The Grace “Atman”

 

The Grace “Atman”

In this world there is several kind of culture. Culture is nothing but a well developed norms made by mankind for it’s good livelihood.

But, In day to day life What we express in between group, society or during any conversation is a real culture expressed and created by us.

Basically, In general scenario this culture is based in one fundamental aspect, Which is good and bad. Which stand as an exposure of fundamental behavior of mankind that is “Tenacity towards greatness”.

The root absolute potential which lies beneath everyone and which is above all forms of culture is nothing but a try to identify atman which lies beneath you (The ultimate supremacy of every living being).

To understand this absolute supremacy, We, All know a well-known mythology is provided for generalization of complex tatva (Presence) “ATMAN”.

All we know it is written in 6 stanzas “Nirvana Shatakam”.

Nirvana Shatakam (Nirvanasatakam or Nirvana Sathakam) is one of the rare stotras composed by Adi Shankaracharya. In this beautiful stotra Adi- Sankaracharya, identifies himself with Lord Shiva and there by explains his Advaita philosophy of Oneness or non-dualism. Shatakam is a Sanskrit word which literally means Six and the Nirvana Shatkam Sloka comprises of Six Stanzas. Nirvanasatakam Stotram repeats the word “Shivoham” which literally means “I am Shiva”.

The great Adi Shankara (first Shankaracharya) summarized the entirety of Advaita Vedanta (non-dualistic philosophy) in six stanzas. When a young boy of eight, while wandering in the Himalayas, seeking to find his guru, he encountered a sage who asked him, "Who are you?" The boy answered with these stanzas, which are known as "Nirvana Shatakam" or "Atma Shatakam." "Nirvana" is complete equanimity, peace, tranquility, freedom and joy. "Atma" is the True Self. The sage the boy was talking to was Swami Govindapada Acharya, who was, indeed, the teacher he was looking for. The “Nirvana shatakam” is as fallows :

मनोबुध्द्य अहङ्कार चित्तानि   नाहं,

न च  श्रोत्रजिव्हे न च घ्राणनेत्रे |

न च व्योमभूमी न तेजो  न वायु

श्चिदानन्दरूपह्  शिवोह्म शिवोहम्  ||1||

Neither am I mind, nor intelligence,

Nor ego, nor thought,

Nor am I ears or the tongue or the nose or the eyes,

Nor am I earth or sky or air or the light,

But I am Shiva the all pervading happiness,

Yes, I am definitely Shiva.

 

न च प्राणसंज्ञो  न  वै पञ्चवायु ,

र्न वा  सप्तधातुर्न वा पञ्चकोषाः |

न वाक्पाणिपाद्म न चोपस्थपायू

चिदनन्दरूपह्  शिवोहम् शिवोहम् ||2||

Neither am I the movement due to life,

Nor am I the five airs, nor am I the seven elements,

Nor am I the five internal organs,

Nor am I voice or hands or feet or other organs,

But I am Shiva the all pervading happiness,

Yes, I am definitely Shiva.

न   मे द्वेषरगौ न   मे लोभमोहौ

मदो  नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावह्

न  धर्मो न  चार्थो न कामो न मोक्ष

श्चिदानन्दरूपह्  शिवोह्म शिवोहम् ||3||

I never do have enmity or friendship,

Neither do I have vigour nor feeling of competition,

Neither do I have assets, or money or passion or salvation,

But I am Shiva the all pervading happiness,

Yes, I am definitely Shiva

न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं

न मन्त्रो न तिर्थम् न वेदा न यदन्याः |

अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता

चिदानन्दरूपह्  शिवोहम् शिवोहम् ||4||

Never do I have good deeds or sins or pleasure or sorrow,

Neither do I have holy chants or holy water or holy books or fire sacrifice,

I am neither food or the consumer who consumes food,

As I am Shiva the all pervading happiness,

Yes, I am definitely Shiva

न मृत्युर्न शङ्का न   मे  जाति भेदः

पिता नैव मे नैव  माता न जन्म |

न बन्धुर्न न मित्रम् गुरुर्नैव् शिष्य

श्चिदानन्दरूपह्   शिवोहम् शिवोहम्,||5||

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,

As I am Shiva the all pervading happiness,

Yes, I am definitely Shiva

अहं निर्विकल्पो निराकाररूपो

विभुत्वाच्च सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम्

न चासड्गतं नैव मुक्तिर्न मेय

श्चिदानन्दरूपह्  शिवोह्म शिवोहम् ||6||

I am one without doubts, I am without form,

Due to knowledge I do not have any relation with my organs,

And I am always redeemed,

And I am Shiva the all pervading happiness,

Yes, I am definitely Shiva.

This philosophy is above the society, It is only because it does not have any constrain, where it stands at the root of every “Tatva” (presence) and that tatva is itself known as “Ataman”.