Chidananda Rupah Shivo'ham Shivo'ham - Shankara Jayanthi

                                                  

श्रुति स्मृति पुराणानाम् आलयम करुणालयम्।  

नमामि भगवत्पादम शंकरं लोक शंकरम्॥

śruti smṛti purāṇānām ālayama karuṇālayam |
namāmi bhagavatpādama śaṁkaraṁ loka śaṁkaram ||

Today is Shankara Jayatathi, the day when Adi Shankaracharya took birth. 

Adi Shankara has mesmerized me since my childhood. The stories from Amar Chitra Katha, the story of Sharada Temple at Sringeri gave me goose bumps whenever I heard or read them. The life of Shankaracharya in itself is a miracle.  Going around India 4 times in his lifetime on foot 1000 years back is just astonishing..

I am ever drawn to his teachings and draw inspiration from them. Shlokas from Bhaja Govindam I could recite from an early age as my Mother had taught them in an easy tune. As it was easy to understand, I enjoyed reciting as well as listening to it. It has been my continued effort to follow in life. So I consider Shankara Jayathi a special day.

Of late, I have been enchanted by Nirvana Shatakam or Atma Shatakam. In six soothing stanzas, Shankaracharya gives a deeper meaning of what a human is. It's like answering a MCQ wherein all the options are eliminated to get an answer as "None of the above" and says that I am that Knowing and Bliss ...I am Shiva Pure Love...

Nirvana Shatakam

ಮನೋ ಬುಧ್ಯಹಂಕಾರ ಚಿತ್ತಾನಿ ನಾಹಂ

ನ ಚ ಶ್ರೋತ್ರ ಜಿಹ್ವಾ ನ ಚ ಘ್ರಾಣನೇತ್ರಮ್ |
ನ ಚ ವ್ಯೋಮ ಭೂಮಿರ್-ನ ತೇಜೋ ನ ವಾಯುಃ
ಚಿದಾನಂದ ರೂಪಃ ಶಿವೋಹಂ ಶಿವೋಹಮ್ || 1 ||

mano buddhi ahankara chittani naaham
na cha shrotravjihve na cha ghraana netre
na cha vyoma bhumir na tejo na vaayuhu
chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham
 
I am not the mind, the intellect, the ego or the memory,
I am not the ears, the skin, the nose or the eyes,
I am not space, not earth, not fire, water or wind,
I am the form of consciousness and bliss,
I am the eternal Shiva...
 

ನ ಚ ಸಂಙ್ಞೋ ನ ವೈಪಂಚ ವಾಯುಃ
ನ ವಾ ಸಪ್ತಧಾತುರ್-ನ ವಾ ಪಂಚ ಕೋಶಾಃ |
ನವಾಕ್ಪಾಣಿ ಪಾದೌ ನ ಚೋಪಸ್ಥ ಪಾಯೂ
ಚಿದಾನಂದ ರೂಪಃ ಶಿವೋಹಂ ಶಿವೋಹಮ್ || 2 ||
 
na cha prana sangyo na vai pancha vayuhu
na va sapta dhatur na va pancha koshah
na vak pani-padam na chopastha payu
chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham
 
I am not the breath, nor the five 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 Shiva...
 
ನ ಮೇ ದ್ವೇಷರಾಗೌ ನ ಮೇ ಲೋಭಮೋಹೋ
ಮದೋ ನೈವ ಮೇ ನೈವ ಮಾತ್ಸರ್ಯಭಾವಃ |
ನ ಧರ್ಮೋ ನ ಚಾರ್ಧೋ ನ ಕಾಮೋ ನ ಮೋಕ್ಷಃ
ಚಿದಾನಂದ ರೂಪಃ ಶಿವೋಹಂ ಶಿವೋಹಮ್ || 3 ||

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 shivo'ham shivo'ham
 
There is no like or dislike in me, no greed or 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 Shiva...
 
ನ ಪುಣ್ಯಂ ನ ಪಾಪಂ ನ ಸೌಖ್ಯಂ ನ ದುಃಖಂ
ನ ಮಂತ್ರೋ ನ ತೀರ್ಧಂ ನ ವೇದಾ ನ ಯಙ್ಞಃ |
ಅಹಂ ಭೋಜನಂ ನೈವ ಭೋಜ್ಯಂ ನ ಭೋಕ್ತಾ
ಚಿದಾನಂದ ರೂಪಃ ಶಿವೋಹಂ ಶಿವೋಹಮ್ || 4 ||

na punyam na papam na saukhyam na duhkham
na mantro na tirtham na veda na yajnah
aham bhojanam naiva bhojyam na bhokta
chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham
 
No virtue or vice, no pleasure or pain,
I need no mantras, no pilgrimage, no scriptures or rituals,
I am not the experienced, nor the experience itself,
I am the form of consciousness and bliss,
I am the eternal Shiva...
 
na me mrtyu shanka na mejati bhedaha
pita naiva me naiva mataa na janmaha
na bandhur na mitram gurur naiva shishyaha
chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham
 
ನ ಮೃತ್ಯುರ್-ನ ಶಂಕಾ ನ ಮೇ ಜಾತಿ ಭೇದಃ
ಪಿತಾ ನೈವ ಮೇ ನೈವ ಮಾತಾ ನ ಜನ್ಮ |
ನ ಬಂಧುರ್-ನ ಮಿತ್ರಂ ಗುರುರ್ನೈವ ಶಿಷ್ಯಃ
ಚಿದಾನಂದ ರೂಪಃ ಶಿವೋಹಂ ಶಿವೋಹಮ್ || 5 ||
 
I have no fear of death, no caste or creed,
I have no father, no mother, for I was never born,
I am not a relative, nor a friend, nor a teacher nor a student,
I am the form of consciousness and bliss,
I am the eternal Shiva...
 
ಅಹಂ ನಿರ್ವಿಕಲ್ಪೋ ನಿರಾಕಾರ ರೂಪೋ
ವಿಭೂತ್ವಾಚ್ಚ ಸರ್ವತ್ರ ಸರ್ವೇಂದ್ರಿಯಾಣಾಮ್ |
ನ ವಾ ಬಂಧನಂ ನೈವ ಮುಕ್ತಿ ನ ಬಂಧಃ |
ಚಿದಾನಂದ ರೂಪಃ ಶಿವೋಹಂ ಶಿವೋಹಮ್ || 6 ||

aham nirvikalpo nirakara rupo
vibhut vatcha sarvatra sarvendriyanam
na cha sangatham naiva muktir na meyaha
chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham
 
I am devoid of duality, my form is formlessness,
I exist everywhere, pervading all senses,
I am neither attached, neither free nor captive,
I am the form of consciousness and bliss,
I am the eternal Shiva...