Śloka 1
“The
true 'I', is not mind, intellect, ego or perception; nor is It the sense of
hearing, taste, smell or sight; nor is It the sky, earth, fire or air. It is
'I' that is Shiva, in the form of the essence of
Knowledge and Bliss.” —Ślokas
on Liberation, Śloka 1.
Adi Shankara had composed these six ślokas
to explain the concept of Liberation and what is beyond, in his usual erudite
but simple form.
These ślokas go well with his
earlier import of Dakshinamūrti Stotram
and the Ślokas on the Atman.
The concept of Shiva in His yogic pose is also related to this idea, as He is
considered as the personification of the liberated Being.
The true 'I' is always in a state of Bliss endowed with full knowledge and
understanding. It is not the Body-Mind-Intelligence, nor the five elements of
Prakriti. Hence the limitations and woes of these do not affect It.
Śloka 2
“It
is not what is called Prāna, nor is It the five vital forces. It is not the
seven elements of the body, neither is It the five sheaths forming the body. It
is not the organ of speech, hand, foot, the organ of procreation, or excretion.
It is 'I' that is Shiva in the form of Supreme Knowledge and Bliss.” —Ślokas on Liberation, Śloka 2
The Atman/Self is not the breath or its components—Prāna, Apāna, etc. They keep the body alive or ensure that the Atman stays in the body. It is also not the constituents of the body, which are all perishable and made
of matter. It is not the five layers constituting the body like Annamaya Koşa,
Prānamaya Koşa, etc. Further, It is not the sense organs, limbs of motion, nor
those which perform the tasks of procreation and excretion. They still are
related to the physical body and do not go beyond it.
It is truly Shiva who is eternally in Yoga, fill of Knowledge and Bliss,
undisturbed with the happenings around.
Śloka
3
“The
true 'I', is not endowed with hatred or affection, nor has It greed or
infatuation. It is bereft of pride and the feeling of rivalry. Neither is It
the goal of life—duty, wealth, desire or even Moksha. It is 'I', the Shiva, in the form of Supreme Knowledge and Bliss.” —Ślokas on Liberation, Śloka 3.
The Atman is not the feelings in the mind, like
love, hatred, greed, etc. It is transcending the mental
plane, one is able to realize one's true nature. Similarly, the four
goals set for a person to evolve—Dharma, Artha,
The Atman in the form of Shiva, the eternal Yogi, is ever in a state of perfect
Knowledge and Bliss.
Śloka
4
“The
true 'I', is not Punya or Pāpa; nor is It happiness or sorrow. It is neither
holy hymns nor waters of holy places; Nor is It the Vedas
or sacrifices. I am not the food, nor the eater, not even the act of eating. I
am Siva, in the form of Supreme Knowledge and Bliss.” —Ślokas on Liberation, Śloka 4.
The
Atman or Self is not affected by good or bad deeds. It does not suffer the
consequences of any action. There is no heaven or hell
for It. It is not afflicted by sorrow or misery nor is It elated by good
happenings. It has no need for Mantra-chanting or dip in holy rivers as It does
not aspire for anything and nor is it tainted by anything. It does not need to
read Vedas or acquire knowledge nor has It any need to perform sacrifices and
rituals. It does not depend on food for nourishment. It is neither the food,
nor the act of eating nor the enjoyer of food. It exists all by Itself without
support.
'I' am the spirit of Shiva in eternal Yoga, personified by Supreme Awareness
and Bliss.'
Śloka
5
“The
true 'I' has no death nor is It suspended; It does not vary with species. I
have no father or mother, nor birth. I have no friend or relative; nor am I
Guru or Shishya. It is 'I', Shiva in the form of
Supreme Knowledge and Bliss.” —Ślokas
on Liberation, Śloka 5.
The Atman/Self, being eternal and indestructible, has no birth or death, nor
any state in between. Obviously, since It is unborn, It has neither father nor
mother. Also, since It is universal, It exists without any difference in all
beings—Vāsudeva, in reality, the same eternal spirit.
Since there is no differentiation between It and others, there is no friend or
relative—everyone is 'I'.
It has no need for Guru, the perfect teacher and so It is not a disciple.
The Atman is the spirit personified by the
eternal Yogi Shiva, the form of supreme Awareness and Bliss.
Śloka
6
“‘I'
am formless and without any variations. Being all-pervading I exist everywhere.
Being not attached to sense objects, I need no release from bondage. I am not
an object to be known. It is I, in the form of Siva,
the essence of Supreme Knowledge and Bliss.” —Ślokas on Liberation, Śloka 6.
—End of Nirvāna Şadgam—
The Atman/Self being eternal is formless and invariant. That is why It is
called Nirguņa Parabrahma, the attributeless Supreme Being. It is the same in all beings, space and
time. That is why It is all-pervading. Since It is perceived and recognized
only on liberation from all attachments, It does not need liberation. It is not
just Knowledge of a thing, as all other knowledge is. It is a Consciousness born out of realization of the Supreme
Knowledge—the Knowledge of the Self.
This Awareness and consequent Bliss is embodied in the eternal Yogi, Shiva—Shivoham!
We have concluded this short but very intense and utmost spiritual journey
through Dakshinamūrti Stotram, Ślokas
on the Atman,
and Nirvāna Şadgam.
May the Supreme bless us with this understanding of the Self.