A collection of teachings from Hastamalaka of Adi Shankaracharya
Who are you? Whose child are you? Whither are you bound?
What is your name? Whence you have come? Oh Child! I should like to hear your
reply to these questions.’ Thus spoke Sri Shankaracharya to the boy, and
Hastamalaka replied as follows.
I am neither man, God, yaksha, brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya,
sudra, brahmachari, householder, forest dweller, nor sannyasi; but I am pure
awareness alone.
Just as the sun causes all worldly movements, so do I – the ever-present,
conscious Self – cause the mind to be active and the senses to function. Again,
just as the ether is all-pervading yet devoid of any specific qualities, so am I
free from all qualities.
I am the conscious Self, ever-present and associated with
everything in the same manner as heat is always associated with fire. I am that
eternal, undifferentiated, unshaken Consciousness, on account of which the
insentient mind and senses function, each in its own manner.
I am that conscious Self of whom the ego is not independent
as the image in a mirror is not independent of the object reflected.
I am the unqualified, conscious Self, existing even after
the extinction of buddhi, just as the object remains ever the same even after
the removal of the reflecting mirror.
I am eternal Consciousness, dissociated from the mind and
senses. I am the mind of the mind, the eye of the eye, ear of the ear and so
on. I am not cognizable by the mind and senses.
I am the eternal, single, conscious Self, reflected in
various intellects, just as the sun is reflected on the surface of various
sheets of water.
I am the single, conscious Self illumining all intellects,
just as the sun simultaneously illumines all eyes so that they perceive
objects.
Only those eyes that are helped by the sun are capable of
seeing objects, not others. The source from which the sun derives its power is
myself.
Just as the reflection of the sun on agitated waters seems
to break up, but remains perfect on a calm surface, so also am I, the conscious
Self, unrecognizable in agitated intellects though I clearly shine in those
who are calm.
Just as a fool thinks that the sun is entirely lost when it
is hidden by dense clouds, so do people think that the ever-free Self is bound.
Just as the ether is all-pervading and unaffected by contact,
so also does the ever-conscious Self pervade everything without being affected
in any way. I am that Self.
Just as a transparent crystal takes on the lines of its
background, but is in no way changed thereby, and just as the unchanging moon
on being reflected on undulating surfaces appears agitated, so is it with You,
the all-pervading God.
(Source: Hastamalaka Translation by Sri Ramana Maharshi)
Explanation
Adi Shankaracharya’s teaching essentially states that while
all living things share the same fundamental origin, human beings possess a
unique capacity that sets them apart.
Here is a simplified breakdown of his logic:
1. We are all made of the same “stuff”
Shankara notes that all beings are essentially
“modifications of food” (meaning physical, material bodies) and all ultimately
originate from the same divine source, Brahman. At a fundamental,
existential level, there is no difference between a human, an animal, or a
plant—we are all part of the same cosmic web.
2. The Unique “Human Edge”
If everything comes from the same source, why is the human
experience distinct? Shankara argues it is because of our pre-eminence, or
unique capacity. Humans are uniquely equipped with two specific tools that
other beings lack:
Karma (Action/Duty): Humans can consciously act with an
understanding of rights, duties, and ethical consequences. We don’t just act on
instinct; we act on values and intentionality.
Jnana (Knowledge/Self-Awareness): Humans have the
intellectual and spiritual capacity to inquire about the nature of reality and
realize their own divinity (Brahman).
3. Why are we “Qualified”?
Shankara explains that this human uniqueness comes from
three specific abilities:
Ability (Samarthya): We have the physical and mental
faculties to perform complex actions and think abstractly.
Craving/Desire (Arthitva): We have a “hunger” to
achieve goals and improve our situation. While this often leads to worldly
desire, it is also the spark that drives the search for liberation.
Non-difference/Reflection (Aviruddhatva): This refers
to the human ability to reflect on the nature of our actions and understand
that, despite our individual lives, we are not ultimately different from the
source of all things.
In Summary
Think of it this way: All living things are like waves
in the ocean. While the water in every wave is identical (the essence of
Brahman), the human “wave” is the only one capable of realizing that it is, in
fact, the entire ocean.
Because we have the unique intelligence to understand our
own nature and the free will to choose our path, we hold a special
responsibility to use that potential to transition from mere survival to
self-realization
