Verse 1 Verse 2 tapobhiḥ kṣīṇa-pāpānāṃ bodho 'nya-sādhanebhyo hi For those who are purified by austerities, As opposed to other spiritual practices,
śāntānāṃ vīta-rāgiṇām sākṣān mokṣaika-sādhanam who are contemplative, free from desire, self-knowledge is the direct means for enlightenment,
mumukṣūṇām apekṣyo 'yam pākasya vahnivaj jñānaṃ and seeking enlightenment, just as fire is the direct means for cooking.
ātma-bodho vidhīyate vinā mokṣo na sidhyati Atma Bodha has been composed. Without self-knowledge, enlightenment is impossible. Verse 3 Verse 4 avirodhitayā karma paricchanna ivājñānāt Other spiritual practices can coexist with ignorance, Because the true self, atma, is covered by ignorance,
nāvidyāṃ vinivartayet tan-nāśe sati kevalaḥ so they can't remove ignorance. when that ignorance is removed
vidyāvidyāṃ nihantyeva svayaṃ prakāśate hyātmā Self-knowledge alone removes ignorance, atma reveals itself,
tejas-timira-saṅghavat meghāpāye 'ṃśumān iva like light removes darkness. like the sun reveals itself when clouds drift away.
Verse 5 Verse 6 ajñāna-kaluṣaṃ jīvaṃ saṃsāraḥ svapna-tulyo hi A person, tainted by ignorance, The world is like a dream,
jñānābhyāsād vinirmalam raga-dveṣādi-saṅkulaḥ is purified when ignorance vanishes filled with pleasant and unpleasant experiences. due to self-knowledge. svakāle satyavad bhāti kṛtvā jñānaṃ svayaṃ naśyej It seems real Then, that self-knowledge itself vanishes, prabodhe satyasad bhavet jalaṃ kataka-reṇuvat until you wake up and discover that it's not. like the powder used to purify water. Verse 7 Verse 8 tāvat satyaṃ jagad bhāti sac-cid-ātmany anusyūte The world seems absolutely real, Created from the sentient, underlying reality,
śuktikā-rajataṃ yathā nitye viṣṇau prakalpitāḥ like a glittering seashell seems like a piece of silver, eternal and all-pervasive,
yāvan na jñāyate brahma vyaktayo vividhāḥ sarvā until brahman is discovered are all things that exist, sarvādhiṣṭhānam advayam hāṭake kaṭakādivat as the world's underlying non-dual reality. like a bracelet made from gold.
Verse 9 Verse 10 yathākāśo hṛṣīkeśo nānopādhivaśād eva Like the space in many pots, The attributes of bodies,
nānopādhigato vibhuḥ jāti-varṇāśramādayaḥ all-pervasive consciousness dwells in many bodies like caste, color, status, etc.
tad-bhedād bhinnavad bhāti ātmany āropitās toye and seems divided by them. are superimposed on atma,
tan-nāśe kevalo bhavet rasa-varṇādi bhedavat In the absence of pots or bodies, like different tastes & colors superimposed on water. space and consciousness remain undivided. Verse 11 Verse 12 paṃcīkṛta-mahābhūta- paṃca-prāṇa-mano-buddhi- Composed of physical elements Having five vital forces, mind, intellect,
saṃbhavaṃ karma-saṃcitam daśendriya-samanvitam and born due to karma and ten faculties,
śarīraṃ sukha-duḥkhānāṃ apaṃcīkṛta-bhūtotthaṃ is the physical body, where pleasure and pain made of subtle elements,
bhogāyatanam ucyate sūkṣmāṅgaṃ bhogasādhanam are experienced. the subtle body is the means for experience.
