|
Adi Sankara on Guru Jagatguru Adi Sankaracharya, who lived in the 8th century A.D. is undisputably among the greatest philosophers that India, or the world, has ever produced. He combined in himself the attributes of a philosopher, a devotee, a mystic, a poet and a religious reformer. During the brief span of 32 years of life, Sankara established firmly the Advaita Vedanta philosophy as the essential unifying basis of the Hindu religion, and brought about religious harmony, spiritual coherence and moral regeneration of the country. Presented here are two stanzas from his famous hymn to Dakshinâmûrti, the silent Guru of Gurus.
vishvam darpanadrushyamânanagarîthulyam
nijântargatam I offer my salutations to that beneficent being who is incarnate as the preceptor (Guru). He, the Atman, appearing as the individual soul through the power of ignorance, sees (in the waking state)- as one does in sleep-the Universe, which in reality exists witin himself, as something external, like a city seen reflected in a mirror. But in his enlightened state he realises his own self, the one without a second.
yasyaiva sphuranam sadatmakamastakalpârthakam
bhâsatê I offer my salutations to that beneficent being who is incarnate as the preceptor (Guru), the light of whose absolute existence shines forth in the world of appearance, who imparts to the disciple the holy teaching 'That Thou Art', upon realising which the soul never again returns to the ocean of birth and death. Source: Universal Prayers, compiled by Swami Yatishwarananda , © Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras Prev | Index | Home | Email | Next |