The Song of the Overself

  Who am I ? This is the question mankind has been asking from times immemmorial. Am I the body-mind-intellect complex ? Have I any reality beyond the senses five ? Is there a God ? Is there a God outside ? Or is He inside ? And what is this Bhakti or devotion ? The best definition of Devotion comes from Sankara, who defined it as Self Enquiry. ( Swa Swaroopasya Anusandhanam Bhakthiriti Abhidheeyate ). In the Upanishads Reality is defined by a series of negatives because the negative is less limiting than the Positive. To arrive at Reality, the Upanishadic Rishies prescribed the Method of Negation !The Upanishadic Method of Negation is Neti Neti, meaning that this is Finite, that is Finite, whereas Reality in Infinite. When everything is denied, there is one thing which no man can deny - ” I “, ” Self ” or Consciousness.Thade Kova Shishtah ( that which remains after Negation )Sivah Kevaloham ( I am Consciousness Bliss ).I am neither the mind nor the sensesThe Fourfold Veds nor Sacred Places,I am not the the Elements FivefoldThe Concentric Sheaths FiveThe Tissue Elements SevenfoldNeither Time nor SpaceExist in Me !Nor the Four Goals of LifeThe Fourfold Yog or Tantra greatI have neither pleasure or painI am pure BeingBy whom all things be !Neither Ego nor any sense of MinenessIntegral Consciousness am INeither father nor mother am IOf the nature of TranscendenceThat which remains after NegationThat Sole Consciousness am I !This is Nirvana Shatakam or six verses composed by the Master of Oneness, Bhagavan Sankara. Listening to these verses can definitely elevate our Consciousness ! In every human, Conscience exists as Vox Dei or the Voice of the Self. This poem is the Voice of the Self. This Voice of the Self can be heard during Meditation. Srooyathe ithi Sruthi or that which was heard in higher states of Consciousness came to be known as the Vedas. Be still and Know. You can hear this voice. This is the Voice of your own Self ! This is your Song ! This is reminiscent of Swinburne’s Hertha I am that which beganOut of Me the years rollOut of Me God and ManI am equal and wholeFor Truth only is livingTruth only is wholeHis for only givingMan’s polestar and pole !Let us hear this Eastern Swinburne. Or was Swinburne the Western Sankara ? Who am I ? Neither the mind, intellect or egoNor ear, tongue or the eyesSpace, light or wind I am notI am of the nature of ConsciousnessHe am I, He am I !Neither the fivefold winds nor Life-ForceThe Sevenfold tissue elements I am notNor am I the sensory organsNor the organs of generation and excretionI am of the nature of ConsciousnessHe am I, He am I !Neither hatred or love I possessNor attachment or greedThe Four Goals of Life I am not( Wealth, Ethics, Love , Liberation )I am of the nature of ConsciousnessHe am I, He am I !I am devoid or sins or meritPleasures or painSacred chants I am notNor the holy watersI am not the VedasNor Yajnas or HomaI am not the eatenNor the eatingNor the eaterI am of the nature of ConsciousnessHe am I, He am I !I am devoid of caste or creedThe fear of death is not in meNo birth, no parents, no birthNo friends, no relativesNo Guru, no discipleI am of the nature of ConsciousnessHe am I, He am I !Formless am IWithout any agitationsTranscending the sensesTranscending the mindI exist for everBoundless as SpaceNo bondage, no releaseI am of the nature of ConsciousnessHe am I, He am I