Sākshī
Sākshī · sa-akshī, “one with eyes; the witness”
Grammar: masculine noun, from sa (with) and akshi (eye): “one who sees with his own eyes, the witness”. Sākshi-caitanya is the witness-consciousness.
Meaning: the consciousness that sees the body, the senses and the mind without being touched by them. It does not eat the fruit of karma; it illumines everything and shines by itself. In the Bhāgavata Purāṇa it is Śrī Hari in all beings, the Paramātmā.
In the scriptures: the Bhāgavata Purāṇa uses the word in the teachings of Śuka, Nārada and Śrī Kṛshṇa.
Śrī Hari as witness. Śrī Śuka Maharshi tells Parīkshit that Śrī Hari shines in all as the witness-consciousness, and that buddhi and the senses bring it within our understanding (Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 2, Chapter 2). The witness-consciousness that sees all three as cognitions of the mind is the Paramātmā, established in itself and the support of all, giving existence and light to everything (Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 2, Chapter 10).
The witness that seems to change. In the teaching Nārada gives Prācīnabarhis, for want of viveka the guṇas of the buddhi are laid on the ātmā; though only the witness, the ātmā seems to go through the changes of the buddhi (Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 4, Chapter 29).
The non-enjoyer. Śrī Kṛshṇa tells Uddhava that the witness-consciousness, not eating the fruit, illumines the body and the senses and shines by itself. The non-enjoyer, full of jñāna, is ever free; the ignorant enjoyer is always bound. He is to be worshipped as the witness in all beings, by even-mindedness to all and in pleasure and pain (Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 11, Chapter 11).
Related terms: Ātmā · Paramātmā · Antaryāmī · Buddhi · Caitanya · Viveka
Sources
- Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 2, Chapters 2, 10; Skandha 4, Chapter 29; Skandha 11, Chapter 11