Meditating on Inherent Divinity: Nirvana shatakam and it was sung for him at

Meditating on Inherent Divinity C A REDDY

Sri Ramakrishna himself used to like the Nirvana shatakam and it was sung for him at Man is divine by nature. This is the basic truth Vedanta teaches. Though divine, we least on two occasions. The first time was in identify ourselves with matter and that is the Dakshineswar when it was sung for him by source of all troubles and sufferings. The best Mahimacharan. 1 On the second time, Swami way to overcome this false identification is to Vivekananda sang it when Sri Ramakrishna meditate, constantly and repeatedly, on one’s was staying in the Cossipor garden-house a divine nature. In the Hindu spiritual tradition, few months before Sri Ramakrishna’s maha samadhi.2 many texts have been quite popular as aids in Nirvana shatakam is fixing the mind on one’s innate divine The central theme of substance. Adi Shankaracharya’s own intimate experience Nirvana shatakam , attributed to Adi of the bliss of Self-realization. Self-realization. While the verses Shankaracharya, one of the greatest philosorepresent Shankara’s direct and intimate pher-saints who lived in seventh century India, experience in his deep meditative state, they is a hymn popular with all those who feel are of much spiritual profit for all seekers. drawn to the practice of Vedantic spiritual While those who are familiar with Sanskrit practices. One can gauge its popular appeal can understand the meaning of the verses, by the fact that devotees in different parts of there are many who are at a disadvantage in India memorize and regularly chant it. It is this matter. Following is an English translation, also recited on important occasions in Hindu with free transliteration of each verse, wordtemples, prayers meetings, and satsangs. As by-word meaning, and some notes. Alternate this is a dhyana stotra, a hymn for meditation, versions of the Sanskrit text are also referred it is of special significance and importance. to wherever necessary. The word shatakam means six and the word nirvana means freedom or liberation. It Verse One is thus a hymn of six verses on liberation, each _Zmo~w ~ÜÚh‘> Üw Úh‘>ma{MÎmm{Z Zmh§ of which is like a jewel in the garland of Z M lmoÌ{Oô Ì{Oô Z M K«mUZo mUZoÌoÌo & Vedanta. It is also called as atma shatakam or Z M ì`mo_^y _^y{_Z© { _Z© VoOmo Omo Z dm`w: six verses on the nature of the Self. The first {MXmZÝXê$n:{edmo@h§ @h§ {edmo@h_² @h_² && three lines in each of the first five verses negate manobuddhy-ahamkara manobuddhy-ahamkara chittani naham all that is not Atman, while the last line in na cha shrotra jihve na cha ghrana netre each verse strongly affirms what atman is. Introduction

The author is a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, USA, and occasionally contributes to The Vedanta Kesari. 

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na cha vyomabhumirna tejo na vayuh chidananda rupah shivoham shivoham

na vakpanipadam na chopasthapayu chopasthapayu chidanandarupah chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham

manah mind buddhih intellect ahamkarah ego (I-consciousness) chittani memory na not aham I na not cha and shrotra ear (organ of hearing) jihve tongue na not; cha and ghrana nose (organ of smell) netre eyes; na not cha and vyomah space bhumih earth na not tejah fire (light) na not vayuh air chidananda rupah nature of pure consciousness shiva Shiva aham I shiva Shiva aham I 1. I am not the mind, intellect, ego, or memory; nor the ear or tongue; nor the nose nor eye; nor the space, earth, fire, or air (and water), I am of the nature of Pure Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute, I am Shiva, I am (verily) Shiva.

na not cha and pranah life-breath samjnah sign na vai neither pancha vayuh five vital airs na not va or sapta dhatuh seven basic elements (of the body) na not va or panchakoshah five sheaths na not vak organ of speech pani hand padam foot (or leg) na not cha and upasthapayuh generative and excretory organs chidananda rupah nature of pure consciousness shivo Shiva (the auspicious one) aham shivo shiva aham I 2. I am not indicated by prana, nor the five-fold vital airs nor the seven elements ( sapta dhatuh) of the body, nor the five sheaths; nor the organs of speech, nor hand, nor leg; and not generative or excretory organs, I am of the nature of Pure Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute, I am Shiva, I am (verily) Shiva.

