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Nirvanaslaikan
of Sri Sankara Dlagavaiada
(Englisl iranslaiion and noics ly S.N.Sasiri}
(Tlc foni uscd for ilc Sanskrii ici is DFH Dcvanagari. Ii can lc
downloadcd for frcc fron www.larala.con}
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Sri Sankara Dlagavaiada las llcsscd osicriiy wiil a largc nunlcr
of invaluallc conosiiions. Tlcsc can lc groucd undcr ilrcc lroad
caicgorics. Tlc firsi caicgory, ncani for ilc inicllcciually nosi advanccd,
conriscs lis conncniarics (Dlaslya} on ilc Uanislads, Dralnasui ra
and ilc Dlagavadgiia. Tlc sccond caicgory consisis of indccndcni
works, known as rakarana granilas, wlicl cound ilc gisi of ilc
Uanislads in sinlc languagc. Tlcsc vary in lcngil fron lalf a vcrsc io
onc ilousand vcrscs. In ilc ilird caicgory fall dcvoiional lynns.
Nirvanaslaikan is a rakarana granila consisiing of si vcrscs.
Prakarana las lccn dcfincd in ilc Vislnu Dlarnoiiara Purana ilus.
Prakarana is a ici wlicl clains sonc ariicular asccis of ilc Sasira
and dcals wiil ccriain sccondary qucsiions arising oui of ilc
clanaiions givcn".
Tlc insiruciion cnlaiically convcycd ly ilc si vcrscs of
Nirvanaslaikan is ilai idcniificaiion wiil ilc lody, nind, and scnscs is
ilc rooi causc of all sorrow and ilai ii slould lc givcn u and onc
slould rcalizc onc`s rcal naiurc as nonc oilcr ilan ilc surcnc
Dralnan. Tlis rcalizaiion is wlai is known as lilcraiion.

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1.I an noi ilc nind, nor ilc inicllcci, nor ilc cgo-scnsc, nor ilc siorc-
lousc of ncnorics. I an noi ilc car, nor ilc ionguc, nor ilc nosc, nor
ilc cycs. Nor an I ilc sky (sacc}, or ilc caril, or firc, or air. I an ilc
surcnc ausiciousncss of ilc forn of consciousncss-lliss. I an ilc
ausiciousncss.
Noic. In all ilcsc vcrscs ilc icrn `I` siands for ilc urc aina. Tlc nind
is dcfincd ilus in Driladaranyaka uanislad, 1.5.3Dcsirc, rcsolvc,
douli, faiil, lack of faiil, sicadincss, unsicadincss, slyncss,
iniclligcncc, fcarall ilcsc arc noiling lui ilc nind". Tlc idca lrougli
oui lcrc is ilai all cnoiions arc in ilc nind and noi in ilc aina. A
crson idcniifics linsclf wiil lis nind wlcn lc says, I dcsirc ilis", I
lavc rcsolvcd io do ilis", cic. Tlis vcrsc oinis oui ilai ilis
idcniificaiion is wrong and is duc io ignorancc of ilc faci ilai cvcry onc
is in rcaliiy ilc aina or sclf, wlicl is idcniical wiil ilc surcnc
Dralnan. Tlc qucsiion ariscs, wly lavc ilc inicllcci, cgo-scnsc and ilc
cliiian lccn ncniioncd scaraicly, wlcn ilcy arc all includcd in ilc
nind iisclf? Tlc rcason is ilai, ilougl ilc nind is only onc, ii is givcn
four diffcrcni nancs in Vcdania according io ilc four diffcrcni funciions
crforncd ly ii. Tlis las lccn claincd ly Sri Sankara in
Vivckacludanani in slokas 95 and 96 as lclow.
Tlc onc anialkarana or inncr organ is known ly four diffcrcni nancs,
nanas, luddli, alankara and cliiian according io ilc diffcrcni
funciions. Wlcn ilc nind cogiiaics ii is callcd nanas. Wlcn ii concs io
a dccision ii is callcd luddli. Wlcn ii siorcs ncnorics ii is callcd
cliiian. Wlcn ii idcniifics iisclf wiil cacl of ilcsc funciions ii is known
as alankara. Tlc nanncr in wlicl ilcsc funciions iakc lacc can lc
claincd ly iaking an illusiraiion. I an walking along ilc road and I scc
ai a disiancc a crson wlosc gaii sccns io rcscnllc ilai of a ccriain
fricnd of ninc, nancd Fanan. I lcgin io dclaic wlcilcr ilc crson I scc
ai a disiancc is Fanan or noi. Tlis funciion of dclaiing is wlai is callcd
'nanas`. Wlcn lc concs ncarcr and I an allc io scc lis facc clcarly, I
conarc ii wiil ilc ncnory of ilc facc of Fanan siorcd in ny nind.
