shankaracharyahastamalakaadvaitavedanta

ಹಸ್ತಾಮಲಕೀಯಂ (ಹಸ್ತಾಮಲಕ ಸ್ತೋತ್ರಂ)

हस्तामलकीयम् (हस्तामलकस्तोत्रम्)

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Early morning after bath, or during meditation and Vedantic study (svadhyaya)·📜 Advaita stotra recorded by tradition; verses spoken by Hastamalakacharya, commentary by Adi Shankaracharya

Also known as: hastamalakiyam · hastamalaka stotram · hastamalaka stotra · hastamalakeeyam · kastvam shisho · nityopalabdhi svarupo'ham atma

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हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Hastamalakiyam (Hastamalaka Stotram) is a famous Advaita hymn of twelve core verses spoken by the boy-sage Hastamalaka in answer to Adi Shankaracharya's question 'Who are you?'. The child replies that he is none of the bodily or social identities, but the eternal witness-consciousness — 'sa nityopalabdhi-svarupo'ham atma', 'that Self whose very nature is eternal awareness, am I' — the refrain of each verse. Using luminous similes of the sun, the mirror and reflected moonlight, it teaches the Self as the self-luminous reality behind mind and senses. Shankara was so moved that he wrote a commentary on it.

Origin & Story

Advaita stotra recorded by tradition; verses spoken by Hastamalakacharya, commentary by Adi Shankaracharya · Hastamalakacharya (verses); Adi Shankaracharya (compiler and commentator) · Classical (traditionally 8th century CE)

According to tradition, when Adi Shankaracharya was travelling he met a boy who, though appearing dull and silent to others, was in fact a great soul absorbed in the Self. When Shankara asked him 'Who are you, child? Where do you come from?', the boy responded with these twelve luminous verses declaring the Self as the eternal witness-consciousness, untouched by body, caste, ashrama or the senses. Shankara, recognizing his realization to be 'as clear as a fruit in the palm', named him Hastamalaka and made him one of his four chief disciples. So profound were the verses that Shankara wrote a commentary on them.

✦ As told in scripture

Tradition relates that the boy Hastamalaka had been regarded by his own family as dull-witted and mute, for he was forever absorbed within; yet at Shankara's single question the entire wisdom of Vedanta poured forth from him in these twelve flawless verses, revealing that what the world took for a simpleton was in truth a sage whose Self-knowledge was as plain to him as an amalaka fruit held in the hand.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

कस्त्वं शिशो कस्य कुतोऽसि गन्ता किं नाम ते त्वं कुत आगतोऽसि। एतन्मयोक्तं वद चार्भक त्वं मत्प्रीतये प्रीतिविवर्धनोऽसि॥१॥

kastvaṃ śiśo kasya kuto'si gantā kiṃ nāma te tvaṃ kuta āgato'si | etan mayoktaṃ vada cārbhaka tvaṃ mat-prītaye prīti-vivardhano'si ||1||

Meaning:(ಶಂಕರಾಚಾರ್ಯರು ಕೇಳುತ್ತಾರೆ:) ಓ ಬಾಲಕನೇ! ನೀನು ಯಾರು? ಯಾರವನು? ಎಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಹೋಗುತ್ತಿರುವೆ? ನಿನ್ನ ಹೆಸರೇನು, ಎಲ್ಲಿಂದ ಬಂದೆ? ಓ ಪ್ರಿಯ ಬಾಲಕನೇ, ಇದೆಲ್ಲವನ್ನೂ ನನಗೆ ಹೇಳು — ನೀನು ನನಗೆ ಪ್ರಿಯನು, ನನ್ನ ಪ್ರೀತಿಯನ್ನು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವೆ.

Verse 2

नाहं मनुष्यो न च देवयक्षौ न ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियवैश्यशूद्राः। न ब्रह्मचारी न गृही वनस्थो भिक्षुर्न चाहं निजबोधरूपः॥२॥

nāhaṃ manuṣyo na ca deva-yakṣau na brāhmaṇa-kṣatriya-vaiśya-śūdrāḥ | na brahmacārī na gṛhī vanastho bhikṣur na cāhaṃ nija-bodha-rūpaḥ ||2||

Meaning:(ಬಾಲಕನು ಉತ್ತರಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ:) ನಾನು ಮನುಷ್ಯನಲ್ಲ, ದೇವನಲ್ಲ, ಯಕ್ಷನಲ್ಲ; ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣ, ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯ, ವೈಶ್ಯ, ಶೂದ್ರನಲ್ಲ; ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಚಾರಿಯಲ್ಲ, ಗೃಹಸ್ಥನಲ್ಲ, ವಾನಪ್ರಸ್ಥನಲ್ಲ, ಸನ್ಯಾಸಿಯಲ್ಲ — ನಾನು ನನ್ನ ಬೋಧಸ್ವರೂಪವಾದ (ನಿಜಬೋಧರೂಪ) ಆತ್ಮವೇ.

