Morning Meditation by Adi Shankaracharya

All of Vedanta is contained in this beautiful morning prayer by Adi Shankaracharya. Apparently it was Swami Vivekananda’s favorite prayer which he used to sing often. Swami Vivekananda was a key person in the introduction of the eastern philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the western world - starting at the 1893 World Parliament of Religion in Chicago.

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प्रातः स्मरामि हृदि संस्फुरदात्मतत्त्वं

सच्चित्सुखं परमहंसगतिं तुरीयम् ।

यत्स्वप्नजागरसुषुप्तिमवैति नित्यं

तद्ब्रह्म निष्कलमहं न च भूतसङ्घः ॥१॥

Praatah Smaraami Hrdi Samsphurad-Aatma-Tattvam
Sac-Cit-Sukham Parama-Hamsa-Gatim Turiiyam |
Yat-Svapna-Jaagara-Sussuptim-Avaiti Nityam
Tad-Brahma Nisskalam-Aham Na Ca Bhuuta-Sangghah ||1||

Meaning:

In the Early Morning I remember (i.e. meditate on) the Pure Essence of the Atman shining within my Heart, …
Which gives the Bliss of Sacchidananda (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss essence), which is the Supreme Hamsa(symbolically a Pure White Swan floating in Chidakasha) and takes the mind to the state of Turiya (the fourth state, Superconsciousness),
Which knows (as a witness beyond) the three states of Dream, Waking and Deep Sleep, always,

That Brahman which is without any division shines as the I; and not this body which is a collection of Pancha Bhuta(Five Elements).

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