अच्युताष्टकम्

अच्युताष्टकम् आदि गुरु शंकराचार्य द्वारा रचित सर्वश्रेष्ठ एवं कर्णप्रिय स्तुतियों में से एक है।

अच्युतं केशवं रामनारायणं कृष्णदामोदरं वासुदेवं हरिम्।
श्रीधरं माधवं गोपीकावल्लभं जानकीनायकं रामचन्द्रं भजे ॥१॥

अच्युतं केशवं सत्यभामाधवं माधवं श्रीधरं राधिकाराधितम्।
इन्दिरामन्दिरं चेतसा सुन्दरं देवकीनंदनं नंदजं संदधे ॥२॥

विष्णवे जिष्णवे शंखिने चक्रिणे रुक्मिणीरागिणे जानकीजानये।
बल्लवीवल्लभायाऽर्चितायात्मने कंसविध्वंसिने वंशिने ते नम: ॥३॥

कृष्ण गोविन्द हे राम नारायण श्रीपते वासुदेवाजित श्रीनिधे।
अच्युतानन्त हे माधवाधोक्षज द्वारकानायक द्रोपदीरक्षक ॥४॥

राक्षसक्षोभित: सीतया शोभितो दण्डकारण्यभूपुण्यताकारण:।
लक्ष्मणेनान्वितो वानरै: सेवितोऽगस्त्यसंपूजितो राघव: पातु मां ॥५॥

धेनुकारिष्टकोऽनिष्टकृद् द्वेषिणां केशिहा कंसह्रद्वंशिकावादक:।
पूतनाकोपक: सूरजाखेलनो बालगोपालक: पातु मां सर्वदा ॥६॥

विद्युदुद्योतवान् प्रस्फुरद्वाससं प्रावृडम्भोदवत् प्रोल्लसद्विग्रहम्।
वन्यया मालया शोभितोरस्थलं लोहितांघ्रिद्वयं वारिजाक्षं भजे ॥७॥

कुंचितै: कुन्तलैर्भ्राजमानाननं रत्नमौलिं लसत् कुंडलं गण्डयो:।
हारकेयूरकं कंकणप्रोज्ज्वलं किंकिणीमंजुलं श्यामलं तं भजे ॥८॥

अच्युतस्याष्टकं य: पठेदिष्टदं प्रेमत: प्रत्यहं पूरुष: सस्पृहम्।
वृत्तत: सुन्दरं कर्तृविश्वम्भरं तस्य वश्यो हरिर्जायते सत्वरं ॥९॥

॥ इति श्रीमच्छंकराचार्यविरचितं अच्युताष्टकं संपूर्णं ॥

Jagadguru Sri Adi Sankaracharya was the greatest exponent of the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta and a savior of Vedic Dharma. Salutations to Sankara, who is an ever shining star on the sky of Indian philosophy.

The existence of Vedic Dharma in India today is due to Sankara. The forces opposed to Vedic religion were more numerous and powerful at the time of Sankara than they are today. Still, single-handed, within a very short time, Sankara overpowered them all and restored the Vedic Dharma and Advaita Vedanta to its pristine purity in the land pure knowledge and spirituality.

Sankaracharya occupies a very important position in the history of Indian philosophy. It can be affirmed, without any fear of contradiction, that Bharata Varsha would have ceased to be Bharata Varsha several centuries ago and would never have survived the murderous sword, the devastating fire and the religious intolerance of the successive invaders, if Sankara had not lived the life he lived and taught the lessons he taught. And those lessons are still pulsating in every cell and in every protoplasm of the true aspirant and the true Hindu.

What is Advaita Vedanta?

The doctrine of advaita vedanta as expounded by Sankara can be summed up in half a verse: �Brahma Satyam Jagan Mithya Jivo Brahmaiva Na Aparah" � Brahman (the Absolute) is alone real; this world is unreal; and the Jiva or the individual soul is non-different from Brahman. This is the quintessence of his philosophy.

According to Sri Sankara, whatever is, is Brahman. Brahman Itself is absolutely homogeneous. All difference and plurality are illusory.

Tenets of Advaita Vedanta

Brahman (the Absolute) is alone real; this world is unreal; and the Jiva or the individual soul is non-different from Brahman.
The Atman is self-evident (Svatah-siddha). It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible to deny the Atman, because It is the very essence of the one who denies It.
Brahman is not an object, as It is Adrisya, beyond the reach of senses, mind or intellect. It is not another. It is all-full, infinite, changeless, self-existent, self-delight, self-knowledge and self-bliss. It is Svarupa, essence. It is the essence of the knower. It is the Seer (Drashta), Transcendent (Turiya) and Silent Witness (Sakshi). It is always the Witnessing Subject. It can never become an object as It is beyond the reach of the senses. Brahman is non-dual, one without a second. It has no other beside It.
Sat-Chit-Ananda constitute the very essence or Svarupa of Brahman, and not just Its attributes.
The world is not an illusion according to Sankara. The world is relatively real (Vyavaharika Satta), while Brahman is absolutely real (Paramarthika Satta). The unchanging Brahman appears as the changing world because of a superimposition of non-Self (objects) on Self (subject - Brahman). This is called Avidya.
The Jiva or the individual soul is only relatively real. Its individuality lasts only so long as it is subject to unreal Upadhis or limiting conditions due to Avidya. The Jiva identifies itself with the body, mind and the senses, when it is deluded by Avidya or ignorance. Just as the bubble becomes one with the ocean when it bursts, so also the Jiva or the empirical self becomes one with Brahman when it gets knowledge of Brahman. When knowledge dawns in it through annihilation of Avidya, it is freed from its individuality and finitude and realizes its essential Satchidananda nature. It merges itself in the ocean of bliss. The river of life joins the ocean of existence. This is the Truth.
Because samsara (or duality) exists due to ignorance or Avidya, Knowledge (Jnana) alone can make an individual realize his true nature. Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga etc., are necessary only to purify the individual and to help remove this Avidya. All other paths culminate in Jnana.
Brahma Jnana is not about acquiring any external knowledge (as Brahman can't be an object of knowledge), it just about removing the Avidya or Maya. Sources https://web.archive.org/web/20180712000922/http://www.sankaracharya.org/