ONE
HUNDRED VERSES OF SELF INSTRUCTION
(ATMOPADESA-SATAKAM)
1
Rising
even above knowledge, what within the form
Of
the one who knows, as equally without, radiant shines,
To
that Core, with the eyes five restrained within,
Again
and again prostrating in adoration, one should chant.
2
The
inner organ, the senses, and counting from the body
The
many worlds we know, are all, on thought, the sacred form
Of
the supreme Sun risen in the void beyond,
By
relentless cogitation one should attain to this.
3
These
phenomenal aspects five, such as the sky
Which
as emergent from outside is here seen to be,
By
contemplation one should bring to non-difference,
As
the sea is to the waves that rise in rows thereon.
4
Knowledge,
its meaning known, and the personal knowledge
Subjective,
together make but one primal glory,
Within
the unrarified radiance of this great knowledge
One
should merge and become that alone.
5
People
here on earth, they sleep, wake and think
Various
thoughts, watching over all of these with intent eye
There
dawns a priceless light, which never shall dim again,
Led
onward by this, one should forward wend.
6
One
has to wake, then go to sleep, of food partake, or mate,
Thus
do promptings dissipating keep coming round,
Whoever
could there be, therefore to wake
Unto
that reality's one and changeless form?
7
To
wake never more, ever sleepless to remains, as awareness,
If
for this today you are not fit, then in the service
Of
those silent ones who ever dwell awake to AUM
Absolved
from birth, steadily fix the form.
8
Eating
of the fruits five, such as light
Perched
the while on a shot-gun foul-smelling,
Ever
in wily change, what can bring down in shreds these five,
Such
a lucid inner form, wielding the Self must brilliant become! (112)
9
He
who dwells in contemplation beneath a tree
Whereon
climbing, a creeper bears aloft on either side
The
blossoms of the psychic states, mark, such a man,
By
inferno unapproached ever remains.
10
"Who
is sitting in the dark? Speak!" says one,
Whereupon
the other, intent himself to know likewise,
On
hearing the first, he asks, "Who may you even be?"
For
both of these the word of response is One alone. (66)
11
The
repeated "I, I" contemplated from within
Is
not many, but one, divergent egoity
Being
multiple, in the totality of such
The
Self-substance too, continuity assumes. (66)
12
With
skin and bone and refuse, and many an inner factor of evil end,
Lo,
wielding these, one ego looms! This which passes,
Is
the other, That greater Self which grows to perfection,
O,
grant the boon, that it may not the ego swell! (67)
13
Unto
the Master who dons the ashes of the three modes,
Offering
the flower of the inner self, inclining before him,
With
all sense interests effaced, divest of all and cool,
Even
from the grandeur of loneliness bereft, into glory sink!
14
That
light, rid of three-fold view, that ever brighter burns
Upsurging
and brimful beyond the bounds of the triple worlds,
Remember
that it will never come within the reach
Of
a hermit untrue, as Upanishadic secret lore declares.
15
Ten
thousand years do a moment make to those favoured ones
Suckled
in the milk of the pure transcendent, but when knowledge
Is
within the power of the scope of relative immanent nature
Half-a-second,
would seem ten thousand years long. (57)
16
If
an arid desert most expansive would become over-flooded
By
river water all at once, such would be the rising symphony
Falling
into the ears, to open then the eye, do therefore
Daily
become the best of sages endowed with Self-control.
17
Suffering
(fire) filled, with petals five and tiers two,
Rotating
beginningless, such is the lamp hanging high
Which
is the Self burning on in a shadow form, with past habits
For
oil, and function verily for wick. (112)
18
The
"I" is not darkness, were it so blind
Unaware
of this 'I, I' we should have remained,
Because
of such awareness, the I-consciousness is not darkness
In
order to know thus, to one and all declare.
19
"Bottom,
top or tip, reality here, there or that" -
So
do conflicts come: Prime Substance is all there is:
The
inert here, all change and pass, how could a wave
Apart
from the water's form, another reality have?
