Muni's PlayThe Witness (Sakshi) in Hinduism
This note compiles verses from various Hindu scriptures that reference the concept of Sakshi (the Witness)—the eternal, unchanging consciousness that observes all states of mind and existence without being attached to or affected by them.
Bhagavad Gita
Gita 9.18
गतिर्भर्ता प्रभुः साक्षी निवासः शरणं सुहृत्। प्रभवः प्रलयः स्थानं निधानं बीजमव्ययम्।।9.18।।
Translation: I am the goal, the supporter, the Lord, the witness, the abode, the shelter, the friend, the origin, the dissolution, the foundation, the treasure-house, and the imperishable seed.
Link: Gita Verse 9.18
Gita 13.23
उपद्रष्टाऽनुमन्ता च भर्ता भोक्ता महेश्वरः। परमात्मेति चाप्युक्तो देहेऽस्मिन्पुरुषः परः।।13.23।।
Translation: The Supreme Soul in this body is also called the observer (witness), the permitter, the sustainer, the enjoyer, the great Lord, and the Supreme Self.
Link: Gita Verse 13.23
Upanishads
Kena Upanishad 2.4
प्रतिबोधविदितं मतममृतत्वं हि विन्दते । आत्मना विन्दते वीर्यं विद्यया विन्दतेऽमृतम् ॥ १२ ॥
Translation: (The Brahman) is known well, when it is known as the witness of every state of consciousness; for (by such knowledge) one attains immortality. By his Self he attains strength and by knowledge, immortality.
Link: Kena Upanishad Verse 12
Shvetashvatara Upanishad 6.11
एको देवः सर्वभूतेषु गूढः सर्वव्यापी सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा। कर्माध्यक्षः सर्वभूताधिवासः साक्षी चेता केवलो निर्गुणश्च॥ ११॥
Translation: There is one Divine Being hidden in all beings, pervading everywhere, the inner soul of all beings, the overseer of all actions, the indweller of all beings, the witness, the bestower of consciousness, unique and beyond all qualities.
Ashtavakra Gita
Ashtavakra Gita 1.12
आत्मा साक्षी विभुः पूर्ण एको मुक्तश्चिदक्रियः। असंगो निःस्पृहः शान्तो भ्रमात्संसारवानिव॥ १२ ॥
Translation: The self is the witness, all-pervading, perfect, one, free, consciousness, actionless, unattached, desireless, and peaceful. Through illusion, it appears to be involved in the world.
Link: 1. Saksi
Ashtavakra Gita 15.4
न त्वं देहो न ते देहो भोक्ता कर्ता न वा भवान्। चिद्रूपोऽसि सदा साक्षी निरपेक्षः सुखं चर॥ ४ ॥
Translation: You are not the body, nor is the body yours. You are neither the enjoyer nor the doer. You are pure consciousness, the eternal witness, impartial. Live happily.
Link: 15. Tattvam
Advaita Vedanta
Tattvabodha 2
तत्त्वविवेकः कः ? आत्मा सत्यं तदन्यत् सर्वं मिथ्येति ।आत्मा कः ? स्थूलसूक्ष्मकारणशरीराद्व्यतिरिक्तः पञ्चकोशातीतः सन् अवस्थात्रयसाक्षी सच्चिदानन्दस्वरूपः सन् यस्तिष्ठति स आत्मा ।
Translation: What is the inquiry into Truth? It is the conviction that Atman (the Self) is the Reality and everything other than that is Mithya (unreal/apparent). What is the Atman? That which remains, being distinct from the gross, subtle, and causal bodies; beyond the five sheaths; the witness of the three states of consciousness; and whose essential nature is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss—that is the Atman.
Link: Tattvabodha 2
Advaita Makaranda 9
साक्षी सर्वान्वितः प्रेयानहं नाहं कदाचन । परिणामपरिच्छेदपरितापैरुपप्लवात् ॥ ९॥
Translation: I am the Witness, pervading all, the beloved. I am never the (ego) “I”, for that is afflicted by change, limitation, and suffering.
Link: Advaita Makaranda
Vivekachudamani
Verse 125
अस्ति कश्चित्स्वयं नित्यमहंप्रत्ययलम्बनः । अवस्थात्रयसाक्षी संपञ्चकोशविलक्षणः ॥ १२५ ॥
Translation: There is some Absolute Entity, the eternal substratum of the consciousness of egoism, the witness of the three states, and distinct from the five sheaths or coverings.
