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{{Short description|Knowledge of the soul . It is short work attributed to Shankaracharya}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox book

| name = Ātma-bōdha
| image =
| caption =
| author = Attributed to [[Adi Shankara]]
| country = India
| language = Sanskrit
| subject = [[Hindu philosophy]]
| genre = [[Advaita Vedanta]]
| publisher = Original: 8th century AD; Reprinted in 1947 by [[Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai]]
| english_pub_date = First publication in 1812 translated by J. Taylor
}}

{{Advaita}}

'''''Ātma-bodha''''' ([[Sanskrit]]: आत्मबोधः ) is a short [[Sanskrit]] text attributed to [[Adi Shankara]] of [[Advaita Vedanta]] school of [[Hindu philosophy]]. The text in sixty-eight verses describes the path to Self-knowledge or the awareness of [[Atman (Hinduism)|Atman]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|author=Roshan Dalal|year=2010|publisher=Penguin Books|page=48|isbn=9780143414216|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&q=atma+bodha&pg=PA48 }}</ref><ref name=isaevaatmabodha>{{cite book|title=Shankara and Indian Philosophy|author=N.V.Isaeva|date=January 1993|publisher=SUNY Press|pages=78, 98|isbn=9780791412817|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=hshaWu0m1D4C&q=atma+bodha&pg=PA98 }}</ref>

The Vedanta tradition states that the text was written by Shankara for his disciple, Sanandana, also known as [[Padmapadacharya|Padmapāda]]. ''Ātma-bodha'' is a ''prakarṇa grantha:'' literature that explains the terms and terminologies used in the [[Shastra|''Śāstras'']] but they do not contribute any original thought. <ref>{{Cite book |last=Sankaracharya |url=http://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.43205 |title=Atma Bodha |date=1965 |pages=vii}}</ref>

Atmabodha is also the title of an Upanishad attached to the [[Atharvaveda]].

==Etymology==
''Atmabodha'' means "Self-knowledge", self-awareness, or one with the "possession of a knowledge of soul or the supreme spirit".<ref>[http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?script=HK&beginning=0+&tinput=आत्मबोधः+&trans=Translate&direction=AU Atmabodha] Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany</ref>

==Authorship==

The authorship of ''Ātma-bodha'', written in Sanskrit language, is traditionally ascribed to [[Adi Shankara]] who is believed to have lived in the 8th century A.D. According to Isaeva, even though the authenticity of this work is doubted by present day scholars, it does not contradict the whole of Shankara's system which it advocates.<ref name=isaevaatmabodha/> Yet, in contrast to Shankara, the ''Atma Bodha'' argues for constant practice and meditation, whereas Shankara rejected 'activity' and argued for an immediate acquirement of knowledge.

==Contents==

The original text consists of sixty-eight verses and describes the way to the attainment of the knowledge of the Atman. As the ''[[Vivekachudamani]]'', the ''Atma Bodha'' teaches that the Ultimate Reality or [[Brahman]], the foundation of all, is beyond name and form, is of the nature of Pure Consciousness, but who can be realized by pursuing the Path of Knowledge, not by worship.

{{Quote|
<poem>
For the Wisdom of Self is the one way to Freedom,
leading beyond all other paths,
As cooking cannot be accomplished without fire,
so Freedom cannot be attained without wisdom.
</poem>
|''Ātma-bōdha'' 2|<ref>Adi Śaṅkarācārya (Translated by C Johnston), {{Google books|28YLAAAAIAAJ|The Atma-Bodha (self-wisdom) of Shankara-Acharya}}, Divine Life Press Chicago, page 1</ref>}}

Atmabodha text reiterates that the Path of Knowledge consists in ''[[Shravana (hearing)|shravana]]'' (hearing the instructions of a teacher), ''[[Manana (reflection)|manana]]'' (reflecting on what is heard) and ''[[nididhyasana]]'' (meditating on Truth with single-minded devotion); ''[[viveka]]'' (philosophical discrimination) and ''[[vairagya]]'' (renunciation of all that which is unreal) are the basic disciplines required to be followed and that it is not possible for actions (''[[Karma]]'', fasting, vows, pilgrimage)<ref>PN Menon (1964), Atma Bodha of Sri Śaṅkarācharya, Munshi Ram Manohar Lal, {{oclc|614375221}}, pages 6-7</ref> to destroy ignorance (''[[Avidya (Hinduism)|avidya]]'') and cause liberation (''[[moksha]]'') –

{{Quote|
<poem>
अविरोधितया कर्म नाविद्यां विनिवर्तयेत् |
विद्याविद्या निहन्त्येव तेजस्तिमिरसङ्ववत् ||

"Action cannot destroy ignorance, as it is not opposed to ignorance.
Knowledge does verily destroy ignorance just as light destroys deep darkness"
</poem>
|''Ātma-bodha'' 3|<ref>Swami Chinmayananda (1965), Atma Bodha of Sri Śaṅkarācharya, Central Chinmaya Mission Trust, page 6</ref>}}