Verse 3

निमित्तं मनश्चक्षुरादिप्रवृत्तौ निरस्ताखिलोपाधिराकाशकल्पः। रविर्लोकचेष्टानिमित्तं यथा यः स नित्योपलब्धिस्वरूपोऽहमात्मा॥३॥

nimittaṃ manaś-cakṣur-ādi-pravṛttau nirastākhilopādhir ākāśa-kalpaḥ | ravir loka-ceṣṭā-nimittaṃ yathā yaḥ sa nityopalabdhi-svarūpo'ham ātmā ||3||

Meaning:ಮನಸ್ಸು, ಕಣ್ಣು ಮೊದಲಾದವುಗಳ ಪ್ರವೃತ್ತಿಗೆ ನಿಮಿತ್ತವಾಗಿದ್ದು, ಸಮಸ್ತ ಉಪಾಧಿಗಳಿಂದ ರಹಿತವಾಗಿ, ಆಕಾಶದಂತೆ ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮವಾಗಿ — ಸೂರ್ಯನು ಪ್ರಪಂಚದ ಸಮಸ್ತ ಚೇಷ್ಟೆಗೆ (ನಿರಪೇಕ್ಷ) ನಿಮಿತ್ತವಾಗಿರುವಂತೆ — ಆ ನಿತ್ಯ-ಉಪಲಬ್ಧಿಸ್ವರೂಪ ಆತ್ಮ ನಾನೇ.

Verse 4

यमग्न्युष्णवन्नित्यबोधस्वरूपं मनश्चक्षुरादीन्यबोधात्मकानि। प्रवर्तन्त आश्रित्य निष्कम्पमेकं स नित्योपलब्धिस्वरूपोऽहमात्मा॥४॥

yam agny-uṣṇavan nitya-bodha-svarūpaṃ manaś-cakṣur-ādīny abodhātmakāni | pravartanta āśritya niṣkampam ekaṃ sa nityopalabdhi-svarūpo'ham ātmā ||4||

Meaning:ಬೆಂಕಿಯಿಂದ ಉಷ್ಣತೆ ಅಭಿನ್ನವಾಗಿರುವಂತೆ, ನಿತ್ಯಬೋಧಸ್ವರೂಪವಾಗಿ, ಯಾವ ಒಂದು ನಿಷ್ಕಂಪ ತತ್ತ್ವವನ್ನು ಆಶ್ರಯಿಸಿ ಅಬೋಧಾತ್ಮಕ (ಜಡ) ಮನಸ್ಸು-ಕಣ್ಣು ಮೊದಲಾದವು ಪ್ರವರ್ತಿಸುತ್ತವೆಯೋ — ಆ ನಿತ್ಯ-ಉಪಲಬ್ಧಿಸ್ವರೂಪ ಆತ್ಮ ನಾನೇ.

Verse 5

मुखाभासको दर्पणे दृश्यमानो मुखत्वात्पृथक्त्वेन नैवास्ति वस्तु। चिदाभासको धीषु जीवोऽपि तद्वत् स नित्योपलब्धिस्वरूपोऽहमात्मा॥५॥

mukhābhāsako darpaṇe dṛśyamāno mukhatvāt pṛthaktvena naivāsti vastu | cid-ābhāsako dhīṣu jīvo'pi tadvat sa nityopalabdhi-svarūpo'ham ātmā ||5||

Meaning:ಕನ್ನಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಣುವ ಮುಖಪ್ರತಿಬಿಂಬ ಮುಖದಿಂದ ಬೇರೆಯಾದ ಯಾವ ವಾಸ್ತವ ವಸ್ತುವೂ ಅಲ್ಲ; ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಬುದ್ಧಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಚೈತನ್ಯದ ಆಭಾಸವೇ ಜೀವ — ಆ ನಿತ್ಯ-ಉಪಲಬ್ಧಿಸ್ವರೂಪ ಆತ್ಮ ನಾನೇ.

