Nirvana Shatkam
Nirvana Shatkam
nirvANa SaTkam
OM OM om ...
zivo'haM zivo'haM, zivo'haM zivo'haM, zivo'haM zivo'haM
mano budhyahaGkAra cittAni nAhaM
na ca zrotra jihve na ca ghrANanetre |
na ca vyoma bhUmirna tejo na vAyuH
cidAnanda rUpaH zivo'haM zivo'ham || 1 ||
zivo'haM zivo'haM, zivo'haM zivo'haM, zivo'haM zivo'haM
na ca prANa saJjJo na vaipaJcavAyuH
na vA saptadhAturna vA paJcakozAH |
navAkpANi pAdau na copastha pAyU
cidAnanda rUpaH zivo'haM zivo'ham || 2 ||
zivo'haM zivo'haM, zivo'haM zivo'haM, zivo'haM zivo'haM
na me dveSarAgau na me lobhamoho
mado naiva me naiva mAtsaryabhAvaH |
na dharmo na cArdho na kAmo na mokSaH
cidAnanda rUpaH zivo'haM zivo'ham || 3 ||
zivo'haM zivo'haM, zivo'haM zivo'haM, zivo'haM zivo'haM
na puNyaM na pApaM na saukhyaM na duHkhaM
na mantro na tIrthaM na vedA na yajJaH |
ahaM bhojanaM naiva bhojyaM na bhoktA
cidAnanda rUpaH zivo'haM zivo'ham || 4 ||
zivo'haM zivo'haM, zivo'haM zivo'haM, zivo'haM zivo'haM
na mRtyurna zaGkA na me jAti bhedaH
pitA naiva me naiva mAtA na janmaH |
na bandhurna mitraM gururnaiva ziSyaH
cidAnandarUpaH zivo'haM zivo'ham || 5 ||
zivo'haM zivo'haM, zivo'haM zivo'haM, zivo'haM zivo'haM
ahaM nirvikalpo nirAkAra rUpo
vibhUtvAcca sarvatra sarvendriyANAm |
na cAsaGgataM naiva muktirna meyaH [na vA bandhanaM naiva muktirna bandhaH]
cidAnandarUpaH zivo'haM zivo'ham || 6 ||
zivo'haM zivo'haM, zivo'haM zivo'haM, zivo'haM zivo'haM
About This Stotram
Overview
The Nirvana Shatkam, also known as the Atma Shatkam, is a Sanskrit philosophical hymn of 6 verses attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (c. 8th century CE). The text systematically negates identification of the self with the body, mind, senses, and emotions, concluding each verse with the refrain "chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham" — "I am of the nature of consciousness and bliss; I am Shiva." It is a foundational text of Advaita Vedanta and is widely used in meditation and self-inquiry practice.
What are the benefits of chanting Nirvana Shatkam?
- Supports the practice of self-inquiry (atma vichara) by articulating the nature of the true self
- Aids in loosening identification with the body, mind, and ego
- Cultivates equanimity through repeated contemplation of the text's core assertions
- Used as a meditation anchor in Advaita Vedanta practice and teaching
When is the best time to recite this?
The Nirvana Shatkam is recited in the morning and evening, and is particularly appropriate during meditation sessions. It can be recited at any time as a support for contemplative practice.
What is the historical and traditional background?
Adi Shankaracharya (c. 788–820 CE) composed the Nirvana Shatkam as an independent philosophical work articulating the core insight of Advaita Vedanta: the identity of the individual self (atman) with Brahman. Tradition holds that he composed it spontaneously in response to a question about his identity, addressing it to his future guru Govindapada. The text follows the neti neti ("not this, not this") method of negation found in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. It is taught in Advaita monastic traditions across India and has been widely commented upon and translated.
Available scripts
This text is available in 14 scripts: devanagari, tamil, telugu, kannada, malayalam, gujarati, bengali, iast, gurmukhi, oriya, assamese, sinhala, itrans, hk. Use the script selector above to switch between them.
Related Texts
- Bhaja Govindam — another well-known Sanskrit text attributed to Adi Shankaracharya that addresses liberation and the nature of the self in a devotional register
- Viveka Chudamani — a philosophical treatise by Adi Shankaracharya that expands at length on the Advaita Vedanta teachings summarized in the Nirvana Shatkam