not the seen, but that he is the one Consciousness that illumines all experiences during the waking, dream and deep - sleep states, the one Consciousness that is the sole witness of the entire play of the universe, the one Consciousness which is the very Life Spark in all forms from the Creator down to the ant, he alone is my Guru, be he a sweeper, be he a braahmana.

ब्रह्मैवाह्मिदम जगच्च सकलं चिन्मत्रिविस्तारितं

सर्वं चैताद्विध्य्या त्रिगुनायोशेषं मया कल्पितम ।

इथं यस्य दृढा मतिः सुखतरे नित्ये परे निर्मले

चन्दलोअस्तु स तु द्विजोअस्तु गुरुरित्येषा मनीषा मम ॥ २ ॥

He who, in his direct experience of the Immaculate Supreme - Bliss - Eternal, has come to the firm understanding that the entire universe is but an extensive play of Pure Consciousness, all projected by his 'ignorance' expressed in the three moods of his mind, while he himself is but that Brahman - he alone is my Guru, be he a sweeper, be he a braahmana.

शास्वन्न्स्वरमेवा विश्वमखिलं निश्चित्य वाचा गुरोः

नित्यं ब्रह्म निरंतरं विमृशता निव्याज्शान्तात्मना । 

भूतं भावि च दुष्क्रुतं प्रदहता संविन्मये पावके

प्ररब्धाय समर्पितं स्वव्पुरित्येशा मनीषा मम ॥ ३ ॥

He who has done long reflections upon his teacher's words that this world of change is permanently in a state of flux; he who has tamed his mind to a true state of quiet and poise; he who has brought his mind, devoid of all dissimilar thoughts, constantly to contemplate upon Brahman; he who has burnt up all his past and future residual-vaasanas in the fire of Pure Consciousness; he who has offered his body to live through and exhaust its present destiny he alone is my Guru, 'be he a sweeper, be he a braahmana.'

या तियार्न्ग्नार्देव्ताभिराह्मित्यांतः स्फुटा गृह्यते

यभ्दासा हृदयाक्ष्देहविश्या भांति स्वतोअचेतनाः ।

तां भास्यैः पिहितार्क्मंदाल्निभां स्फूर्ति सदा भावयन

योगी निवृत्मंसो हि गुरुरित्येषा मनीषा मम ॥ ४ ॥

A yogee with his hushed mind lives, meditating upon That, which expresses as 'I--I' the subjective individuality in all creatures: plant, animal, human and angels; That, by whose Light, mind and senses and body are all enlivened to activity, even though they are all made up of inert and insentient matter; That, which illumines everything as Sun from behind a bank of clouds - He alone is my Guru: this is my firm conviction.

यात्सौख्याम्बुधिलेश्लेशत इमे श्कद्यो निव्रुता

याच्चित्ते नितरां प्रशान्त्कालने लब्ध्वा मुनिनिर्व्रुतः ।

यस्मिन्नित्यासुखाम्बुधाऊ गलित्धिब्रह्मैव न ब्रह्मविद

यः कश्सित्सा सुरेंद्रव्न्दित्प्दो नूनं मनीषा मम ॥ ५ ॥

During its moments of utter quiet, a yogee's mind gains that Ocean of Bliss, a tiny droplet from which is sufficient to make Indra and others feel contented and happy. Such a one who has dissolved his individual intellect in this Eternal Ocean of Bliss, is verily Brahman, not a mere Knower of Brahman - That rare one, whose feet are worshipped even by the very King of Gods indeed, he alone is my Guru; this is my firm conviction

ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।

ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya |
Tamaso Maa Jyotir-Gamaya |
Mrtyor-Maa Amrtam Gamaya |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Meaning:
1: Om, Lead us from Unreality (of Transitory Existence) to the Reality (of the Eternal Self),
2: Lead us from the Darkness (of Ignorance) to the Light (of Spiritual Knowledge),
3: Lead us from the Fear of Death to the Knowledge of Immortality.
4: Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

The Power of Concentration

By

Swami Vivekananda 

• Concentration is the essence of all knowledge, nothing can be done without it.Ninety per cent of thought force is wasted by the ordinary human being, and therefore he is constantly committing blunders; the trained man or mind never makes a mistake. When the mind is concentrated and turned backward on itself, all within us will be our servants, not our masters. The Greeks applied their concentration to the external world, and the result was perfection in art, literature, etc. The Hindu concentrated on the internal world, upon the unseen realms in the Self, and developed the science of Yoga. Yoga is controlling the senses, will and mind. The benefit of its study is that we learn to control instead of being controlled. Mind seems to be layer on layer. Our real goal is to cross all these intervening strata of our being and find God. The end and aim of Yoga is to realise God. To do this we must go beyond relative knowledge, go beyond the sense-world. The world is awake to the senses, the children of the Lord are asleep on that plane. The world is asleep to the Eternal, the children of the Lord are awake in that realm. These are the sons of God. There is but one way to control the senses — to see Him who is the Reality in the universe. Then and only then can we really conquer our senses.

• Concentration is restraining the mind into smaller and smaller limits. There are eight processes for thus restraining the mind. The first is Yama, controlling the mind by avoiding externals. All morality is included in this. Beget no evil. Injure no living creature. If you injure nothing for twelve years, then even lions and tigers will go down before you. Practise truthfulness. Twelve years of absolute truthfulness in thought, word, and deed gives a man what he wills. Be chaste in thought, word, and action. Chastity is the basis of all religions. Personal purity is imperative. Next is Niyama, not allowing the mind to wander in any direction. Then Âsana, posture. There are eighty-four postures: but the best is that most natural to each one; that is, which can be kept longest with the greatest ease. After this comes Prânâyâma, restraint of breath. Then Pratyâhâra, drawing in of the organs from their objects. Then Dhâranâ, concentration. Then Dhyâna, contemplation or meditation. (This is the kernel of the Yoga system.) And last, Samâdhi, superconsciousness. The purer the body and mind, the quicker the desired result will be obtained. You must be perfectly pure. Do not think of evil things, such thoughts will surely drag you down. If you are perfectly pure and practice faithfully, your mind can finally be made a searchlight of infinite power. There is no limit to its scope. But there must be constant practice and non-attachment to the world. When a man reaches the superconscious state, all feeling of body melts away. Then alone does he become free and immortal. To all external appearance, unconsciousness and superconsciousness are the same; but they differ as a lump of clay from a lump of gold. The one whose whole soul is given up to God has reached the superconscious plane.

What is Duty?

Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda

Volume 1

Karma-Yoga

It is necessary in the study of Karma-Yoga to know what duty is. If I have to do something I must first know that it is my duty, and then I can do it. The idea of duty again is different in different nations. The Mohammedan says what is written in his book, the Koran, is his duty; the Hindu says what is in the Vedas is his duty; and the Christian says what is in the Bible is his duty. We find that there are varied ideas of duty, differing according to different states in life, different historical periods and different nations. The term "duty", like every other universal abstract term, is impossible clearly to define; we can only get an idea of it by knowing its practical operations and results. When certain things occur before us, we have all a natural or trained impulse to act in a certain manner towards them; when this impulse comes, the mind begins to think about the situation. Sometimes it thinks that it is good to act in a particular manner under the given conditions; at other times it thinks that it is wrong to act in the same manner even in the very same circumstances. The ordinary idea of duty everywhere is that every good man follows the dictates of his conscience. But what is it that makes an act a duty? If a Christian finds a piece of beef before him and does not eat it to save his own life, or will not give it to save the life of another man, he is sure to feel that he has not done his duty. But if a Hindu dares to eat that piece of beef or to give it to another Hindu, he is equally sure to feel that he too has not done his duty; the Hindu's training and education make him feel that way. In the last century there were notorious bands of robbers in India called thugs; they thought it their duty to kill any man they could and take away his money; the larger the number of men they killed, the better they thought they were. Ordinarily if a man goes out into the street and shoots down another man, he is apt to feel sorry for it, thinking that he has done wrong. But if the very same man, as a soldier in his regiment, kills not one but twenty, he is certain to feel glad and think that he has done his duty remarkably well. Therefore we see that it is not the thing done that defines a duty. To give an objective definition of duty is thus entirely impossible. Yet there is duty from the subjective side. Any action that makes us go Godward is a good action, and is our duty; any action that makes us go downward is evil, and is not our duty. From the subjective standpoint we may see that certain acts have a tendency to exalt and ennoble us, while certain other acts have a tendency to degrade and to brutalise us. But it is not possible to make out with certainty which acts have which kind of tendency in relation to all persons, of all sorts and conditions. There is, however, only one idea of duty which has been universally accepted by all mankind, of all ages and sects and countries, and that has been summed up in a Sanskrit aphorism thus: “Do not injure any being; not injuring any being is virtue, injuring any being is sin.”

The Bhagavad-Gita frequently alludes to duties dependent upon birth and position in life. Birth and position in life and in society largely determine the mental and moral attitude of individuals towards the various activities of life. It is therefore our duty to do that work which will exalt and ennoble us in accordance with the ideals and activities of the society in which we are born. But it must be particularly remembered that the same ideals and activities do not prevail in all societies and countries; our ignorance of this is the main cause of much of the hatred of one nation towards another. An American thinks that whatever an American does in accordance with the custom of his country is the best thing to do, and that whoever does not follow his custom must be a very wicked man. A Hindu thinks that his customs are the only right ones and are the best in the world, and that whosoever does not obey them must be the most wicked man living. This is quite a natural mistake which all of us are apt to make. But it is very harmful; it is the cause of half the uncharitableness found in the world. When I came to this country and was going through the Chicago Fair, a man from behind pulled at my turban. I looked back and saw that he was a very gentlemanly-looking man, neatly dressed. I spoke to him; and when he found that I knew English, he became very much abashed. On another occasion in the same Fair another man gave me a push. When I asked him the reason, he also was ashamed and stammered out an apology saying, "Why do you dress that way?" The sympathies of these men were limited within the range of their own language and their own fashion of dress. Much of the oppression of powerful nations on weaker ones is caused by this prejudice. It dries up their fellow feeling for fellow men. That very man who asked me why I did not dress as he did and wanted to ill-treat me because of my dress may have been a very good man, a good father, and a good citizen; but the kindliness of his nature died out as soon as he saw a man in a different dress. Strangers are exploited in all countries, because they do not know how to defend themselves; thus they carry home false impressions of the peoples they have seen. Sailors, soldiers, and traders behave in foreign lands in very queer ways, although they would not dream of doing so in their own country; perhaps this is why the Chinese call Europeans and Americans "foreign devils". They could not have done this if they had met the good, the kindly sides of Western life.

Therefore the one point we ought to remember is that we should always try to see the duty of others through their own eyes, and never judge the customs of other peoples by our own standard. I am not the standard of the universe. I have to accommodate myself to the world, and not the world to me. So we see that environments change the nature of our duties, and doing the duty which is ours at any particular time is the best thing we can do in this world. Let us do that duty which is ours by birth; and when we have done that, let us do the duty which is ours by our position in life and in society. There is, however, one great danger in human nature, viz that man never examines himself. He thinks he is quite as fit to be on the throne as the king. Even if he is, he must first show that he has done the duty of his own position; and then higher duties will come to him. When we begin to work earnestly in the world, nature gives us blows right and left and soon enables us to find out our position. No man can long occupy satisfactorily a position for which he is not fit. There is no use in grumbling against nature's adjustment. He who does the lower work is not therefore a lower man. No man is to be judged by the mere nature of his duties, but all should be judged by the manner and the spirit in which they perform them.

Later on we shall find that even this idea of duty undergoes change, and that the greatest work is done only when there is no selfish motive to prompt it. Yet it is work through the sense of duty that leads us to work without any idea of duty; when work will become worship — nay, something higher — then will work be done for its own sake. We shall find that the philosophy of duty, whether it be in the form of ethics or of love, is the same as in every other Yoga — the object being the attenuating of the lower self, so that the real higher Self may shine forth — the lessening of the frittering away of energies on the lower plane of existence, so that the soul may manifest itself on the higher ones. This is accomplished by the continuous denial of low desires, which duty rigorously requires. The whole organisation of society has thus been developed, consciously or unconsciously, in the realms of action and experience, where, by limiting selfishness, we open the way to an unlimited expansion of the real nature of man.

Duty is seldom sweet. It is only when love greases its wheels that it runs smoothly; it is a continuous friction otherwise. How else could parents do their duties to their children, husbands to their wives, and vice versa? Do we not meet with cases of friction every day in our lives? Duty is sweet only through love, and love shines in freedom alone. Yet is it freedom to be a slave to the senses, to anger, to jealousies and a hundred other petty things that must occur every day in human life? In all these little roughnesses that we meet with in life, the highest expression of freedom is to forbear. Women, slaves to their own irritable, jealous tempers, are apt to blame their husbands, and assert their own "freedom", as they think, not knowing that thereby they only prove that they are slaves. So it is with husbands who eternally find fault with their wives.

