Maneesha Panchakam

Maneesha Panchakam

By

Adhi Sankara BHagwat pada

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(One day while Adhi Sankara was returning    from the ganges after bath, he saw an outcaste man with his wife standing in front of him.His immediate reaction was to ask them to move away from there. Then the man, who was Lord Shiva himself  asked Sankara, whether he wanted his body to be moved or his  soul. Sankara  answers him in five great stanzas, which   brings out his deep conviction. Unlike most of the prayers written by him , the concepts in these stanzas are not explained in a simple manner.  I have consulted various translations to understand the import  of what he tells in each stanza  and have written, what I have understood.)

1.Sathyaacharyasya gamane kadachith mukthi dhayakam,

Kasi kshethram prathi   saha gourya margethu Sankaram

Once  in the salvation giving city of Kasi , opposite  to  the real  Acharya,

Lord Shiva along   with Goddess  Parvathi came in the same street.

2.Anthya Vesha dharam drushtwaa gacha gachethi chaa abraveeth,

SAnkarasyomi chandala , tham puna praha Sankaram.

Seeing those in the garb of the  downtrodden, He told ,

Hey Chandala , I am Sankara , go away , go away,

And then   Lord Sankara   questioned him as follows.

3.Annamayad annamayam adhava  chaithanyameva  Chaithanyth,

Yathivara  dhoorikrutham  vanchasi  , kim  broohi   Gacha gacheth

Body made of food to another body made of food ,

Or from one universal spirit to another universal spirit,

Oh great sage , between which do you desire  the  distance ,

Why did you say , go away, go away.

4.Prathyag vasthuni   nistharanga   sahajanandaava  bodhambudhou,

Viproyam  swapacho ayam ithyapi  Mahaan koyam  vibhedha brama,

Kim Gangambuni bimbathe ambaramanou  chaandala veedhipaya,

Pure vaantharamasthi  kanchana  ghati mruthu kumbhayorvaa ambare.

The reflection of everything is perceived  as  same   whether in still water   or moving sea,

Oh Brahmin , why  this doubt   about being a great one   and this confusion  of inequality,

What is the  difference  of Sun in waters  of Ganga or  in the ditch in the street of outcastes,

What is the difference of water  stored in a gold pot  or the mud pot of the potter?

5.Jagrad  swapna  sushipthishu sphutatharaa   yaa samviddujrumbathe ,

Yaa Brahmadhipi  pilikantha thanushu  prothaa jagat sakshini,

SAivaham  na cha drusya vasthithvathi  druda prajapi  yasyathi  che,

Chandalosthu  sa thu dwijosthu  guru rithyesha maneeshaa mama.

Whether one is awake  , dreaming   or sleeping , suppose one  realizes  that  ,

He is the soul  that is  invisible but which exists  and he is firmly  convinced that,

Brahma  the creator to the tiny   ant which are vibrant  are the witnesses   of  all activities of  the world,

That one whether he is  an outcaste or a Brahmin is my concept of a Guru.

6.Brahmaivahidama jagacha sakalam chinmathrivisthaaritham,

Sarva chaithadvidhyaya trigunayosesham kalpitham,

Idham yasya drudaa mathi sukhathare nithya pare  nirmalam,

Chandalosthu  sa thu dwijosthu  guru rithyesha maneeshaa mama.

“The entire world is only Brahmam which is extended by the pure consciousness,

But imagined to be  different  due to the interplay   of one’s   three gunas(characteristics) ,”,

If one  with stable mind understands this and realizes that ,

Everything   is only bliss  which is eternal , divine and pure,

That one whether he is  an outcaste or a Brahmin is my concept of a Guru.

7.Saaaswan nasvarameva viswamakhila nischithya vaachaa guro,

Nithyam Brahma nirantharam vimrusathaa nivyajsanthathmana,

Bhootham bhavi cha dushkrutham pradahathaa samvinmaye paavake,

Prarabdhaaya  samarpitham swapuririthyesha maneesha mama.

Coming to the conclusion  that this world is entirely perishable  ,

And not  permanent   after hearing the words of the Guru,

And if one discusses   within his   mind and decides that  

The Brahmam Is forever and not perishable  ,

And burns in his fire of knowledge  the karmic load,

Earned  in   the  past  , present and future ,

Then it  is my decision  that  he is my guru.

8.Ya thiryag nara devathaabhi rahamithyaantha sphutaa gruhyathe ,

Yad bhasaa hrudayaaksha deha vishayaa bhanthi swatho chethanaa ,

Thaam bhasyai pihitharka mandala nibhaam sphurthim sadaa bhavayaa,

Nyogi nirvrutha manaso hi gururithyeshaa , maneeshaa mama.

That which is understood  within themselves as the self  by men, devas  and animals,

And that which is illuminated by the self  within oneself as the mind  body and sense organs ,

Hides the real self  like  a dark cloud hides those lit by a sparkling sun,

And  that  Yogi   with emancipated mind who understands this  is considered by me as my Guru.

9.Yath soukhyam ambudhi lesa lesatha yime sakradhayo nirvruthaa ,

Yath chithe nitharaam prasantha kalane labdhwaa muni nirvruthaa,

Yasmin nithya sukhambudhou galthadhir brahmaiva na brahma vidh,

Ya kaschithsa surendra vanditha pado noonam maneesha  mama.

The self is an ocean of eternal bliss and  a minute part of it would make Indra and Devas happy,

The sages meditating with a mind of peace on this self  and not  on any other aspect would attain  perfect bliss,

And he who identifies  himself with this  ocean of bliss is  not the knower of Brahman but Brahman itself,

And the feet of  such a person regardless of who he is, is fit to be saluted and this is my belief.

10.Dasastheham deha drushtyasmi shambho,

Jathastheso jeeva drushtyaa tridrushte ,

Sarvasyathman athma drushtyaa  thwameva,

Thwevam may dheernischithaa sarva sathrai  .

Oh Lord  Shambhu,  who sees  the past,  present   and future ,

In this form of a body of mine which you see  , I am   your slave

In the form of  the soul , I am part and parcel of yourself,

You are within me and in all others  as the soul  ,

And I have come    to this conclusion  ,

Based on all scriptures and by deep thought.

Srimad Sankara bhagavatha kruthou Maneesha panchakam samaptham.

Thus ends the five beliefs   of  Shankara Bhagwat Pada.