Verse 6

यथा दर्पणाभाव आभासहानौ मुखं विद्यते कल्पनाहीनमेकम्। तथा धीवियोगे निराभासको यः स नित्योपलब्धिस्वरूपोऽहमात्मा॥६॥

yathā darpaṇābhāva ābhāsa-hānau mukhaṃ vidyate kalpanā-hīnam ekam | tathā dhī-viyoge nirābhāsako yaḥ sa nityopalabdhi-svarūpo'ham ātmā ||6||

Meaning:ಕನ್ನಡಿ ಇಲ್ಲದಾಗ ಪ್ರತಿಬಿಂಬ ಲುಪ್ತವಾದರೂ ಒಂದು ಮುಖ ಕಲ್ಪನಾರಹಿತವಾಗಿ ಇರುವಂತೆ, ಬುದ್ಧಿ ವಿಯೋಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಯಾವ ನಿರಾಭಾಸ ಶೇಷಿಸುತ್ತದೆಯೋ — ಆ ನಿತ್ಯ-ಉಪಲಬ್ಧಿಸ್ವರೂಪ ಆತ್ಮ ನಾನೇ.

Verse 7

मनश्चक्षुरादेर्वियुक्तः स्वयं यो मनश्चक्षुरादेर्मनश्चक्षुरादिः। मनश्चक्षुरादेरगम्यस्वरूपः स नित्योपलब्धिस्वरूपोऽहमात्मा॥७॥

manaś-cakṣur-āder viyuktaḥ svayaṃ yo manaś-cakṣur-āder manaś-cakṣur-ādiḥ | manaś-cakṣur-āder agamya-svarūpaḥ sa nityopalabdhi-svarūpo'ham ātmā ||7||

Meaning:ತಾನು ಮನಸ್ಸು-ಕಣ್ಣು ಮೊದಲಾದವುಗಳಿಂದ ವಿಯುಕ್ತವಾಗಿ, ಆದರೂ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ ಮನಸ್ಸು, ಕಣ್ಣಿನ ಕಣ್ಣಾಗಿ, ಮನಸ್ಸು-ಇಂದ್ರಿಯಗಳಿಗೆ ಅಗಮ್ಯಸ್ವರೂಪವಾಗಿರುವುದೋ — ಆ ನಿತ್ಯ-ಉಪಲಬ್ಧಿಸ್ವರೂಪ ಆತ್ಮ ನಾನೇ.

Verse 8

य एको विभाति स्वतः शुद्धचेताः प्रकाशस्वरूपोऽपि नानेव धीषु। शरावोदकस्थो यथा भानुरेकः स नित्योपलब्धिस्वरूपोऽहमात्मा॥८॥

ya eko vibhāti svataḥ śuddha-cetāḥ prakāśa-svarūpo'pi nāneva dhīṣu | śarāvodaka-stho yathā bhānur ekaḥ sa nityopalabdhi-svarūpo'ham ātmā ||8||

Meaning:ಒಂದು ಶುದ್ಧಚೇತನ ಸ್ವಯಂ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಿಸಿ, ಪ್ರಕಾಶಸ್ವರೂಪವಾಗಿದ್ದರೂ ಬುದ್ಧಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಅನೇಕದಂತೆ ಭಾಸಿಸುವುದೋ — ನೀರು ತುಂಬಿದ ಅನೇಕ ಪಾತ್ರೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದೇ ಸೂರ್ಯನಂತೆ — ಆ ನಿತ್ಯ-ಉಪಲಬ್ಧಿಸ್ವರೂಪ ಆತ್ಮ ನಾನೇ.

Verse 9

यथानेकचक्षुःप्रकाशो रविर्न क्रमेण प्रकाशीकरोति प्रकाश्यम्। अनेका धियो यस्तथैकः प्रबोधः स नित्योपलब्धिस्वरूपोऽहमात्मा॥९॥

yathāneka-cakṣuḥ-prakāśo ravir na krameṇa prakāśī-karoti prakāśyam | anekā dhiyo yas tathaikaḥ prabodhaḥ sa nityopalabdhi-svarūpo'ham ātmā ||9||

Meaning:ಅನೇಕ ನೇತ್ರಗಳ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಕನಾದ ಸೂರ್ಯನು ಪ್ರಕಾಶ್ಯ ಪದಾರ್ಥಗಳನ್ನು ಕ್ರಮವಾಗಿ ಅಲ್ಲ, ಏಕಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಗೊಳಿಸುವಂತೆ, ಯಾವ ಒಂದು ಪ್ರಬೋಧ ಅನೇಕ ಬುದ್ಧಿಗಳನ್ನು ಪ್ರಕಾಶಗೊಳಿಸುತ್ತದೆಯೋ — ಆ ನಿತ್ಯ-ಉಪಲಬ್ಧಿಸ್ವರೂಪ ಆತ್ಮ ನಾನೇ.

