Preface
I am thankful to my daughter Dr Subashri Rao and
appreciate her efforts in compiling the text of my interpretation of Sri
Dakshinamūrti Stotram and others in this compilation. I started this venture as
a daily email sent to my family and friends in the year 2003. I had just
finished my similar expositions on Bhagawad Gita and Vishnu Sahasranāmam, just
a few weeks before. The encouragement I received from many of those who received
them, prodded me on to try some more challenging works of Sri Adi Shankara,
which have a deep philosophical import. The work that went into this
compilation was the result of this foray into more esoteric thoughts of Hindu
philosophy.
I hope that the readers of this have the benefit of
reading all the ślokas and their interpretation at one stretch, instead of
waiting for the next day as the earlier recipients of my emails had to do. My
daughter says that she undertook the task of compilation as a matter of study
for herself and also as a service to the spread of the brilliant thoughts of
our ancient philosophy. I am sure that all of you would receive it with the
same spirit, which would amply serve my 'labour of love' to understand and
spread our ancient thoughts.
Much of my understanding of the original text came from
my own reading of various texts and interpretations. I owe a debt of gratitude
to all these sources of Advaita philosophy.
Hari Om!
Vijendran Rao (vijendran.rao@gmail.com)
March 8, 2009
Introduction
Sri Dakshinamūrti
Stotram, also known as Dashashloki, was one of the final compositions of Adi Shankara.
In just the first nine ślokas, Shankara beautifully and in his typical lyrical
fashion, brings out the essence of Vedantic philosophy. Shankara not only had
the gift of brevity but also great insight into abstract and seminal
philosophical thoughts.
The Stotra symbolises the Eternal Brahman in the form of Guru—the living guide
for our spiritual upliftment. Shankara uses simile to great effect in
explaining the complex and abstract concepts in Sri Dakshinamūrti Stotram.
In the same vein, the following ten ślokas are on description of the Atman and
the last six ślokas are titled Nirvana Shatakam. We will study them together.
Dhyānam
Before
we start the Dakshinamūrti Stotram, let us first consider one of the famous dhyāna ślokas,
pertaining to Sri Dakshinamūrti.
”Salutations to Dakshinamūrti, who is the embodiment of the Pranava Mantra Aum,
the Idol of pure Knowledge, Who is without any stain and is full of Bliss.”
The Pranava Mantra is life-giving, pure primordial sound, which awakens the
inner Being. Lord Dakshinamūrti symbolises this force. He is also the possessor
of complete Knowledge of the Reality/Truth. He is fully enlightened and
ignorance has no place around Him. As a fully enlightened Being, He is without
blemish and nothing can tarnish Him. He is in an eternal state of Bliss and
radiates serenity and peace.
For realizing our true Self, we seek His blessings.
Shanti Pāţha
“Om,
Desirous of liberation (physical, mental and intellectual), I seek refuge in
the self-effulgent One, who projected Brahma at the time of creation and
revealed the meaning of the Vedas to him and whose inspiration takes me towards
understanding the Atman. May Peace be on us
forever.” —Shanti Pāţha of Dakshinamūrti Stotram.
Moksha truly means liberation from the bondage created by physical, mental and
intellectual attachments one possesses. Absolute Bliss,
while living in this body and world, is possible by getting detached from these
ego-based attributes. It does not mean that one does not function at these
levels—(which is certainly necessary), but it means to have the attitude of
detachment or control of the ego. This further enables one to realize the full
potential of these faculties.
Here, we are seeking the blessing of That Eternal Being which Itself is the
cause of all creation, to enable us to achieve this objective. He is the only
One who can enlighten us regarding our true Self.
The importance of asking for Peace at all the three levels is significant in Hindu prayers. It is a recognition that without Peace
at all the three levels, nothing can be achieved.
Śloka 1
The
universe is like a city reflected in a mirror, seen inside of it but really
outside of it. Again, as in a dream, an inside phenomenon, but appearing
outside. —Dakshinamūrti Stotram, Śloka 1.
The
Truth or Original is the supreme Brahman, the one without a second. One's Atman
is Its reflection seen through the veils of senses, mind and intellect. The
sameness of the supreme Brahman and one's Atman is understood on
self-realization. He by whose Grace this realization comes to me—to that
Dakshinamūrti, the Supreme Being who is embodied in the auspicious and benign
form of Guru, I offer my profound salutations.
One
śloka compresses such immense logic from the Upanishad!
The similes used are so appropriate that they touch your deeper understanding and
perception without your even being aware of it.
The concept of Māyā—on which so much has been said—is explained beautifully
through simple analogies of mirror/object and dream/awakening.
The One Supreme Being, Brahman and the individual
Self, Atman are one and the same, but due to interaction with the body, mind
and intellect of an embodied being, they seem different. On Self-realization through Yoga,
etc. this perception vanishes and one realizes that the two are the same.
Guru, in the form of Sri Dakshinamūrti, enables us to realize this through his
enlightenment and so I offer my salutations to him.