''Atma Bodha'' describes the world and the individual soul are in true essence Brahman, the Absolute Reality, with the nature of Sat-chit-anand, or truth-consciousness-bliss. Brahman is the substratum on which is projected by imagination all the manifested things of the world; the all-pervading Atman illumining the mind and the senses shines in the intellect (''[[Buddhi]]'') just as the reflection in a mirror.{{citation needed|date=December 2015}}

{{Quote|
<poem>
The yogi endowed with complete enlightenment sees,
through the eye of Knowledge,
the entire universe in his own Self,
regards everything as the Self and nothing else.
</poem>
|'' Ātma-bōdha'', 47|<ref name=indichav111>William M Indich (2000), Consciousness in Advaita Vedanta, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-8120812512}}, page 111</ref>}}

The self-abiding Jivanmukta, states verses 49-51 of Atmabodha, is satisfied with his state of bliss derived from [[Atman (Hinduism)|Atman]] (soul, self), is free from hate for anyone, seeks unity, is perfected in peace, grows radiant, rejoices with what he has, is the one who "shines inwardly, like a lamp placed inside a vase".<ref name=indichav111/><ref>Adi Śaṅkarācārya (Translated by C Johnston), {{Google books|28YLAAAAIAAJ|The Atma-Bodha (self-wisdom) of Shankara-Acharya}}, Divine Life Press Chicago, page 8</ref>

{{Quote|
<poem>
Through study, reflection and meditation,
You exhaust your vasanas, desires and discover your real Self.
It is through your self-effort you gain the knowledge of Self.
And by discovering your inner Self you experience the infinite, all pervading Brahman.
</poem>
|''Ātma-bōdha'', 66-68|<ref>A Parthasarathy (1971), Atmabodha: Knowledge of Self, Vidya Bhavan, {{oclc|700539}}, page 18</ref>}}

==Commentaries and translations==
[[Swami Nikhilananda|Nikhilananda]] states that Shankara's Vedic non-dualistic (''[[Advaita]]'') philosophy is based on the divinity of the soul, the unity of existence, the Oneness of the Godhead.<ref>{{cite book|title=Atma-bodha with translation and commentary by Nikhilananda|author=Sankaracarya|pages=xiii, xiv, xiv, xviii|url=http://www.estudantedavedanta.net/Sri_Shankaracharya-AtmaBodha%20(and%20Other%20Stotras)%20-%20Swami%20Nikhilananda%20(1947)%20[Sanskrit-English].pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901181000/http://estudantedavedanta.net/Sri_Shankaracharya-AtmaBodha%20(and%20Other%20Stotras)%20-%20Swami%20Nikhilananda%20(1947)%20%5BSanskrit-English%5D.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-09-01}}</ref>

The first translation of ''Ātma-bodha'' into English language from Sanskrit by J. Taylor was published in 1812 titled - The Knowledge of Spirit,<ref>{{cite book|title=Bibliotheca marsdeniana philological et orientalis|page=220|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=3zU7AAAAMAAJ&q=atma+bodha+1812+taylor&pg=PA220 |last1=Marsden|first1=William|year=1827}}</ref> later another translation rendered by Rev. J.F.Kearns, along with English commentary and titled - ''Atma Bodha'' Prakashika, was published in the May, 1876 issue of The ''Indian Antiquary'' (pages 125-133).<ref>{{cite book|title=Indian Antiquary Vol.5|year = 1876|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=bvXlAAAAMAAJ&q=atma+bodha&pg=PA125 }}</ref> An English translation and commentary of 1944 by Swami [[Nikhilananda]] was published in India in June, 1947 by [[Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai]]. [[Ramana Maharshi|Sri Ramana Maharshi]] translated ''Ātma-bodha'' into [[Tamil language|Tamil]] in verse-form.<ref>{{cite book|title=Ramana, Shankara and Forty Verses|year=2005|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publications|page=82|isbn=9788120819887|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=tvEXfZ-tmR8C&q=atma+bodha&pg=PA82 }}</ref> [[Chinmayananda Saraswati]] has also written a translation of the same.<ref name="Chinmayananda1987">{{cite book|author=Swami Chinmayananda|author-link=Swami Chinmayananda|title=Atma Bodh|year=1987|publisher=[[Chinmaya Mission]]|isbn=978-81-7597-063-2}}</ref> [[:pl:Anandmurti_Guruma|Anandmurti Gurumaa]] has also written a [https://www.amazon.in/Adi-Shankaracharyas-Atmabodha-Anandmurti-Gurumaa/dp/9381464626 commentary] on Atmabodha presenting the philosophy of [[Advaita Vedanta]]. ''[[Swami Nikhilananda]]'' has also given a commentary on the same in book titled [https://ramakrishna.org/selfknowledge.html Self Knowledge].

==See also==
*[[Brahma Sutras]]
*[[Upadesasahasri]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Indian Philosophy}}
{{Hindudharma}}

[[Category:8th-century Sanskrit literature]]
[[Category:Advaita Vedanta]]
[[Category:Sanskrit poetry]]
[[Category:8th-century poems]]
[[Category:Adi Shankara]]
[[Category:Advaita Vedanta texts]]

Atma bodha - Revision history

UDsportHD at 09:44, 4 January 2025