shankaracharyaadvaitavedantashiva

𑌮𑌨𑍀𑌷𑌾 𑌪𑌞𑍍𑌚𑌕𑌮𑍍

Manisha Panchakam in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 5× repetitions·🕐 Early morning during meditation or study (svadhyaya), or at any time of contemplation·📜 Prakarana (instructional) hymn composed by Adi Shankaracharya

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Prakarana (instructional) hymn composed by Adi Shankaracharya · Adi Shankaracharya · 8th century CE (circa 788-820)

According to the traditional account, Adi Shankaracharya was walking through the holy city of Kashi when a Chandala (an outcaste) carrying meat, accompanied by four dogs, crossed his path. Shankara asked him to step aside. The Chandala — understood in the tradition to be Lord Shiva himself testing him — responded with searching questions: 'Do you wish the body to move away from the body, or the Self from the Self? In the sunlight reflected in the Ganga and in a cup of wine, is the reflecting sun ever defiled?' Struck by this revelation of pure non-dual wisdom from one deemed lowest by society, Shankaracharya prostrated and composed the Manisha Panchakam, five verses declaring that anyone established in this knowledge — outcaste or brahmin alike — is truly his Guru.

✦ As told in scripture

The tradition holds that the outcaste who taught Shankaracharya was none other than Lord Vishvanatha (Shiva) himself, who had come to remove the last trace of body-and-caste identification from the young sage; the moment Shankara bowed to wisdom regardless of its outer form, the Chandala revealed his true divine nature.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑌜𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌪𑍍𑌨𑌸𑍁𑌷𑍁𑌪𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍁 𑌸𑍍𑌫𑍁𑌟𑌤𑌰𑌾 𑌯𑌾 𑌸𑌂𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍁𑌜𑍍𑌜𑍃𑌮𑍍𑌭𑌤𑍇 𑌯𑌾 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌦𑌿𑌪𑌿𑌪𑍀𑌲𑌿𑌕𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌤𑌨𑍁𑌷𑍁 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑍋𑌤𑌾 𑌜𑌗𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌣𑍀 । 𑌸𑍈𑌵𑌾𑌹𑌂 𑌨 𑌚 𑌦𑍃𑌶𑍍𑌯𑌵𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌤𑌿 𑌦𑍃𑌢𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾𑌪𑌿 𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌚𑍇𑌤𑍍 𑌚𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌾𑌲𑍋𑌽𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁 𑌸 𑌤𑍁 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌜𑍋𑌽𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁 𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌰𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌷𑌾 𑌮𑌨𑍀𑌷𑌾 𑌮𑌮 ॥ ௧॥

jāgratsvapnasuṣuptiṣu sphuṭatarā yā saṃvidujjṛmbhate yā brahmādipipīlikāntatanuṣu protā jagatsākṣiṇī | saivāhaṃ na ca dṛśyavastviti dṛḍhaprajñāpi yasyāsti cet caṇḍālo'stu sa tu dvijo'stu gururityeṣā manīṣā mama || 1||

Meaning:He in whom there is the firm conviction — 'That Consciousness which shines ever more clearly through waking, dream and deep sleep, which is threaded as the one witness through all bodies from Brahma down to the ant, That alone am I, and not any perceived object' — whether he be an outcaste or a twice-born brahmin, he is my Guru: this is my firm conviction.

Verse 2

𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑍈𑌵𑌾𑌹𑌮𑌿𑌦𑌂 𑌜𑌗𑌚𑍍𑌚 𑌸𑌕𑌲𑌂 𑌚𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌿𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌚𑍈𑌤𑌦𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌯𑌾 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌗𑍁𑌣𑌯𑌾𑌽𑌶𑍇𑌷𑌂 𑌮𑌯𑌾 𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍 । 𑌇𑌤𑍍𑌥𑌂 𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌦𑍃𑌢𑌾 𑌮𑌤𑌿𑌃 𑌸𑍁𑌖𑌤𑌰𑍇 𑌨𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇 𑌪𑌰𑍇 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌲𑍇 𑌚𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌾𑌲𑍋𑌽𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁 𑌸 𑌤𑍁 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌜𑍋𑌽𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁 𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌰𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌷𑌾 𑌮𑌨𑍀𑌷𑌾 𑌮𑌮 ॥ ௨॥

brahmaivāhamidaṃ jagacca sakalaṃ cinmātravistāritaṃ sarvaṃ caitadavidyayā triguṇayā'śeṣaṃ mayā kalpitam | itthaṃ yasya dṛḍhā matiḥ sukhatare nitye pare nirmale caṇḍālo'stu sa tu dvijo'stu gururityeṣā manīṣā mama || 2||