Chastity is the first virtue in man or woman, and the man who, however he may have strayed away, cannot be brought to the right path by a gentle and loving and chaste wife is indeed very rare. The world is not yet as bad as that. We hear much about brutal husbands all over the world and about the impurity of men, but is it not true that there are quite as many brutal and impure women as men? If all women were as good and pure as their own constant assertions would lead one to believe, I am perfectly satisfied that there would not be one impure man in the world. What brutality is there which purity and chastity cannot conquer? A good, chaste wife, who thinks of every other man except her own husband as her child and has the attitude of a mother towards all men, will grow so great in the power of her purity that there cannot be a single man, however brutal, who will not breathe an atmosphere of holiness in her presence. Similarly, every husband must look upon all women, except his own wife, in the light of his own mother or daughter or sister. That man, again, who wants to be a teacher of religion must look upon every woman as his mother, and always behave towards her as such.

The position of the mother is the highest in the world, as it is the one place in which to learn and exercise the greatest unselfishness. The love of God is the only love that is higher than a mother's love; all others are lower. It is the duty of the mother to think of her children first and then of herself. But, instead of that, if the parents are always thinking of themselves first, the result is that the relation between parents and children becomes the same as that between birds and their offspring which, as soon as they are fledged, do not recognise any parents. Blessed, indeed, is the man who is able to look upon woman as the representative of the motherhood of God. Blessed, indeed, is the woman to whom man represents the fatherhood of God. Blessed are the children who look upon their parents as Divinity manifested on earth.

The only way to rise is by doing the duty next to us, and thus gathering strength go on until we reach the highest state. A young Sannyâsin went to a forest; there he meditated, worshipped, and practiced Yoga for a long time. After years of hard work and practice, he was one day sitting under a tree, when some dry leaves fell upon his head. He looked up and saw a crow and a crane fighting on the top of the tree, which made him very angry. He said, "What! Dare you throw these dry leaves upon my head!" As with these words he angrily glanced at them, a flash of fire went out of his head — such was the Yogi's power — and burnt the birds to ashes. He was very glad, almost overjoyed at this development of power — he could burn the crow and the crane by a look. After a time he had to go to the town to beg his bread. He went, stood at a door, and said, "Mother, give me food." A voice came from inside the house, "Wait a little, my son." The young man thought, "You wretched woman, how dare you make me wait! You do not know my power yet." While he was thinking thus the voice came again: "Boy, don't be thinking too much of yourself. Here is neither crow nor crane." He was astonished; still he had to wait. At last the woman came, and he fell at her feet and said, "Mother, how did you know that?" She said, "My boy, I do not know your Yoga or your practices. I am a common everyday woman. I made you wait because my husband is ill, and I was nursing him. All my life I have struggled to do my duty. When I was unmarried, I did my duty to my parents; now that I am married, I do my duty to my husband; that is all the Yoga I practice. But by doing my duty I have become illumined; thus I could read your thoughts and know what you had done in the forest. If you want to know something higher than this, go to the market of such and such a town where you will find a Vyâdha (The lowest class of people in India who used to live as hunters and butchers.) who will tell you something that you will be very glad to learn." The Sannyasin thought, "Why should I go to that town and to a Vyadha?" But after what he had seen, his mind opened a little, so he went. When he came near the town, he found the market and there saw, at a distance, a big fat Vyadha cutting meat with big knives, talking and bargaining with different people. The young man said, "Lord help me! Is this the man from whom I am going to learn? He is the incarnation of a demon, if he is anything." In the meantime this man looked up and said, "O Swami, did that lady send you here? Take a seat until I have done my business." The Sannyasin thought, "What comes to me here?" He took his seat; the man went on with his work, and after he had finished he took his money and said to the Sannyasin, "Come sir, come to my home." On reaching home the Vyadha gave him a seat, saying, "Wait here," and went into the house. He then washed his old father and mother, fed them, and did all he could to please them, after which he came to the Sannyasin and said, "Now, sir, you have come here to see me; what can I do for you?" The Sannyasin asked him a few questions about soul and about God, and the Vyadha gave him a lecture which forms a part of the Mahâbhârata, called the Vyâdha-Gitâ. It contains one of the highest flights of the Vedanta. When the Vyadha finished his teaching, the Sannyasin felt astonished. He said, "Why are you in that body? With such knowledge as yours why are you in a Vyadha's body, and doing such filthy, ugly work?" "My son," replied the Vyadha, "no duty is ugly, no duty is impure. My birth placed me in these circumstances and environments. In my boyhood I learnt the trade; I am unattached, and I try to do my duty well. I try to do my duty as a householder, and I try to do all I can to make my father and mother happy. I neither know your Yoga, nor have I become a Sannyasin, nor did I go out of the world into a forest; nevertheless, all that you have heard and seen has come to me through the unattached doing of the duty which belongs to my position."

There is a sage in India, a great Yogi, one of the most wonderful men I have ever seen in my life. He is a peculiar man, he will not teach any one; if you ask him a question he will not answer. It is too much for him to take up the position of a teacher, he will not do it. If you ask a question, and wait for some days, in the course of conversation he will bring up the subject, and wonderful light will he throw on it. He told me once the secret of work, "Let the end and the means be joined into one." When you are doing any work, do not think of anything beyond. Do it as worship, as the highest worship, and devote your whole life to it for the time being. Thus, in the story, the Vyadha and the woman did their duty with cheerfulness and whole-heartedness; and the result was that they became illuminated, clearly showing that the right performance of the duties of any station in life, without attachment to results, leads us to the highest realisation of the perfection of the soul.

It is the worker who is attached to results that grumbles about the nature of the duty which has fallen to his lot; to the unattached worker all duties are equally good, and form efficient instruments with which selfishness and sensuality may be killed, and the freedom of the soul secured. We are all apt to think too highly of ourselves. Our duties are determined by our desires to a much larger extent than we are willing to grant. Competition rouses envy, and it kills the kindliness of the heart. To the grumbler all duties are distasteful; nothing will ever satisfy him, and his whole life is doomed to prove a failure. Let us work on, doing as we go whatever happens to be our duty, and being ever ready to put our shoulders to the wheel. Then surely shall we see the Light!

-Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda's 1893 Chicago speech

RESPONSE TO WELCOME

At the World's Parliament of Religions, Chicago 11th September, 1893

Sisters and Brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions; and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.

My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honour of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: “As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.”

The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita: “Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.” Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilisation and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honour of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

Address at the Parliament of Religion: ADDRESS AT THE FINAL SESSION by Swami Vivekananda

ADDRESS AT THE FINAL SESSION(Address at the Parliament of Religion, Complete Works, Volume 1) 

27th September, 1893 

 The World's Parliament of Religions has become an accomplished fact, and the merciful Father has helped those who laboured to bring it into existence, and crowned with success their most unselfish labour.

