drig-drishya-vivekavedantaadvaitaseer-and-seen

රූපං දෘශ්යං ලෝචනං දෘක්

Rupam Drishyam Lochanam Drik (Drig Drishya Viveka 1) in Sinhala · සිංහල

🕉️ hindu·📿 11× repetitions·🕐 Early morning (Brahma Muhurta) during meditation and Vedanta study·📜 Drig-Drishya-Viveka, Verse 1

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Englishසිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Drig-Drishya-Viveka, Verse 1 · Traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (also ascribed to Bharati Tirtha / Vidyaranya) · Classical Vedanta period

The Drig-Drishya-Viveka opens with this verse to set out its whole method: the discrimination between the seer (drik) and the seen (drishya). Beginning with the simplest case — a form seen by the eye — it shows that the eye, though seer of the form, is itself seen by the mind; the mind, seer of the eye, is itself seen by the inner Witness; and that Witness, pure consciousness, is the final seer that can never be made an object. The text builds on this verse to lead the seeker, step by step, from the outer world to the realization of the witnessing Self as one's true nature.

✦ As told in scripture

The teachers of Vedanta say that one who truly grasps this single verse holds the key to Self-knowledge, for in learning that the Witness can never be seen, the seeker ceases to mistake the body and mind for the Self and comes to rest as the changeless awareness that no sorrow or change can ever touch.

0all time

The Mantra

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

රූපං දෘශ්යං ලෝචනං දෘක් තද් දෘශ්යං දෘක් තු මානසම් . දෘශ්යා ධීවෘත්තයඃ සාක්ෂී දෘගේව න තු දෘශ්යතේ ..

rūpaṃ dṛśyaṃ locanaṃ dṛk tad dṛśyaṃ dṛk tu mānasam dṛśyā dhī-vṛttayaḥ sākṣī dṛg eva na tu dṛśyate

Meaning:The form is the seen and the eye is its seer; that (eye) is the seen and the mind is its seer; the modifications of the mind are the seen and the Witness (the Self) is their seer — but the Witness itself is never seen.

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

රූපම්🔊rūpamForm, the visible object (colour and shape)

දෘශ්යම්🔊dṛśyamThe seen, the object of perception

ලෝචනම්🔊locanamThe eye

දෘක්🔊dṛkThe seer, that which perceives

තත්🔊tatThat (the eye, which was just the seer)

දෘශ්යම්🔊dṛśyam(Becomes) the seen — in relation to the mind

දෘක් තු මානසම්🔊dṛk tu mānasamBut the seer (of the eye) is the mind

දෘශ්යාඃ🔊dṛśyāḥ(Are) the seen objects

ධීවෘත්තයඃ🔊dhī-vṛttayaḥThe modifications (thoughts, states) of the intellect/mind

සාක්ෂී🔊sākṣīThe witness (the Self, pure consciousness)

දෘක් ඒව🔊dṛg evaIs the seer alone (the ultimate seer)

න තු දෘශ්යතේ🔊na tu dṛśyateBut is never seen (it is the eternal subject, never an object)

Benefits of Chanting Rupam Drishyam Lochanam Drik (Drig Drishya Viveka 1)

✦

Gives a clear method of Self-enquiry by distinguishing the seer from the seen at every level.

✦

Reveals the witnessing Self (sakshi) as pure consciousness that is never an object.

✦

Used in Vedanta study and meditation to dis-identify from body, senses and mind.

✦

Establishes the mind in the peace of the unchanging Witness behind all experience.

✦

A foundational verse for understanding the Drig-Drishya-Viveka and Advaita Vedanta.

✦

Helps the seeker rest as the seer rather than be lost in the seen.

How to Chant Rupam Drishyam Lochanam Drik (Drig Drishya Viveka 1)

Repetitions11times

Best TimeEarly morning (Brahma Muhurta) during meditation and Vedanta study

FaceEast or North

Recite the verse slowly and then turn it into contemplation. Notice that the form you see is the 'seen' and the eye is the 'seer'; then that the eye itself is 'seen' by the mind; then that the very thoughts of the mind are 'seen' by the witnessing awareness within you. Rest as that Witness — the seer that is never seen. This is a verse for reflective enquiry (vichara), best practised under the guidance of a teacher of Vedanta.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Rupam Drishyam Lochanam Drik (Drig Drishya Viveka 1) written in the Sinhala script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It means: form is the seen and the eye its seer; the eye is the seen and the mind its seer; the mind's thoughts are the seen and the Witness (Self) their seer — yet the Witness itself is never seen. It is the opening verse of the Drig-Drishya-Viveka.

The Drig-Drishya-Viveka ('Discrimination between the Seer and the Seen') is a short Vedanta text of about forty-six verses, traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya or to Vidyaranya/Bharati Tirtha. It teaches Self-knowledge by repeatedly distinguishing the perceiving subject from the perceived object.

The Witness is the Atman, pure consciousness. It illumines the body, senses and mind but is never itself an object of perception, because it is the eternal subject — the 'seer' behind all seeing. Knowing oneself as this Witness is the heart of Self-realization.

It is used for Self-enquiry (vichara). By tracing perception inward — object, eye, mind, witness — the seeker learns to dis-identify from all that is 'seen' and to abide as the witnessing consciousness that is never seen, which is one's true nature and one with Brahman.