Meaning:He whose mind is firmly fixed on that supremely blissful, eternal, supreme, stainless Reality, thinking 'I am verily Brahman, and this whole world is but an expansion of pure Consciousness, the entire thing imagined by me through the threefold ignorance of the gunas' — whether he be an outcaste or a twice-born brahmin, he is my Guru: this is my firm conviction.

Verse 3

𑌶𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌮𑍇𑌵 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌮𑌖𑌿𑌲𑌂 𑌨𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯 𑌵𑌾𑌚𑌾 𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍋𑌃 𑌨𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌰𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌮𑍃𑌶𑌤𑌾 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌜𑌶𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑌾 । 𑌭𑍂𑌤𑌂 𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌿 𑌚 𑌦𑍁𑌷𑍍𑌕𑍃𑌤𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌦𑌹𑌤𑌾 𑌸𑌂𑌵𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌯𑍇 𑌪𑌾𑌵𑌕𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌰𑌬𑍍𑌧𑌾𑌯 𑌸𑌮𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌵𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌷𑌾 𑌮𑌨𑍀𑌷𑌾 𑌮𑌮 ॥ ௩॥

śaśvannaśvarameva viśvamakhilaṃ niścitya vācā guroḥ nityaṃ brahma nirantaraṃ vimṛśatā nirvyājaśāntātmanā | bhūtaṃ bhāvi ca duṣkṛtaṃ pradahatā saṃvinmaye pāvake prārabdhāya samarpitaṃ svavapurityeṣā manīṣā mama || 3||

Meaning:He who, having ascertained through the words of the Guru that the whole universe is forever perishable, ceaselessly contemplating the eternal Brahman with a sincere and tranquil mind, burning up past and future sins in the fire of pure Consciousness, has surrendered his body to (the spending of) prarabdha karma — that his body is so surrendered is my firm conviction.

Verse 4

𑌯𑌾 𑌤𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌙𑍍𑌨𑌰𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌤𑌾𑌭𑌿𑌰𑌹𑌮𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌃 𑌸𑍍𑌫𑍁𑌟𑌾 𑌗𑍃𑌹𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇 𑌯𑌦𑍍𑌭𑌾𑌸𑌾 𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌯𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌦𑍇𑌹𑌵𑌿𑌷𑌯𑌾 𑌭𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍋𑌽𑌚𑍇𑌤𑌨𑌾𑌃 । 𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌭𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌯𑍈𑌃 𑌪𑌿𑌹𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌕𑌮𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌲𑌨𑌿𑌭𑌾𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌫𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌂 𑌸𑌦𑌾 𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌯𑌨𑍍 𑌯𑍋𑌗𑍀 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍃𑌤𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌸𑍋 𑌹𑌿 𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌰𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌷𑌾 𑌮𑌨𑍀𑌷𑌾 𑌮𑌮 ॥ ௪॥

yā tiryaṅnaradevatābhirahamityantaḥ sphuṭā gṛhyate yadbhāsā hṛdayākṣadehaviṣayā bhānti svato'cetanāḥ | tāṃ bhāsyaiḥ pihitārkamaṇḍalanibhāṃ sphūrtiṃ sadā bhāvayan yogī nirvṛtamānaso hi gururityeṣā manīṣā mama || 4||

Meaning:That Awareness which is clearly grasped within as 'I' by beasts, men and gods alike, by whose light the inwardly inert heart, senses, body and objects appear to shine — ever meditating on that pulsating Reality (which is like the sun's orb hidden by what it illumines), the yogi whose mind has found perfect peace is verily the Guru: this is my firm conviction.