My thanks to those noble souls whose large hearts and love of truth first dreamed this wonderful dream and then realised it. My thanks to the shower of liberal sentiments that has overflowed this platform. My thanks to his enlightened audience for their uniform kindness to me and for their appreciation of every thought that tends to smooth the friction of religions. A few jarring notes were heard from time to time in this harmony. My special thanks to them, for they have, by their striking contrast, made general harmony the sweeter.

Much has been said of the common ground of religious unity. I am not going just now to venture my own theory. But if any one here hopes that this unity will come by the triumph of any one of the religions and the destruction of the others, to him I say, “Brother, yours is an impossible hope.” Do I wish that the Christian would become Hindu? God forbid. Do I wish that the Hindu or Buddhist would become Christian? God forbid.

The seed is put in the ground, and earth and air and water are placed around it. Does the seed become the earth; or the air, or the water? No. It becomes a plant, it develops after the law of its own growth, assimilates the air, the earth, and the water, converts them into plant substance, and grows into a plant.

Similar is the case with religion. The Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist, nor a Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian. But each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth.

If the Parliament of Religions has shown anything to the world it is this: It has proved to the world that holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character. In the face of this evidence, if anybody dreams of the exclusive survival of his own religion and the destruction of the others, I pity him from the bottom of my heart, and point out to him that upon the banner of every religion will soon be written, in spite of resistance: "Help and not Fight," "Assimilation and not Destruction," "Harmony and Peace and not Dissension."

Address at the Parliament of Religion

Kali - The Mother

Written by Swami Vivekananda

The stars are blotted out,

The clouds are covering clouds.

It is darkness vibrant, sonant.

In the roaring, whirling wind

Are the souls of a million lunatics

Just loosed from the prison-house,

Wrenching trees by the roots,

Sweeping all from the path.

The sea has joined the fray,

And swirled up mountain-waves,

To reach the pitchy sky.

The flash of lurid light

Reveals on every side

A thousand, thousand shades

Of Death begrimed and black-

Scattering plagues and sorrows,

Dancing mad with joy,

Come, Mother, come!

For terror is Thy name,

Death is in thy breath,

And every shaking step

Destoys a world for e'er.

Thou Time, the All-destroyer!

Come, O Mother, come!

Who dares misery love,

And hug the form of Death,

Dance in destruction's dance

To him the Mother comes.

Arunachala Aksharamanamalai

Akshara Mana Malai

By
Bhagawan Ramana Maharshi

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander


Payiram

Tharuna aruna mani kirana vali nigar,
Dharma kshara mana magizh malai,
Theru nadiya thiruvadiyar theru maral,
Theliya parvuthal porualakk ,
Karunkara muni  Ramana riyanuva,
Kaiyinar choliyathu gathiyaga,
Varunachalamena ga arivodu,
Mazhvar shivanugamalware.
                                                                Murugan

Recommending verse.

This joyful scented garland  ,
Which resembles the beam,
Of the rays of the rising Sun,
Was requested for by his devotees
Who chose the streets for removing
The delusion and make people understand
And  this was  composed by Ramana ,
Who was the ocean of pity.
Those who choose to tell this as their refuge,
Would understand that they are Arunachalam ,
And reign in the land of Lord Shiva.
                                                     
                                                          Murugan*
      * Murugan is one of the great devotees of Bhgawan Ramana.

Prayer to Lord Ganapathi

Arunachalavarketha Akshara malai chatha,
Karunakara Ganapathiye Karamaruli kaapaye.                                  

Oh merciful Ganapathi , give a hand and help  me,
To make a garland of letters suitable for Lord Arunachala.

Refrain ( this refrain  has to be chanted after each verse)

Arunachala Siva, Arunachala Siva,
Arunachala Siva, Arunachala Siva,
Arunachala Siva, Arunachala Siva,
Arunachala Siva, Arunachala Siva.

Arunachalamena agame ninaippavar,
Agathai aruppai arunachalane.                                              1

Oh Arunachala, cut of the pride in the minds,
Of those who meditate on Arunachala.

Azhagu sundaram pol agavum neeyum uttha
Binnamay iruppom arunachalaa.                                           2

Oh Arunachala , like the words Azhagu in Tamil,
And Sundaram in Sanskrit mean the same beauty,
Let our mind and you be not different and be same.

Agam pugum theerthu , unnaka guhai chirayai,
Amarvithathen kolo arunachalaa.                                          3

Oh Arunachala , why did you enter in my mind,
Drew me,  made me imprisoned in your mind?

Aarum kavenai yandanai yagathidil,
Akhilam pazhithidum arunachalam.                                      4

Oh Arunachala, after  having drawn the useless me,
If you remove me later, the world would find fault with you.

Ippazhi thappunai yeninai pitha ,
Yini yaar viduvaar arunachalam.                                           5

Oh Arunachala , get rid of this bad name,
Oh Mad one, who would leave you now.

Yeendridum annayir peritharul purivo,
Yidhuvo unadharul Aunachala.                                              6

Oh Arunachala  who is kinder than my mother,
This is indeed your great grace.

Unaye mathi odathulathin mel,
Uruthiyayiruppai Arunachala.                                                7

Oh Arunachala, please change yourself,
And sit firmly on my changing mind.

Oor chuthu ulam vidathu unnai tatangida,
Un azhagai kattu Arunachala.                                                 8

Oh Arunachala , show me your beauty,
So that my mind ,which wanders round becomes firm.

Yenai azhithippo yenai kalava vidil,
Ithuvo vanmai Arunachala.                                                      9

Oh Arunachala, Are you man enough ,
So that  you destroy my ego,
And merge me with yourself?

Yen inda urakkam yenai pirar izhukka,
Ithu unakku azhago, Arunachala.                                           10

Oh Arunachala, Is it pretty for you,
To be asleep when others drag me to things bad?

Iympula kalvar agathinir pugum pothu,
Agathu nee ilayo, Arunachala.                                                 11

Oh Arunachala, Are you not within me,
When the thief of five senses enters within me?                

Oruvanaam unnai olithavar varuvaar,
Un chootheyidhu, Arunachala.                                                 12

Oh Arunachala, If the one who hides you,
Appear before me, it is only your deceit, Oh God

Omgara porul oppu uyar villoy,
Unai yaar arivaar , Arunachala.                                          13

Oh Arunachala, who is great and incomparable,
Who can claim ever  to know you?

Ouai  pol , yenakku un arulai thandu yenai,
Aluvathu un kadan, Arunachala.                                         14

Oh Arunachala, It is your bounden duty,
To control me after giving your grace , just like my mother.