Śloka 2
He
in whom the universe before its projection, was present like a tree in a seed,
and by Whom it was wrought to its multiform by the magic, as it were, of His
own will or in the manner of a great Yogi out of his own power—to that
Dakshinamūrti, the supreme Being, embodied in the auspicious and benign Guru, I
offer my profound salutations. —Dakshinamūrti
Stotram, Śloka 2.
Again what a powerful and appropriate simile! The fact that the universe could
not have come out of nothing means that before creation, it existed in a form
that was not perceivable to our senses—like the modern physical parameters like
force and energy. Looking at the tiny seed of a banyan
tree, no one could imagine that within it is the potential to grow into
a mighty tree in the future. So, also, in reverse, it is difficult for us with
limited perception through our Body-Mind-Intellect)to comprehend that
the tree of today was only a tiny seed yesterday. Same thing holds for
evolution of all beings. Obviously, there is a root and base for the universe
in its present varied form. The same logic holds for mental and intellectual
processes to. There is a tiny seed from which everything emanates and spreads.
That root cause or Mūlaprakriti, is in the control of the Supreme Being, the Brahman,
the Consciousness. There has to be a material cause and Conscious Principle which activates
this!
The Conscious Principle is the Brahman.
I salute to the Guru, who represents that Consciousness, Dakshnamūrti.
Śloka 3
He
by whose light, the world which is unreal, appears as almost real and who
graciously teaches the truth of Brahman; and who is realized through the
comprehension of the Vedic assertion 'Tattwamasi'—which realization alone ends
the cycle of rebirth and Samsāra—to that Dakshinamūrti, the Supreme Being embodied in the auspicious and benign
Guru, I offer my profound salutations. —Dakshinamūrti Stotram, Śloka 3.
The world is unreal because it is continuously changing. In Vedanta, the
Reality or Truth is defined as something which is without change—the substratum
of all existence. The Consciousness of this
Substratum illumines everything else. Under this light, the ever-changing
phenomenal world, appears real.
Sri Dakshinamūrti in the form of Guru teaches those who seek, this Truth.
The classis Vedic statement “Tattwamasi”—Thou art That—brings out the essence
of Vedanta that the Brahman and the Atman are one
and the same. This is emphasized in Gita by stressing that God is in all the
beings.
The only way to gain liberation or immortality, while still living in this
world, is to realize and comprehend this ultimate Reality—Tattwamasi.
Śloka 4
He
whose light alone gleams through the senses like eyes, etc., like the light
emanating through numerous holes in a pot in which a brilliant light is kept;
He whose knowledge alone brings in the state of knowing characterized by the
awareness 'I know'; He whose luminosity alone makes everything else shine after
Him—to that Dakshinamūrti, the Supreme Being,
embodied in the auspicious and benign Guru, I offer my profound salutations. —Dakshinamūrti
Stotram, Śoka 4.
The analogy of clay pot to a human body is
well-known amongst Hindus. It is indeed amazing
how Shankara uses this to drive home the point that it is the Light kept inside
that makes the pot's presence known, by shining through the sense organs. When that light extinguishes, the senses
have no purpose. It is this Light/Luminosity that makes everything else exhibit
their presence. This knowledge that the Light we are talking about is the Brahman is the awareness that enables one to comprehend
and say 'I know'. It is the Brahman, as individual Atman
that is the Knower.
Sri Dakshinamūrti symbolises that awareness and knowledge.
Śloka 5
Vociferous
pseudo-philosophers declare the body, life-breath, senses of perception and
organs of action, intellect as 'I', the Atman, though in reality they are non-existent.
Their comprehension is that of women and children, the blind and dull-witted.
He who destroys this grand ignorance caused by inscrutable Māyā—to that
Dakshinamūrti, the Supreme Being, embodied in the auspicious and benign Guru, I
offer my profound salutations. —Dakshinamūrti Stotram, Śloka 5.
Those philosophers who are not able to see beyond the body, mind and intellect,
have not really comprehended the Reality. Atman is not the Body-Mind-Intellect
. It is, as was
explained in the previous ślokas, the One that shines through all these veils.
The Māyā or delusion is in believing that nothing exists beyond the Body-Mind-Intellect and
think the phenomenal world perceived by the Body-Mind-Intellect
, as I, the Atman.
Shankara compares such shallow philosophers to women, children, the blind and dull-witted,
metaphorically. Those who do not see beyond what appears on the surface or not
able to analyze and comprehend. The blind does not mean the physically
sightless but those whose inner eyes are not open.
Sri Dakshinamūrti, as knowledge-incarnate helps one to realize that the Reality
is different from this deluded view.
Śloka 6
As
the brilliance of the sun or moon exists even when intercepted by Rāhu during eclipse, the
power of cognition remains suspended from the senses and mind during sleep. The
Purusha or the Self exists as the pure Being unrecognized by the veiling power
of Maya. On waking up he becomes aware that he himself was asleep earlier.