Verse 5

𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌸𑍗𑌖𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌬𑍁𑌧𑌿𑌲𑍇𑌶𑌲𑍇𑌶𑌤 𑌇𑌮𑍇 𑌶𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌦𑌯𑍋 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍃𑌤𑌾𑌃 𑌯𑌚𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍇 𑌨𑌿𑌤𑌰𑌾𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌶𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌕𑌲𑌨𑍇 𑌲𑌬𑍍𑌧𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌮𑍁𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍃𑌤𑌃 । 𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍁𑌖𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌬𑍁𑌧𑍗 𑌗𑌲𑌿𑌤𑌧𑍀𑌰𑍍𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑍈𑌵 𑌨 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍 𑌯𑌃 𑌕𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌸 𑌸𑍁𑌰𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌿𑌤𑌪𑌦𑍋 𑌨𑍂𑌨𑌂 𑌮𑌨𑍀𑌷𑌾 𑌮𑌮 ॥ ௫॥

yatsaukhyāmbudhileśaleśata ime śakrādayo nirvṛtāḥ yaccitte nitarāṃ praśāntakalane labdhvā munirnirvṛtaḥ | yasminnityasukhāmbudhau galitadhīrbrahmaiva na brahmavid yaḥ kaścitsa surendravanditapado nūnaṃ manīṣā mama || 5||

Meaning:By a mere fraction of a fraction of whose ocean of bliss Indra and the gods are made content; having gained whom in his perfectly stilled mind the sage rests fulfilled; in whose ocean of eternal bliss the intellect dissolves so that one becomes Brahman itself and not merely a knower of Brahman — whoever he be, his feet are worshipped by the king of the gods: this is my firm conviction.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌜𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌪𑍍𑌨𑌸𑍁𑌷𑍁𑌪𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍁🔊jāgrat-svapna-suṣuptiṣuIn the states of waking, dream and deep sleep

𑌸𑍍𑌫𑍁𑌟𑌤𑌰𑌾 𑌯𑌾 𑌸𑌂𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍 𑌉𑌜𑍍𑌜𑍃𑌮𑍍𑌭𑌤𑍇🔊sphuṭatarā yā saṃvid ujjṛmbhateThat Consciousness which shines forth ever more clearly

𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌦𑌿𑌪𑌿𑌪𑍀𑌲𑌿𑌕𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌤𑌨𑍁𑌷𑍁🔊brahmādi-pipīlikānta-tanuṣuIn all bodies from Brahma down to the ant

𑌪𑍍𑌰𑍋𑌤𑌾 𑌜𑌗𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌣𑍀🔊protā jagat-sākṣiṇīThreaded through (all) as the witness of the world

𑌸𑍈𑌵𑌾𑌹𑌂 𑌨 𑌚 𑌦𑍃𑌶𑍍𑌯𑌵𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁🔊saiva-ahaṃ na ca dṛśya-vastuThat alone am I, and not the perceived object

𑌦𑍃𑌢𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾 𑌅𑌪𑌿 𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌚𑍇𑌤𑍍🔊dṛḍha-prajñā api yasya asti cetIf anyone has this firm conviction (steady wisdom)

𑌚𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌾𑌲𑍋𑌽𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁 𑌸 𑌤𑍁 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌜𑍋𑌽𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁🔊caṇḍālo'stu sa tu dvijo'stuBe he an outcaste (Chandala) or be he a twice-born brahmin

𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌰𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌷𑌾 𑌮𑌨𑍀𑌷𑌾 𑌮𑌮🔊gurur-ity-eṣā manīṣā mamaHe is my Guru — this is my firm conviction (manisha)

𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑍈𑌵𑌾𑌹𑌮𑍍 𑌇𑌦𑌂 𑌜𑌗𑌚𑍍𑌚 𑌸𑌕𑌲𑌂🔊brahmaiva-aham idaṃ jagacca sakalaṃI am verily Brahman, and this entire world too

𑌚𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌿𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌿𑌤𑌂🔊cinmātra-vistāritaṃIs but an expansion of pure Consciousness

𑌅𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌯𑌾 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌗𑍁𑌣𑌯𑌾 𑌮𑌯𑌾 𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌮𑍍🔊avidyayā triguṇayā mayā kalpitamImagined by me through three-fold ignorance (of the three gunas)

𑌨𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇 𑌪𑌰𑍇 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌲𑍇🔊nitye pare nirmaleIn the eternal, supreme, stainless (Reality)

𑌶𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌮𑍇𑌵 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌮𑍍 𑌅𑌖𑌿𑌲𑌂🔊śaśvan-naśvaram-eva viśvam akhilaṃThe entire universe is ever perishable

𑌨𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯 𑌵𑌾𑌚𑌾 𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍋𑌃🔊niścitya vācā guroḥHaving ascertained through the words of the Guru

