Verse 1

Niralamba

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

ॐ नमः शिवाय गुरवे सच्चिदानन्दमूर्तये । निष्प्रपञ्चाय शान्ताय निरालम्बाय तेजसे ॥

निरालम्बं समाश्रित्य सालम्बं विजहाति यः । स संन्यासी च योगी च कैवल्यं पदमश्नुते ॥१॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

ॐ । नमः । शिवाय । गुरवे । सत्-चित्-आनन्द-मूर्तये । निष्प्रपञ्चाय । शान्ताय । निरालम्बाय । तेजसे ।

निरालम्बम् । समाश्रित्य । सालम्बम् । विजहाति । यः । सः । संन्यासी । च । योगी । च । कैवल्यम् । पदम् । अश्नुते ।

IAST Transliteration

oṃ namaḥ śivāya gurave saccidānandamūrtaye | niṣprapañcāya śāntāya nirālambāya tejase ||

nirālambaṃ samāśritya sālambaṃ vijahāti yaḥ | sa saṃnyāsī ca yogī ca kaivalyaṃ padam aśnute ||1||

Translation

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.

Academic Translation

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

Verse Context

• Nirālamba Brahman (supportless Absolute) as the basis of sannyāsa, yoga, and kaivalya/mokṣa
• Mahavakya: Implicitly aligns with ‘Aham Brahmāsmi’ and ‘Tat Tvam Asi’: taking refuge in the supportless Reality indicates identity of self with Brahman beyond all supports.
• Atharva
• Chandas: Mixed: opening invocatory pāda-s are non-Vedic devotional anuṣṭubh-like; second verse is close to anuṣṭubh (śloka)