Author: Adi Shankaracharya
Manisha Panchakam is a profound five-verse hymn composed by the great Hindu philosopher Adi Shankaracharya that summarizes the core teachings of Advaita Vedanta (the philosophy of non-duality). In Sanskrit, the word manīṣā means "firm conviction" or "decisive wisdom," and each of the five verses concludes with the refrain manīṣā mama ("This is my firm conviction").
Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Verse #1
अनुष्टुप् छन्दः सत्याचार्यस्य गमने |
कदाचित् मुक्तिदायकम् काशीक्षेत्रं प्रति सह |
गौर्या मार्गे तु शङ्करम् ||
anuṣṭup chandaḥ satyācāryasya gamane | kadācin muktidāyakam kāśīkṣetram prati saha | gauryā mārge tu śaṅkaram ||
anustup chanda satyacaryasya gamane | kadacin muktidayakam kasiksetram prati saha | gaurya marge tu sankaram ||
Anushtup Metre
Once, when the great teacher (Shankaracharya) was going toward the holy land of Kashi, the giver of liberation, he encountered Shankara (Shiva) on the path, accompanied by Gauri (Parvati).
Once, when the great teacher (Shankaracharya) was going toward the holy land of Kashi, the giver of liberation, he encountered Shankara (Shiva) on the path, accompanied by Gauri (Parvati).
Verse #2
अन्त्यवेषधरं दृष्ट्वा गच्छ गच्छ इति च अब्रवीत् शङ्करः |
सः अपि चाण्डलः तं पुनः प्राह शङ्करम् ||
antyaveṣadharam dṛṣṭvā gaccha gaccha ca abravīt śaṅkaraḥ | saḥ api cāṇḍalaḥ taṃ punaḥ prāha śaṅkaram ||
antyavesadharam dstva gaccha gaccha ca abravit sankara | sa api canala ta puna praha sankaram ||
Seeing him dressed as an outcaste, Shankaracharya said 'Go away, go away.' That chandala then spoke to Shankara (in reply).
Verse #3
अन्नमयात् अन्नमयम् अथवा चैतन्यम् एव चैतन्यात् यतिवर |
दूरीकर्तुम् वाञ्छसि किं ब्रूहि गच्छ गच्छेति ||
annamayāt annamayam athavā caitanyam eva caitanyāt yativara | dūrīkartum vāñchasi kiṃ brūhi gaccha gaccheti ||
annamayat annamayam athava caitanyam eva caitanyat yativara | durikartum vanchasi ki bruhi gaccha gaccheti ||
The Chandala questions: O great among the twice-born! What is it that you want to move away by saying, ”Go, go”? Do you want the body made up of food to move away from another body made up of food? Or do you want consciousness to move away from consciousness?
Verse #4
शार्दूल विक्रीडित छन्द किं गङ्गाम्बुनि बिम्बिते |
अम्बरमणौ चण्डालवाटीपयः पूरे च अन्तरम् अस्ति |
काञ्चनघटीमृत्कुम्भयोः वा अम्बरे प्रत्यग्वस्तुनि निस्तरङ्ग सहजानन्द |
आवबोध आम्बुधौ विप्रः अयम् श्वपचः अयम् |
इति अपि महान् कः अयम् विभेदभ्रमः ||
śārdūla vikrīḍita chanda kiṃ gaṅgāmbuni bimbite | ambaramaṇau caṇḍālavāṭīpayaḥ pūre ca antaram asti | kāñcanaghaṭīmṛtkumbhayoḥ vā ambare pratyagvastuni nistaraṅga sahajānanda | āvabodha āmbudhau vipraḥ ayam śvapacaḥ ayam | api mahān kaḥ ayam vibhedabhramaḥ ||
sardula vikriita chanda ki gangambuni bimbite | ambaramanau canalavatipaya pure ca antaram asti | kancanaghatimtkumbhayo va ambare pratyagvastuni nistaranga sahajananda | avabodha ambudhau vipra ayam svapaca ayam | api mahan ka ayam vibhedabhrama ||
Shardulavikridita metre
Is there any difference in the ‘jewel of the sky’ when it is reflected in the waters of the Ganga or in a ditch in the way-side of a slum? Is there any difference in the space as such, be it in a golden pot or in a mud-pot? In the ocean of the self-existing Blissful Consciousness, in the inner Self, devoid of thought ripples, how can there be this delusory distinction: ‘this is a brāhmaṇa and this is a dog-eater?’
