Dakshinamurthy Stotram by Shankara-acharya
Dakṣiṇāmūrti-Stotram
दक्षिणामूर्ति स्तोत्रम्
The Dakṣiṇāmūrti Stotram of Śrī Śaṅkarācārya contains some of the most profound teachings of Advaita Vedanta. The wisdom conveyed by its verses can bring about a radical transformation of one's world view by removing ignorance about the world, about Bhagavan, and about oneself. This transformative knowledge is capable of destroying the mūlā avidya (fundamental ignorance) that is the ultimate cause for all suffering. Thus the Dakṣiṇāmūrti Stotram is moksha śastra, a scriptural teaching that can lead to one's liberation.
This stotram is addressed to a form of Lord Shiva known as “Dakṣiṇāmūrti”. It is important to understand the meaning of Dakṣiṇāmūrti.
The word “Dakṣiṇāmūrti” is a composite word consisting of 2 parts; it can be understood two-fold:
1. Dakshiṇā Mūrti - One whose Mūrti (form) is facing South. This is Here Dakshiṇā means south.
2. Dakshin Amurti - One who is Dakshin and also Amurti (both adjectives). One who is skilful and formless. Here Dakshiṇā means Skilful, Skilful in removing the ignorance.
Traditionally, south direction is considered inauspicious direction as it is associated with death, ignorance and all the things that are undesirable in life. That is why in some tradition people are cautious of directions while sleeping. They keep head towards south. It symbolically represents that ignorance needs to be removed through knowledge.
Why does Dakṣiṇāmūrti face south? Because Dakṣiṇāmūrti is the Lord of all and is not afraid of anything, he can face everything without worrying about any problems. So the students usually sit facing north while Dakṣiṇāmūrti sits facing south.
Meditation Verses
ध्यानम्
मौनव्याख्या प्रकटित परब्रह्मतत्त्वं युवानं
वर्षिष्ठांते वसद् ऋषिगणौः आवृतं ब्रह्मनिष्ठैः ।
maunavyākhyā-prakaṭita-parabrahmatattvaṃ yuvānaṃ,
varṣiṣṭhānte vasad-ṛṣigaṇair-āvṛtaṃ brahmaniṣṭhaiḥ |
A young guru, imparting knowledge of Brahman through silence, surrounded by
rishis who are firmly established in wisdom...
आचार्येन्द्रं करकलित चिन्मुद्रमानंदमूर्तिं
स्वात्मारामं मुदितवदनं दक्षिणामूर्तिमीडे ॥
ācāryendraṃ karakalita-cinmudram-ānandarūpaṃ,
svātmārāmaṃ muditavadanaṃ dakṣiṇāmūrtim-īde ||1||
...teacher of teachers, whose gesture signifies wisdom, whose nature is fullness,
smiling, revealing in himself, I worship that Lord Dakṣiṇāmūrti.
वटविटपिसमीपे भूमिभागे निषण्णं
सकलमुनिजनानाṃ ज्ञानदातरमारात् ।
vaṭaviṭapisamīpe bhūmibhāge niṣaṇṇaṁ,
sakalamunijanānāṃ jñānadāta-ramārāt |
Seated on the ground under the banyan tree, bestowing knowledge to all the rishis
who have assembled near him...
त्रिभुवन्गुरुमीशṃ दक्षिणामूर्तिदेवं,
जननमरणदुःखच्छेददक् षं नमामि ॥२॥
tribhuvangurum-īśaṃ dakṣiṇāmūrtidevaṁ,
janana-maraṇa-duḥkha-cchedadak ṣaṁ namāmi ||2||
... teacher of the three worlds, destroyer of the miseries of birth and death, I bow to that Lord. |2|
चित्रं वटतरोर्मूले, वृद्धाः शिष्या गुरुर्युवा ।
गुरोस्तु मौनं व्याख्यानं, शिष्यास्तु च्छिन्नसंशयाः ॥३॥
citraṁ vaṭataror-mūle, vṛddhāḥ śiṣyā gurur-yuvā |
gurostu maunaṁ vyākhyānaṁ, śiṣyās-tu cchinnasaṁśayāḥ ||3||
Wondrous indeed! Under the tree are the aged disciples around the Young Guru.
He taught them with silence, but the doubts of the disciples were all dispelled. |3|
निधये सर्वविद्यानां, भिषजे भवरोगिणाम् ।
गुरवे सर्वलोकानां दक्षिणामूर्तये नमः ॥४॥
nidhaye sarvavidyānāṁ, bhiṣaje bhavarogiṇām |
gurave sarvalokānāṁ dakṣiṇāmūrtaye namaḥ ||4||
Salutations to Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti, the storehouse of all learning, the healer of all those who suffer from the disease of samsāra
and the teacher of the whole world. (4)
ओं नमः प्रणवार्थाय, शुद्धज्ञानैकमूर्तये ।
निर्मलाय प्रशान्ताय, दक्षिणामूर्तये नमः ॥५॥
oṁ namaḥ praṇavārthāya, śuddha-jñānaikamūrtaye |
nirmalāya praśāntāya, dakṣiṇāmūrtaye namaḥ ||5||
Salutations to Lord Dakṣiṇāmūrti, who is the meaning of "Om",
whose form is pure knowledge, who is taintless and utterly silent.
