Atmabodha of Shankaracarya, Self Knowledge

Vyaas Houston. Available on CD, with booklet of Sanskrit, translation & transliteration.

Atmabodha (Self Knowledge) is one of the most celebrated works by India's great spiritual genius-seer, Shankaracarya. Atmabodha conveys the essence of Vedanta through 68 verses, distinguishing the eternal luminous presence of the Self and obstructions to Self knowledge - made lucid by the use of metaphors from everyday life.

Verses:

"Having considered the jiva as the atman, like a serpent (perceived) in a rope, one is burdened by fear. When it is known 'I am not the jiva, but paramatma (the supreme self)', one becomes fearless."
[sanskrit / translit...]

"Atman alone illumines the buddhi etc. as well as the indriya (sense organs), as a lamp (illumines) a vessel etc.; one's atman (svatma) is not illumined by those inert things."
[sanskrit / translit...]

"In the case of one's bodha (knowledge), there is no need of another bodha, as atman is of the nature of bodha - just as a lamp has no need of another lamp, in regard to the illumination of itself."
[sanskrit / translit...]

"Nullifying all upadhi (limiting conditions) with the vakya (saying) "neti neti" (not this, not that), one should know there to be oneness of the jivatman and paramatman (individual soul and the supreme self), by means of the mahavakya (great sayings)." [sanskrit / translit...]