Notes:

Mind (manah), intellect (buddhih ), ego (ahamkara ), and memory ( chittani) together are referred to by the technical term antah karana or internal instrument . Ear, tongue, nose, eyes, and skin together are the five jnana indriyas. Space, earth, fire, air, and water are the five elements (pancha bhutas). Swami Vivekananda re-stated the gist of this idea thus:

‘Ye are the Children of God, the sharers of Immortal bliss, holy and perfect beings. Ye divinities on earthsinners? It is a standing libel on human nature . . . .ye are not matter, ye are not bodies; matter is your servant, not you the servant of matter.’3 Verse Two

Z M àmUg§kmo kmo Z d¡ nÄOdm`w: Z dm gáYmVwZ©Z© dm nÄOH$moe: e: & Z dmŠnm{UnmX§ Z MmonñYnm`y nñYnm`y

Notes:

Five vital airs are : Prana (controls respiratory system), Apana (controls excretory system), Vyana (controls circulatory system); Samana (controls digestive system), and Udana (controls ejection of the prana from the physical body). Seven basic elements (sapta dhatuh) consist of: skin, flesh, fat, bone, blood, bone marrow, and semen. Five sheaths (pancha kosha) are believed to veil our understanding of the atman include, in order from gross (outer most) to the subtle (inner most): annamaya kosha (food sheath); pranamaya kosha (vital air sheath); manomaya kosha (mind sheath); vijnanamaya kosha (intellectual sheath); and anandamaya kosha (bliss sheath). Verse Three

Z _o ÛofamJm¡ famJm¡ Z _o bmo^_mohm¡ hm¡ _Xmo Z¡d _o Z¡d _mËg`©^md: ^md: & Z Y_m} Z MmWm} Z H$m_mo Z _moj: j:



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pilgrimage na veda not Vedas (not scriptures) na yajnah not sacrificial fire rituals aham I bhojanam na eva not the act of enjoying na not me to me dvesah hatred (aversion) bhojyam (nor) the object of enjoyment na bhokta ragah attachment na not me to me lobhah greed not the enjoyer chidananda rupah nature of mohah delusion madah arrogance na not eva only me na eva not to me matsarya bhavah feeling pure consciousness shiva Shiva aham I shiva Shiva aham I of jealousy na not dharmah dharma na not cha 4. Neither virtue ( punyam) nor sin (papam) and arthah wealth (money) na not kamah desire nor happiness nor sorrow; nor a holy chant na not mokshah liberation chidananda rupah nor a holy place of pilgrimage nor Veda nor nature of pure consciousness shiva Shiva aham sacrifice; I am neither enjoyment, nor enjoyable I shiva Shiva aham I object, nor the enjoyer; I am of the nature of 3. I have neither aversion nor attachment, Pure Consciousness-Bliss Absolute, I am Shiva, neither greed nor delusion; I have neither I am (verily) Shiva. arrogance nor jealousy; I have no duty (to perform) nor any wealth (to acquire); neither desire nor liberation; I am of the nature of Verse Five Pure Consciousness-Bliss Absolute, I am Shiva, Z _o _¥Ë`w Ë`w e‘>m Z _o Om{VôX: I am (verily) Shiva. {nVm Z¡d _o Z¡d _mVm Z OÝ_ & na dharmo nacha-artho na kamo na mokshah chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham

Notes:

Greed, delusion, pride and jealousy together with lust and anger constitute shad ripu (also called ari shad varga), the six-fold internal enemies of a human being. Dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama (desire), and moksha (liberation) are together known as purusharthas, the four objectives of a human being. Verse Four