ईश्वरो गुरुरात्मेति, मूर्तिभेदविभागिने ।
व्योमवद्व्याप्तदेहाय, दक्षिणामूर्तये नमः ॥६॥
īśvaro gurur-ātmeti, mūrtibhedavibhāgine |
vyomavad-vyāptadehāya, dakṣiṇāmūrtaye namaḥ ||6||
Salutations to Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti, who is the Iśvara, Guru, and Ātmā,
who is all-pervasive like the space
Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti-Stotram
स्तोत्रम्
विश्वं दर्पणदृश्यमाननगरीतुल्यं निजान्तर्गतं
पश्यन्नात्मनि मायया बहिरिवोद्भूतं यथा निद्रया ।
viśvaṃ darpaṇa-dṛsyamāna-nagarī-tulyaṃ nijāntargataṃ,
paśyann-ātmani-māyayā-bahirivodbhūtam yathā nidrayā |
To Him who sees the universe like a dream existing within oneself or like a city
seen in a mirror but appearing externally due to maya...
यः साक्षात्कुरुते प्रबोधसमये स्वात्मानमेवाद्वयं
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥१॥
yaḥ sākñāt-kurute prabodhasamaye svātmānam-evādvayaṃ,
tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṃ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye ||1||
...who upon enlightenment, beholds the universe directly as his own non-dual self
– Salutations unto him, Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti in the form of my own guru. |1|
बीजस्याऽन्तरिवाङ्कुरो जगदिदं प्राङ्गनिर्विकल्पं पुनः
मायाकल्पितदेशकालकलना वैचित्र्यचित्रीकृतम् ।
bījasyāntar-ivāṅkuro jagad-idaṃ prāṅ-nirvikalpaṃ punaḥ,
māyākalpita-deśakālakalanā-vaicitrya-citrīkṛtam |
This universe, undifferentiated at first like a sprout within the seed, becoming
manifold through Māyā’s aspects of time and space...
मायावीव विजृम्भयत्यपि महायोगीव यः स्वेच्छया
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥२॥
māyāvīva vijṛmbhayatyapi mahāyogīva yaḥ svecchayā,
tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṃ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye ||2||
...that universe he projects by his own desire like a magician or a great yogi –
Salutations unto him, Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti in the form of my own teacher. |2|
यस्यैव स्फुरणं सदात्मकमसत्कल्पार्थकं भासते
साक्षात्तत्त्वमसीति वेदवचसा यो बोधयत्याश्रितान् ।
yasyaiva sphuraṇaṃ sadātmakam-asatkalpārthagaṃ bhāsate,
sākṣāt tattvamasīti vedavacasā yo bodhayatyāśritān |
Whose reality appears as the unreal creation, who imparts immediate knowledge
through the Vedic saying, “That thou art” to those who seek his refuge...
यत्साक्षात्करणाद्भवेन्न पुनरावृत्तिर्भवाम्भोनिधौ
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥३॥
yat sākṣātkaraṇād-bhaven-na punarāvṛttir-bhavāmbhonidhau,
tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṃ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye ||3||
...because of whose direct knowledge one never returns to the ocean of birth and
death – Salutations unto him, Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti in the form of my own teacher. |3|
नानाच्छिद्रघटोदरस्थितमहादीपप्रभा भास्वरं
ज्ञानं यस्य तु चक्षुरादिकरणद्वारा वहिः स्पन्दते ।
nānāchhidra-ghatodarasthita-mahādīpaprabhābhāsvar aṃ,
jñānaṃ yasya tu cakṣurādikaraṇadvārā bahiḥ spandate |
Whose knowledge is like the light of a shining lamp placed inside a pot with many
holes, shining forth through the sense organs like sight ...
जानामीति तमेव भान्तमनुभात्येतत्समस्तं जगत्
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥४॥
jānāmīti tam-eva bhāntam-anubhātyetat-samastaṃ jagat,
tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṃ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye ||4||
...who shines as consciousness, as “I know” because of which this entire creation
appears – Salutations unto him, Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti in the form of my own teacher.|4|
देहं प्राणमपीन्द्रियाण्यपि चलां बुद्धिं च शून्यं विदुः
स्त्रीबालान्धजडोपमास्त्वहमिति भ्रान्ता भृशं वादिनः ।
dehaṃ prāṇam-apīndriyāṇyapi calāṃ buddhiṃ ca śūnyaṃ viduḥ,
strī-bālāndha-jadopamāstvaham-iti bhrāntā bhṛśaṃ vādinaḥ |
Philosophers who are misguided, childish, blind, or dull, always teach falsely that
the body, life, senses, active intellect, and nonexistence is the self...
