Atma

Verse 1

ॐ अथाङ्गिरास्त्रिविधः पुरुषोऽजायत—आत्मा, अन्तरात्मा, परमात्मा चेति। त्वक्-चर्म-मांस-रोम-अङ्गुष्ठ-अङ्गुल्यः, पृष्ठ-वंश-नख-गुल्फ-उदर-नाभि-मेढ्र-कटि-ऊरु-कपोल-श्रोत्र-भ्रू-ललाट-बाहु-पार्श्व-शिरः-अक्षीणि भ...

Om. Then Āṅgiras declared that the person is threefold: the individual Self (Ātman), the inner Self (Antarātman), and the Supreme Self (Paramātman). Skin, flesh, hair, thumbs and fingers; back, spine, nails, ankles; belly, navel, genitals, waist, thighs; cheeks, ears, eyebrows, forehead; arms, sides, head, and eyes come to be. It is born and it dies—this is the Self as embodied individuality. Now the “inner Self” is named as earth, waters, fire, wind, and space; as desire and aversion, pleasure and pain, lust, delusion, conceptual constructions, beginningless memory-impressions; as high and low pitch, short, long, and protracted sounds; and as stammering, roaring, bursting, rejoicing, dancing, singing, instrumental music, dissolution, expansion, and the like—(as) hearer, smeller, taster, leader, doer, the knowing self, the person. It performs the specific functions of hearing, smelling, attraction, and action, and engages the Purāṇas, Nyāya, Mīmāṃsā, and Dharmaśāstras—this is the inner Self. Now the Supreme Self is to be worshiped as the imperishable syllable. It is sought through prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, dhyāna, samādhi, yoga, inference, and contemplation of the Self—subtle as a banyan-seed or a grain of millet, or as if imagined divided into a hundred thousand parts of a hair’s tip. It is attained—and yet not grasped. It is not born; it does not die. It does not dry; it does not moisten; it is not burned. It does not tremble; it is not split; it is not cut. Without qualities, established as Witness, pure, partless Self, alone, subtle, without possessiveness, stainless, without modification; devoid of sound, touch, form, taste, and smell; free of conceptualization, without longing, all-pervading. It is unthinkable and indescribable; it purifies the impure and the unpurified. Being actionless, for it there is no saṃsāra. Named “Self,” auspicious Śiva, pure, one alone, ever non-dual—Brahman alone appears as Brahman-natured.

Verse 2

जगद्रूपतयाप्येतद्ब्रह्मैव प्रतिभासते । विद्याविद्यादिभेदेन भावाभावादिभेदतः॥२॥

Even in the form of the world, this alone appears as Brahman—through the division of knowledge and ignorance, through the division of being and non-being, and the like.

Verse 3

गुरुशिष्यादिभेदेन ब्रह्मैव प्रतिभासते । ब्रह्मैव केवलं शुद्धं विद्यते तत्त्वदर्शने॥३॥

Through the division of guru and disciple and the like, Brahman alone appears. In the vision of truth, Brahman alone—pure and sole—exists.

Verse 4

न च विद्या न चाविद्या न जगच्च न चापरम् । सत्यत्वेन जगद्भानं संसारस्य प्रवर्तकम्॥४॥

There is neither knowledge nor ignorance, neither the world nor anything other. The appearance of the world taken as real is what sets saṃsāra in motion.

Verse 5

असत्यत्वेन भानं तु संसारस्य निवर्तकम् । घटोऽयमिति विज्ञातुं नियमः कोऽन्वपेक्षते॥५॥ विना प्रमाणसुष्ठुत्वं यस्मिन् सति पदार्थधीः । अयमात्मा नित्यसिद्धः प्रमाणे सति भासते॥६॥

But the appearance (of the world) as unreal is what brings saṃsāra to cessation. To know “this is a pot,” what rule does one depend upon? Without the proper functioning of a means of knowledge, when cognition of an object occurs—this Self is ever-accomplished; it shines when a means of knowledge is present.

