The effect of a transcendental music and lyrics of Atma Shatakam

I was so tired, since three weeks I had no rest at all. As I joined a new firm at T'puram, shifting to there, getting familiar with new workplace, people, environment. It was interesting and I was excited that I could meet new people and it was nice talk to them. What screwed me up was, last few days I had to stay office till 10 in the night. And last three weekends, I was either traveling to home or my old place. Sometimes no serious work in office, but I won't be able to leave. And that was a Thursday, around 10:30pm, I came back to my room, where I stay with my friends.

I know only one of my mates for years, but this time after a couple of years, we are together again. He was on his computer when I came in with my slumped shoulders and downward face, I never wanted to know what are they doing. But I could not ignore the transcendental music, from his desktop. He is a spiritual guy. To me spirituality was a religious thing until I spoke with him. He told me how to go spiritual with my works that I consider purely materialistic. He asked me to listen the music video. I did and that is why I write now. I just watched it, and replayed it!



There is certainly a reason, I like that kind of philosophy, about life, death, reincarnation, and beyond. I never had satisfactory answers to my questions, but Indian philosophy always fascinated me. The interesting thing I noticed about Indians in general is, we only accept anything after a certificate from west, for example, yoga, other meditation methods, and a few to name.

This is a Shloka( poem with four line stanza ) written by Ādi Śaṅkarācārya in Sanskrit. This poem is known as Atma Shatakam also known as Nirvana Shatikam and Atma Shatka.



Atma Shatakam is the essence of Advaita Vedanta(non-dualistic philosophy). The English translation of Atma Shatakam:

I am neither ego nor reason, I am neither mind nor thought,
I cannot be heard nor cast into words, nor by smell nor sight ever caught:
In light and wind I am not found, nor yet in earth and sky -
Consciousness and joy incarnate, Bliss of the Blissful am I.

I have no name, I have no life, I breathe no vital air,
No elements have moulded me, no bodily sheath is my lair:
I have no speech, no hands and feet, nor means of evolution -
Consciousness and joy am I, and Bliss in dissolution.

I cast aside hatred and passion, I conquered delusion and greed;
No touch of pride caressed me, so envy never did breed:
Beyond all faiths, past reach of wealth, past freedom, past desire,
Consciousness and joy am I, and Bliss is my attire.

Virtue and vice, or pleasure and pain are not my heritage,
Nor sacred texts, nor offerings, nor prayer, nor pilgrimage:
I am neither food, nor eating, nor yet the eater am I -
Consciousness and joy incarnate, Bliss of the Blissful am I.

I have no misgiving of death, no chasms of race divide me,
No parent ever called me child, no bond of birth ever tied me:
I am neither disciple nor master, I have no kin, no friend -
Consciousness and joy am I, and merging in Bliss is my end.

Neither knowable, knowledge, nor knower am I, formless is my form,
I dwell within the senses but they are not my home:
Ever serenely balanced, I am neither free nor bound -
Consciousness and joy am I, and Bliss is where I'm found.

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