Niralamba

Verse 1

ॐ नमः शिवाय गुरवे सच्चिदानन्दमूर्तये । निष्प्रपञ्चाय शान्ताय निरालम्बाय तेजसे ॥ निरालम्बं समाश्रित्य सालम्बं विजहाति यः । स संन्यासी च योगी च कैवल्यं पदमश्नुते ॥१॥

Om. Salutation to Śiva, to the Guru whose very form is Existence–Consciousness–Bliss; to the One beyond all phenomenal proliferation, peaceful, supportless (nirālamba), and radiant. Whoever, taking refuge in the Supportless, abandons all that is supported—every dependence—he is both a renunciant and a yogin; he attains the state of kaivalya, absolute aloneness and liberation.

Verse 2

एषामज्ञानजन्तूनां समस्तारिष्टशान्तये । यद्यद्बोद्धव्यमखिलं तदाशङ्क्य ब्रवीम्यहम् ॥२॥

For the appeasement of all misfortunes of these beings who abide in ignorance, I, Āśaṅkya, having duly considered, declare in full whatever is to be known.

Verse 3

किं ब्रह्म । क ईश्वरः । को जीवः । का प्रकृतिः । कः परमात्मा । को ब्रह्मा । को विष्णुः । को रुद्रः । क इन्द्रः । कः शमनः । कः सूर्यः । कश्चन्द्रः । के सुराः । के असुराः । के पिशाचाः । के मनुष्याः । काः...

Śaṅkya asked: “What is Brahman? Who is Īśvara? Who is the jīva? What is prakṛti? Who is the Paramātman? Who is Brahmā? Who is Viṣṇu? Who is Rudra? Who is Indra? Who is Yama? Who is the Sun? Who is the Moon? Who are the gods? Who are the asuras? Who are the piśācas? Who are human beings? Who are women? Who are animals and the rest? What is the immovable? Who are brāhmaṇas and the rest? What is jāti (birth/caste)? What is action (karma)? What is non-action? What is knowledge? What is ignorance? What is happiness? What is sorrow? What is heaven? What is hell? What is bondage? What is liberation (mokṣa)? Who is to be worshipped? Who is a disciple? Who is learned? Who is deluded? What is demonic? What is austerity (tapas)? What is the supreme state? What is to be accepted? What is not to be accepted? Who is a renunciant (saṃnyāsin)?”—thus he asked. He replied: “Brahman.”

Verse 4

स होवाच— महदहङ्कारपृथिव्यप्तेजोवाय्वाकाशत्वेन बृहद्रूपेणाण्डकोशेन कर्मज्ञानार्थरूपतया भासमानम् अद्वितीयम् अखिलोपाधिविनिर्मुक्तं तत् सकलशक्त्युपबृंहितम् अनाद्यनन्तं शुद्धं शिवं शान्तं निर्गुणम् इत्यादि...

He said: That Consciousness—Brahman, also called Īśvara—is what shines forth as the great principle (mahat), as egoity (ahaṅkāra), as earth, water, fire, air, and space; as the vast form of the cosmic egg; and as the forms of action, knowledge, and their objects. Yet It is non-dual, free from all limiting adjuncts (upādhis), endowed with all powers, beginningless and endless, pure, auspicious, peaceful, without attributes; spoken of by such terms and yet, in truth, indescribable.

Verse 5

ब्रह्मैव स्वशक्तिं प्रकृत्यभिधेयामाश्रित्य लोकान् सृष्ट्वा प्रविश्यान्तर्यामित्वेन ब्रह्मादीनां बुद्धीन्द्रियनियन्तृत्वाद् ईश्वरः॥ जीव इति च ब्रह्मविष्ण्वीशानेन्द्रादीनां नामरूपद्वारा स्थूलोऽहमिति मिथ...

Brahman alone, resorting to Its own power called Prakṛti, creates the worlds and, having entered them, is called Īśvara because It is the inner Ruler (antaryāmin) and the controller of the intellect and senses of Brahmā and the others. And the term “jīva” arises through false superimposition: through names and forms such as Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Īśāna, Indra, and the rest, one imagines, “I am the gross body.” Though the “I” is one, it appears as many jīvas due to differences in bodies and their originating constituents.

Verse 6

प्रकृतिरिति च ब्रह्मणः सकाशान् नानाविचित्रजगन्निर्माणसामर्थ्यबुद्धिरूपा ब्रह्मशक्तिरेव प्रकृतिः॥६॥

And “Prakṛti” is indeed Brahman’s own power: Brahman’s śakti, of the nature of intelligence and potentiality, by which there is the capacity to fashion the manifold and variegated universe—arising from Brahman.