Z nwÊ`§ Ê`§ Z nmn§ Z gm¡»`§ »`§ Z Xw:I_² :I_² Z _ÝÌmo Z VrWª Z doXm Xm Z `km: & Ah§ ^moOZ§ OZ§ Z¡d ^moÁ`§ Á`§ Z ^moº$m º$m {MXmZÝXê$n: {edmo@h§ @h§ {edmo@h_² @h_² && na punyam na papam na saukhyam na duhkham na mantro na tirtham na veda na yajnah aham bhojanam naiva bhojyam na bhokta chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham

Z ~ÝYwZ©Z© {_Ì§ JwéZ£ éZ£d {eî`: pMXmZÝXê$n: {edmo@h§ @h§ {edmo@h_² @h_² && na me mrityushanka na me jati bhedah pita naiva me naiva mata na janma na bandhurna mitram gururnaiva shishyah chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham na me not to me mrityuh shanka fear of death na me not to me jati caste (and creed) bhedah distinction pita father na eva not either me to me na eva mata nor mother na janma not (even) birth na bandhuh nor relation na mitram nor a friend guruh guru na eva not either shishyah a disciple chidananda rupah nature of pure consciousness; shiva Shiva aham I shiva Shiva aham I 5. I have no apprehension of death; neither do I have any distinction of caste (or creed); I have neither father, nor mother, nor



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Notes:

(In some versions, the first line is listed as: na mrutyurna shanka na me jati bhedah ) Compare this with what Swami Vivekananda says in one of his lectures:

‘Why weepest thou, brother? There is neither death nor disease for thee. Why weepest thou, brother? There is neither misery nor misfortune for thee. Why weepest thou, brother? Neither change nor death was predicated of thee. Thou art Existence Absolute. . . .Be your own self.’ 4 Verse Six

Ah§ {Z{d©H$ënmo H$ënmo {ZamH$maê$nmo {d^wì`m© ì`m©ß` ß` gd©Ì gd}pÝÐ`mUm_² pÝÐ`mUm_² & gXm _o g_Ëd§ Z _w{º$Z© {º$Z© ~ÝY: pMXmZÝXê$n: {edmo@h§ @h§ {edmo@h_² @h_² &

omnipresent; vyapya pervading (spread out) sarvatra everywhere sarva all indriyanam sense organs sada always; me samatvam I am equanimous na muktih neither liberation na bandha not bondage chidananda rupah nature of pure consciousness; shiva Shiva aham I shiva Shiva aham I 6. I have neither dualities nor shape or form; I am present everywhere (omnipresent) and pervade all the senses; I am always equanimous; I am neither liberation nor bondage; I am of the nature of Pure Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute, I am Shiva, I am (verily) Shiva. Conclusion

Swami Vivekananda’s well-known words aptly sum up the profound meaning of the nirvana shatakam:

aham nirvikalpo nirakararupo vibhurvyapya sarvatra sarvendriyanam

‘Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this divinity within by controlling nature, external and internal.’ 5

sada me samatvam na muktirna bandhah chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham aham I nirvikalpah without dualities nirakara rupah without a form; vibhuh

The more one thinks of one’s inherent divinity, the more joy and strength one has.   

References

1. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna , p. 389 4. CW , 5: 275

2. ibid, p. 1967 5. CW , 1: 257

3. CW, 1: 9

‘It is the God within your own self that is propelling you to seek for Him, to realise Him. After long searches here and there, in temples and in churches, in earths and in heavens, at last you come back, completing the circle from where you started, to your own soul and find that He for whom you have been seeking all over the world, for whom you have been weeping and praying in churches and temples, on whom you were looking as the mystery of all mysteries shrouded in the clouds, is nearest of the near, is your own Self, the reality of your life, body, and soul. That is your own nature. Assert it, manifest it. Not to become pure, you are pure already. You are not to be perfect, you

Meditating on Inherent Divinity: Nirvana shatakam and it was sung for him at

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