Dakshinamurthy is another name of Lord Shiva. The Dakshinamurthy Stotram is written by Adi Shankaracharya. The Stotram is spiritual wisdom. It is the enlightenment of ancient sages.
The Stotram is the basis for Listening, Meditation, and Contemplation. Dakshinamurthy Stotram is a prayer to the Lord as an Instructor.
The verses of this prayer are used to teach Vedanta and profound teachings. Contemplation of the divine Stotram leads to higher goals for sadhana and to remove fundamental ignorance.
In a nutshell, the Stotram is moksha shastra that can lead to one’s liberation.
Dakshinamurthy Stotram With Meaning
दक्षिणामूर्तिस्तोत्रं
विश्वं दर्पणदृश्यमाननगरीतुल्यं निजान्तर्गतं
पश्यन्नात्मनि मायया बहिरिवोद्भूतं यथा निद्रया ।
यः साक्षात्कुरुते प्रबोधसमये स्वात्मानमेवाद्वयं
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥ १॥
The universe is the reflection of a mirror. The Truth is the
Supreme Brahman, the one without a second. The mind, senses and
intellect are all able to only discern the reflection of the
Atman. The identity of the brahman and the Atman is apparent
after self-illumination. I offer my profound salutations to
the auspicious Guru, who is an embodiment of DakShinamurti,
and whose grace is responsible for the illumination.
बीजस्यान्तरिवाङ्कुरो जगदिदं प्राङ्निर्विकल्पं पुनः
मायाकल्पितदेशकालकलनावैचित्र्यचित्रीकृतम् ।
मायावीव विजृम्भयत्यपि महायोगीव यः स्वेच्छया
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥ २॥
He in whom this universe, before its projection was present
like a tree in a seed(unmanifested), and by whose magic this
was transformed(manifested) in various forms, by His own will
similar to a yogi’s- to that DakShinamurti, who is embodied
in the auspicious Guru, I offer my profound salutations.
यस्यैव स्फुरणं सदात्मकमसत्कल्पार्थकं भासते
साक्षात्तत्त्वमसीति वेदवचसा यो बोधयत्याश्रितान् ।
यत्साक्षात्करणाद्भवेन्न पुनरावृत्तिर्भवाम्भोनिधौ
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥ ३॥
He, by whose light the (unreal) universe appears real, teaches
the truth of brahman to those who want to know the Atman
through the Vedic statement tattvamasi (thou art That) and He
Who puts an end to the samsaric cycle – to that DakShinamurti,
who is embodied in the auspicious Guru, I offer my profound
salutations.
नानाच्छिद्रघटोदरस्थितमहादीपप्रभाभास्वरं
ज्ञानं यस्य तु चक्षुरादिकरणद्वारा बहिः स्पन्दते ।
जानामीति तमेव भान्तमनुभात्येतत्समस्तं जगत्
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥ ४॥
He whose light gleams through the senses like the light
emanating from a pot with holes (in which a lamp is kept),
He whose knowledge alone brings the state of knowing (I am
That), He whose brightness makes everything shine – to that
DakShinamurti, who is embodied in the auspicious Guru, I offer
my profound salutations.
देहं प्राणमपीन्द्रियाण्यपि चलां बुद्धिं च शून्यं विदुः
स्त्रीबालान्धजडोपमास्त्वहमिति भ्रान्ता भृशं वादिनः ।
मायाशक्तिविलासकल्पितमहा व्यामोहसंहारिणे
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥ ५॥
Some philosophers contend the body, senses, life-breath,
intellect and non-existence (shunya) as the real I’
(Atman). Their comprehension is worse than that of women,
children, blind and the dull. He who destroys this delusion
caused by Maya (and makes us aware of the Truth)- to that
DakShinamurti, who is embodied in the auspicious Guru, I offer
my profound salutations.