Kannukku kaanai kannindri kanunai,
Kanuvathu yevar paar , Arunachala.                                     15

Oh Arunachala, you watch over  me yourself,
To  help me see you with the eye of the eyes,
When I am  trying to see you with my  eyes.

Kandham irumb pol kavarndu yennai vidamal,
Kalandhu yennodu iruppai , Arunachala.                              16

Oh Arunachala, be always with me ,
Like the magnet attracting a piece of steel,
And be always merge with me   never leaving me.

Giri uruvagiya kirubai kadale,
Krubai koorndu arulvay, Arunachala.                                    17

Oh Arunachala who is the ocean of mercy,
With the looks of a mountain, please bless me with your grace.

Keezh melengum kilar oli mani yen,
Keezhmayayai paaz chey, Arunachala.                                  18

Oh Arunachala , Who shines like a gem,
In the minds of the great as well as the  base ones,
Destroy this quality of baseness within me.

Kutham uthu aruthennai gunamay paninthal,
Guru uruvay olir , Arunachala.                                               19

Oh Arunachala, destroy all the crimes that I have committed,
And make me pure, through the mouth of the teacher.

Koor vaat kanniyar kodumayir padathu arul,
Koorndu  yennai Cherndhu arul, Arunachala.                        20

Oh Arunachala, Be merciful  with me and bless me,
So that I do not fall in the hooks of the bad ones, with sharp swords.

Kenjiyum vanjiyay konjam irangilai,
Anjel yendru arul, Arunachala.                                                21

Oh Arunachala, like a deceiver you have not shown pity on me,
In spite of my begging, Please tell me , not to be afraid.

Kelathu alikkum un kedil pugazhai,
Kedu cheyyathu arul, Arunachala.                                         22

Oh Arunachala, do not spoil your fame,
Of giving without asking , by not giving to me.

Kaiyinir kaniyul mey rasam kondu uvagai,
Veri kola varurl , Arunachala.                                                23

Oh Arunachala, bless me with the exuberance of happiness,
By using the juice of the truth of the fruit in my hand,

Kodiyittu adiyarai kollunai kkatti ,
Kondu engan vazhven, Arunachala.                                       24

Oh Arunachala , how will I Ever live ,
As a slave to you who kills ,
Without killing his devotees?    

Kopamil gunathoy , kuriyay yenai kola,
Kuray yen cheythen, Arunachala.                                           25

Oh Arunachala , who is never angry,
What great did I ever do , to make you,
Choose me to receive your grace?

Kowthamar pothum karunai maa malaye,
Kadai kanithu aalvay, Arunachala.                                          26

Oh Arunachala , who is the mountain of mercy,
Which is being worshipped by sage Gowthama,
Please see me with your side long glance and bless me.

Chakalamum vizhungum kadir oli ina mana,
Salasa malarthi yidu , Arunachala.                                           27

Oh Arunachala , who is the light that swallows all,
Please make the lotus of  my mind open fully.

Chappadu unnai charndhuna vaayaan,
Santhamay pavan Arunachala.                                                 28

Oh Arunachala, when I approached you for food,
You made me your food and made me peaceful.

Chitham kulira kkathir atham vaitha amudha,
Vaayai thira varun mathi, Arunachala.                                 29

Oh Arunachala, with a view to cool my mind,
Open the nectar like mouth of the bud of my mind.

Cheerai azhithu nirvanamai cheythu arut,
Cheerai alitharul, Arunachala.                                               30

Oh Arunachala, Remove the cloth that covers my mind,
Make me nude and again grace me with your cloth of grace.

Chuka kadal ponga chollunar adanga,
Chumma porunthidanga Arunachala.                                    31

Oh Arunachala, to make my mind ebb with pleasure,
And to make my senses under control , you occupy my mind.

Choothu cheydu yenni chothiyadini un
Jothi uru kkattu , Arunachala.                                                32

Oh Arunachala, from now on, do not test me by deceit,
And show me your form which shines like a flame.

Cheppadi vithai kkathu ippadi mayakku vittu,
Uru ppadu vithai kkattu , Arunachala.                                   33

Oh Arunachala , do not show the magical shows
To make me completely confused,
And show me that which would build me.

Cherayenin mey neera yurugi kkan,
Neeral azhiven , Arunachala.                                                  34

Oh Arunachala, If you do not unite with me,
I would melt like water and be destroyed by tears.

Chaiyena thallin chey vinai chudum amala,
Uy vagai yethu urai, Arunachala.                                            35

Oh Arunachala , if you push me away with disdain,
Oh pure one , my actions would burn me,
And so tell me how should I live and win.

Chollathu cholli nee , chollara nillendru,
Chumma yirundhay , Arunachala.                                           36

Oh Arunachala, without talking you talked to me,
And told me to stop talking and you kept quite.

Chombiyay chumma sukhamundu urangidir,
Chol very yen gathi, Arunachala.                                            37

Oh Arunachala, If I lazily sleep in pleasure,
Tell me, what other  way to get away is there for me.

Chowriyam kaattinai , chazha kathathu yendre,
Chaliyathu irunday, Arunachala.                                             38

Oh Arunachala, you showed me your prowess                    
And the darkness in me vanished,
And you remained still motion less.

Gnamaliyir kedaa naan yendru uruthi yay,
Nadi nin urave, Arunachala.                                                   39

Oh Arunachala, I am worse than a dog,
For when did I ever steadfastly seek you.

Gnanamillathu , un asayar thalar vara,
Gnanam therithu arul, Arunachala.                                         40

Oh Arunachala, I sought you without wisdom,
But did only get tired because of my desire,
And so grace me with the wisdom to seek you.

Jnimiru po neeyum malarnthilai yendre,
Ner nindaranai , yen arunachala.                                              41

Oh Arunachala, When I as a bee wanted to enter you,
And when I thought that you have not opened  like a bud,
To my surprise  I found you standing in front of me.

Thattuvam theriya thathanai yuthay,
Thathuvam ithu ven, Arunachala.                                                42

Oh my Arunachala , when I did not know the innate philosophy,
You yourself stood before me as the same innate philosophy.

Thane thane thathuvam idanai ,
Thane kattuvai Arunachala.                                                           43

Oh Arunachala , please show and make me realize,
That you ,yourself are the innate philosophy.

Thirumbi yagam thannai dina maga kan kaandu,
Yeriyum yendranai, yen Arunachala.                                             44

Oh my Arunachala, You told me to turn and see,
Within myself ,so that I will know it.

Deeramilakathir thediyum thanayaan ,
Thirumba vuthen arul, Arunachala.                                                 45

Oh Arunachala, by your grace I searched inside ,
Without inner courage and got you again.