Verse 7

परमात्मेति च देहादेः परतरत्वाद् ब्रह्मैव ॥७॥

He is the Paramātman, beyond the body and all that pertains to it; and He indeed is Brahman itself.

Verse 8

परमात्मा स ब्रह्मा स विष्णुः स इन्द्रः स शमनः स सूर्यः स चन्द्रः । ते सुरास्ते असुरास्ते पिशाचास्ते मनुष्यास्ताः स्त्रियस्ते पश्वादयः । तत्स्थावरं ते ब्राह्मणादयः । सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म नेह नानास्ति क...

The Paramātman is Brahmā; He is Viṣṇu; He is Indra; He is Yama; He is the Sun; He is the Moon. He is the devas and the asuras, the piśācas, human beings, women, animals and the rest; He is the unmoving; He is the brāhmaṇas and others. Truly, all this is Brahman; here there is not the least diversity.

Verse 9

परमात्मा स ब्रह्मा स विष्णुः स इन्द्रः स शमनः स सूर्यः स चन्द्रः । ते सुरास्ते असुरास्ते पिशाचास्ते मनुष्यास्ताः स्त्रियस्ते पश्वादयः । तत्स्थावरं ते ब्राह्मणादयः । सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म नेह नानास्ति क...

The Paramātman is Brahmā; He is Viṣṇu; He is Indra; He is Yama; He is the Sun; He is the Moon. He is the devas and the asuras, the piśācas, human beings, women, animals and the rest; He is the unmoving; He is the brāhmaṇas and others. Truly, all this is Brahman; here there is not the least diversity.

Verse 10

जातिरिति च। न चर्मणो न रक्तस्य न मांसस्य न चास्थिनः। न जातिरात्मनो जातिर्व्यवहारप्रकल्पिता॥१०॥

And as to “jāti” (caste): it is not of the skin, not of the blood, not of the flesh, and not of the bone. The Self (Ātman) has no caste; caste is a construct fabricated for worldly dealings.

Verse 11

कर्मेति च—क्रियमाणेन्द्रियैः कर्मण्यहं करोमीत्यध्यात्मनिष्ठतया कृतं कर्मैव कर्म। अकर्मेति च—कर्तृत्वभोक्तृत्वाद्यहङ्कारतया बन्धरूपं जन्मादिकारणं नित्यनैमित्तिकयागव्रततपोदानादिषु फलाभिसन्धानं यत्तदकर्म...

And as to “karma” (action): action alone is true action when, while the senses are performing the act, it is done with inner steadfastness in the Self (adhyātma-niṣṭhā), as the awareness “I act” within that action. And as to “akarma” (non-action): that which, through the ego-sense of agency and enjoyership and the like, becomes bondage and the cause of birth and so on—namely, the seeking of results in obligatory and occasional rites, vows, austerities, gifts, and the like—that is called non-action.

Verse 12

कर्मेति च—क्रियमाणेन्द्रियैः कर्मण्यहं करोमीत्यध्यात्मनिष्ठतया कृतं कर्मैव कर्म। अकर्मेति च—कर्तृत्वभोक्तृत्वाद्यहङ्कारतया बन्धरूपं जन्मादिकारणं नित्यनैमित्तिकयागव्रततपोदानादिषु फलाभिसन्धानं यत्तदकर्म...

And as to “karma” (action): action alone is true action when, while the senses are performing the act, it is done with inner steadfastness in the Self (adhyātma-niṣṭhā), as the awareness “I act” within that action. And as to “akarma” (non-action): that which, through the ego-sense of agency and enjoyership and the like, becomes bondage and the cause of birth and so on—namely, the seeking of results in obligatory and occasional rites, vows, austerities, gifts, and the like—that is called non-action.

Verse 13

ज्ञानमिति च देहेन्द्रियनिग्रहसद्गुरूपासनश्रवणमनननिदिध्यासनैर्यद्यदृग्दृश्यस्वरूपं सर्वान्तरस्थं सर्वसमं घटपटादिपदार्थमिवाविकारं विकारेषु चैतन्यं विना किञ्चिन्नास्तीति साक्षात्कारानुभवो ज्ञानम् ॥१३॥

“Knowledge”—so it is said—is the direct realization (sākṣātkāra), an immediate experience, that through restraint of body and senses, devotion to the true guru, and the disciplines of hearing, reflection, and deep contemplation, whatever is of the nature of seer and seen is the inner indweller of all, equal in all, unchanging like objects such as pot and cloth; and that in all modifications nothing whatsoever exists apart from consciousness.