Verse 13 Verse 14 anādyavidyānirvācyā paṃcakośādi-yogena Beginningless, indescribable ignorance In the presence of the five sheaths,
kāraṇopādhir ucyate tat-tan-maya iva sthitaḥ is said to be the causal body. atma seems to acquire their natures,
upādhi-tritayād anyam śuddhātmā nīla-vastrādi- Distinct from these three bodies like in the presence of a blue cloth,
ātmānam avadhārayet yogena sphaṭiko yathā is your inner self, atma, which you should discern. a clear crystal appears blue. Verse 15 Verse 16 vapus tuṣādibhiḥ kośair sadā sarvagato 'py ātmā Like rice kernels covered by husk, Even though atma is all-pervasive,
yuktaṃ yukty-avaghātataḥ na sarvatrāvabhāsate by threshing it with reason, it doesn't appear everywhere.
ātmānam antaraṃ śuddhaṃ buddhāv evāvabhāseta atma, the pure, inner Self, In the mind alone it shines,
viviñcyāt taṇḍulaṃ yathā svaccheṣu pratibimbavat should be separated. like a reflection on a shiny surface.
Verse 17 Verse 18 dehendriya-mano-buddhi- vyāpṛteṣv indriyeṣv ātmā Separate from your body, senses, mind, intellect, When your body, mind and senses are active,
prakṛtibhyo vilakṣaṇam vyāpārīvāvivekinām and world, independent atma also seems to be active, due to ignorance,
tad-vṛtti-sākṣiṇaṃ vidyād dṛśyate 'bhreṣu dhāvatsu as the witness of them all – like when clouds drift across the moon,
ātmānaṃ rājavat sadā dhāvann iva yathā śaśī like a king – atma should be known thus. it’s the moon that seems to move. Verse 19 Verse 20 ātma-caitanyam āśritya dehendriya-guṇān karmāṇy With the help of the conscious self, atma, The qualities & activities of your body, mind & senses
dehendriya-mano-dhiyaḥ amale sac-cid-ātmani your body, mind and senses are attributed to pure consciousness, atma,
svakriyārtheṣu vartante adhyasyanty avivekena engage in various activities, like due to ignorance,
sūryālokaṃ yathā janāḥ gagane nīlatādivat people engage in activities with the help of sunlight. like blueness is falsely attributed to space.
Verse 21 Verse 22 ajñānān mānasopādheḥ rāgecchā-sukha-duḥkhādi Due to ignorance, your mind's Desire, pleasure, pain, etc.
kartṛtvādīni cātmani buddhau satyāṃ pravartate qualities and activities are attributed to atma, are experienced when your mind is active,
kalpyante 'mbu-gate candre suṣuptau nāsti tan-nāśe like when the moon is reflected in water, but cease to exist in dreamless sleep, when your mind is inactive. calanādi yathāmbhasaḥ the water's ripples are attributed to the moon. tasmād buddhes tu nātmanaḥ Therefore, they belong to your mind, not to the conscious self, atma. Verse 23 Verse 24 prakāśo 'rkasya toyasya ātmanaḥ sac-cid-aṃśaś ca The sun's nature is brightness, water's nature When atma's pure existence and consciousness
śaityam agner yathoṣṇatā buddher vṛttir iti dvayam is coolness, and fire's nature is hotness. So too, are united with your mind's activities,
svabhāvaḥ sac-cid-ānanda- saṃyojya cāvivekena atma's nature is existence, consciousness, fullness, then due to ignorance
nitya-nirmalatātmanaḥ jānāmīti pravartate changelessness and purity. you experience being an individual person.
Verse 25 Verse 26 ātmano vikriyā nāsti rajju-sarpavad ātmānaṃ Atma is unchanging consciousness, Like misidentifying a rope as a snake,
buddher bodho na jātviti jīvaṃ jñātvā bhayaṃ vahet and your mind is itself insentient. misidentifying atma as a limited person causes fear.
jīvaḥ sarvam alaṃ jñātvā nāhaṃ jīvaḥ parātmeti Considering yourself an individual person, a jiva, If you know, "I am atma, not a jiva,"
jñātā draṣṭeti muhyati jñātaṃ cen nirbhayo bhavet you wrongly assume that you see and know objects. then you will have no fear. Verse 27 Verse 28 ātmāvabhāsayaty eko svabodhe nānyabodhecchā Atma alone reveals No other consciousness is required to reveal
buddhyādīnīndriyāṇy api bodha-rūpatayātmanaḥ the activities of your mind and senses, the self-revealing conscious Self, atma,
dīpo ghaṭādivatsv ātmā na dīpasyānya-dīpecchā like a shining lamp reveals a clay pot. like no other lamp is required
jaḍais tair nāvabhāsyate yathā svātma-prakāśane But your mind & senses, being insentient, to see a lamp shining by itself. cannot reveal atma.