Verse 6

असत्यत्वेन भानं तु संसारस्य निवर्तकम् । घटोऽयमिति विज्ञातुं नियमः कोऽन्वपेक्षते ॥ विना प्रमाणसुष्ठुत्वं यस्मिन् सति पदार्थधीः । अयमात्मा नित्यसिद्धः प्रमाणे सति भासते ॥५–६॥

The cognition of the world as unreal is indeed what removes saṃsāra. To know “this is a pot,” upon what rule or restriction does one depend? Even when an object-cognition arises without the proper operation of a means of knowledge, this Self (Ātman) is eternally established; yet when a pramāṇa is present, It becomes manifest and is known.

Verse 7

न देशं नापि कालं वा न शुद्धिं वाप्यपेक्षते । देवदत्तोऽहमित्येतद्विज्ञानं निरपेक्षकम् ॥७॥

It depends neither on place nor on time, nor even on ritual purity. The cognition “I am Devadatta” is independent, requiring no such conditions.

Verse 8

तद्वद्ब्रह्मविदोऽप्यस्य ब्रह्माहमिति वेदनम् । भानुनेव जगत्सर्वं भास्यते यस्य तेजसा ॥८॥

So too, for the knower of Brahman, this knowledge—“I am Brahman”—is immediate and independent. As the world is illumined by the sun, so the entire universe is illumined by the radiance of That whose splendor makes all things shine.

Verse 9

अनात्मकम् असत् तुच्छं किं नु तस्यावभासकम् । वेदशास्त्रपुराणानि भूतानि सकलान्यपि ॥ येनार्थवन्ति तं किं नु विज्ञातारं प्रकाशयेत् । क्षुधां देहव्यथां त्यक्त्वा बालः क्रीडति वस्तुनि ॥ तथैव विद्वान् रमते न...

That which is non-Self, unreal, and trifling—what indeed could illumine it? The Vedas, śāstras, and Purāṇas, and all beings as well, become meaningful by That; what could illumine that very Knower? As a child, setting aside hunger and bodily pain, plays with an object, so too the wise one delights—without possessiveness, without ego, happy. Moving among desires while being desireless in nature, the sage wanders alone.

Verse 10

अनात्मकम् असत् तुच्छं किं नु तस्यावभासकम् । वेदशास्त्रपुराणानि भूतानि सकलान्यपि ॥ येनार्थवन्ति तं किं नु विज्ञातारं प्रकाशयेत् । क्षुधां देहव्यथां त्यक्त्वा बालः क्रीडति वस्तुनि ॥ तथैव विद्वान् रमते न...

That which is non-Self, unreal, and trifling—what indeed could illumine it? The Vedas, śāstras, and Purāṇas, and all beings as well, become meaningful by That; what could illumine that very Knower? As a child, setting aside hunger and bodily pain, plays with an object, so too the wise one delights—without possessiveness, without ego, happy. Moving among desires while being desireless in nature, the sage wanders alone.

Verse 11

अनात्मकम् असत् तुच्छं किं नु तस्यावभासकम् । वेदशास्त्रपुराणानि भूतानि सकलान्यपि ॥ येनार्थवन्ति तं किं नु विज्ञातारं प्रकाशयेत् । क्षुधां देहव्यथां त्यक्त्वा बालः क्रीडति वस्तुनि ॥ तथैव विद्वान् रमते न...

What is non‑Self, unreal, and trifling—how could it illumine That (Ātman)? The Vedas, śāstras, Purāṇas, and all beings become meaningful through That; what could make manifest the Knower of that (Self)? As a child, setting aside hunger and bodily pain, plays with an object, so the knower delights—without possessiveness, without ego, happy. Moving among objects, taking the form of desirelessness, the solitary sage wanders.

Verse 12

स्वात्मनैव सदा तुष्टः स्वयं सर्वात्मना स्थितः । निर्धनोऽपि सदा तुष्टोऽप्यसहायो महाबलः ॥

Ever satisfied by the Self alone, established in himself as the Self of all; though without wealth, he is always content; though without help, he is of great strength.