मायाशक्तिविलासकल्पितमहाव्यामोहसंहारिणो
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥५॥
māyāśakti-vilāsa-kalpita-mahāvyāmoha-saṃhāriṇe,
tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṃ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye ||5||
...who destroys their great delusion born of Māyā’s power – Salutations unto him,
Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti in the form of my own teacher. |5|
राहुग्रस्तदिवाकरेन्दुसदृशो मायासमाच्छादनात्
सन्मात्रः करणोपसंहरणतो योऽभूत्सुषुप्तः पुमान् ।
rāhugrasta-divākaendu-sadṛśo māyā-samācchādanāt,
sanmātraḥ karaṇopasaṃharaṇato yo’bhūt-suṣuptaḥ pumān|
Who remains as pure existence in the deep sleep caused by Māyā’s power,
withdrawing the senses like the sun or moon covered during an eclipse ...
प्रागस्वाप्समिति प्रबोधसमये यः प्रत्यभिज्ञायते
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥६॥
prāgasvāpsam-iti prabodhasamaye yaḥ pratyabhijñāyate,
tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṃ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye ||6||
...who upon waking remembers "I slept" – Salutations unto him,
Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti in the form of my own teacher. |6|
बाल्यादिष्वपि जाग्रदादिषु तथा सर्वास्ववस्थास्वपि
व्यावृत्तास्वनुवर्तमानमहमित्यन्तः स्फुरन्तं सदा ।
bālyādiṣvapi jāgradādiṣu tathā sarvāsvavasthāsvapi,
vyāvṛttāsvanuvartamānam-ahamityan taḥ sphurantaṃ sadā|
The self-manifest within as the ever present sense of “I”
ever-that remains in every state of life and experience...
स्वात्मानं प्रकटीकरोति भजतां यो मुद्रयाभद्रया
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥७॥
svātmānaṃ prakaṭīkaroti bhajatāṃ yo mudrayā bhadrayā,
tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṃ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye ||7||
...who reveals this self to his devotees by his auspicious gesture of wisdom –
Salutations unto him, Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti in the form of my own teacher. |7|
विश्वं पश्यति कार्यकारणतया स्वस्वामिसम्बन्धतः
शिष्याचार्यतया तथैव पितृपुत्राद्यात्मना भेदतः ।
viśvaṃ paśyati kārya-kāraṇatayā sva-svāmi-sambandhataḥ,
śiṣyācāryatayā tathaiva pitṛ-putrādyātmanā bhedataḥ |
Who sees the universe as cause and effect, master and servant, teacher
and disciple, father and son, and so on ...
स्वप्ने जाग्रति वा य एष पुरुषो मायापरिभ्रामितः
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥८॥
svapne jāgrati vā eṣa puruṣo māyāparibhrāmitaḥ,
tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṃ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye ||8||
...who sees all this in the waking and dream states due to maya – Salutations unto
him, Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti in the form of my own teacher.
भूरम्भांस्यनलोऽनिलोऽम्बरमहर्नाथो हिमांशु पुमान्
इत्याभाति चराचरात्मकमिदं यस्यैव मूर्त्यष्टकम्
bhūrambhāṃsyanalo’nilombaram-ahar-nāt ho himāṃśuḥ pumān,
ityābhāti carācarātmakamidaṃ yasyaiva mūrtyaṣṭakam |
Whose eight-fold manifestation is this sentient and insentient world
of earth, water, fire, air, space, sun, moon, and conscious being...
नान्यत् किञ्चन विद्यते विमृशतां यस्मात्परस्माद्विभोः
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥९॥
nānyat-kiñcana vidyate vimṛśatāṃ yasmāt parasmād-vibhoḥ,
tasmai śrīgurumūrtaye nama idaṃ śrīdakṣiṇāmūrtaye ||9||
...beyond whose all-pervasive nature there exists nothing else for wise persons –
Salutations unto him, Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti in the form of my own teacher. |9|
सर्वात्मत्वमिति स्फुटीकृतमिदं यस्मादमुष्मिन् स्तवे
तेनास्य श्रवणात्तदर्थमननाद्ध्यानाच्च संकीर्तनात् ।
sarvātmatvam-iti sphuṭīkṛtam-idaṃ yasmād-amuṣminstave,
tenāsya śravaṇāt-tadartha-mananād-dhyānācca saṅkīrtanāt |
Because the self's all-pervasiveness is clearly revealed in this hymn,
by listening to it, reflecting upon it, meditating on its meaning, and reciting it...
सर्वात्मत्वमहाविभूतिसहितं स्यादीश्वरत्वं स्वतः
सिद्ध्येत्तत्पुनरष्टधा परिणतं चैश्वर्यमव्याहतम् ॥१०॥
sarvātmatva-mahāvibhūtisahitaṃ syād-īśvaratvaṃ svataḥ,
siddhyet tat-punar-aṣṭadhā pariṇataṃ ca, aiśvaryam-avyāhatam ||10||
...one can gain enlightenment, effortlessly and without impediments, with its great
glory of being the self of all with eightfold blessings. |10|