Manisha Panchakam in English is a 5 stanza stotram by Sri Adi Shankaracharya. Once, in Kasi, when Adi Shankara was going to the Vishwanath Temple after his bath in Ganga, his path was blocked by a “Chandala (untouchable)”, who was accompanied by his wife and 4 dogs. The disciples of Sri Sankara shouted at him to make way, and to keep a distance, as was customary in those days. The untouchable smiled and said, “According to your principle of Advaita, which you practice, all the Jivatma are the same as God. How do you ask me to go? How am I different from your Paramacharya? What you say is unreasonable. How can I go away from myself?”. Adi Shankaracharya realized that the chandala is none other than Lord Viswanatha along with his consort Visalakshi Devi and the four Vedas. He prostrated before him and sang five slokas, which are called Manisha Panchakam. Get Manisha Panchakam in English Pdf Lyrics here and chant it with devotion for the grace of Lord Shiva.
Manisha Panchakam in English
anuṣṭup chandaḥ –
satyācāryasya gamane kadācinmukti dāyakam |
kāśīkśetraṃ prati saha gauryā mārge tu śṅkaram ||
antyaveṣadharaṃ dṛṣṭvā gaccha gaccheti cābravīt |
śaṅkaraḥso’pi cāṇḍalastaṃ punaḥ prāha śṅkaram ||
āryā vṛtta –
annamayādannamayamathavā caitanyameva caitanyāt |
yativara dūrīkartuṃ vāñchasi kiṃ brūhi gaccha gaccheti |
śārdūla vikrīḍita chanda –
pratyagvastuni nistaraṅgasahajānandāvabodhāmbudhau
vipro’yaṃ śvapaco’yamityapi mahānko’yaṃ vibhedabhramaḥ |
kiṃ gaṅgāmbuni bimbite’mbaramaṇau cāṇḍālavīthīpayaḥ
pūre vā’ntaramasti kāñcanaghaṭīmṛtkumbhayorvā’mbare ||
Manisha Panchakam
jāgratsvapnasuṣuptiṣu sphuṭatarā yā saṃvidujjṛmbhate
yā brahmādipipīlikāntatanuṣu protā jagatsākṣiṇī |
saivāhaṃ na ca dṛśyavastviti dṛḍhaprajñāpi yasyāsti ce-
ccāṇḍālo’stu sa tu dvijo’stu gururityeṣā manīṣā mama || 1 ||
brahmaivāhamidaṃ jagacca sakalaṃ cinmātravistāritaṃ
sarvaṃ caitadavidyayā triguṇayā’śeṣaṃ mayā kalpitam |
itthaṃ yasya dṛḍhā matiḥ sukhatare nitye pare nirmale
cāṇḍālo’stu sa tu dvijo’stu gururityeṣā manīṣā mama || 2 ||
śaśvannaśvarameva viśvamakhilaṃ niścitya vācā guro-
rnityaṃ brahma nirantaraṃ vimṛśatā nirvyājaśāntātmanā |
bhūtaṃ bhāvi ca duṣkṛtaṃ pradahatā saṃvinmaye pāvake
prārabdhāya samarpitaṃ svavapurityeṣā manīṣā mama || 3 ||
yā tiryaṅnaradevatābhirahamityantaḥ sphuṭā gṛhyate
yadbhāsā hṛdayākṣadehaviṣayā bhānti svato’cetanāḥ |
tāṃ bhāsyaiḥ pihitārkamaṇḍalanibhāṃ sphūrtiṃ sadā bhāvaya-
nyogī nirvṛtamānaso hi gururityeṣā manīṣā mama || 4 ||
yatsaukhyāmbudhileśaleśata ime śakrādayo nirvṛtā
yaccitte nitarāṃ praśāntakalane labdhvā munirnirvṛtaḥ |
yasminnityasukhāmbudhau galitadhīrbrahmaiva na brahmavid
yaḥ kaścitsa surendravanditapado nūnaṃ manīṣā mama || 5 ||
dāsaste’haṃ dehadṛṣṭyā’smi śaṃbho
jātasteṃ’śo jīvadṛṣṭyā tridṛṣṭe |
sarvasyā”tmannātmadṛṣṭyā tvameve-
tyevaṃ me dhīrniścitā sarvaśāstraiḥ ||
|| iti śrīmacchaṅkarabhagavataḥ kṛtau manīṣā pañcakaṃ sampūrṇam ||