Verse 13

नित्यतृप्तोऽप्यभुञ्जानोऽप्यसमः समदर्शनः । कुर्वन्नपि न कुर्वाणश्चाभोक्ता फलभोग्यपि ॥

Though ever satisfied, he is as though not enjoying; unequaled, yet seeing with equal vision. Though acting, he is not an agent; though a non‑enjoyer, he is as though an experiencer of results.

Verse 14

शरीर्यप्यशरीर्येष परिच्छिन्नोऽपि सर्वगः । अशरीरं सदा सन्तमिदं ब्रह्मविदं क्वचित् ॥ प्रियाप्रिये न स्पृशतस्तथैव च शुभाशुभे । तमसा ग्रस्तवद्भानादग्रस्तोऽपि रविर्जनैः ॥ ग्रस्त इत्युच्यते भ्रान्त्या ह्यज्...

Though embodied, this one is bodiless; though limited, he is all‑pervading. Ever bodiless, this knower of Brahman appears here and there as if embodied. The dear and the not‑dear do not touch him, nor likewise the auspicious and inauspicious. Though the sun is not eclipsed, because of darkness people speak of it as “eclipsed”. It is called “eclipsed” through delusion, not knowing the nature of the thing. So too, the supreme knower of Brahman, freed from bonds beginning with the body—fools, seeing the appearance of a body, perceive him as if embodied. Like a snake’s sloughed skin, he stands with the body set free, a mere remnant‑appearance.

Verse 15

शरीर्यप्यशरीर्येष परिच्छिन्नोऽपि सर्वगः । अशरीरं सदा सन्तमिदं ब्रह्मविदं क्वचित् ॥ प्रियाप्रिये न स्पृशतस्तथैव च शुभाशुभे । तमसा ग्रस्तवद्भानादग्रस्तोऽपि रविर्जनैः ॥ ग्रस्त इत्युच्यते भ्रान्त्या ह्यज्...

Though embodied, this one is bodiless; though limited, he is all‑pervading. Ever bodiless, this knower of Brahman appears here and there as if embodied. The dear and the not‑dear do not touch him, nor likewise the auspicious and inauspicious. Though the sun is not eclipsed, because of darkness people speak of it as “eclipsed”. It is called “eclipsed” through delusion, not knowing the nature of the thing. So too, the supreme knower of Brahman, freed from bonds beginning with the body—fools, seeing the appearance of a body, perceive him as if embodied. Like a snake’s sloughed skin, he stands with the body set free, a mere remnant‑appearance.

Verse 16

शरीर्यप्यशरीर्येष परिच्छिन्नोऽपि सर्वगः । अशरीरं सदा सन्तमिदं ब्रह्मविदं क्वचित्॥ प्रियाप्रिये न स्पृशतस्तथैव च शुभाशुभे । तमसा ग्रस्तवद्भानादग्रस्तोऽपि रविर्जनैः॥ ग्रस्त इत्युच्यते भ्रान्त्या ह्यज्ञा...

Though appearing embodied, he is in truth disembodied; though seeming limited, he is all‑pervading. This knower of Brahman, ever abiding as bodiless, is by some perceived as if embodied. The pleasant and the unpleasant do not touch him; likewise the auspicious and the inauspicious. The sun is not truly eclipsed, yet people call it “eclipsed” because it appears as though seized by darkness. It is said to be “seized” through delusion, not knowing the real mark of the thing. So too the supreme knower of Brahman, freed from bonds such as the body, is seen by the deluded as if embodied, because they perceive only a bodily semblance. Like a snake’s cast‑off skin, he remains—his body as it were shed, liberated.

