Nirvana Shatakam
Discover the Self Beyond Mind and Matter
Are you ready to meet your true Self—the one untouched by mind, body, or ego?
Begin your journey with the sacred verses of Nirvana Shatakam, composed by the great Adi Shankaracharya at just eight years old. These six shlokas express the purest essence of Advaita Vedanta—not through doctrine, but through direct Self-realization.
Listen to a beautiful rendition on YouTube: Nirvana Shatakam
When a young boy of just eight, Shri Adi Shankaracharya, was wandering in the Himalayas in search of his Acharya, he encountered the sage Govindapada Acharya. The sage asked him a simple question:
“Who are you?”
In response, the boy spontaneously composed six deeply philosophical verses that would later be known as the Nirvana Shatakam (or Atma Shatakam). These verses are not merely poetic—they are declarations of non-dual realization, echoing the core essence of Advaita Vedanta.
Shloka by Shloka Meaning of Nirvana Shatakam
1. I Am Not the Mind, Nor the Five Elements
Mano Buddhyahankara Chittani Naaham…
…Chidananda Rupa Shivoham Shivoham
“I am not the mind, intellect, ego, or memory. Not the senses, nor the five elements. I am pure blissful consciousness. I am Shiva, I am auspiciousness.”
2. I Am Beyond Vital Energies and Body Sheaths
Na cha prana sangno na vai pancha vayuh…
“I am not prana (vital life force), nor the five vayus (air currents), nor the bodily layers (pancha koshas). Not the organs of action. I am pure consciousness and bliss.”
3. I Am Free from Desire, Hatred, and Attachment
Na Me Dvesha Ragau Na Me Lobha Mohau…
“No likes or dislikes, no pride or jealousy, no pursuit of dharma, wealth, or liberation. I am beyond all attributes. I am Shiva.”
4. I Am Beyond Karma, Rituals, and Enjoyment
Na Punyam Na Papam Na Saukhyam Na Dukham…
“I do not require mantras, rituals, pilgrimages, or scriptures. I am neither the enjoyer nor the enjoyed. I am the eternal witness.”
5. I Am Not Born, Nor Do I Die
Na Me Mrityu Shanka Na Me Jati Bhedah…
“No birth, no death, no caste, no relations, no guru or disciple. I am beyond duality. I am consciousness and bliss.”
6. I Am Formless, Ever-Free, Ever-One
Aham Nirvikalpo Nirakara Roopah…
“I am formless, all-pervading, beyond bondage or liberation. I am the same always—pure blissful awareness.”
The Vedantic Lens: Who Are You, Really?
Vedanta answers this eternal question with clarity:
“Neti, Neti” – Not this, not this.
What you can perceive—body, mind, emotion, sensation—is not the real you. You are not the object but the unwavering subject, the witness consciousness. The one aware of thoughts is not a thought. The one who sees change is changeless.
Essence of All Upanishads
The Upanishads, and especially texts like the Isha, Kena, Mandukya, and Chandogya, converge to declare:
“You are not the body-mind complex. You are Sat-Chit-Ananda — Existence, Consciousness, Bliss.”
This is echoed in Adi Shankaracharya’s famous verse from Vivekachudamani:
“Brahma Satyam, Jagat Mithya, Jivo Brahmaiva Naaparah”
Brahman alone is real, the world is an appearance; the individual self is none other than Brahman.
Living This Knowledge
Once this truth is realized, we become free from attachment to the personalities we temporarily possess. Yet, we continue to act—not as doers entangled in karma, but as free beings fulfilling dharma joyfully, as advised in the Isha Upanishad.
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