I made this as a comment in another blog.
This stanza is from the dakSinamUrti stotram
The stanza from dakSinamUrti stotramThis stanza is from the dakSinamUrti stotram
Vishvam Darpanna-Drshyamaana-Nagarii-Tulyam Nija-Antargatam
Pashyann-Aatmani Maayayaa Bahir-Ivo[a-U]dbhuutam Yathaa Nidrayaa |
Yah Saakssaat-Kurute Prabodha-Samaye Sva-[A]atmaanam-Eva-Advayam
Tasmai Shrii-Guru-Muurtaye Nama Idam Shrii-Dakssinnaamuurtaye |
Pashyann-Aatmani Maayayaa Bahir-Ivo[a-U]dbhuutam Yathaa Nidrayaa |
Yah Saakssaat-Kurute Prabodha-Samaye Sva-[A]atmaanam-Eva-Advayam
Tasmai Shrii-Guru-Muurtaye Nama Idam Shrii-Dakssinnaamuurtaye |
Translation
Vishvam (Universe) Darpanna-Drshyamaana-Nagarii-Tulyam (equivalent to city seen in mirror) Nija-Antargatam (within one’s own)
Pashyann (seeing) Aatmani Maayayaa Bahir (Atman’s external mAya) -Ivo[a-U]dbhuutam Yathaa Nidrayaa (as if arising in sleep )
Yah Saakssaat (which with own eyes) Kurute (perform/does) Prabodha-Samaye (at the time of awakening) Sva-[A]atmaanam-Eva-Advayam ( self Atman like non-duality)
Tasmai Shrii-Guru-Muurtaye Nama (salutations unto that guru-murti) Idam Shrii-Dakssinnaamuurtaye (this sri dakSinamurti)
Summary of my translation
Like an entire city seen inside a mirror, universe is (seen) within one’s own. Seeing the Atman’s external mAya as if (seeing) in sleep (dream). That at the time of awakening with one’s own eyes, brings up non-duality as if seeing from Atman/Self himself. Unto that guru-mUrti salutations , This (is) dakSinamUrti.
My understanding of this sloka
When we are sleeping, we see events happening around us. But that’s not the reality. It’s a perception. There is duality here. There is one reality and second our perception. This is dvayam.
The Universe is like this, a ‘city’ seen inside a mirror. What we see inside the mirror is not the reality. It is the reflection of the City. The City has buildings, lanes big and small. The city has people moving all around. All these are inside (our) mirror. But neither the sizes, shapes, characteristics of what see in the mirror are original characteristics of the City.
What we understand from the image of the City in the mirror is our perception. What the real city is, the reality. There is this duality here.
Likewise, what we see in the Universe is the mAya of Atman. It is not the reality. Neither the sizes, shapes, characteristics of what we observe in the Universe are original characteristics. There is a different reality in our Universe, compared to our perception. There is duality here.
But when we wake-up, the duality disappears. There is one reality. The perception disappears. This is advyam.
So how do we wake up and see the original city or original Universe.?
My short understanding from other slokas
I hope to translate the entire sloka sometime. But here is my short understanding from other slokas.
Realize that there is this Atman, who is the seed from which the Universe expanded, who is like the seed that sits at the root of a huge banyan tree in silence, giving rise to the hugely spreading banyan tree.
Call this seed as ‘Iswar’, ‘Guru’, ‘Atman’ etc etc etc. Atman is the 'Seed'. 'Isvara' is what flows between matter and beings and 'bind' them. 'Guru' is what imparts 'knowledge' or 'information' or 'entropy' to matter and beings.
They are all different functions of the same. There are eight such manifestations of the same Atman, that drives the evolution of Universe. What are those eight..? In another post on the stotra..
Salutations to that Guru-mUrti, who is this dakSinamUrti.
-TBT