𑌸𑌂𑌵𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌯𑍇 𑌪𑌾𑌵𑌕𑍇🔊saṃvinmaye pāvakeIn the fire that is pure Consciousness

𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌰𑌬𑍍𑌧𑌾𑌯 𑌸𑌮𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌵𑌪𑍁𑌃🔊prārabdhāya samarpitaṃ sva-vapuḥHas surrendered his body to (the working out of) prarabdha karma

𑌅𑌹𑌮𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌃 𑌸𑍍𑌫𑍁𑌟𑌾 𑌗𑍃𑌹𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇🔊aham-ity-antaḥ sphuṭā gṛhyateIs clearly grasped within as 'I' (by all beings)

𑌪𑌿𑌹𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌕𑌮𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌲𑌨𑌿𑌭𑌾𑌂🔊pihita-arka-maṇḍala-nibhāṃLike the orb of the sun hidden (by clouds)

𑌯𑍋𑌗𑍀 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍃𑌤𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌸𑌃🔊yogī nirvṛta-mānasaḥThe yogi whose mind is at perfect peace / bliss

𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌸𑍗𑌖𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑍍𑌬𑍁𑌧𑌿𑌲𑍇𑌶𑌲𑍇𑌶𑌤𑌃🔊yat-saukhya-ambudhi-leśa-leśataḥBy a mere fraction of a fraction of whose ocean of bliss

𑌶𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌦𑌯𑍋 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍃𑌤𑌾𑌃🔊śakrādayo nirvṛtāḥIndra and the other gods are made happy

𑌗𑌲𑌿𑌤𑌧𑍀𑌰𑍍𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑍈𑌵 𑌨 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌵𑌿𑌤𑍍🔊galita-dhīr-brahmaiva na brahmavitWhose mind has dissolved (in It) has become Brahman itself, not merely a knower of Brahman

𑌸𑍁𑌰𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌿𑌤𑌪𑌦𑌃🔊surendra-vandita-padaḥWhose feet are worshipped by the king of the gods (Indra)

Benefits of Chanting Manisha Panchakam

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Distils the core of Advaita Vedanta — the one Self in all beings — in five verses

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Composed by Adi Shankaracharya himself, the foremost teacher of non-duality

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Teaches that true greatness lies in Self-knowledge, not in birth or caste

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A powerful aid for contemplation (manana) on the nature of the witnessing Consciousness

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Cultivates equal vision (sama-drishti) and humility before the wise wherever they are found

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Burns away the sense of doership and reinforces surrender of the body to prarabdha

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Inspires the seeker toward jivanmukti — liberation while still living

How to Chant Manisha Panchakam

Repetitions5times

Best TimeEarly morning during meditation or study (svadhyaya), or at any time of contemplation

This is primarily a hymn for contemplation rather than rapid repetition. Sit quietly, recite the five verses slowly, and pause after each to reflect on its meaning — especially the witnessing Consciousness present in all beings and the refrain 'he is my Guru, this is my conviction.' It is well suited to study under or alongside a teacher, and may be read daily as part of Vedanta sadhana to deepen Self-enquiry.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Manisha Panchakam written in the Grantha 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.

While in Kashi (Varanasi), Adi Shankaracharya is said to have asked a Chandala (an outcaste, here understood as Lord Shiva in disguise) to move aside from his path. The man replied with profound questions: should the body move from the body, or the Self from the Self, since the one Consciousness is the same in all? Recognising the supreme wisdom in his words, Shankara composed these five verses declaring that whoever knows this truth is his Guru, regardless of birth.

'Manisha' means firm conviction, considered judgement or settled wisdom. The refrain 'gurur-ity-esha manisha mama' means 'that he is my Guru — this is my firm conviction.' Since there are five verses (panchakam), the work is called Manisha Panchakam.

Its central teaching is the non-dual truth that the one witnessing Consciousness (Brahman) is the real Self in every being, from Brahma to the ant. Therefore the knower of this truth deserves reverence as a Guru whether he is an outcaste or a brahmin — Self-knowledge, not social birth, is what makes one truly great.

It was composed by Adi Shankaracharya (8th century CE), the great teacher of Advaita Vedanta, and is counted among his foundational prakarana (instructional) hymns alongside works like the Nirvana Shatkam and Dashashloki.