20
Another
reality this world can have none, contrary assertions
Made
by men in the world, lack understanding all,
Although
an ignoramus could mistake it for a reptile,
Could
a flower garland beneficial ever a snake become? (102, 125)
21
A
certain kind is dear, that to me is dear,
What
is dear to me and what is to another, thus it is
That
round each item of value-interest confusions come, know, therefore,
That
one's own preference must accord with another's desire. (128)
22
What
is dear to the other, that is mine and what I prefer
Accords
with the preference of the other man, such is the course
Of
discrete conduct, therefore the act that aims the good of man,
In
the love of fellow-man must its motive have. (128)
23
For
another's sake, day in and out
Unstinting
strives the generous and kind man,
The
niggard, lying prone, whatever frustration's toil undertakes
Is
for his own sake alone. (126)
24
What
here we discriminate as this man or that
Is
the prime form of the Self alone!
Conduct
that for one self-happiness spells
Must
another's well-being bring about at once. (126)
25
What
is favourable to one and for another trouble brings,
That
conduct is what is against the Self
One
whose acts another's suffering great involve
Falls
and burns in the ocean of infernal flames. (124)
26
All
limbs suppressing and standing as a bolt
The
limb-owner mere vapour enshrouds within,
'This'
man he takes different from 'that' therefore
Owing
to the weakness of unwisdom alone.
27
What
in darkness remains aware, the Self indeed that is,
And
knowledge that which as name and form,
As
senses with inner organ, as actor and action,
Looms
here as everything, like great Indra's magic, lo!
28
Bereft
of bottom as of top, from bottom to the crest
What
transparent awareness has, that is turiya consciousness,
The
inert no knowledge has, what it cogitating tells
From
in-between, is no knowledge at all, do mark!
29
The
mind-blossom plucking, who offers to the Great Master,
No
need has he, other works to perform,
Else,
let him pluck blossom wild, or otherwise
The
Maya-spell let him repeat the Maya goes.
30
The
inert, no awareness can have, awareness no cogitation needs,
Nor
does it hold discourse, knowing this awareness to be all,
And
giving up all, transparency of spirit one gains,
And
in bodily bonds confined, one suffers never more indeed! (105)
31
Without
prior experiencing, no inference there could be
As
this has never before been experienced by the senses
The
existence of the operator
Is
never given to inferential thought. (105)
32
It
is not the operator but the operation that we know,
The
said operator being ever unseen, the world and all else
Is
naught, while lending it outer semblance of shape,
It
is awareness alone that really remains. (106)
33
Knowledge
in order to know itself
The
earth and other manifestations became,
In
inverted manner thus, now mounting, now changing over
Like
a circulating fire-faggot, it keeps turning round. (39, 106)
34
Half-a-second
is what is the prime hub
Of
the wheel of the car, mounted whereon, the universe rolls on,
Know
this to be the sport of that beginningless One,
Ever
growing on in the core of awareness pure. (113)
35
Like
the dawning altogether of ten thousand suns
Wisdom's
function comes, such verily is what
Can
tear asunder the knowledge hiding impermanent darkness of Maya here,
And,
as the primordial Sun on high, prevails. (30)
36
The
powers of understanding are many, all of them under two sets
Such
as the "same" and the "other" inclusively can be brought,
Merging
into that form of "other-sameness" of these,
To
clarify of vision one should awake. (71, 83)
37
To
subdue, even somewhat the obduracy of the "other"
Is
hard indeed without understanding's limitless power,
Even
by such should one gain mastery over it and thus attain
Close
access to Her who is discrimination's anti-sensuous One. (71, 84)
38
What
appraises manifold variety, the "other" that is,
And
the "same" is whatever unitively shines on,
Thus
grasping the situation above, into that state
Which
yields sameness, melt and mix and erect sit. (72, 84)
39
Following
up further the said powers, a further bifurcation there is,
One
of these is an attribute of the "same", while the other
Qualifies
the harsh "other" that never detachment gains,
Thus
making two kinds of each of these. (72, 85)
40
On
to the same as on to the other there constantly alight
Their
respective specifying factors, although not proportionate,
Through
the spinning phase of these two in all,
All
predictions whatsoever there are do come to be. (72, 86)
41
In
"This is a pot" the initial "this" is the harsh
While
the "pot" is what makes its specific attribute,
For
the mind with its myriad Indra-magic to come,
Understand,
that "this" is the basis of functioning. (73, 88)
42
In
"This is knowledge" the initial "this" is the
"same"
While
its specifying factor is the cognitive consciousness,
For
the mind and all else to be effaced for the good path to gain,
"This"
it is that one should contemplate. (73, 88)
43
By
Nature's action caught, and turned,
Men
of good action too, alas, keep turning round!