राहुग्रस्तदिवाकरेन्दुसदृशो मायासमाच्छादनात्
सन्मात्रः करणोपसंहरणतो योऽभूत्सुषुप्तः पुमान् ।
प्रागस्वाप्समिति प्रबोधसमये यः प्रत्यभिज्ञायते
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥ ६॥
The brilliance of the sun exists even when intercepted by Rahu
during the eclipse. Similarly, the power of cognition only remains
suspended during deep sleep. The Self exists as a pure being
even though unrecognized due to the veil of Maya. A person
on awakening becomes aware that he was asleep earlier (and
the dream was unreal). Similarly, a person who awakens to the
the consciousness of the Self recognizes his previous state of
ignorance is unreal. He by whose grace alone does one awaken
to the consciousness of the Self – to that DakShinamurti,
who is embodied in the auspicious Guru, I offer my profound
salutations.
बाल्यादिष्वपि जाग्रदादिषु तथा सर्वास्ववस्थास्वपि
व्यावृत्तास्वनुवर्तमानमहमित्यन्तः स्फुरन्तं सदा ।
स्वात्मानं प्रकटीकरोति भजतां यो मुद्रया भद्रया
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥ ७॥
He, whose existence is changeless throughout the various
states of the body (like old, young, etc) and the mind (waking,
dreaming etc), and who reveals the greatest knowledge of Atman
by jnAna-mudra (the joining of the thumb and the forefinger of
a raised right hand) – to that DakShinamurti, who is embodied
in the auspicious Guru, I offer my profound salutations.
विश्वं पश्यति कार्यकारणतया स्वस्वामिसंबन्धतः
शिष्याचार्यतया तथैव पितृपुत्राद्यात्मना भेदतः ।
स्वप्ने जाग्रति वा य एष पुरुषो मायापरिभ्रामितः
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥ ८॥
He, whose power of Maya enables one to experience the world
as multiform (like a teacher, disciple, father, son, etc) during
both the waking and dream states – to that DakShinamurti,
who is embodied in the auspicious Guru, I offer my profound
salutations.
भूरम्भांस्यनलोऽनिलोऽम्बरमहर्नाथो हिमांशुः पुमान्
इत्याभाति चराचरात्मकमिदं यस्यैव मूर्त्यष्टकम् ।
नान्यत्किञ्चन विद्यते विमृशतां यस्मात्परस्माद्विभोः
तस्मै श्रीगुरुमूर्तये नम इदं श्रीदक्षिणामूर्तये ॥ ९॥
He, whose subtle and unmanifest eightfold form causes the
moving and the unmoving universe, and by whose grace alone does
all these manifestations disappear to reveal that All that
exists is Brahman’ – to that DakShinamurti, who is embodied
in the auspicious Guru, I offer my profound salutations.
सर्वात्मत्वमिति स्फुटीकृतमिदं यस्मादमुष्मिन् स्तवे
तेनास्य श्रवणात्तदर्थमननाद्ध्यानाच्च सङ्कीर्तनात् ।
सर्वात्मत्वमहाविभूतिसहितं स्यादीश्वरत्वं स्वतः
सिद्ध्येत्तत्पुनरष्टधा परिणतं चैश्वर्यमव्याहतम् ॥ १०॥
The verse points out the all-pervasiveness of the indwelling
Spirit, Atman. By the recital, contemplation, and meditation
of this hymn, the disciple attains the state of oneness with
Atman and realizes his unity with the universe, thus becoming
the very essence of the eightfold manifestation.
वटविटपिसमीपे भूमिभागे निषण्णं
सकलमुनिजनानां ज्ञानदातारमारात् ।
त्रिभुवनगुरुमीशं दक्षिणामूर्तिदेवं
जननमरणदुःखच्छेददक्षं नमामि ॥
This verse is usually recited at the end of the recital of the
above hymn. I offer my profound salutations to Shri maha
Dakshina Murty, the remover of the worldly (samsaric) bonds
binding us, Who is to be meditated upon as the one sitting
under a banyan tree and bestowing knowledge (jnana)instantly
on all the sages (and the devoted disciples).
इति श्रीमच्छङ्करभगवतः कृतौ दक्षिणामूर्त्यष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ।