Verse 14

अज्ञानमिति च रज्जौ सर्पभ्रान्तिरिवाद्वितीये सर्वानुस्यूते सर्वमये ब्रह्मणि देवतिर्यङ्नरस्थावरस्त्रीपुरुषवर्णाश्रमबन्धमोक्षोपाधिनानात्मभेदकल्पितं ज्ञानमज्ञानम् ॥१४॥

“Ignorance”—so it is said—is the cognition that, like mistaking a rope for a snake, in the non-dual Brahman—interwoven through all and consisting of all—imagines differences of the non-Self through limiting adjuncts (upādhis), such as deity, animal, human, immovable (plant/inanimate), woman, man, caste and life-stage, bondage and liberation.

Verse 15

सुखमिति च सच्चिदानन्दस्वरूपं ज्ञात्वा आनन्दरूपा या स्थितिः सैव सुखम् ॥१५॥

“Happiness”—so it is said—is that very state whose nature is bliss, having known (realized) the essence whose nature is being, consciousness, and bliss (sat-cit-ānanda).

Verse 16

दुःखमिति अनात्मरूपः विषयसङ्कल्प एव दुःखम् ॥१६॥

“Suffering”—thus: the very mental construction (saṅkalpa) of objects, taking the form of the non‑Self, is suffering.

Verse 17

स्वर्ग इति च सत्संसर्गः स्वर्गः । नरक इति च असत्संसारविषयजनसंसर्ग एव नरकः ॥१७॥

And “heaven” is association with the good (sat); “hell” is indeed association with the unreal and ignoble—people bound to saṃsāra and sense‑objects.

Verse 18

बन्ध इति च अनाद्यविद्यावासनया जातोऽहमित्यादिसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥१८॥

And “bondage” is the thought‑construct beginning with “I” and the like, arisen from the latent tendencies (vāsanā) of beginningless ignorance.

Verse 19

पितृमातृसहोदरदारापत्यगृहारामक्षेत्रममता संसारावरणसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥१९॥

Bondage is the saṅkalpa—the volitional construction that veils saṃsāra—namely mamatā, the possessive sense of “mine” toward father, mother, siblings, spouse, children, house, garden, and land.

Verse 20

कर्तृत्वाद्यहङ्कारसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥२०॥

Bondage is the saṅkalpa of ahaṅkāra—egoity’s volitional construction—beginning with the sense of doership (kartṛtva) and the like.

Verse 21

अणिमाद्यष्टैश्वर्याशासिद्धसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥२१॥

Bondage is the saṅkalpa that becomes “accomplished” (siddha) as desire (āśā) for the eight powers (aiśvarya), beginning with aṇimā.

Verse 22

देवमनुष्याद्युपासना-कामसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥२२॥

The volitional construction (saṅkalpa) of desire for worship of gods, humans, and the like is bondage.

Verse 23

यमाद्यष्टाङ्गयोगसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥२३॥

The volitional construction (saṅkalpa) of the eight-limbed yoga beginning with yama is bondage.

Verse 24

वर्णाश्रमधर्मकर्मसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥२४॥

The volitional construction (saṅkalpa) of action in accordance with varṇa-and-āśrama duties (dharma-karma) is bondage.

Verse 25

आज्ञाभयसंशयात्मगुणसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥२५॥

Bondage is the volitional construction (saṅkalpa) made of command/authority (ājñā), fear, doubt, and the attribution of qualities to the Self.

Verse 26

यागव्रततपोदानविधिविधानज्ञानसम्भवो बन्धः ॥२६॥

Bondage is what arises from the ‘knowledge’ (jñāna) of injunctions and prescriptions—concerning sacrifice, vows, austerity, and gifts.

Verse 27

केवलमोक्षापेक्षासङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥२७॥

Bondage is the volitional construction (saṅkalpa) consisting solely in the expectation or desire for liberation (mokṣa).

Verse 28

सङ्कल्पमात्रसम्भवो बन्धः ॥२८॥

Bondage arises solely from mental construction (saṅkalpa) alone.

Verse 29

मोक्ष इति च नित्यानित्यवस्तुविचारादनित्यसंसारसुखदुःखविषयसमस्तक्षेत्रममताबन्धक्षयो मोक्षः ॥२९॥

And “liberation” is this: through discrimination between the eternal and the non-eternal, the destruction of the bondage of possessiveness (mamatā) toward the entire field of objects—pleasures and pains—within impermanent saṃsāra; that is liberation.

Verse 30

उपास्य इति च सर्वशरीरस्थचैतन्यब्रह्मप्रापको गुरुरुपास्यः ॥३०॥

And “the one to be worshipped/meditated upon” is the Guru, who is the means of attaining Consciousness-Brahman abiding in all bodies.