Is there any difference in the ‘jewel of the sky’ when it is reflected in the waters of the Ganga or in a ditch in the way-side of a slum? Is there any difference in the space as such, be it in a golden pot or in a mud-pot? In the ocean of the self-existing Blissful Consciousness, in the inner Self, devoid of thought ripples, how can there be this delusory distinction: ‘this is a brāhmaṇa and this is a dog-eater?’
Verse #5
जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्तिषु स्फुटतरा या संविदुज्जृम्भते या ब्रह्मादिपिपीलिकान्ततनुषु प्रोता जगत्साक्षिणी |
सैव अहम् न च दृश्यवस्तु इति दृढप्रज्ञा |
अपि यस्य अस्ति चेत् चाण्डालः अस्तु स तु |
द्विजः अस्तु गुरुः इति एषा मनीषा मम ||
jāgratsvapnasuṣuptiṣu sphuṭatarā yā saṃvidujjṛmbhate yā brahmādipipīlikāntatanuṣu protā jagatsākṣiṇī | saiva aham na ca dṛśyavastu dṛḍhaprajñā | api yasya asti cet cāṇḍālaḥ astu sa tu | dvijaḥ astu guruḥ eṣā manīṣā mama ||
jagratsvapnasusuptisu sphutatara ya savidujjmbhate ya brahmadipipilikantatanusu prota jagatsaksini | saiva aham na ca dsyavastu dhaprajna | api yasya asti cet canala astu sa tu | dvija astu guru esa manisa mama ||
1.Sri Shankara answers: This indeed is my deep conviction: he who has realised that he is not the seen, but that he is the one Consciousness that illumines all experiences during the waking, dream and deep-sleep states, the one Consciousness that is the sole witness of the entire play of the universe, the one Consciousness which is the very life spark in all forms from the Creator down to the ant, he alone is my Guru, be he a sweeper, be he a brāhmaṇa.
Verse #6
ब्रह्म एव अहम् इदं जगत् च सकलं चिन्मात्रविस्तारितं सर्वं |
च एतत् अविद्यया त्रिगुणया अशेषं मया कल्पितम् इत्थं यस्य |
दृढा मतिः सुखतरे नित्ये परे निर्मले चाण्डालः अस्तु स |
तु द्विजः अस्तु गुरुः इति एषा मनीषा मम ||
brahma eva aham idaṃ jagat ca sakalaṃ cinmātravistāritaṃ sarvaṃ | ca etat avidyayā triguṇayā aśeṣaṃ mayā kalpitam itthaṃ yasya | dṛḍhā matiḥ sukhatare nitye pare nirmale cāṇḍālaḥ astu sa | tu dvijaḥ astu guruḥ eṣā manīṣā mama ||
brahma eva aham ida jagat ca sakala cinmatravistarita sarva | ca etat avidyaya trigunaya asesa maya kalpitam ittha yasya | dha mati sukhatare nitye pare nirmale canala astu sa | tu dvija astu guru esa manisa mama ||
2. He who, in his direct experience of the immaculate Supreme-Bliss-Eternal, has come to the firm understanding that the entire universe is but an extensive play of pure Consciousness, all projected by his ‘ignorance’ expressed in the three moods of his mind, while he himself is but that Brahman—he alone is my Guru, be he a sweeper, be he a brāhmaṇa.
Verse #7
शश्वत् नश्वरम् एव विश्वम् अखिलम् निश्चित्य वाचा |
गुरोः नित्यम् ब्रह्म निरन्तरम् विमृशता निर्व्याजशान्तात्मना भूतम् |
भावि च दुष्कृतम् प्रदहता संविन्मये पावके प्रारब्धाय |
समर्पितम् स्ववपुः इति एषा मनीषा मम ||
śaśvat naśvaram eva viśvam akhilam niścitya vācā | guroḥ nityam brahma nirantaram vimṛśatā nirvyājaśāntātmanā bhūtam | bhāvi ca duṣkṛtam pradahatā saṃvinmaye pāvake prārabdhāya | samarpitam svavapuḥ eṣā manīṣā mama ||
sasvat nasvaram eva visvam akhilam niscitya vaca | guro nityam brahma nirantaram vimsata nirvyajasantatmana bhutam | bhavi ca dusktam pradahata savinmaye pavake prarabdhaya | samarpitam svavapu esa manisa mama ||
3. He who has done long reflections upon his teacher’s words that this world of change is permanently in a state of flux; he who has tamed his mind to a true state of quiet and poise; he who has brought his mind, devoid of all dissimilar thoughts, constantly to contemplate upon Brahman; he who has burnt up all his past and future residual-vāsanās in the fire of pure Consciousness; he who has offered his body to live through and exhaust its present destiny – he alone is my Guru, ‘be he a sweeper, be he a brāhmaṇa.’
