At eight years old the great Adi Shankara or Shakaracharya was wandering up in the Himalayas mountains in search of his Guru. A great sage stopped and asked him who he was and this was his powerful reply -
Mano Buddhi ahankara chittani naaham
Na cha shrotravjihve na cha ghraana netre
Na cha vyoma bhumir na tejo na vaayuhu
Chidananda rupah Shivoham Shivoham
I am not the mind, the intellect, the memory or the ego
I am not the ears, the skin, the nose or the eyes
I am not the space, not earth, not fire, water or wind
I am the form of consciousness and bliss
I am the eternal Siva
Na cha prana sangyo na vai pancha vayuhu
Na va sapta dhatur na va pancha koshah
Na vak pani padam chopastha na payu
Chidananda rupah Shivoham Shivoham
I am not the breath nor the 5 elements
I am not matter nor the 5 sheaths of consciousness
Nor am I the speech the hands or the feet
I am the form of consciousness and bliss
I am the eternal Siva
Na me dvesha ragau na me lobha mohau
Na me vai mado naiva matsarya bhavaha
Na dharmo na chartho na kamo na mokshaha
Chidananda rupah Shivoham Shivoham
There is no dislike in me, no greed, no delusion
I know not pride or jealousy
I have no duty, no desire for wealth lust or liberation
I am the form of consciousness and bliss
I am the eternal Siva
Na punyam na papam na saukhyam na duhkham
Na mantro na tirtham na veda na yajnah
Aham bhojanam naiva bhojanam na bhokta
Chidananda rupah Shivoham Shivoham
No virtue or vice no pleasure or pain
I need no mantra no pilgrimage no scriptures and rituals
I am not the experienced nor the experience itself
I am the form of consciousness and bliss
I am the eternal Siva
Na me mrtyu shanka ne nejati bhedaha
Pita naiva me na mataa na janmaha
Na bandhur na mitram guru naiva shishyaya
Chidananda rupah Shivoham Shivoham
I have no fear of death no caste or creed
I have no father or mother for I was never born
I am not a relative nor a friend, nor teacher or student
I am the form of consciousness and bliss
I am the eternal Siva
Aham nirvikalpo nirakara rupo
Vibhut vatcha sarvatra sarvendriyanam
Na cha sangatham naiva muktir na meyaha
Chidananda rupah Shivoham Shivoham
I am devoid of duality, my form is formless
I exist everywhere pervading all senses
I am neither attached nor free nor captive
I am the form of consciousness and bliss
I am the eternal Siva.
The wise Sage that Shankaracharya was talking to was Swami Govindapada Acharya and was indeed the teacher that he was looking for. This is an amazing summery of the whole of Advaita Vedanta the non-dualistic philosophy, that as a simple yogi I look into and have been taught by my Gurus. It is a wonderful composition that looks at the essence of Vairagya - that of dispassion, detachment or renunciation and we can say in particular that of the renunciation of the pains and pleasures in the temporary material world. I have been trying to explain this recently when I look at the reactions of others at the way I live. This doesn't mean suppression, being fundamental, violent to oneself or denying ones needs; but the ability to see beyond the limitations of the worldly things and know that the journey one can embark on beyond them is the greatest. Indulging ourselves in the worldly temporary things only pulls us away from the greatest discovery - I am that form of consciousness and bliss, I am the eternal Siva.
Maha Sivayatri will fall on March 4 th
this year, enjoy the preparations and Sadhana.
Wishing you the greatest ride of your life!
You can hear the Nirvana Shatakam here on this link -
Love and Lightness of being - I am Siva I am Siva
Mangala / Nicky
