Shankara Quotes

“The Soul appears to be finite because of ignorance. When ignorance is destroyed the Self which does not admit of any multiplicity truly reveals itself by itself: like the Sun when the clouds pass away.”
― Adi Shankaracharya

“प्रातः स्मरामि हृदि संस्फुरदात्मतत्त्वं
सच्चित्सुखं परमहंसगतिं तुरीयम् ।
यत्स्वप्नजागरसुषुप्तिमवैति नित्यं
तद्ब्रह्म निष्कलमहं न च भूतसङ्घः ॥१॥

prātaḥ smarāmi hṛdi saṃsphuradātmatattvaṃ
saccitsukhaṃ paramahaṃsagatiṃ turīyam |
yatsvapnajāgarasuṣuptimavaiti nityaṃ
tadbrahma niṣkalamahaṃ na ca bhūtasaṅghaḥ ||1||

~

At dawn, I meditate in my heart on the truth of the radiant inner Self.
This true Self is Pure Being, Awareness, and Joy, the transcendent goal of the great sages.
The eternal witness of the waking, dream and deep sleep states.
I am more than my body, mind and emotions, I am that undivided Spirit.

At dawn, I worship the true Self that is beyond the reach of mind and speech,
By whose grace, speech is even made possible,
This Self is described in the scriptures as “Not this, Not this”.
It is called the God of the Gods, It is unborn, undying, one with the All.

At dawn, I salute the true Self that is beyond all darkness, brilliant as the sun,
The infinite, eternal reality, the highest.
On whom this whole universe of infinite forms is superimposed.
It is like a snake on a rope. The snake seems so real, but when you pick it up, it’s just a rope.
This world is ever-changing, fleeting, but this eternal Light is real and everlasting.

Who recites in the early morning these three sacred Slokas,
which are the ornaments of the three worlds,
obtains the Supreme Abode.

~ Adi Shankara (8th century)”
― Adi Shankaracharya

“त्रिलोकपति महादेव के ध्यान मात्र से पवित्र हो उठे अंतरमन,

सच भाग्यशाली है नाग वासुकी जो विराजमान है उनकी ग्रीवा पर,

भाग्यवान है चंद्र जो सुशोभित है उनके मस्तक पर,

परंतु इनसे भी अधिक खुशकिस्मत है गंगा जो बहती है उनके घने केशों से”
― Deeksha Tripathi, शिवाय

“शिव का अभिन्न अंग हैं नंदी,

शिव भक्त उन्हीं के कान में लगाएं अपनी अर्जी।

जहां शिव वहां नंदी

नंदी बिन शिव भक्ति अधूरी।

नंदी का ही तो दूसरा नाम है समर्पण व आस्था,

एवं शरणागत पर प्रेम व दया का नाम हैं नंदी नाथ।”
― Deeksha Tripathi, शिवाय

“Shankara’s views were gradually accepted, possibly because he presented brahman both as the cosmic principle and as a personal god (isvara), which added emphasis to the teaching of the later Upanisads and to that of Patañjali. Advaita Vedanta thus reinforced the teaching of the Bhagavadgitä and the concept of liberation (mukti) by grace (prasäda), faith (sraddha), and devotion (bhakti). It succeeded in reviving the ancient belief in the affinity of mankind with the world of nature. From being merely one of the darsanas, the Vedanta became an element that permeated all Hindu cults and dissolved sectarian distinctions. It gave to the Supreme Essence (paramätman), Vishnu and Shiva the common, all-inclusive designation, ‘Isvara’.”
― Margaret Stutley, Dictionary of Hinduism: Its Mythology, Folklore and Development 1500 BC - AD 1500