Tlis ncnory is 'cliiian`. If I find ilai ilc iwo ially, I dccidc ilai lc is
Fanan and I grcci lin. Tlis funciion of dcciding is callcd 'luddli`. Tlc
crforncr of all ilcsc ilrcc funciions is 'I`, wlicl is known as 'alankara`.
Tlc icrn 'nanas` is also gcncrally uscd io dcnoic all ilcsc four
collcciivcly, wlcn ilcsc disiinciions arc noi inicndcd.
Dy ilc siaicncni I an noi ilc nind, cic.", wc arc askcd noi io idcniify
oursclvcs wiil ilcsc aciiviiics of ilc nind and io look uon oursclvcs as
ilc urc aina wlicl is aciionlcss and is a ncrc wiincss of ilc aciiviiics
of ilc nind. In ilis way wc will noi lc affccicd ly ilc joys and sorrows
ilai arisc in ilc nind. In ilc Dlagavadgiia, 3.27, ilc Lord says ilai all
aciions arc crforncd ly ilc lody, nind and scnscs, lui lccausc of
dclusion cvcry onc ilinks ilai lc is ilc docr.
A crson idcniifics linsclf wiil lis lody and lis scnsc organs wlcn lc
says, I an sioui, I an fair-conlcioncd, I lcar, I iasic, I sncll, I scc,
cic". Tlc sccond linc oinis oui ilai ilis idcniificaiion is also wrong and
is duc io dclusion. Tlc lody is nadc u of ilc fivc clcncnis, sacc, air,
firc, waicr, and caril. Dy dcnying idcniificaiion wiil ilcsc in ilc ilird
linc, idcniificaiion wiil ilc lysical lody is dcnicd.
Tlc lasi linc says ilai wc arc nonc oilcr ilai ilc surcnc Dralnan
wlicl is cisicncc-consciousncss-lliss. Tlc word Siva slould noi lc
nisiakcn io ncan Lord Siva. Tlosc wlo wani io aiiack Advaiia inicrrci
ilis as ncaning ilai Advaiia asks ilc individual io arrogaic io linsclf
ilc siaius of Cod Hinsclf. Tlis is a wrong undcrsianding. Tlc icrn 'Siva`
is uscd lcrc in ilc sanc scnsc as in ilc Mandukya uanislad, 7, wlcrc
ii ncans 'ausiciousncss` and dcnoics ilc surcnc Dralnan. Tlc
idcniiiy dcclarcd ly Advaiia is noi lciwccn ilc individual or jiva as sucl
and Cod. Wlai Advaiia says is ilai ilc jiva as wcll as Cod arc in rcaliiy
nonc lui ilc urc Dralnan, wiil ilc vcsiurc of ilc lody, nind and
scnscs in ilc casc of ilc jiva and Maya in ilc casc of Cod. Tlcsc
vcsiurcs arc noi rcal. Wlcn ilcsc unrcal vcsiurcs arc ncgaicd, wlai
rcnains in loil cascs is only ilc urc Dralnan.
Tlc lody and nind lavc only cnirical rcaliiy, i.c. ilcy acar io lc
rcal only uniil ilc dawn of sclf-knowlcdgc. Aina, wlicl is idcniical wiil
Dralnan, is alonc ilc alsoluic rcaliiy wlicl is cicrnal and clangclcss.
Tlus ilc vcry csscncc of Advaiia Vcdania, nancly, ilc idcniiiy of ilc
jivaina and aranaina is lrougli oui in ilis vcrsc and in all ilc
sulscqucni vcrscs.

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2. I an noi wlai is known as ilc lifc-lrcail, nor an I ilc fivc viial airs. I
an noi ilc scvcn 'dlaius` or consiiiucnis of ilc lody. I an noi ilc fivc
slcails. I an noi scccl, nor ilc lands, nor ilc fcci. I an noi ilc
gcniial organ, nor ilc organ of ccrciion. I an ilc surcnc
ausiciousncss of ilc forn of consciousncss-lliss. I an ilc
ausiciousncss.