Verse 17

शरीर्यप्यशरीर्येष परिच्छिन्नोऽपि सर्वगः । अशरीरं सदा सन्तमिदं ब्रह्मविदं क्वचित्॥ प्रियाप्रिये न स्पृशतस्तथैव च शुभाशुभे । तमसा ग्रस्तवद्भानादग्रस्तोऽपि रविर्जनैः॥ ग्रस्त इत्युच्यते भ्रान्त्या ह्यज्ञा...

Though appearing embodied, he is in truth disembodied; though seeming limited, he is all‑pervading. This knower of Brahman, ever abiding as bodiless, is by some perceived as if embodied. The pleasant and the unpleasant do not touch him; likewise the auspicious and the inauspicious. The sun is not truly eclipsed, yet people call it “eclipsed” because it appears as though seized by darkness. It is said to be “seized” through delusion, not knowing the real mark of the thing. So too the supreme knower of Brahman, freed from bonds such as the body, is seen by the deluded as if embodied, because they perceive only a bodily semblance. Like a snake’s cast‑off skin, he remains—his body as it were shed, liberated.

Verse 18

इतस्ततश्चाल्यमानो यत्किञ्चित्प्राणवायुना । स्रोतसा नीयते दारु यथा निम्नोन्नतस्थलम्॥

Whatever is tossed this way and that by the vital wind (prāṇa) is borne along by the current—like a piece of wood carried by a stream over low and high ground.

Verse 19

दैवेन नीयते देहो यथा कालोपभुक्तिषु । लक्ष्यालक्ष्यगतिं त्यक्त्वा यस्तिष्ठेत्केवलात्मना॥ शिव एव स्वयं साक्षादयं ब्रह्मविदुत्तमः । जीवन्नेव सदा मुक्तः कृतार्थो ब्रह्मवित्तमः॥

The body is led by destiny (daiva) through experiences to be undergone in time. He who, abandoning movement toward the aimed‑at and the not‑aimed‑at, stands as the Self alone—he is indeed Śiva himself, directly present; the highest knower of Brahman. Even while living, he is ever liberated, fulfilled—the supreme knower of Brahman.

Verse 20

दैवेन नीयते देहो यथा कालोपभुक्तिषु । लक्ष्यालक्ष्यगतिं त्यक्त्वा यस्तिष्ठेत्केवलात्मना॥ शिव एव स्वयं साक्षादयं ब्रह्मविदुत्तमः । जीवन्नेव सदा मुक्तः कृतार्थो ब्रह्मवित्तमः॥

The body is carried along by destiny (daiva) for enjoyments and experiences in time. He who, abandoning movement toward the aimed‑at and the not‑aimed‑at, stands as the Self alone—he is verily Śiva himself, directly; the highest knower of Brahman. Even while living he is always liberated, fulfilled—the supreme knower of Brahman.

Verse 21

उपाधिनाशाद् ब्रह्मैव सद् ब्रह्माप्येति निर्द्वयम् । शैलूषो वेषसद्भावाभावयोश्च यथा पुमान् ॥२१॥

With the destruction of limiting adjuncts (upādhis), the Real (sat) is Brahman alone; the knower attains Brahman, the non-dual—just as an actor remains the same whether costume is present or absent.

Verse 22

तथैव ब्रह्मविच्छ्रेष्ठः सदा ब्रह्मैव नापरः । घटे नष्टे यथा व्योम व्योमैव भवति स्वयम् ॥२२॥

So too, the foremost knower of Brahman is always Brahman alone, not other; as when a pot is destroyed, the space within becomes space itself, by its own nature.

Verse 23

तथैवोपाधिविलये ब्रह्मैव ब्रह्मवित्स्वयम् । क्षीरं क्षीरे यथा क्षिप्तं तैलं तैले जलं जले ॥२३॥

So too, when the adjuncts dissolve, the knower of Brahman is himself Brahman alone; as milk poured into milk, oil into oil, water into water becomes one.

Verse 24

संयुक्तमेकतां याति तथात्मन्यात्मविन्मुनिः । एवं विदेहकैवल्यं सन्मात्रत्वमखण्डितम् ॥२४॥

What is conjoined becomes one; so too, in the Self the sage who knows the Self abides as one. Thus is bodiless aloneness (videha‑kaivalya), the undivided state of mere Being (sat‑mātratva).

