Manisha Panchakam

Manisha Panchakam is a stotra containing five verses (slokas) composed by Shri Adi Shankaracharya, the Hindu philosopher. It is said that in these five verses Shankara brings out the essence of Advaita Vedanta.

The word Manisha means firm conviction, and Panchak means five. So the name of the stotra can be translated as "Five verses of firm conviction". Adi Shankara wrote the Manisha Panchakam at Varanasi (Kashi/Benaras), the ancient sacred city of India, and the home to the famous Kashi Visvanatha temple.

Origin
According to the story, Adi Shankaraachaarya, was on his way to the temple after finishing his bath in Ganga, when he came across a chandaala (an outcaste) and his four dogs. He asked the chandaala to move away from him, as was the custom in those days, to which the chandaala questioned him in two Sanskrit verses -

"अन्नमायादन्नमयमथवा चैतन्यमेव चैतन्यात् यतिवर दूरीकर्तुं वाञ्छसि किं ब्रूहि गच्छगच्छेति"

"To move matter  from  matter,  or to  separate  spirit  from  Spirit? O  best  among  the  twiceborn, which  of  these  two  do  you  wish  to  achieve by  saying,  “Move  away,  move  away”?"

Shankara replied to the questions in five verses and touched the feet of Chandala, as a way to show respect towards him.

Manisha Panchakam
First Verse -

"जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्तिषु स्फुटतरा या संविदुज्जृम्भते या ब्रह्मादिपिपीलिकान्ततनुषु प्रोता जगत्साक्षिणी सैवाहं न च दृश्यवस्त्विति दृढप्रज्ञापि यस्यास्ति च्चण्डालोऽस्तु स तु द्विजोऽस्तु गुरुरित्येषा मनीषा मम॥ १ ॥"

"In the waking, dream and deep sleep states, That which is their Illuminator, by which one comes to know and understand things From the Creator down to the ant, that which is the very spark of life in them; the witness of the entire universe That alone am I, and not the objects that are “seen”, firmly established in this Consciousness – if there is such a person, be he a Chandala or be he a Brahmana, such a one indeed is worthy of being a Guru. This is my firm conviction."

Second Verse -

"ब्रह्मैवाहमिदं जगच्च सकलं चिन्मात्रविस्तारितं सर्वं चैतदविद्यया त्रिगुणयाऽशेषं मया कल्पितम् । इत्थं यस्य दृढा मतिस्सुखतरे नित्ये परे निर्मले चण्डालोऽस्तु स तु द्विजोऽस्तु गुरुरित्येषा मनीषा मम ॥ २ ॥"

"I am pure Consciousness, and this entire universe, is only an  expansion  of  pure Consciousness Out of this  Maya all this that we  see, made of the three gunas, has been conjured by imagination, He whose  intellect  is  firmly  established in  the  all blissful, eternal, Supreme  Reality, be  he  a  Chandala  or be  he  a  Brahmana, such  a  one  is  indeed  worthy  of  being  a  Guru. This is  my  firm  conviction."

Third Verse -

"शश्वन्नश्वरमेव विश्वमखिलं निश्चित्य वाचा गुरो- र्नित्यं ब्रह्म निरन्तरं विमृशता निर्व्याजशान्तात्मना भूतं भावि च दुष्कृतं प्रदहता संविन्मये पावके प्रारब्धाय समर्पितं स्ववपुरित्येषा मनीषा मम ॥ ३ ॥"

"Permanently in a  state  of  flux is  this  entire world  of  change, reflect  thus  on  the  words  of  his  Guru "Brahman  is  Eternal" dwelling  on  this  only, casting  aside  all  dissimilar  thoughts, his  mind  is  quietened  and  poised And  all  past  and  future residual  Vasanas of  evil  deeds are burnt in  the  fire of  Pure consciousness, He thereafter  offers  his  body  to  Prarabdha Such  a one is  worthy  to  be  a Guru,  be  he  a  Chandala or a Brahmana, this  is  my  firm  conviction."

Fourth Verse -

"या तिर्यङ्नरदेवताभिरहमित्यन्तः स्फुटा गृह्यते यद्भासा हृदयाक्षदेहविषया भान्ति स्वतोऽचेतनाः तां भास्यैः पिहितार्कमण्डलनिभां स्फूर्तिं सदा भावय- न्योगी निर्वृतमानसो हि गुरुरित्येषा मनीषा मम ॥ ४ ॥"

"Upon That which  in  animals,  man  and  the  Deities is,  as the  inner  “I”    or  Ego clearly  perceived  to  be  present Upon  That  Light  by  which  the  mind,  senses  and body  instruments  are  enlivened, though  in  themselves  inert Upon  that  Radiance covered  by  dark clouds, yet  shining  forth  from  behind  them he  who always meditates a  Yogi,  with  mind  freed  of  all  thoughts, is indeed worthy  of  being a Guru, this  is  my  firm  conviction."

The word manisha appears in the last line in all the five Verses. Manisha Panchakam conveys the message that the Paramatman (consciousness) is same within all beings regardless bodily distinctions of caste. Once a person has attained Self-knowledge, considerations such as his caste are totally irrelevant.