Noic. Tlc raana or lifc lrcail is givcn fivc nancs in Vcdania
according io ilc fivc funciions crforncd ly ii. Tlcsc arc wlai arc
sokcn of as ilc fivc viial airs in ilis sloka. Tlc fivc viial airs arc raana,
vyaana, aaana, sanaana, and udaana. Tlcsc arc dcscrilcd in Sri
Sankara`s Dlaslya on Prasnoanislad. 3.5, ilus.--- Hc (raana} laccs
aaana, a division of linsclf, in ilc iwo lowcr acriurcs, as cngagcd in
ilc work of cjcciing ilc ccrcia. Praana linsclf, wlo occuics ilc
osiiion of ilc sovcrcign, rcsidcs in ilc cycs and ilc cars and issucs oui
ilrougl ilc nouil and nosirils. In ilc navcl is sanaana, wlicl is so
callcd lccausc ii assinilaics all ilai is caicn or drunk, disiriluics ilcn
cqually in all aris of ilc lody and cffccis digcsiion. Udaana, anoilcr
division of raana,novcs ilrougloui ilc lody and funciions uwards. Ii
lcads ilc soul oui of ilc lody ai ilc iinc of dcail and iakcs ii io oilcr
worlds according io onc`s unya and aaa. Vyaana rcgulaics raana
and aaanaand is ilc causc of aciions rcquiring sircngil. All ilcsc arc
only air and arc ilcrcforc inscniicni. Kailoanislad, 2.2.5 says,
Morials do noi livc ly raana or aaana, lui ly sonciling clsc on
wlicl ilcsc iwo dccnd". Tlcy dccnd on ilc aina wlicl is wlai givcs
ilcn scniicncy. Hcrc wc arc iold noi io idcniify oursclvcs wiil ilc lifc-
lrcail.
Tlc scvcn dlaius arc ilc consiiiucnis of ilc lody sucl as narrow, fai,
flcsl, llood, lynl, skin, and ilc cuiiclc.
Tlc fivc slcails- Tlcsc arc dcscrilcd in ilc Taiiiiriya uanislad. Tlc
lysical lody is ilc ouicrnosi slcail. Ii is callcd ilc annanayakosla or
slcail of food lccausc ii is nourislcd ly food. Wiilin ilis is ilc
raananayakosla or slcail of viial air, wlicl is nadc u of ilc viial air
wiil iis fivc divisions and ilc organs of aciion, nancly, scccl, lands,
fcci, ilc gcniials and ilc organ of ccrciion. Tlc nci inncr slcail is ilc
nanonayakosla or slcail of ilc nind, wlicl is nadc u of ilc nind
and ilc fivc organs of crcciion, nancly, car, cyc, and ilc scnscs of
sncll. iasic, and ioucl. Tlc nci slcail is vijnaananayakosla or ilc
slcail of ilc inicllcci. Tlis consisis of ilc inicllcci or luddli and ilc
fivc organs of crcciion. Tlc inncrnosi slcail is ilc anandanayakosla
or slcail of lliss. Tlis is ilc rinal ignorancc or avidya wlicl is ilc
causc of iransnigraiory cisicncc. Tlcsc fivc slcails consiiiuic ilc
lody-nind conlc. Tlc insiruciion is ilai wc slould noi idcniify
oursclvcs wiil ilcsc wlicl arc all clcncral and always undcrgoing
clangcs.
Tlc ilird linc says ilai wc arc noi ilc fivc organs of aciion. Tlc lasi
linc is ilc sanc as in ilc firsi sloka.

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3. I do noi lavc any avcrsion or aiiaclncni, nor do I lavc grccd,
dclusion, ridc, or jcalousy. I do noi lankcr aficr Dlarna, wcalil,
lcasurcs, or lilcraiion (ilc four uruslaarilas}. I an ilc surcnc
ausiciousncss of ilc forn of consciousncss-lliss. I an ilc
ausiciousncss.
Noic. All ilc cnoiions sucl as likcs, dislikcs, grccd, cic., lclong io ilc
nind and so ilc aina las no conncciion wiil ilcn. Tlc rulcs of
Dlarna aly only wlcn ilcrc is idcniificaiion wiil ilc lody-nind
conlc. Tlc aina las no dcsirc for wcalil or lcasurcs. Tlc aina is
cvcr lilcraicd. Ii is only wlcn ilc aina is idcniificd wiil ilc lody-nind
conlc ilai ilcrc is ilc noiion of londagc and ii is only ilcn ilai
lilcraiion las io lc sougli. Tlc urc aina is cvcr frcc. A crson wlo las
lcconc ioially frcc fron idcniificaiion wiil lis lody and nind is alrcady
lilcraicd. As far as ilc aina iisclf is conccrncd, ii las nciilcr londagc
nor lilcraiion, jusi as ilcrc is nciilcr day nor nigli in ilc sun iisclf.