Verse 29 Verse 30 niṣidhya nikhilopādhīn āvidyakaṃ śarīrādi After negating your body, mind and senses Your body, mind and senses, born of ignorance,
neti netīti vākyataḥ dṛśyaṃ budbudavat kṣaram with the teaching, “Neti neti – I am not all this,“ are as impermanent as bubbles in water.
vidyād aikyaṃ mahāvākyair etad-vilakṣaṇaṃ vidyād using the mahavakyas, you should realize the oneness You should know you are independent of them,
jīvātma-paramātmanoḥ ahaṃ brahmeti nirmalam of your consciousness and brahman. thinking, "I am pure brahman." Verse 31 Verse 32 dehānyatvān na me janma- amanastvān na me duḥkha- "Because I am not my body, I have no birth, "Because I am not my mind, I have no suffering,
jarā-kārśya-layādayaḥ rāga-dveṣa-bhayādayaḥ old age, decay or death. desire, aversion or fear.
śabdādi-viṣayaiḥ saṅgo aprāṇo hyamanāḥ śubhra I have no association with worldly objects Independent of my prana and mind, I am pure consciousness, nirindriyatayā na ca because I am independent of my senses." ityādi śruti-śāsanāt as the scriptures say."
Verse 33 Verse 34 nirguṇo niṣkriyo nityo aham ākāśavat sarvaṃ "Attribute-free, motionless, eternal, "I am like space,
nirvikalpo niraṃjanaḥ bahir-antar-gato 'cyutaḥ thought-free, stainless, inside and outside of everything, immutable,
nirvikāro nirākāro sadā sarva-samaḥ siddho unchanging and formless – always content, perfect,
nitya-mukto 'smi nirmalaḥ niḥsaṅgo nirmalo 'calaḥ I am eternally free and pure." detached, pure, and immovable." Verse 35 Verse 36 nitya-śuddha-vimuktaikam evaṃ nirantarābhyastā "Eternally pure and free, Through constant practice of these contemplations,
akhaṇḍānandam advayam brahmaivāsmīti vāsanā undivided fullness, non-dual, the conviction, “I am brahman”
satyaṃ jñānam anantaṃ yat haraty avidyāvikṣepān real, conscious and limitless – removes ignorance and identification,
paraṃ brahmāham eva tat rogāniva rasāyanam I am indeed that supreme brahman." like medicine removes illness.
Verse 37 Verse 38 vivikta-deśa āsīno ātmany evākhilaṃ dṛśyaṃ Seated in a solitary place, Merging the entire world into atma
virāgo vijitendriyaḥ pravilāpya dhiyā sudhīḥ free from desire, undistracted, through contemplation,
bhāvayed ekam ātmānaṃ bhāvayed ekam ātmānaṃ you should meditate on atma being one you should meditate on atma being one
tam anantam ananyadhīḥ nirmalākāśavat sadā and limitless, with unswerving attention. and eternally pure, like space. Verse 39 Verse 40 rūpa-varṇādikaṃ sarvaṃ jñātṛ-jñāna-jñeya-bhedaḥ Giving up all identification with the body, Distinctions between knower, knowledge & known
vihāya paramārthavit pare nātmani vidyate an enlightened person, are absent in the true Self, atma,
paripurṇaṃ cid-ānanda- cid-ānandaika-rūpatvād whose true nature is limitless consciousness, because it's nature is limitless, nondual consciousness.
svarūpeṇāvatiṣṭhate dīpyate svayam eva tat abides in that nature. It alone shines.