Thupparivilla ippira ppen bhayan,
Oppidavaye , yen Arunachala.                                                        46

Oh my Arunachala, what is the use of this birth,
Without the  innate knowledge, and then why,
Should I try to compare it with that of others.

Thooy mana mozhiyar thoyu mun meyygam,
Thoyave yarul yen Arunachala.                                                       47

Oh my Arunachala, please bless me to merge within you,
Before the others with purer mind merge in you.

Dheivam yendru unnai charave , yennai,
Chera vozhithay Arunachala.                                                            48

Oh Arunachala , when I bent towards you,
Thinking you are my God, you pushed me away.

Thedathu uttha na thiru varu nithi yaga,
Thiyakkam theertharul Arunahala.                                                      49

Oh Arunachala, You are the divine treasure,
That I got without searching for it,
And bless me with a stable mind.

Dhairiyamodu mun meyyaga nada yaan,
Thattazhithen arul , Arunachala.                                                         50

Oh Arunachala, when I tried to approach you with courage,
The boat of mine tottered and I  fell down and so bless me.

Thottarut kai mey kattidaa yenil,
Yaan attamaven, arul , Arunachala.                                                      51

Oh Arunachala , If you do not merge in me,
When I extend my hands to touch you,
Then I would become , a useless thing.

Thodamini yagathodu ondri yendrum,
Chandhoda ondirda arul, Arunachala.                                                    52

Oh Arunachala, You who are without flaws,
Merge with me from the inside and grace me,
To merge with the  ever lasting joy , inside you.

Nagaikku ida milai nin nadiya venaiaru ,
Nagai Yittu paar nee arunachala.                                                            53

Oh Arunachala, this is not the time to laugh at me,
Who has sought and approached you but please see me,
After adorning me with your grace.

Nanilai naadita naanayondri nee,
Thanuva niranai arunachala.                                                                    54

Oh Arunachala, without shame you stood like a pillar,
When I came myself,  seeking you, instead of helping me.

Ninneri yerithenai neeragidum mun,
Nin arun mazhai pozhi Arunachala.                                                        55

Oh Arunachala, before I turn to ash due to your burning advice
Rain your nectar like grace on me, please.

Nee naan ara ppuli nithangali mayama,
Nindridu nilay arul Arunachala.                                                             56

Oh Arunachala, destroy the difference between you and me,
And bless me with the state of  ecstasic joy.

Nunn uruvay ninai yaan vinnuru nannida,
Yennalai yirumen ara Arunachala.                                                          57

Oh Arunachala, please cut off my nets of thought,
That prevent me to see your subtle divine form.

Noolarivu ariya pethaiyan yendran,
Malari varuthu arul, Arunachala.                                                            58

Oh Arunachala , grace me by cutting  off my wrong knowledge,
For I am a simpleton who does not have bookish knowledge.

Nekku nekkurugi yaan pukkida unnai puga,
Nakkaha ninranai , Arunachala.                                                                 59

Oh Arunachala, when melting with emotions, I tried to enter you,
As my refuge   but  You stood motionless and naked before me.

Nesa mila yenakkun asayai kaati nee,
Mosam cheyyatharul, Arunachala.                                                           60

Oh Arunachala, Do not forsake  me now .
After showing your desire to me ,
As  I  was not interested in you earlier.

Naindazhi kaniya nalanilai padathir,
Nadi ut kol nalam, Arunachala.                                                                61

Oh Arunachala, Unripe fruits do not lead to good,
Ripen me and merge me with you.

Nondhida thunthanai thandu yenai kondilai,
Yandaka nee yenakku Arunachala.                                                         62

Oh Arunachala, you are like the God of death me,
As you gave me yourself and painlessly took me within you.

Nokkiye  karuthi mey thakkiye pakkuvam
Aakki nee aandarul, Arunachala.                                                              63

Oh Arunachala , see me touch me and ripen me,
And then take me and then  rule over me.

Pathi maal vidanthalai yuthiru munamarul,
Pathida arul puri, Arunachala.                                                                   64

Oh Arunachala, shower your grace and save me,
Before the poison of delusion gets hold of me.

Parthu arun maalara parthilai yenin arul,
Par unakkar cholvar, Arunachala.                                                            65

Oh Arunachala , If you do not see and dispel my illusion,
Who is there , who can request you to do that.

Pithu vittu unai ner pithanakkinai arul,
Pitham theli marundu Arunachala.                                                           66

Oh Arunachala, You cured my mad desire for the world,
And made me mad for you and your grace,
And you are the only medicine to cure this madness.

Bheethiyil unai char, bheethiyil unai cher,
Bheethi undanakka yen, Arunachala.                                                       67

Oh Arunachala , why are you having fear to me joining you,
As I am joining you fearlessly and you are fearless.

Pullari vethurai, nallari vethurai,
Pullidave arul , Arunachala.                                                                      68

Oh Arunachala, please tell me which knowledge is bad,
And which is good and bless me to shed the bad knowledge.

Poo mana mamanam poorana manam kola ,
Pooranamarul Arunachala.                                                                        69

Oh Arunachala, Bless me with complete knowledge,
For my mind is beset with the scent of this world.
And not the knowledge of  perfection.

Peyar ninaithidave pidithu izhthanai un,
Perumai yaar arivaar Arunachala.                                                              70

Oh Arunachala, You pulled me towards you,
Even when I just brought your name to my mind,
And who can ever aptly tell your greatness?

Peythanam vida , vidaa peyayi pidithanai,
Peyan akkinai yen Arunachala.                                                                  71

Oh my Arunachala , when the devilishness left me,
You firmly caught hold of me like a devil,
And made me mad for you like  a devil.

Painkodi ya naan pathu indri vaadamar,
Pathu kodaay kaa varunachala.                                                                 72

Oh Arunachala, Please be a staff  to support me,
As I am a tender creeper and would wilt , if I do not have a support.

Podiyaan mayaikki yen bodathai parithu un,
Bodathai kattinai Arunachala.                                                                   73

Oh Arunachala , Using the dust to make me loose myself,
And completely steal away my understanding,
You blessed me by showing ,  your knowledge to me.

Pokkum varavumil podu veli yinil arut,
Porattam kattu, Arunachala.                                                                      74

Oh Arunachala, In my mind which is a public road
Where there is no coming and going of thoughts,
Stage and show the clashes of your divine self.

Poudhikama mudar pathu athu nalum mun,
Pavisu kandu uravu arul, Arunachala.                                                      75

Oh Arunachala, cut off my physical attachments,
And grace me with the splendorous sight of yours.