Verse 494
नारायणोऽहं नरकान्तकोऽहं पुरान्तकोऽहं पुरुषोऽहमीशः । अखण्डबोधोऽहमशेषसाक्षी निरीश्वरोऽहं निरहं च निर्ममः ॥ ४९४ ॥
Translation: I am Nārāyaṇa, the slayer of Nāraka; I am the destroyer of Tripura, the Supreme Being, the Ruler; I am knowledge Absolute, the Witness of everything; I have no other Ruler but myself, I am devoid of the ideas of “I’ and “mine”.
Link: Sudden Awakening
Sahasranamas (Names of God)
Vishnu Sahasranama
Vishnu Sahasranama Verse 2
पूतात्मा परमात्मा च मुक्तानां परमागतिः । अव्ययः पुरुषः साक्षी क्षेत्रज्ञोऽक्षर एव च ॥ 2 ॥
Name 15: Sakshi (साक्षी) — “He who is the witness of every thing that happens.”
Lalita Sahasranama
Lalita Sahasranama Verse 57
महेश्वर-महाकल्प-महाताण्डव-साक्षिणी । महाकामेश-महिषी महात्रिपुर-सुन्दरी ॥ ५७॥
Name 232: Maheswara Mahakalpa Maha thandava sakshini (महेश्वरमहाकल्पमहाताण्डवसाक्षिणी) — “She who will be the witness to the great dance to be performed by the great lord at the end of the worlds.”
Lalita Sahasranama Verse 84
सद्यःप्रसादिनी विश्व-साक्षिणी साक्षिवर्जिता । षडङ्गदेवता-युक्ता षाड्गुण्य-परिपूरिता ॥ ८४॥
Name 384: Viswa sakshini (विश्वसाक्षिणी) — “She who is the witness for the universe.” Name 385: Sakshi varjitha (साक्षिवर्जिता) — “She who does not have witness for herself.”
Lalita Sahasranama Verse 115
नित्यतृप्ता भक्तनिधिर्नियन्त्री निखिलेश्वरी । मैत्र्यादि-वासनालभ्या महाप्रलय-साक्षिणी ॥ ११५॥
Name 571: Maha pralaya sakshini (महाप्रलयसाक्षिणी) — “She who is the witness to the great deluge.”
Poetry and Other Texts
Aditya Hridayam 21
तप्त चामीकराभाय वह्नये विश्वकर्मणे । नमस्तमोऽभि निघ्नाय रवये लोकसाक्षिणे ॥ २१ ॥
Translation: Salutations to the one with the luster of molten gold, the fire, the divine architect; salutations to the Sun, the destroyer of darkness and the witness of the world.
Link: Aditya Hridayam
Sankhya Karika 19
तस्माच्च विपर्यासात् सिद्धं साक्षित्वमस्य पुरुषस्य । कैवल्यं माध्यस्थ्यं द्रष्टृत्वमकर्तृभावश्च ॥ १९ ॥
Translation: And from that contrast it is proved that this Purusa is witness, solitary, indifferent, spectator, and non-agent.
Link: Sankhya Karika Verse 19
Manusmriti 8.84
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनः साक्षी गतिरात्मा तथाऽत्मनः । माऽवमंस्थाः स्वमात्मानं नृणां साक्षिणमुत्तमम् ॥ ८४ ॥
Translation: The soul itself is the soul’s witness, and the soul itself is the soul’s refuge; disregard not your soul, the best witness of man.
Umasahasram 6.21
द्रष्टुं विश्वमपारं भारस्ते दयितस्य । कर्त्तुं कार्यमशेषं श्रीमातस्तव भारः ॥ ६.२१॥
Translation: To witness this boundless universe is the responsibility of Your Beloved (Shiva); but to actually perform every single cosmic task is Your responsibility, O Divine Mother.
Link: Stabaka 6
Umasahasram 6.22
साक्षी केवलमीशः कर्तुं भर्तुमुताहो । हर्तुं वाऽखिलमम्ब त्वं साक्षाद्धृतदीक्षा ॥ ६.२२॥
Translation: The Lord is merely the witness; but You, O Mother, have personally taken the sacred vow to create, sustain, and eventually dissolve this entire universe.
Link: Stabaka 6