Verse 25

ब्रह्मभावं प्रपद्यैष यतिर्नावर्तते पुनः । सदात्मकत्वविज्ञानदग्धा विद्यादिवर्ष्मणः ॥२५॥

Having attained the state of Brahman, this renunciant does not return again; the bodies fashioned of ignorance and the like are burnt away by the knowledge that one’s very nature is Being (sat).

Verse 26

अमुष्य ब्रह्मभूतत्त्वाद् ब्रह्मणः कुत उद्भवः । मायाक्लृप्तौ बन्धमोक्षौ न स्तः स्वात्मनि वस्तुतः ॥ यथा रज्जौ निष्क्रियायां सर्पाभासविनिर्गमौ । अवृतेः सदसत्त्वाभ्यां वक्तव्ये बन्धमोक्षणे ॥ २६–२७ ॥

Since this (Self) is of the very nature of Brahman, how could Brahman have any origination? Bondage and liberation, fashioned by māyā, do not truly exist in one’s own Self. As, in an inactive rope, the appearance and disappearance of a snake-appearance are spoken of due to the presence or absence of a covering (ignorance), so too are bondage and liberation spoken of.

Verse 27

अमुष्य ब्रह्मभूतत्त्वाद् ब्रह्मणः कुत उद्भवः । मायाक्लृप्तौ बन्धमोक्षौ न स्तः स्वात्मनि वस्तुतः ॥ यथा रज्जौ निष्क्रियायां सर्पाभासविनिर्गमौ । अवृतेः सदसत्त्वाभ्यां वक्तव्ये बन्धमोक्षणे ॥ २६–२७ ॥

Just as, in an inactive rope, the arising and withdrawal of a snake-appearance are spoken of because of the presence or absence of a covering, so too are bondage and liberation spoken of—only in that manner.

Verse 28

नावृत्तिर्ब्रह्मणः क्वाचिदन्याभावादनावृतम् । अस्तीति प्रत्ययो यश्च यश्च नास्तीति वस्तुनि ॥ बुद्धेरेव गुणावेतौ न तु नित्यस्य वस्तुनः । अतस्तौ मायया क्लृप्तौ बन्धमोक्षौ न चात्मनि ॥ २८–२९ ॥

There is no covering of Brahman anywhere; for, since nothing other than Brahman exists, It is ever uncovered. The cognition “it exists” and the cognition “it does not exist” with regard to a thing—both are qualities of the intellect (buddhi) alone, not of the eternal Reality.

Verse 29

नावृत्तिर्ब्रह्मणः क्वाचिदन्याभावादनावृतम् । अस्तीति प्रत्ययो यश्च यश्च नास्तीति वस्तुनि ॥ बुद्धेरेव गुणावेतौ न तु नित्यस्य वस्तुनः । अतस्तौ मायया क्लृप्तौ बन्धमोक्षौ न चात्मनि ॥ २८–२९ ॥

These two are indeed qualities of the intellect (buddhi) alone, not of the eternal Reality. Therefore those two—bondage and liberation—are fabricated by māyā and are not in the Self (Ātman).

Verse 30

निष्कले निष्क्रिये शान्ते निरवद्ये निरञ्जने । अद्वितीये परे तत्त्वे व्योमवत् कल्पना कुतः ॥ ३० ॥

In the partless, actionless, peaceful, faultless, stainless, non-dual supreme Reality—like space—whence could any imagination, any conceptual construction, arise?

Verse 31

न निरोधो न चोत्पत्तिर्न बद्धो न च साधकः । न मुमुक्षुर्न वै मुक्त इत्येषा परमार्थता ॥३१॥

There is no cessation, nor indeed any origination; none is bound, nor is there a practitioner. There is no seeker of liberation, nor indeed anyone liberated—this is the supreme truth (ultimate reality).