Verse 10

विवस्वत्प्रभातं यथा रूपमक्षं प्रगृह्णाति नाभातमेवं विवस्वान्। यदाभात आभासयत्यक्षमेकः स नित्योपलब्धिस्वरूपोऽहमात्मा॥१०॥

vivasvat-prabhātaṃ yathā rūpam akṣaṃ pragṛhṇāti nābhātam evaṃ vivasvān | yad-ābhāta ābhāsayaty akṣam ekaḥ sa nityopalabdhi-svarūpo'ham ātmā ||10||

Meaning:ಕಣ್ಣು ಸೂರ್ಯನಿಂದ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಿತವಾದ ರೂಪವನ್ನು ಗ್ರಹಿಸುತ್ತದೆ ಆದರೆ ತಾನು ಪ್ರಕಾಶಿತವಾಗದ ಸೂರ್ಯನನ್ನಲ್ಲ, ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಯಾವನ ಭಾಸನದಿಂದ ಕಣ್ಣು (ಮೊದಲಾದವು) ಪ್ರಕಾಶಿತವಾಗಿ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡುತ್ತವೆಯೋ — ಆ ನಿತ್ಯ-ಉಪಲಬ್ಧಿಸ್ವರೂಪ ಆತ್ಮ ನಾನೇ.

Verse 11

यथा सूर्य एकोऽप्स्वनेकश्चलासु स्थिरास्वप्यनन्यद्विभाव्यस्वरूपः। चलासु प्रभिन्नः सुधीष्वेक एव स नित्योपलब्धिस्वरूपोऽहमात्मा॥११॥

yathā sūrya eko'psv aneka-ścalāsu sthirāsv apy ananyad vibhāvya-svarūpaḥ | calāsu prabhinnaḥ sudhīṣv eka eva sa nityopalabdhi-svarūpo'ham ātmā ||11||

Meaning:ಒಂದೇ ಸೂರ್ಯ ಚಂಚಲ ಜಲಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಅನೇಕವಾಗಿ, ಸ್ಥಿರ ಜಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಅನನ್ಯವಾಗಿ (ಒಂದಾಗಿ) ಭಾಸಿಸಿ, ತನ್ನ ಸ್ವರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ಸದಾ ಒಂದಾಗಿ ಇರುವಂತೆ — ಚಂಚಲ ಬುದ್ಧಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಭಿನ್ನದಂತೆ, ಆದರೆ ವಿವೇಕಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದಾಗಿ — ಆ ನಿತ್ಯ-ಉಪಲಬ್ಧಿಸ್ವರೂಪ ಆತ್ಮ ನಾನೇ.

Verse 12

घनच्छन्नदृष्टिर्घनच्छन्नमर्कं यथा निष्प्रभं मन्यते चातिमूढः। तथा बद्धवद्भाति यो मूढदृष्टेः स नित्योपलब्धिस्वरूपोऽहमात्मा॥१२॥

ghana-cchanna-dṛṣṭir ghana-cchannam arkaṃ yathā niṣprabhaṃ manyate cātimūḍhaḥ | tathā baddhavad bhāti yo mūḍha-dṛṣṭeḥ sa nityopalabdhi-svarūpo'ham ātmā ||12||

Meaning:ಮೋಡಗಳಿಂದ ಮುಚ್ಚಿದ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಯುಳ್ಳ ಅತಿಮೂಢನು ಮೋಡದಿಂದ ಮುಚ್ಚಿದ ಸೂರ್ಯನನ್ನು ನಿಷ್ಪ್ರಭವೆಂದು ಭಾವಿಸುವಂತೆ, ಮೂಢ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಗೆ ಯಾವ (ನಿತ್ಯಮುಕ್ತ ಆತ್ಮ) ಬದ್ಧದಂತೆ ಭಾಸಿಸುತ್ತದೆಯೋ — ಆ ನಿತ್ಯ-ಉಪಲಬ್ಧಿಸ್ವರೂಪ ಆತ್ಮ ನಾನೇ.

