INDIAN SPIRITUALITY
ADI SANKARA’S WAY
Spirituality is an individual’s Journey to liberation
from Samsara, which means, all life problems.
Spirituality is for the highest evolvement of the
Individual. It is beyond religion – beyond all religions, in fact.
It has Gurus, but no prophets. It goes beyond the teachings
of all standard religious Books and all Prophets. Yet, most of spirituality has
evolved from the roots of religion.
Religion , on the other hand, has evolved out of mundane
life, includes mundane life and thinks beyond it. Heaven, Hell, God, Satan,
good, bad etc are all part of religion, but, not much of a part of Spirituality.
Spirituality neither accepts not denies these religious concepts. But, it seeks
to take man beyond the limits of all these concepts.
While Spirituality existed in all cultures, Indian
spirituality is a marvel in itself. Its evolution and attainments are
tremendous. It goes beyond Indian religious tenets in a very natural fashion,
yet smoothly denying all of them in a beautiful way.
One of the best proponents of both religion and
spirituality in India is Adi Sankaracharya. His Nirvana Shatkam, a 6 sloka
exposition of the Highest spiritual Guidelines, lays down an extraordinary and
extremely explicit Human Goal – much beyond the commonly known 4 Goals of
Dharma, Artha, kama and Moksha.
Probably, his disciples recorded this from their Guru’s
words and there are some, very slight variations in what they handed down to
us. Despite small differences, whichever composition we look at, it is a great
beauty.
Here is one Great version of Nirvana Shatkam :
Sloka.1:
Mano
Buddhyahankaara Chittaani Naaham; Na Cha Srotra Jihve Na Cha Ghraanna Netre |
Na
Cha Vyoma Bhoomir Na Tejo Na Vaayuh; Chidhaananda Roopah Sivoham Sivoham ||1||
Meaning:
1.1:
Neither am I the Mind nor the Intelligence nor the Ego,
1.2:
Neither am I the organ of Hearing (Ear), nor that of Taste (Tongue), nor that
of Smell (Nose) nor that of Sight (Eye),
1.3:
Neither am I the Sky, nor the Earth, nor the Fire nor the Air,
1.4:
I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness;
I
am the Siva, I am the Siva, I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.
Sloka.2:
Na
Cha Praanna Sanjno, Na Vai Pancha Vaayuh; Na Vaa Sapta-Dhaatur Na Vaa Pancha-Kosah
|
Na
Vaak-Paanni-Paadam Na Chopastha-Paayu; Chidhaananda Roopah Sivoham Sivoham ||2||
Meaning:
2.1:
Neither am I the Vital Breath, nor the Five Vital Air,
2.2:
Neither am I the Seven Dhatus (Ingredients of the Body), nor the Five Sheaths of
the Body,
2.3:
Neither am I the organ of Speech (tongue), nor am I the Hands, nor the feet nor
the organs of Excretion,
2.4:
I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness;
I
am the Siva, I am the Siva, The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.
Sloka.3:
Na Me Dvesha-Raagau, Na Me Lobha Mohau;
Mado Naiva Me Naiva Maatsarya Bhaavah |
Na
Dharmo Na Chaartho, Na Kaamo Na Mokshah; Chidhaananda Roopah Sivoham Sivoham ||3||
Meaning:
3.1:
Neither do I have Hatred, nor Attachment, nor Greed nor Infatuation, 3.2:
Neither do I have pride, nor Feelings of Envy and Jealousy,
3.3
I am Not (limited by) the four (commonly recognized Human) Goals of Dharma
(Righteousness), Artha (Wealth), Kama (Desire) and Moksha (Liberation) ,
3.4:
I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness;
I
am the Siva, I am the Siva, The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.
Sloka.4:
Na
Punnyam Na Paapam, Na Saukhyam Na Duhkham; Na Mantro Na Teertham Na Vedaa Na
Yajnaah |
Aham
Bhojanam Naiva Bhojyam Na Bhoktaa; Chidhaananda Roopah Sivoham Sivoham ||4||
Meaning:
4.1:
Neither am I bound by Good deeds nor Sins, neither by Worldly Joys nor by
Sorrows,
4.2:
Neither am I bound by Mantras(Sacred Hymns) nor by Sacred Places(of bathing
Ghats), neither by Sacred Scriptures nor by Sacrifices,
4.3:
I am Neither Experience (or enjoyment), nor the experienced (the object to be
Enjoyment), nor the Experiencer (one who enjoys),
4.4:
I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness;
I
am Siva, I am Siva, The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.
Sloka.5:
Na
Mrutyur Na Shankaa, Na Me Jaati-Bhedah; Pitaa Naiva Me Naiva Maataa Na Janmah |
Na
Bandhur Na Mitram, Gurur-Na-Iva Shishyam; Chidhaananda Roopah Sivoham Sivoham ||5||
Meaning:
5.1:
Neither am I bound by Death nor by its Fear, nor by the rules of Caste Distinctions,
5.2:
Neither do I have a Father nor Mother, nor a Birth,
5.3:
Neither do I have Relations nor Friends, nor a Guru (Spiritual Teacher) nor Disciple,
5.4:
I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness;
I
am Siva, I am Siva, The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.
Sloka.6:
Aham Nirvikalpo Niraakaara Roopo;
Vibhu-Tvaaccha Sarvatra Sarvendriyaannaam |
Na Chaasangatam Naiva Muktir Na
Meyah; Chidhaananda Roopah Sivoham Sivoham ||6||
Meaning:
6.1: I am Without Change, and
Without Form,
6.2:
I am Everywhere (as unseen substratum) and within all Sensory Powers,
6.3:
Neither am I Attached to anything, nor need to get Freed from anything,
6.4:
I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness;
I
am Siva, I am Siva, The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.
Further Comments :
Readers need to delve deep into the subtle meanings of
each and every word of these 6 slokas. The Greatness of Indian spirituality is
epitomized in these slokas.
Adi Sankara, for instance, condemned Caste distinctions,
caste consciousness and Untouchability many times, in many ways, in his life
time. His views are in line with what was practiced by Lord Krishna and Lord
Rama, in their re-incarnations on earth. These are also in line with the way
Lord Siva himself is .
But, somehow, untouchability and caste consciousness are
very badly entrenched in our society and need to be demolished smoothly and well
within the tenets of Adi Sankara’s teachings. We need to come to the stage of
Universal compassion and then move on to Universal consciousness.
Just to indicate a small, immediate change that is
needed, every Temple and every Mutt and
every Ashram needs to make all-out efforts need to attract ALL PEOPLE,
irrespective of CASTE (including people of other religions) – subject, of
course, to norms of decency, cleanliness, silence and sanctity of the place.
Every temple, Mutt and Ashram must put up a prominent
Board sating “ ALL HINDUS, OF ALL CASTES, ARE WELCOME. ALL OTHERS ALSO ARE
WELCOME. PLEASE RESPECT THE SANCTITY OF THIS PLACE.”
If Hinduism and its places of worship are made places
where we all can feel the godliness, all will come. If the House is clean, all
will feel comfortable and happy. Else, any other type of welcome or invitation –
will not work.
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