Malai marundhida nee malaithidavo varun,
Malai marunday olir, Arunachala.                                                            76

Oh Arunachala, When you cured me of my disease,
Of confusion about the problems of birth and life,
Why should I bother and so please shine as the mountain of cure.

Manam kondu urubhavar manathai azhitha pin,
Manamillathu olir Arunachala.                                                                  77

Oh Arunachala ,you have destroyed the ego,
Of the people who were suffering from ego,
And please shine as something beyond ego.

Minjidir kenjidum konja vari vaniyaan,
Vanchiyathu arul yenai, Arunachala.                                                         78

Oh Arunachala , I am an ignoramus , who begs,
When some one overwhelms and rules over me,
And so without deceiving me show your grace to me.

Meegaaman illaman maa kathu alai kala,
Magamar katharul, Arunachala.                                                                79

Oh Arunachala, Protect me from this great illusion,
When I am floundering like a ship without helmsman,
And caught amidst, the wind and storm of a storm.

Mudiyadi kaanaa mudi vidu thanai ner,
Mudi vida kada mnilai arul, Arunachala.                                                 80

Oh Arunachala , when I am trying to untie,
The knot of ego like the one  trying to find your head and feet,
Be like a mother and help me to untie the knot.

Mokilam mun kkattu mukurama kadenai ,
THooki anainthu arul, Arunachala.                                                          81

Oh Arunachala , do not show me a mirror,
To point out my absence of nose,
But raise me and hug me tightly.

Meyyagathin manamen mala ranayinaa,
Mey kalathida varul , Arunachala.                                                           82

Oh Arunachala , in the flower bed of my mind,
Within my body , permit me to merge with you.

Men mel thazhindhdu melliyar cherndhu nee,
Menmayuthana yenna, Arunachala.                                                         83

Oh Arunachala, how is it that you became great,
Even after again and again mixing with the poor and humble.

Mai mayanetharun maiyinal unathu ,
Unamai vasamakkinai, Arunahala.                                                            84

Oh Arunachala, after removing the collyrium of ignorant confusion,
By granting me the collyrium of your grace , you made me truly yours.

Mottai yadithennai vetta veliyineel
Nattamadinai yen , Arunachala.                                                                 85

Oh Arunachala, after completely shaving of my ignorant thoughts,
You danced in the empty stadium of my mind.

Moham thavirthun mohama vaithu men,
Moham theeray, yen Arunachala.                                                              86

Oh Arunachala, you removed my attachment to me,
Put in there attachment to you, and by your grace,
Keep that attachment from not vanishing.

Mouniyai karpon malarathirunthaan,
Monamith aamo , Arunachala.                                                                   87

Oh Arunachala , Is it divine silence,
When one is silent and immobile like a stone?

Yavan yen vaayil maninai yatti,
Yen pizhai pozhuthathu , Arunachala.                                                       88

Oh Arunachala, who was it ,who made me good for nothing,
And robbed me of my livelihood?

Yaarumariyadhen madhiyinai marutti ,
Yevar kollai kondathu , Arunachala.                                                           89

Oh Arunachala, who was it that destroyed
My mind’s confusion and robbed me for himself?

Ramanar yendru uraithen , rosam kolathu yenai,
Ramithida cheya vaa, Arunachala.                                                              90

Oh Arunachala, I told it this way because,
I thought that you are one bewitching my mind,
And so without getting angry, make me happy.

Raa pakalilla veru veli veetil,
Ramithuduvom, vaa, Arunachala.                                                              91

Oh Arunachala , let us both enjoy this divine happiness,
In this open house where there is no night or day.

Lakshiyamm vaithu arul asthiram vittanai,
Bakshithaay prananodu, Arunachala.                                                          92

Oh Arunachala, you shot your arrow at me,
Keeping correct aim and ate me away along with my soul .

Labha nee ikha para labham mi lenayuthu,
Labham yennuthanaim, Arunachala.                                                            93

Oh Arunachala, what  is  the profit got buy you,
Who is the real profit to those who get you,
By taking me ,  who does nothing here and hereafter.

Varumbadi cholilai, vanden padiyala,
Varundhidan alai vidhi, Arunachala.                                                            94

Oh Arunachala, You only called me near you,
And now I have come, look after me and my problems,
And if you feel sad to do it, it is but  your fate.

Vaa vendru agam pukkun vaazh varul endre yen,
Vaazh vizhunden arul, Arunachala.                                                              95

Oh Arunachala, The moment I came in, when you called,
You entered in to me  and showered your grace,
But I lost my selfish egoistic life.

Vittidir kattamaam vittida thunai uyir,
Vittida yarul puri , Arunachala.                                                                     96

Oh Arunachala, To leave you  is difficult,
So when I leave this world, be with me,
And please bless me to be always with you.

Veedu vitteer thula veedu pukku payya vun,
Veedu kattinai yarul, Arunachala.                                                                 97

Oh Arunachala, you drew me out of my home,
And you entered and occupied the home of my mind,
And showed me, that you are my permanent home.

Veli vitten un cheyal veruthithadathu un arul,
Veli vittu yenai kaa, Arunachala.                                                                   98

Oh Arunachala, I have published your acts now,
But please do not hate me  for that,
And show your grace and then protect me.

Vedanthatte verara vilangum,
Veda porul arul  Arunachala.                                                                         99

Oh Arunachala, please explain to me that ,
Which  is the essence of all Vedas,
And which is explained in Vedantha.

Vaidhalai vazhathaa vaitharut kudiya,
Vaithenai vidathu arul, Arunachala.                                                              100

Oh Arunachala, consider my slanderous words as praise.
And make as an object of grace and look after me always.

Ambuvi laali pola  anpuruvu nilay enai,
Anbaa karaitharul, Arunachala.                                                                      101

Oh Arunachala, like the hail stones melting in rain,
Please merge me in your form of love , as your form is love itself.

Arunai yen drannayana arut kanni patten un,
Arul valai thappumo Arunachala.                                                                    102

Oh Arunachala, as soon as I thought of Arunachala,
I was caught in the net of your grace,
For the net of your grace never makes mistakes.

Chindhithu arut pada Chilandhi pol kkatti,
Cirayittu undanai , Arunachala.                                                                       103

Oh Arunachala, after great thought you spun a spider’s web,
Imprisoned me and then took me within you.

Anpodu un namange , anbar tham anbarukku,
Anbanayida varul , Arunachala.                                                                        104

Oh Arunachala, please make me the friend,
Of the friend of  a friend of one who chants your name with love.