Mis-action
to counteract, non-action avails not,
Gain-motive
bereft, Wisdom one should attain.
44
Ignoring
that in substance various religions are the same,
Like
the blind men in respect of an elephant, fools wander
In
this world, imitate not their way,
And
not agitated like them, one should calmly settle down. (131)
45
One
religion is not good enough for another and the doctrine cardinal
Stated
in one, according to another's calculations is found defective,
Until
that day the unitive secret herein is known with certitude
There
shall continue to be confusion prevailing in this world. (132)
46
Victory
by fight is impossible here; one as against one,
No
religion by fighting gets exterminated; not knowing this
The
opponent of a stranger faith,
His
own doom shall be in vain fight for, beware! (132)
47
All
plead but for one religion to prevail,
Which
the disputants fail to remember withal,
Those
wise ones freed from disadoption of another's faith
Can
know here wholly the secret of all this. (131)
48
The
dweller within the body, from its own status as pure being
In
respect of each possible thing, treats all
As
"that is mine" or "this is mine" transcending bodily sense,
All
are in reality realized when we think of what this means. (68, 130)
49
Every
man at every time makes effort in every way,
Self-happiness
to secure, thus in the world
Know
there is this One Religion alone, known thus and
Avoiding
evil, one should his inner self attune. (129)
50
With
earth and water, air and fire likewise,
Also
the void, the ego, cognition and mind,
All
worlds including the waves and ocean too
Do
all arise and into awareness change. (7)
51
From
awareness the "I" sense first emerged,
Comes
then with it "This"-ness, as counterpart beside,
These,
like creepers twain, do overcover entirely,
Hiding
the whole of the Maya tree. (11, 57)
52
Filled
with word-content, that day the firmament shall radiant blaze,
And
into it shall be absorbed to extinction all the visionary magic.
Then
too, that small voice completing tri-basic cognition
Shall
cease, and, lo! Self-radiance prevails! (10)
53
That
primordial potency that herein resides
Is
the seed that gives birth to all here we see;
Merging
the mind in that, never forgetting,
Maya-mind
to end, ever do contemplation pursue.
54
The
waking state, it obtains not in sleep
And
sleep again does not attain consciousness
When
awake; day by day these twain are born
Of
Maya's womb and keep alternating on.
55
A
long drawn out dream is this, and like sleep each day,
It
gets extinguished; dream too likewise!
We
can never see extinction thus to this; as it is
Hitched
on to the pure aloneness, it goes round for ever.
56
Like
waves instantly arising on the ocean
Each
body one after one rises to subside again;
Where,
alas, is the term for this? Know this as action
Taking
place perpetually in awareness-ocean's prime source.
57
Within
the waveless ocean, there do abide
Endless
Maya-traits which as potent configurations that assume
Bodies
with such as water and taste remain
As
beginningless effects forming various worlds upon worlds.
58
Thinking
not in terms, ever new, of yesterday, today
Tomorrow
or even another day, never-endingly
Know,
all things we count or measure
As
of confusion's making; difference there is none at all!
59
Apart
from awareness I have no being;
As
distinct from me awareness cannot remain
As
mere light; both knowledge and knower, contemplation
Reveals
beyond doubt as of one substance alone.
60
Even
when knowledge to egoism is subject in any prediction
And
one is unmindful of the ultimate verity of what is said
Yet
as with the truth however ultimate, such knowledge
Can
never fall outside the scope of the knowing self.