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4. Tlcrc is no sucl iling as ncrii or sin for nc. Nor is ilcrc joy or
sorrow. I lavc no nccd for naniras, or ilgrinagc, or Vcdas, or sacrificcs.
I an nciilcr ilc cnjoycd nor ilc cnjoycr, nor cnjoyncni. I an ilc
surcnc ausiciousncss of ilc forn of consciousncss-lliss. I an ilc
ausiciousncss.
Noic. All ilcsc arc only for ilc jiva wlo idcniifics linsclf wiil lis lody
and nind. Tlc aina is urc, uniainicd, and aciionlcss. Oncc a crson
las rcalizcd ilai lc is ilc urc aina, lc las no nccd of naniras,
ilgrinagc, cic., lccausc ilcrc is noiling norc io lc aiiaincd. Tlc joy
and sorrow rcfcrrcd io in ilis sloka arc ilosc wlicl arisc duc io cicrnal
circunsianccs. Tlcsc lavc a lcginning and an cnd and ilcsc criain
only io ilc nind and noi ilc aina. Tlc aina is of ilc vcry naiurc of
surcnc cicrnal lliss.
I an nciilcr ilc cnjoycd nor ilc cnjoycr, nor cnjoyncni Wlai is
cnjoycd is an oljcci. So ilis ncans ilai ilc aina is noi an oljcci. Tlc
cnjoycr is onc wlo crforns an aciion, a docr. So ilis ncans ilai ilc
aina is noi a docr. Enjoyncni is an aci. Tlc aina s noi an aci.

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5. I lavc no ossililiiy of dcail, nor disiinciion of casic. I lavc no failcr,
nor noilcr. I lavc no liril. I lavc no rclaiions, nor fricnd, nor guru, nor
discilc. I an ilc surcnc ausiciousncss of ilc forn of consciousncss-
lliss. I an ilc ausiciousncss.
Noic. All ilc rclaiionslis cisi only as long as a crson looks uon
linsclf as ilc lody-nind conlc. Tlc aina is cicrnal and so ii las no
liril and no dcail.

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6. I an uncondiiioncd (and so frcc fron all aiiriluics}. I an fornlcss. I
an all-crvading. I an lcyond ilc organs. I an cvcr ilc sanc. Tlcrc is
nciilcr londagc nor lilcraiion for nc. I an ilc surcnc ausiciousncss
of ilc forn of consciousncss-lliss. I an ilc ausiciousncss.
Noic. Tlc urc aina is noi condiiioncd or liniicd ly ilc lody and
nind. Tlc aina, lcing idcniical wiil Dralnan, is all-crvading and
clangclcss. Dondagc is noiling lui idcniificaiion wiil ilc lody and
nind. Tlis is duc io ignorancc of our rcal naiurc. Wlcn ilis ignorancc is
dcsiroycd ly ilc knowlcdgc of our rcal naiurc ii will lc rcalizcd ilai
ilcrc ncvcr was any londagc ai all. Ii is noi as if cvcry onc is in londagc
and lcconcs lilcraicd on aiiaining sclf-knowlcdgc. Evcry onc is in rcaliiy
nonc oilcr ilan ilc surcnc Dralnan cvcn lcforc ilc dawn of sclf -
knowlcdgc. Lilcraiion is noi ilc roduciion of a ncw siaic ilai did noi
cisi carlicr. Lilcraiion is only ilc rcalizaiion ilai onc las always lccn
Dralnan lui las lccn wrongly ilinking of linsclf as a liniicd lcing.
Tlis can lc undcrsiood ly iaking ilc classic canlc of ilc roc lcing
nisiakcn for a snakc. Wlcn a ligli is lrougli and ii is found ilai ilcrc
is only a roc, no onc will say ilai ilcrc was rcviously a snakc, lui now
ilcrc is only a roc. Sinilarly ii is wrong io say ilai ilcrc was rcviously
londagc and aficr ilc dawn of knowlcdgc ilcrc is lilcraiion. In rcaliiy
ilcrc is nciilcr londagc nor lilcraiion, lui loil arc aiiriluicd io ilc jiva
duc io ignorancc.