Verse 13

समस्तेषु वस्तुष्वनुस्यूतमेकं समस्तानि वस्तूनि यन्न स्पृशन्ति। वियद्वत्सदा शुद्धमच्छस्वरूपं स नित्योपलब्धिस्वरूपोऽहमात्मा॥१३॥

samasteṣu vastuṣv anusyūtam ekaṃ samastāni vastūni yan na spṛśanti | viyadvat sadā śuddham accha-svarūpaṃ sa nityopalabdhi-svarūpo'ham ātmā ||13||

Meaning:ಸಮಸ್ತ ವಸ್ತುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಅನುಸ್ಯೂತವಾಗಿ ಒಂದಾಗಿದ್ದು, ಸಮಸ್ತ ವಸ್ತುಗಳು ಯಾವುದನ್ನು ಸ್ಪರ್ಶಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲವೋ, ಆಕಾಶದಂತೆ ಸದಾ ಶುದ್ಧವಾಗಿ ನಿರ್ಮಲಸ್ವರೂಪವಾಗಿರುವುದೋ — ಆ ನಿತ್ಯ-ಉಪಲಬ್ಧಿಸ್ವರೂಪ ಆತ್ಮ ನಾನೇ.

Verse 14

उपाधौ यथा भेदता सन्मणीनां तथा भेदता बुद्धिभेदेषु तेऽपि। यथा चन्द्रिकाणां जले चञ्चलत्वं तथा चञ्चलत्वं तवापीह विष्णो॥१४॥

upādhau yathā bhedatā san-maṇīnāṃ tathā bhedatā buddhi-bhedeṣu te'pi | yathā candrikāṇāṃ jale cañcalatvaṃ tathā cañcalatvaṃ tavāpīha viṣṇo ||14||

Meaning:ನಿಜವಾದ ಮಣಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಭೇದ ಅವುಗಳ ಉಪಾಧಿ (ಆಧಾರ) ದಿಂದಲೇ ತೋರುವಂತೆ, (ನಿನ್ನಲ್ಲಿ) ಭೇದ ಬುದ್ಧಿಗಳ ಭೇದದಿಂದಲೇ; ಮತ್ತು ನೀರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಚಂದ್ರಕಿರಣಗಳ ಚಂಚಲತೆ ನೀರಿನಿಂದಲೇ ಇರುವಂತೆ, ಓ ವಿಷ್ಣುವೇ, ಈ ಚಂಚಲತೆ ನಿನ್ನಲ್ಲಿಯೂ (ಕೇವಲ ಆಭಾಸಮಾತ್ರವೇ).

Word-by-Word Meaning

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कः त्वं शिशो🔊kaḥ tvaṃ śiśoWho are you, O child? (Shankara's opening question)

कस्य कुतः असि गन्ता🔊kasya kutaḥ asi gantāWhose are you, from where do you come, where are you going?

किं नाम ते🔊kiṃ nāma teWhat is your name?

नाहं मनुष्यः🔊nāhaṃ manuṣyaḥI am not a human being (the boy's reply)

न च देवयक्षौ🔊na ca deva-yakṣaunor a god nor a yaksha

न ब्रह्मचारी न गृही वनस्थः भिक्षुः🔊na brahmacārī na gṛhī vanastho bhikṣuḥneither a celibate student, nor householder, nor forest-dweller, nor mendicant (the four ashramas)

निजबोधरूपः🔊nija-bodha-rūpaḥI am of the nature of pure self-luminous Consciousness

निमित्तं मनश्चक्षुरादिप्रवृत्तौ🔊nimittaṃ manaś-cakṣur-ādi-pravṛttauthe cause behind the activity of the mind, eyes and the other senses

निरस्ताखिलोपाधिः🔊nirastākhilopādhiḥfree from (having cast off) every limiting adjunct (upadhi)

आकाशकल्पः🔊ākāśa-kalpaḥsubtle and all-pervading like space

रविः लोकचेष्टानिमित्तं यथा🔊raviḥ loka-ceṣṭā-nimittaṃ yathāas the sun is the (impartial) cause of all activity in the world