Verse #8
या तिर्यङ्नरदेवताभिः अहमिति अन्तः स्फुटा गृह्यते |
यद्भासा हृदयाक्षदेहविषयाः भान्ति स्वतः अचेतनाः तां |
भास्यैः पिहितार्कमण्डलनिभाम् स्फूर्तिं सदा भावयन् योगी निर्वृतमानसः |
हि गुरुः इति एषा मनीषा मम ||
yā tiryaṅnaradevatābhiḥ ahamiti antaḥ sphuṭā gṛhyate | yadbhāsā hṛdayākṣadehaviṣayāḥ bhānti svataḥ acetanaḥ tām | bhāsyaiḥ pihitārkamaṇḍalanibhām sphūrtiṃ sadā bhāvayan yogī nirvṛtamānasaḥ | hi guruḥ eṣā manīṣā mama ||
ya tiryannaradevatabhi ahamiti anta sphuta ghyate | yadbhasa hdayaksadehavisaya bhanti svata acetana tam | bhasyai pihitarkamanalanibham sphurti sada bhavayan yogi nirvtamanasa | hi guru esa manisa mama ||
4. A yogī with his hushed mind lives, meditating upon That, which expresses as ‘I--I’ the subjective individuality in all creatures: plant, animal, human and angels; That, by whose Light, mind and senses and body are all enlivened to activity, even though they are all made up of inert and insentient matter; That, which illumines everything as sun from behind a bank of clouds – He alone is my Guru : this is my firm conviction.
Verse #9
यत् सौख्याम्बुधि लेशलेशत इमे शक्रादयः निर्वृता यत् |
चित्ते नितरां प्रशान्तकलने लब्ध्वा मुनिः निर्वृतः |
यस्मिन् नित्यसुखाम्बुधौ गलितधीः ब्रह्मैव न ब्रह्मविद् यः |
कश्चित् स सुरेन्द्रवन्दितपदः नूनं मनीषा मम ||
yat saukhyāmbudhi leśaleśata ime śakrādayaḥ nirvṛtā yat | citte nitarāṃ praśāntakalane labdhvā muniḥ nirvṛtaḥ | yasmin nityasukhāmbudhau galitadhīḥ brahmaiva na brahmavid yaḥ | kaścit sa surendravanditapadaḥ nūnaṃ manīṣā mama ||
yat saukhyambudhi lesalesata ime sakradaya nirvta yat | citte nitara prasantakalane labdhva muni nirvta | yasmin nityasukhambudhau galitadhi brahmaiva na brahmavid ya | kascit sa surendravanditapada nuna manisa mama ||
5. During its moments of utter quiet, a yogī’s mind gains that Ocean of Bliss, a tiny droplet from which is sufficient to make Indra and others feel contented and happy. Such a one who has dissolved his individual intellect in this eternal Ocean of Bliss, is verily Brahman, not a mere Knower of Brahman – That rare one, whose feet are worshipped even by the very King of Gods indeed, he alone is my Guru; this is my firm conviction.
Verse #10
दासः ते अहम् देहदृष्ट्या अस्मि |
शंभो जातः ते अंशः जीवदृष्ट्या |
त्रिदृष्टे सर्वस्य आत्मना आत्मदृष्ट्या त्वमेव इति |
एवम् मे धीः निश्चिता सर्वशास्त्रैः ||
dāsaḥ te aham dehadṛṣṭyā asmi | śambho jātaḥ te aṃśaḥ jīvadṛṣṭyā | tridṛṣṭe sarvasya ātmanā ātmadṛṣṭyā tvameva | evam me dhīḥ niścitā sarvaśāstraiḥ ||
dasa te aham dehadstya asmi | sambho jata te asa jivadstya | tridste sarvasya atmana atmadstya tvameva | evam me dhi niscita sarvasastrai ||
O Shambhu, from the perspective of the body, I am your servant; from the perspective of the individual soul, O three-eyed one, I am a part born of you; but from the perspective of the Self, you alone are everything—thus my understanding has been firmly established by all the scriptures.
Verse #11
इति |
श्रीमच्छङ्करभगवतः कृतौ मनीषापञ्चकं सम्पूर्णम् ||
śrīmacchaṅkarabhagavataḥ kṛtau manīṣāpañcakaṃ sampūrṇam ||
srimacchankarabhagavata ktau manisapancaka sampurnam ||
Thus ends the Manisha Panchakam composed by the revered Shankaracharya.