Similarly, the person of recognition on waking up to the consciousness of the
Self (which is pure Being), recognizes it (the previous ignorance) as a past
event and an apparent phenomenon. He, by whose Grace the recognition of the
true nature of the Atman/Self comes to me—to that Dakshinamūrti, the Supreme Being, embodied in the auspicious and benign
Guru, I offer my profound salutations. —Dakshinamūrti Stotram, Śloka 6.
This is a beautiful simile from a common observation. The eclipse does not end
or change the sun or moon in any way. In fact, the sun
and the moon are not even touched by it. So also the Self or Atman is
untouched by the phenomena occurring around It.
That is why It is called blemishless.
Again, the sleep and wakeful states are used to drive home the same point that
the One who is able to recognize that he himself was sleeping, is something
beyond sleep state. What he apparently experienced during sleep, like dreams
etc., vanish when he wakes up.
Sri Dakshinamūrti awakens us from our sleep state to full recognition of the
true Self-realization and liberation.
Śloka 7
He
whose existence and reality shines always and uniformly in various states like
infancy, and like waking etc., and who reveals the highest Knowledge of the Atman by the Jnānamudrā—to that Dakshinamūrti, the Supreme Being, embodied in the auspicious and benign
Guru, I offer my profound salutations. —Dakshinamūrti Stotram, Śloka 7.
The Self/Atman is ever-present in its undiminished glory. The body goes through
birth, childhood, youth, old age, death etc and suffers various maladies, but
the Self within is not affected by these changes. Similarly, the mind goes
through wakefulness, dream and sleep, but the Atman within is like an eternal
Observer, keeping vigilant. The same logic applies at the intellectual level.
That is why the Atman is considered to be beyond all these three coverings.
Sri Dakshinamūrti, with His Jnānamudrā conveys and transmits this supreme
Knowledge. In Jnānamudrā, the forefinger of the right hand bends to meet the
thumb and automatically the other three fingers separate out. The thumb is
considered to symbolize Paramātmā, the forefinger the Jivātmā and the other
three fingers are the body, mind and intellect. So, when the Jivātmā realizes
its oneness with Paramātmā, it automatically separates itself from the Body-Mind-Intellect
constraints.
Śloka 8
He
by whose powers of Māyā, the world is experienced during both the waking and
dream states in all its variations, in the cause-effect relationship like master and servant, teacher and the disciple, father and son—to that Dakshinamūrti, the Supreme Being, embodied in the auspicious and benign
Guru, I offer my profound salutations. —Dakshinamūrti Stotram, Śloka 8.
Here, the Māyā or delusion is depicted as the effect while the cause is the
Supreme Being, Brahman. What we observe in the phenomenal world during our
waking state is like a dream of the Reality masked by the veil. In the waking
state, we realize that the dream we had is not real. Similarly, when we attain
spiritual awakening, we will realize that the phenomenal world is not real. Shankara
in his inimitable fashion illustrates by the analogies of master and slave etc.
The master, teacher, father are the causes and servant, disciple, son are the
effects. The latter does not exist without the former.
Sri Dakshinamūrti enables us to realize this true nature of Brahman, through
His Knowledge.
Śloka 9
The
moving and non-moving universe is but His subtle and manifested eightfold
form, viz. earth, water, fire, air, sky, sun, moon and Jivātmā. He by Whose
Grace all these manifestations disappear on the realization that 'nothing
exists except the Supreme Brahman'—to that Dakshinamūrti, the Supreme Being, embodied in the auspicious and benign
Guru, I offer my profound salutations. —Dakshinamūrti Stotram, Śloka 9.
The universe in all its various aspects is the creation due to the Supreme
Being. The way we perceive it is conditioned by our own limitations on
perception. It is like seeing differences in people based on their external
attributes instead of the underlying unity. At one level the differences are
real. If we transcend that level then the unity becomes evident.
Similarly, all the elements of nature, our own
Self, the luminous sun and the moon are all real
and look diverse and distinct, but on realization of the nature of the Supreme
Being, one does not perceive these manifestations, but only the cause of all
this—the Brahman.
Sri Dakshinamūrti, as Guru, guides us to this realization through His Grace.
Śloka 10
The
all pervasiveness of the Atman is clearly explained
in these ślokas. By reciting, hearing and meditating on its profound meaning,
the devoted disciple reaches the all-pervasive nature and fully realizes with
IT. Such a person also gains unlimited lordship over the entire universe,
becoming the very essence of the eightfold manifestation referred to earlier.
He/She reaches the Bliss of realization and Ananda.
—Dakshinamūrti Stotram, Śloka 10.
This is the concluding śloka and is like phalasruti—emphasizing
the benefit of Sri Dakshinamūrti Stotram. The benefits are spiritual awakening
and enlightenment and not mere material welfare. Also, it clearly states that
unlike many other Stotras which give material benefits just by recitation or
hearing, this Stotram has to be meditated upon and understood to gain the
benefit—since this is beyond the realms of Body-Mind-Intellect.
However, this benefit—of realizing one’s true Self, is everlasting, and leads
to gaining complete mastery over oneself and the phenomenal world. That One is
not affected by the happenings around and is always in the Sat, Chit, Ananda
state of Bliss and Peace.