Verse 41 Verse 42 evam ātmāraṇau dhyāna- aruṇeneva bodhena On atma, like on a fireboard, Like at sunrise, the dawn of knowledge
mathane satataṃ kṛte pūrvaṃ san tamase hṛte constant drilling with the spindle of meditation removes the darkness of ignorance.
uditāvagatir jvālā tata āvirbhaved ātmā kindles the flame of knowledge Then atma reveals
sarvājñānendhanaṃ dahet svayam evāṃśumān iva and burns up the fuel of ignorance. its own nature, like the shining sun. Verse 43 Verse 44 ātmā tu satataṃ prāpto sthāṇau puruṣavad bhrāntyā Even though atma is always present, Like a tree stump is mistaken for a thief,
'pyaprāptavad avidyayā kṛtā brahmaṇi jīvatā it seems absent due to ignorance. brahman is mistaken for a limited person, jiva.
tan-nāśe prāptavad bhāti jīvasya tāttvike rūpe When ignorance is removed, When the jiva's true nature is discovered, it seems like atma is found, tasmin dṛṣṭe nivartate svakaṇṭhābharaṇaṃ yathā the mistake disappears. like the gold chain on one's neck.
Verse 45 Verse 46 tattva-svarūpānubhavād samyag-vijñānavān yogī After realizing your true nature, Enlightened yogis see
utpannaṃ jñānam aṃjasā svātmany evākhilaṃ jagat knowledge arises immediately the entire world in themselves
ahaṃ mameti cājñānaṃ ekaṃ ca sarvam ātmānam and removes ignorance like "I" and "mine," and see everything as non-separate from atma,
bādhate dig-bhramādivat īkṣate jñāna-cakṣuṣā like the sun removes confusion about directions. with the eye of knowledge. Verse 47 Verse 48 ātmaivedaṃ jagat sarvam jīvan-muktas tu tad vidvān This entire world is atma alone. By knowing brahman, enlightened persons
ātmano 'nyan na vidyate pūrvopādhi-guṇāns tyajet Nothing exists other than atma, cease to identify with their bodies and minds.
mṛdo yadvad ghaṭādīni sac-cid-ānanda-rūpatvāt like pots are nothing but clay. Because their true nature is limitless, unchanging consciousness, svātmānaṃ sarvam īkṣate Thus everything is seen as oneself. bhaved bhramara-kīṭavat they become brahman like larvae become wasps.
Verse 49 Verse 50 tīrtvā mohārṇavaṃ hatvā bāhyānitya-sukhāsaktiṃ Crossing the ocean of delusion, Free from attachment to worldly pleasures,
raga-dveṣādi-rākṣasān hitvātma-sukha-nirvṛtaḥ destroying the demons of attraction and aversion, content with the fullness of atma,
yogī śānti-samāyukta ghaṭastha-dīpavat svasthaḥ yogis, endowed with peace, like a lamp shining inside a pot,
ātmārāmo virājate svāntareva prakāśate revel in themselves. the enlightened ones shine, established in themselves.
Verse 51 Verse 52 upādhistho 'pi tad-dharmair upādhi-vilayād viṣṇau Even though embodied, by their bodies When their bodies die,
alipto vyomavan muniḥ nirviśeṣaṃ viśen muniḥ the enlightened are unaffected, like space. the enlightened merge into all-pervasive consciousness
sarvavin mūḍhavat tiṣṭhed jale jalaṃ viyad vyomni Even though enlightened, they act like fools, like water into water, like space into space,
asakto vāyuvac caret tejas tejasi vā yathā moving about without attachment, like the wind. or like fire into fire.
Verse 53 Verse 54 yal lābhān nāparo lābho yad dṛṣṭvā nāparaṃ dṛśyaṃ Gaining which, nothing remains to be Seeing which, nothing remains to be seen, attained, yad bhūtvā na punar bhavaḥ yat sukhān nāparaṃ sukham becoming which, there is no rebirth, no other happiness, yaj jñātvā nāparaṃ jñeyaṃ yaj jñānān nāparaṃ jñānaṃ knowing which, nothing remains to be known – no other knowledge – tad brahmety avadhārayet tad brahmety avadhārayet that brahman should be realized. that brahman should be realized.