Verse 31

शिष्य इति च विद्याध्वस्तप्रपञ्चावगाहितज्ञानावशिष्टं ब्रह्मैव शिष्यः ॥३१॥

And “disciple” is that one in whom, through knowledge that has penetrated and dissolved the phenomenal world, what remains is Brahman alone—he indeed is the disciple.

Verse 32

विद्वानिति च सर्वान्तरस्थस्वसंविद्रूपविद्विद्वान् ॥३२॥

And “knower” is the one who knows—and is—the form of self-awareness (svasaṃvid) abiding within all.

Verse 33

मूढ इति च कर्तृत्वाद्यहङ्कारभावारूढो मूढः ॥३३॥

And “deluded” is one who has mounted—i.e., become entrenched in—the ego-sense such as doership and the like.

Verse 34

आसुरमिति च ब्रह्मविष्ण्वीशानेन्द्रादीनामैश्वर्यकामनया निरशनजपाग्निहोत्रादिष्वन्तरात्मानं सन्तापयति चात्युग्ररागद्वेषविहिंसादम्भाद्यपेक्षितं तप आसुरम् ॥३४॥

“Asuric” austerity is that in which, desiring lordship like that of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Īśāna, Indra and the rest, one torments the inner Self by fasting, japa, fire-offerings and the like, and which is attended by exceedingly fierce passion and hatred, violence, hypocrisy, and similar defects.

Verse 35

तप इति च ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्येत्यपरोक्षज्ञानाग्निना ब्रह्माद्यैश्वर्याशासिद्धसङ्कल्पबीजसन्तापं तपः ॥३५॥

“Austerity” is the burning up—by the fire of direct, immediate knowledge, “Brahman is real; the world is false”—of the seed of egoic volition, perfected by the hope for lordship such as that of Brahmā and the rest.

Verse 36

परमं पदमिति च प्राणेन्द्रियाद्यन्तःकरणगुणादेः परतरं सच्चिदानन्दमयं नित्यमुक्तब्रह्मस्थानं परमं पदम् ॥३६॥

“The supreme abode” is that which is beyond prāṇa, the senses, and the qualities of the inner instrument (antaḥkaraṇa) and the rest—consisting of Existence, Consciousness, and Bliss—the ever-free station of Brahman; that is the supreme abode.

Verse 37

ग्राह्यमिति च देशकालवस्तुपरिच्छेदराहित्यचिन्मात्रस्वरूपं ग्राह्यम् ॥३७॥

“Graspable” is that whose very nature is pure Consciousness alone, free from all delimitation by place, time, and object; that alone is truly graspable.

Verse 38

अग्राह्यमिति च स्वस्वरूपव्यतिरिक्तमायामयबुद्धीन्द्रियगोचरजगत्सत्यत्वचिन्तनमग्राह्यम् ॥३८॥

“Not graspable” is the contemplation that the world—within the range of intellect and senses, made of māyā, and other than one’s own essential nature—has reality; this is what is meant by “not graspable”.

Verse 39

संन्यासीति च सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य निर्ममो निरहङ्कारो भूत्वा ब्रह्मेष्टं शरणमुपगम्य ‘तत्त्वमसि’, ‘अहं ब्रह्मास्मि’, ‘सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म’, ‘नेह नानास्ति किञ्चन’ इत्यादिमहावाक्यार्थानुभवज्ञानाद् ‘ब्रह्...

“Renunciant” is one who, having abandoned all duties, becoming without possessiveness and without ego, approaches Brahman as the cherished refuge; and through experiential knowledge of the meanings of the great sayings—“That thou art,” “I am Brahman,” “All this indeed is Brahman,” “Here there is no plurality whatsoever,” and the like—ascertains, “Brahman alone am I.” Established in nirvikalpa-samādhi, the mendicant moves about independently. He is a renunciant; he is liberated; he is worthy of worship; he is a yogin; he is a paramahaṃsa; he is an avadhūta; he is a brāhmaṇa—thus.

Verse 40

इदं निरालम्बोपनिषदं योऽधीते गुर्वनुग्रहतः सोऽग्निपूतो भवति स वायुपूतो भवति। न स पुनरावर्तते न स पुनरावर्तते। पुनर्नाभिजायते पुनर्नाभिजायत इत्युपनिषत्॥४०॥

He who studies this Niralamba Upaniṣad through the grace of the Guru becomes purified by fire; he becomes purified by wind. He does not return again; he does not return again. He is not born again; he is not born again—thus (ends) the Upaniṣad.