स नित्योपलब्धिस्वरूपः अहम् आत्मा🔊sa nityopalabdhi-svarūpo'ham ātmāthat Self, whose very nature is eternal awareness, am I (the recurring refrain)

अग्न्युष्णवत्🔊agny-uṣṇavatas heat is inseparable from fire

नित्यबोधस्वरूपम्🔊nitya-bodha-svarūpamof the nature of eternal consciousness/awareness

मनश्चक्षुरादीनि अबोधात्मकानि🔊manaś-cakṣur-ādīny abodhātmakānithe mind, eyes and the rest, which are themselves insentient (without their own consciousness)

मुखाभासकः दर्पणे🔊mukhābhāsako darpaṇethe reflection of a face in a mirror

चिदाभासकः धीषु जीवः अपि तद्वत्🔊cid-ābhāsako dhīṣu jīvo'pi tadvatlikewise the jiva is but the reflection of Consciousness in the intellects

शरावोदकस्थः यथा भानुः एकः🔊śarāvodaka-stho yathā bhānur ekaḥas the one sun (appears multiple) reflected in many bowls of water

यथा सूर्यः एकः अप्सु अनेकः🔊yathā sūrya ekaḥ apsu anekaḥas the one sun appears as many in (moving) waters

घनच्छन्नदृष्टिः🔊ghana-cchanna-dṛṣṭiḥone whose sight is veiled by clouds

बद्धवत् भाति यः मूढदृष्टेः🔊baddhavad bhāti yaḥ mūḍha-dṛṣṭeḥthe Self (ever-free) appears as though bound to the deluded vision

समस्तेषु वस्तुषु अनुस्यूतम् एकम्🔊samasteṣu vastuṣv anusyūtam ekamthe one (consciousness) threaded through all objects

वियद्वत् सदा शुद्धम् अच्छस्वरूपम्🔊viyadvat sadā śuddham accha-svarūpamever pure and untainted like space (which nothing can stain)

तथा चञ्चलत्वं तव अपि इह विष्णो🔊tathā cañcalatvaṃ tavāpīha viṣṇoso too, O all-pervading Lord (Vishnu), the apparent restlessness is attributed to You (though You are ever still)

Benefits of Chanting ಹಸ್ತಾಮಲಕೀಯಂ (ಹಸ್ತಾಮಲಕ ಸ್ತೋತ್ರಂ)

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Presents the essence of Advaita Vedanta through vivid, easy-to-grasp similes (sun, mirror, reflected moon)

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Strengthens the realization 'I am the eternal witness-consciousness, not the body or mind'

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An excellent text for Self-enquiry (atma-vichara) and meditation on the true 'I'

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Calms the mind by revealing the ever-free, untainted nature of the Self

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Treasured in the Advaita tradition as the spontaneous utterance of a Self-realized child-sage

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Recited for clarity of understanding (viveka) and steadiness in non-dual awareness

How to Chant ಹಸ್ತಾಮಲಕೀಯಂ (ಹಸ್ತಾಮಲಕ ಸ್ತೋತ್ರಂ)

Repetitions1times

Best TimeEarly morning after bath, or during meditation and Vedantic study (svadhyaya)

Sit calmly facing east or north. Begin with Shankara's opening question and then recite the twelve reply verses slowly, dwelling on the refrain 'sa nityopalabdhi-svarupo'ham atma' — 'that Self of eternal awareness am I'. Contemplate each simile (the sun reflected in many waters, the face in the mirror) as a pointer to your own witness-nature. A single attentive recitation daily is ideal for contemplation; it may also be studied with its meaning.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is a short Advaita Vedanta hymn, also called Hastamalaka Stotram, composed of twelve verses (with an opening question and a concluding verse). It records the answer of the boy-sage Hastamalaka to Adi Shankaracharya's question about his identity.

'Hasta' means hand and 'amalaka' means a gooseberry (myrobalan). The name signifies that the truth of the Self was as clear and direct to this sage as a fruit held in the palm of one's hand. It is also the name given to him by Shankara, who made him one of his principal disciples.

It means 'that Self, whose very nature is eternal awareness (constant cognition), am I'. Every verse ends with this line, affirming that one's true identity is the unchanging, self-luminous consciousness that witnesses the mind and senses.

Yes. Shankara was so struck by the depth of the young Hastamalaka's spontaneous reply that he himself wrote a commentary (bhashya) on these verses, and the boy became one of his four chief disciples, alongside Sureshvara, Padmapada and Totaka.