Verse 55 Verse 56 tiryag ūrdhvam adhaḥ pūrṇaṃ atad-vyāvṛtti-rūpeṇa Extending endlessly, around, above and below, Through a process of negation,
sac-cid-ānandam advayam vedāntair lakṣyate 'dvayam limitless, unchanging consciousness, non-dual, Vedanta teaches that brahman is non-dual,
anantaṃ nityam ekaṃ yat akhaṇḍānandam ekaṃ yat infinite, eternal and one – one, limitless fullness –
tad brahmety avadhārayet tad brahmety avadhārayet that brahman should be realized. that brahman should be realized.
Verse 57 Verse 58 akhaṇḍānanda-rūpasya tad yuktam akhilaṃ vastu Of brahman's limitless fullness, Brahman is present in all objects
tasyānanda-lavāśritāḥ vyavahāras tad-anvitaḥ only a tiny portion and in all activities.
brahmādyās tāratamyena tasmāt sarva-gataṃ brahma is enjoyed by gods like Brahma, Therefore, brahman is all pervasive,
bhavanty ānandino 'khilāḥ kṣīre sarpir ivākhile who thereby become fulfilled. like the fat in whole milk.
Verse 59 Verse 60 anaṇva-sthūlam ahrasvam yad-bhāsā bhāsyate 'rkādi Neither tiny or large, neither short By which light, the sun and moon shine,
adīrgham ajam avyayam bhāsyair yat tu na bhāsyate or long, unborn, undecaying, but which shines without the help of any other light,
arūpa-guṇa-varṇākhyaṃ yena sarvam idaṃ bhāti without form, quality or color – by which the entire world is illumined –
tad brahmety avadhārayet tad brahmety avadhārayet that brahman should be realized. that brahman should be realized.
Verse 61 Verse 62 svayam antar-bahir-vyāpya jagad-vilakṣaṇaṃ brahma Pervading the world and extending beyond, Brahman is other than the universe,
bhāsayann akhilaṃ jagat brahmaṇo 'nyan na kiṃcana illumining the entire universe, but nothing exists other than brahman.
brahma prakāśate vahni- brahmānyad bhāti cen mithyā brahman shines like a glowing If something other than brahman seems to exist,
prataptāyasa-piṇḍavat yathā marumarīcikā red-hot lump of iron. then it is false, like a mirage.
Verse 63 Verse 64 dṛśyate śrūyate yad yad sarvagaṃ sac-cid-ātmānaṃ All that is seen or heard The all-pervasive, unchanging, conscious Self
brahmaṇo 'nyan na tad bhavet jñāna-cakṣur nirīkṣate is nothing but brahman. is discovered with the eye of wisdom.
tattva-jñānāc ca tad brahma ajñāna-cakṣur nekṣeta With knowledge, brahman is realized to be identical One without the eye of wisdom cannot discover it,
sac-cid-ānandam advayam bhāsvantaṃ bhānum andhavat to your limitless, unchanging, non-dual consciousness. like the blind cannot see the sun.
Verse 65 Verse 66 śravaṇādibhir uddīpta- hṛd-ākāśodito hyātmā Through the practice of Vedanta, Atma abides in your heart
jñānāgni-paritāpitaḥ bodha-bhānus tamo 'pahṛt you become engulfed by the blazing fire of knowledge as the light of consciousness, destroying ignorance,
jīvaḥ sarva-malān muktaḥ sarva-vyāpī sarva-dhārī and freed from all impurities, pervading the universe, sustaining all,
svarṇavad dyotate svayam bhāti bhāsayate 'khilam shining like gold. and illumining everything.
Verse 67 dig-deśa-kālādy-anapekṣya sarvagaṃ Atma pervades all directions, times and places,
śītādihṛn nitya-sukhaṃ niraṃjanam removing suffering and bestowing pure, eternal joy.
yaḥ svātma-tīrthaṃ bhajate viniṣkriyaḥ By worshiping at this holy pilgrimage place in yourself
sa sarvavit sarva-gato 'mṛto bhavet you become enlightened, limitless and immortal.