Daśaślokī

I am not earth, nor water, neither fire nor air. I do not identify myself with the ether (the subtlest material element). My true nature is not composed of any of these material elements. I am not the mind nor the physical senses, as well as with any combination of them, I am disassociated from the physical and sensory aspects of existence. That One (tad) alone (ekah) remains (avashiṣṭah) the One without a second.

I am not defined by societal roles, nor material possessions, nor stages of life. The pleasures and duties of the world are not mines to hold onto or identify with, I do not take refuge in the non-self, which can be understood as the body, the mind, and the ego that are distinct from the true Self. Even the steadying of the mind, concentration, self-communion and other courses are not for me. Not even spiritual practices are not what defines my true nature. None of the things that are 'mine' or associated with 'me’. That One (tad) alone (ekah) remains (avashiṣṭah) the One without a second.

I have neither father (pitā) nor mother (mātā), no gods (devā) nor there are any subtle realms (lokā). I am not the the ancient sacred scriptures (vedā), nor the sacrifical sites, nor the rituals. In the state of deep sleep (suṣaptau) the Self is completely devoid of any object of perception. There is an absence of all these identifications. That One (tad) alone (ekah) remains (avashiṣṭah) the One without a second.

I am not identified with any religions or philosophies (Sāṅkhya, worship of Shivaism, worship of Vishnu, nor Jainism), I have no religious duties nor any beliefs, no dwelling sacred place, and I am not the doer or the enjoyer. I am witness to everything, free from all attributes. That One (tad) alone (ekah) remains (avashiṣṭah) the One without a second.

There is neither above (urdhvam) nor below (adhah), neither inside (antar) nor outside (bahyam). The Self is not limited to any direction or spatial dimension. I am not in the middle (madhyam), across nor horizontal (tiryak), nor in the eastern or western directions (purva-apara dik). The Self is beyond all conceivable axes of space. For it is all-pervasive like space (viyad), I am indivisible (akhanda) and I am without any attributes, I am formless (aka-rupa). That One (tad) alone (ekah) remains (avashiṣṭah) the One without a second.

I am not white (śuklam), nor black (kṛṣṇam), nor red (raktam), nor yellow (pītam). I negate identification with any color which can be seen, denying any attributes that are perceived by the senses. I am not dwarfish (kubjam), stout (pīnam), neither short (hrasvam) nor tall (dīrgham), which are descriptions of physical form. The Self is beyond any physical characteristics or dimensions. Without form “arūpaṁ” and in the form of light by nature. The inner light of Consciousness, not a physical light. That One (tad) alone (ekah) remains (avashiṣṭah) the One without a second.

I do not identify with any authority figure or any teacher (śāstā). I am not the knowledge contained within the sacred scriptures (śāstraṁ), nor I am bound by the doctrines prescribed therein. I am not a disciple who receives instruction or guidance (śiṣya). My true nature is beyond the process of learning and the accumulation of knowledge (śikṣā). I negate the individual identities and the entire manifested Universe. There is no you (tvaṁ) nor I (ahaṁ). This creation or in the manifested world is not (ayaṁ prapañcaḥ). My true nature as pure Consciousness (svarūpāva bodho) endures beyond thought constructs and imaginations (vikalpā), unaffected by them (sahiṣṇuḥ). That One (tad) alone (ekah) remains (avashiṣṭah) the One without a second.

I am not the waking state (Jāgran), the dreaming state (svapnako), nor the deep sleep state (suṣuptiḥ). My true Self is not confined to any of these states of Consciousness. I am not the experiencer (viśvau), nor identified with the dreaming state (taijasaḥ) nor identified with the deep sleep (prājñako). My true nature transcends these states. The first three states are rooted in ignorance or non-realization of the true Self (avidyātma katvāt). I am not any of the latter three states (trayāṇaṁ), I am the fourth state (turīyaḥ), which is beyond the other three. Turīya is not another state like waking, dreaming, or deep sleep, but a state of pure Consciousness that underlies and transcends them. That One (tad) alone (ekah) remains (avashiṣṭah) the One without a second.

All this universe which is other than the Self is worthless and has no existence of its own. The Self is all-pervading (vyāpa katvād). By the application of the intellect and discernment, one can realize the all-pervasive nature of the Self (dhi tatva prayogāt). To achieve the state of being Self-realized (svataḥ siddha bhāvā) it does not depend on anything else external (ananyā śraya tvāt). That One (tad) alone (ekah) remains (avashiṣṭah) the One without a second.

How could there be a second, something other than That? The ultimate reality cannot be called 'one', because to do so would imply the possibility of a 'second'. There is no 'one' and therefore no 'second'. Aloneness cannot be attributed to it nor even not-aloneness. Any conceptualization that limits the true nature of reality, whether it is seen as singular or plural (kevalatvam) is an illusion. It is neither a void (śunyaṁ) nor a non-void (advaita katvāt). The true nature of reality cannot be captured by any conceptual opposites. The essence of Vedanta's teachings is realized and proven true through this understanding of non-duality, which transcends all conceptual dualities (kathaṁ sarva vedānta siddhaṁ).