Self-realisation refers to the understanding of one's true nature across spiritual traditions. Many traditions converge on the idea that self-realisation is a path to liberation and enlightenment. However, traditions diverge in their approaches and perspectives on achieving this state.
717 quotes
The one controller of the many inactive ones, who makes the single seed manifold — the wise who behold him dwelling within themselves, to them belongs eternal happiness, and to no others.
एको वशी निष्क्रियाणां बहूना- मेकं बीजं बहुधा यः करोति । तमात्मस्थं येऽनुपश्यन्ति धीरा- स्तेषां सुखं शाश्वतं नेतरेषाम् ॥ १२॥
On the same tree, the soul, sunk in delusion, grieves at its own helplessness. But when it sees the other, the Lord who is worshipped, and his greatness, it becomes free from sorrow.
समाने वृक्षे पुरुषो निमग्नोऽ- नीशया शोचति मुह्यमानः । जुष्टं यदा पश्यत्यन्यमीशमस्य महिमानमिति वीतशोकः ॥ ७॥
Two birds, close companions, ever united, cling to the same tree. Of the two, one eats the sweet fruit; the other looks on without eating.
द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते । तयोरन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यन- श्नन्नन्यो अभिचाकशीति ॥ ६॥
The knot of the heart is loosened, all doubts are cut away, and one's deeds wear out, when he is seen who is both high and low.
भिद्यते हृदयग्रन्थिश्छिद्यन्ते सर्वसंशयाः । क्षीयन्ते चास्य कर्माणि तस्मिन्दृष्टे परावरे ॥ ८॥
This Self cannot be attained by teaching, nor by intellect, nor by much learning. It is attained only by the one whom it chooses; to such a one this Self reveals its own form.
नायमात्मा प्रवचनेन लभ्यो न मेधया न बहुना श्रुतेन । यमेवैष वृणुते तेन लभ्य- स्तस्यैष आत्मा विवृणुते तनूं स्वाम् ॥ ३॥
This is the state of Brahman, Partha. Having attained it, one is no longer deluded. Established in it even at the hour of death, one reaches union with Brahman.
एषा ब्राह्मी स्थितिः पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति | स्थित्वास्यामन्तकालेऽपि ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृच्छति ||२-७२||
The Blessed Lord said: When one gives up all the desires that arise in the mind, Partha, and is content within the Self by the Self alone, then one is called steady in wisdom.
श्रीभगवानुवाच | प्रजहाति यदा कामान्सर्वान्पार्थ मनोगतान् | आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते ||२-५५||
Arjuna said: What is the description of one steady in wisdom, established in deep concentration, Keshava? How does such a person speak, how does he sit, how does he move?
अर्जुन उवाच | स्थितप्रज्ञस्य का भाषा समाधिस्थस्य केशव | स्थितधीः किं प्रभाषेत किमासीत व्रजेत किम् ||२-५४||
The Person alone is all this—work, austerity, Brahman, beyond death. One who knows this, hidden in the cave of the heart, cuts asunder the knot of ignorance here, my dear.
पुरुष एवेदं विश्वं कर्म तपो ब्रह्म परामृतम् । एतद्यो वेद निहितं गुहायां सोऽविद्याग्रन्थिं विकिरतीह सोम्य ॥ १०॥
Om is the bow, the Self is the arrow, and Brahman is called its target. It is to be pierced by one who is undistracted; then one becomes one with it, like the arrow.
प्रणवो धनुः शरो ह्यात्मा ब्रह्म तल्लक्ष्यमुच्यते । अप्रमत्तेन वेद्धव्यं शरवत्तन्मयो भवेत् ॥ ४॥
On the same tree the Person, sunk in grief, is deluded by his own helplessness; but when he sees the other, the Lord who is worshipped, and his greatness, he becomes free of sorrow.
समाने वृक्षे पुरुषो निमग्नो- ऽनीशया शोचति मुह्यमानः । जुष्टं यदा पश्यत्यन्यमीश- मस्य महिमानमिति वीतशोकः ॥ २॥
The fourth is without element, beyond dealings, the cessation of the world, benign, non-dual. Thus Om is the very Self. One who knows this enters the Self by the Self.
अमात्रश्चतुर्थोऽव्यवहार्यः प्रपञ्चोपशमः शिवोऽद्वैत एवमोङ्कार आत्मैव संविशत्यात्मनाऽऽत्मानं य एवं वेद ॥ १२॥
They consider the fourth to be this: not conscious of the inner, not conscious of the outer, not conscious of both, not a mass of consciousness, not conscious, not unconscious; unseen, beyond dealings, ungraspable, without marks, unthinkable, indescribable, whose essence is the certainty of the one Self, in which the world has ceased, tranquil, benign, non-dual. That is the Self; that is to be known.
नान्तःप्रज्ञं न बहिष्प्रज्ञं नोभयतःप्रज्ञं न प्रज्ञानघनं न प्रज्ञं नाप्रज्ञम् । अदृष्टमव्यवहार्यमग्राह्यमलक्षणं अचिन्त्यमव्यपदेश्यमेकात्मप्रत्ययसारं प्रपञ्चोपशमं शान्तं शिवमद्वैतं चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते स आत्मा स विज्ञेयः ॥ ७॥
All this is indeed Brahman. This Self is Brahman. This Self has four quarters.
सर्वं ह्येतद् ब्रह्मायमात्मा ब्रह्म सोऽयमात्मा चतुष्पात् ॥ २॥
The happiness that is like poison at first but like nectar in the end, born of the serenity of one's own mind — that is declared to be sattvic.
यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम् | तत्सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम् ||१८-३७||
Those who, with the eye of knowledge, thus know the distinction between the field and the knower of the field, and the liberation of beings from Prakriti — they attain the Supreme.
क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोरेवमन्तरं ज्ञानचक्षुषा | भूतप्रकृतिमोक्षं च ये विदुर्यान्ति ते परम् ||१३-३५||
What is night for all beings is the time of waking for the disciplined one; and what is waking for all beings is night for the sage who sees.
या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी | यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि सा निशा पश्यतो मुनेः ||२-६९||
'That which is this finest essence — this whole world has that as its self. That is the truth. That is the Self. That you are, Svetaketu.' 'Please, sir, explain it to me further.' 'So be it, my dear,' he said.
स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदꣳ सर्वं तत् सत्यꣳ स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच
'That which is this finest essence — this whole world has that as its self. That is the truth. That is the Self. That you are, Svetaketu.' 'Please, sir, explain it to me further.' 'So be it, my dear,' he said.
स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदꣳ सर्वं तत्सत्यꣳ स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच
'That which is this finest essence — this whole world has that as its self. That is the truth. That is the Self. That you are, Svetaketu.' 'Please, sir, explain it to me further.' 'So be it, my dear,' he said.
स य एषोऽणिमैतदात्म्यमिदꣳ सर्वं तत्सत्यꣳ स आत्मा तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो इति भूय एव मा भगवान्विज्ञापयत्विति तथा सोम्येति होवाच