Yen polum dhenarai yin pura kkathu nee,
Yennalum vazhandharul Arunachala.                                                                105

Oh Arunachala , you please kindly protect the oppressed ones,
Like me and continue to live forever.

Yenpurukanpar tham yin chorkkal cheviyumen,
Pun mozhi kol varul, Arunachala.                                                                      106

Oh Arunachala, who hears the sweet words ,
Of devotees who melt to the chore on singing of him,
Be pleased to accept the poor words of mine too.

Poumayam poo thara pun cholai nan cholap,
Poruthirulishtam pin , Arunachala.                                                                  107

Oh Arunachala who is a mountain of patience,
When I tell poor words about you make them good,
As per your wish and please pardon me.

Malai alitharul Arunachala, Ramana ven,
Malai aninthu arul Arunachala.                                                                        108

Oh Arunachala Ramana, please give me a garland and then
Please wear the garland composed by me.

NirvanaShatkam

Written by
Bhagwan Sri Adi Shankaracharya



निर्वाण-षटकम्

जब आदि गुरु शन्कराचार्य जी की अपने गुरु से प्रथम भेंट हुई तो उनके गुरु ने बालक शंकर से उनका परिचय माँगा ।

बालक शंकर ने अपना परिचय किस रूप में दिया ये जानना ही एक सुखद अनुभूति बन जाता है...
यह परिचय 'निर्वाण-षटकम्' के नाम से प्रसिद्ध हुआ ।

मनो बुद्धि अहंकार चित्तानि नाहं
न च श्रोत्र जिव्हे न च घ्राण नेत्रे |
न च व्योम भूमि न तेजो न वायु:
चिदानंद रूपः शिवोहम शिवोहम ||1||

[मैं मन, बुद्धि, अहंकार और स्मृति नहीं हूँ, न मैं कान, जिह्वा, नाक और आँख हूँ। न मैं आकाश, भूमि, तेज और वायु ही हूँ, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ...]

I am not mind, nor intellect, nor ego, nor the reflections of inner self (chitta).
I am not the five senses.
I am beyond that.
I am not the ether, nor the earth, nor the fire, nor the wind (the five elements).
I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, the auspicious (Shivam), love and pure consciousness.

न च प्राण संज्ञो न वै पञ्चवायुः
न वा सप्तधातु: न वा पञ्चकोशः |
न वाक्पाणिपादौ न च उपस्थ पायु
चिदानंदरूप: शिवोहम शिवोहम ||2||

[न मैं मुख्य प्राण हूँ और न ही मैं पञ्च प्राणों (प्राण, उदान, अपान, व्यान, समान) में कोई हूँ, न मैं सप्त धातुओं (त्वचा, मांस, मेद, रक्त, पेशी, अस्थि, मज्जा) में कोई हूँ और न पञ्च कोशों (अन्नमय, मनोमय, प्राणमय, विज्ञानमय, आनंदमय) में से कोई, न मैं वाणी, हाथ, पैर हूँ और न मैं जननेंद्रिय या गुदा हूँ, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ...]

Neither can I be termed as energy (prana),
nor five types of breath (vayus),
nor the seven material essences,
nor the five coverings (pancha-kosha).
Neither am I the five instruments of elimination, procreation, motion, grasping, or speaking.
I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, the auspicious (Shivam), love and pure consciousness.

न मे द्वेषरागौ न मे लोभ मोहौ
मदों नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः |
न धर्मो नचार्थो न कामो न मोक्षः
चिदानंदरूप: शिवोहम शिवोहम ||3||

[न मुझमें राग और द्वेष हैं, न ही लोभ और मोह, न ही मुझमें मद है न ही ईर्ष्या की भावना, न मुझमें धर्म, अर्थ, काम और मोक्ष ही हैं, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ...]

I have no hatred or dislike, nor affiliation or liking, nor greed, nor delusion, nor pride or
haughtiness, nor feelings of envy or jealousy.
I have no duty (dharma), nor any money, nor any desire (kama), nor even liberation
(moksha).
I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, the auspicious (Shivam), love and
pure consciousness.

न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दु:खं
न मंत्रो न तीर्थं न वेदों न यज्ञः |
अहम् भोजनं नैव भोज्यम न भोक्ता
चिदानंद रूप: शिवोहम शिवोहम ||4||

[न मैं पुण्य हूँ, न पाप, न सुख और न दुःख, न मन्त्र, न तीर्थ, न वेद और न यज्ञ, मैं न भोजन हूँ, न खाया जाने वाला हूँ और न खाने वाला हूँ, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ...]

I have neither merit (virtue), nor demerit (vice). I do not commit sins or good deeds,
nor have happiness or sorrow, pain or pleasure.
I do not need mantras, holy places, scriptures (Vedas), rituals or sacrifices (yagnas).
I am none of the triad of the
observer or one who experiences, the process
of observing or experiencing, or any object being observed or experienced.
I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, the auspicious (Shivam), love and pure consciousness.

न मे मृत्युशंका न मे जातिभेद:
पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्म |
न बंधू: न मित्रं गुरु: नैव शिष्यं
चिदानंद रूप: शिवोहम शिवोहम ||5||

[न मुझे मृत्यु का भय है, न मुझमें जाति का कोई भेद है, न मेरा कोई पिता ही है, न कोई माता ही है, न मेरा जन्म हुआ है, न मेरा कोई भाई है, न कोई मित्र, न कोई गुरु ही है और न ही कोई शिष्य, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ...]

I do not have fear of death, as I do not have death.
I have no separation from my true self, no doubt about my existence, nor have I
discrimination on the basis of birth.
I have no father or mother, nor did I have a birth.
I am not the relative, nor the friend, nor the guru, nor the disciple.
I am indeed, That eternal
knowing and bliss, the auspicious (Shivam), love and pure consciousness.

अहम् निर्विकल्पो निराकार रूपो
विभुव्याप्य सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम |
सदा मे समत्वं न मुक्ति: न बंध:
चिदानंद रूप: शिवोहम शिवोहम ||6||

[मैं समस्त संदेहों से परे, बिना किसी आकार वाला, सर्वगत, सर्वव्यापक, सभी इन्द्रियों को व्याप्त करके स्थित हूँ, मैं सदैव समता में स्थित हूँ, न मुझमें मुक्ति है और न बंधन, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ...]

I am all pervasive. I am without any attributes, and without any form. I have neither
attachment to the world, nor to liberation (mukti). 
I have no wishes for anything because I am everything, everywhere, every time,
always in equilibrium. 
I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, the auspicious (Shivam), love and pure consciousness.

इति श्रीमद जगद्गुरु शंकराचार्य विरचितं निर्वाण-षटकम सम्पूर्णं

ॐ नमः शिवाय.