61
Outside
objects hold the field each distinct from each
With
the sense that measures, whose function is nescience,
And
these in turn with many sets of names such as that of directions,
Or
the sky, keep rising up and into awareness change.
62
Mere
orthodoxy which keeps saying that one should not adopt
As
one's own a doctrine belonging to another side, how can it
True
knowledge bring? Lip service does not avail;
One
has earnestly to contemplate the state supreme.
63
This
which is non-distinct from knowledge, than knowing which knowledge
Straightaway,
here there is none other to know
As
any ultimate knowing beyond; such the supreme secret
Of
the most informed of men; who is there to know? (101)
64
This
which ever prevails, surmounting each interest-item,
One's
proper retrospection alone can comprise:
By
means of extremely lucid memory, however, the revealing
Of
ultimate-wisdom-treasure is still not to be ruled out.
65
There
is nothing here that we have not already once known;
Hidden
by form, knowledge fails us; wakefully to know all this
There
is none at all, limitless as it is,
Oh,
who can there be at all to know this wonder dear! (30)
66
Earthy
factors shall come to be evermore;
One
alone remains not subject to becoming;
What
we know, what it is, what we are, are that same;
And
all others too remain conforming to its form.
67
One
that is beyond all count and the ordinary -
Besides
these two what is of other form
In
memory, in sleep, not in any city on high
Could
such have any existence, indeed! (60)
68
As
the ego-sense enters into the snake-rope forms
Now
as knowledge, now as a limbed agent in alternating duality,
It
becomes pure now and then again profane,
Thus
should he understand, the intuitive man. (57)
69
With
hearing and such as horses linked, while bearing within
The
image of Self, and controlled by the master of faculties,
Is
the libido-chariot mounted whereon the ego rides
Dealing
unceasingly with each thing of beauty as it proceeds. (114)
70
The
one libido it is that as the "I" sense, the senses,
The
inner instruments, the body and all these becomes
Unravelled:
where is the term to this? The knower remains
Distinct
only till knowledge becomes known.
71
Bereft
of becoming none stays here on earth
In
equalized state; a beginningless sport is all this!
In
its global fullness, when, as a whole, one knows this,
There
comes to him unbounded happiness.
72
Now
there is action which is nescience and again
There
is the pure knowledge which is science
Ordained
by Maya through these stay divided thus
The
meta-dual attitude, the unitive turiya yields. (58)
73
Of
one thing there could be many, as in many objects
One
single meaning could reside; by such knowing we can know
Consciousness
as comprising all, differencelessly; without any remainder
This
ultimate secret, however, is not given for all to know. (42, 81)
74
Particles
there are innumerable in a world
As
within such a particle a world too abides;
The
inert merges thus in the mind-stuff, as the mind-stuff too
Within
the body; thus, on thought they are One.
75
Nature
is water; the body, foam; the Self, the deep;
The
"I", "I" rumbling within, the magic of the waves that
arise;
Pearls
they are each flowering of Wisdom within;
And
what one drinks of oneself, immortality verily it is! (115)
76
As
with a well into which measureless sand is wafted
By
successive gusts, tier, so too
Exposed,
to the waftings of untruth's hierarchy
The
inner Self inwardly multitudinous forms it gains. (59, 115)
77
The
ultimate is the sky; wind, that power expansive,
Awareness,
the fire; water represents the perceptive organs;
What
is given objectively to the sense, the earth;
And
what thus keeps as five principles burning has its secret in the One alone.
78
Neither
is there death nor birth nor life duration here,
Nor
men or gods not others of that order; all name and form!
Like
a mirage based on desert sands, is this thing that stands
Nor
is it a thing at all with any content, note.
79
At
birth-time being there is none
And
the one born at another instant cannot be
How
ever does this exist? Death too is even likewise;
All
this but a flux and becoming of the mind-stuff pure! (41)
80
Contraries
like being and becoming, how can they
As
creation, endurance and dissolution, in one place co-exist?
For
these three to pass into, there is nothing either;
Thus
viewed, earth and other things are mere words alone. (41)
81
Nature,
dividing one time as the enjoyer,
As
everything outside, immanent or transcendent in glory looms
At
another time again, by 'this-ness' expanded
It
spreads out as the enjoyable universe. (58)
82
Like
the fire that emerges out of churning sticks,
That
boundless Wisdom that from within those who seek prevails
As
the Sun ascendant in pure reason's firmament supreme
It
stays burning and to its flames consuming, fuel everything becomes.
83
Breaking
up, staying on, or rising again after a change, ever
To
continue, such is the course of the bodily nature here;
Watchful
of all the three from its position ultimate
The
one cleftless Self, that free from all change remains. (58)
84
Because
of cognition, if one should say there is
Earthiness
as a reality, that is not true; what there is, is sod;
Without
stable content all the limitless entities that stand
Are
but Nature-configurations abiding within awareness.
85
No
shadow could exist without depending on a model original
Since
the manifest world is seen to have no original model anywhere
Neither
shadow nor actuality is this; all seen
Like
a snake that a gifted artist might cleverly sketch.
86
The
body and other things all have no being one in another,
Thus
the converse position becomes untenable;
As
from day to day this remains without setting
It
gains the status of verity emerging once again.
87
Each
taken by itself all things here do exist; treated mutually
Each
class excludes the other; considered in this way
The
body and other things are neither real
Nor
lacking in verity; they become unpredictable.
88
All
things are real enough; the philosopher, however,
Grasps
all things here as One; when not viewed
Through
the inward eye, that great tribulation
Which
is Maya, yields much puzzlement, indeed!
89
As
out of knowledge, sparks of fire innumerable arise
Asserting
the being of non-being so as to make the world emerge,
Know,
that outside of knowledge not a thing exists;
Such
knowledge unitive awareness yields. (59, 81)
90
What
has no basis in reality can never hide what exists;
Experience
vouches for this; asserting the reality
Of
what exists, at every step, by Existence all is here enveloped;
The
body and such effects have been made up of Existence. (99)
91
The
effort that is made in view of something dear to one
As
ordained too, remaining always constant and same
There
is a dear value, unborn, unspent, unpredictable,
One
and secondless, which ever endures as one's happiness.
92
As
there is the law of energy remaining ever unspent
By
outwardly directed action, there must needs be inwardly
A
dear value that is inseparable from it, for which here
The
action, is merely a symbol of outer recognition.
93
To
one who has cut connection with the changeful body
There
is nothing which surpasses in value his own Self;
As
the interest that prevails in respect of oneself, as ordained also,
Never-ceasingly
endures, the Self, eternal is.
94
This
which presents itself, as a mixture of the world
And
what is real; is a great iniquity indeed;
Indeterminate
and unknowable to word or thought,
How
could valid reasoning move therein? (38, 96)
95
This
expansive display of operative artifice as by Maya ordained
The
shining creative principle of the universe is she;
And
she, descending here, her limbs they are that become
The
crust of the cosmic egg in number ten million.
96
The
atom and the infinite thus, as being and non-being,
Loom
from either side; this experience too
Of
being as well as non-being, shall thereafter extinction gain,
And
devoid of any basis, shall forever cease to be! (44)
97
Within
the glory of pure knowing, the atom bereft of parts, shall extinct become,
And
the infinite too, shall thereafter its own plenitude attain.
Direct
experience can alone reveal this boundless
Stuff
of intelligence pure, this science-filled ocean of Immortal Bliss. (44)
98
Till
now, not a thing have we here known, as we have kept saying.
In
every case, that there is something still of greater happiness;
Although
the mind and other factors might vanish
The
selfhood of the Soul (Atman) must be said to be Wisdom ever unspent.
99
Knowledge
and "I" are both one, for one divest of all veiling curtains;
Another
might have reason to argue still;
If
the "I" could be taken as other than knowledge
None
there is to know knowledge here at all!
100
Neither
that nor this, nor the content of existence and I
But
existence, subsistence, joy-immortal; thus attaining clarity
Emboldened,
discarding attachment to being and non-being,
One
should gently, gently, merge in SAT-AUM.
