nirvana-shatkamatma-shatkamshivohamadi-shankaracharya

Nirvana Shatkam (Atma Shatkam)

निर्वाण षट्कम् (आत्म षट्कम्)

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Early morning meditation; Maha Shivaratri; before Vedanta study·🎵 Audio included·📜 Composed by Adi Shankaracharya

📜 Complete Lyrics 📖 Word-by-Word Meaning ✨ Benefits & How to Chant

Origin & Story

Composed by Adi Shankaracharya · Adi Shankaracharya · 8th century CE

Tradition holds that the young Shankara, in search of a master, was asked by the sage Govinda Bhagavatpada, 'Who are you?' In reply he sang these six verses, the Nirvana Shatkam — declaring that he was not the body, the senses, the mind or the ego, not bound by birth or death, but the formless Self, consciousness and bliss itself: 'Shivoham, Shivoham.' It stands as one of the clearest statements of Advaita Vedanta.

✦ As told in scripture

It is said that hearing these six verses, the sage Govinda Bhagavatpada recognised the boy Shankara as one already established in the Self and accepted him as his disciple; the hymn has since been the seeker's own answer to the question 'Who am I?'

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Complete Text with Meaning

Verse 1

मनोबुद्ध्यहंकारचित्तानि नाहं न च श्रोत्रजिह्वे न च घ्राणनेत्रे । न च व्योम भूमिर्न तेजो न वायुः चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥

Manobuddhyahamkarachittani naham Na cha shrotrajihve na cha ghrananetre Na cha vyoma bhumirna tejo na vayuh Chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham

Meaning:I am not the mind, the intellect, the ego or the memory; nor the ears or the tongue, nor the nose or the eyes; nor space, earth, fire or air. I am the form of consciousness and bliss — I am Shiva, I am Shiva.

Verse 2

न च प्राणसंज्ञो न वै पञ्चवायुः न वा सप्तधातुर्न वा पञ्चकोशः । न वाक्पाणिपादं न चोपस्थपायू चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥

Na cha pranasamjno na vai panchavayuh Na va saptadhaturna va panchakoshah Na vakpanipadam na chopasthapayu Chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham

Meaning:I am not the vital breath (prana), nor the five airs; nor the seven bodily elements (dhatus), nor the five sheaths (koshas); nor speech, hands, feet, or the organs of procreation and excretion. I am the form of consciousness and bliss — I am Shiva, I am Shiva.

Verse 3

न मे द्वेषरागौ न मे लोभमोहौ मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः । न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो न मोक्षः चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥

Na me dvesharagau na me lobhamohau Mado naiva me naiva matsaryabhavah Na dharmo na chartho na kamo na mokshah Chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham

Meaning:I have no aversion or attachment, no greed or delusion; no pride, nor any feeling of envy; I am beyond dharma (duty), artha (wealth), kama (desire) and moksha (liberation). I am the form of consciousness and bliss — I am Shiva, I am Shiva.

Verse 4

न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं न मन्त्रो न तीर्थं न वेदा न यज्ञाः । अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥

Na punyam na papam na saukhyam na duhkham Na mantro na tirtham na veda na yajnah Aham bhojanam naiva bhojyam na bhokta Chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham

Meaning:I am neither merit nor sin, neither pleasure nor pain; neither sacred chant, nor holy place, nor Vedas, nor sacrifice; I am neither the eating, nor the food, nor the eater. I am the form of consciousness and bliss — I am Shiva, I am Shiva.

Verse 5

न मे मृत्युशंका न मे जातिभेदः पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्म । न बन्धुर्न मित्रं गुरुर्नैव शिष्यः चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥

Na me mrityushamka na me jatibhedah Pita naiva me naiva mata na janma Na bandhurna mitram gururnaiva shishyah Chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham

Meaning:I have no fear of death, nor any distinction of caste; I have no father, no mother, indeed no birth; no kinsman, no friend, no teacher and no disciple. I am the form of consciousness and bliss — I am Shiva, I am Shiva.

Verse 6

अहं निर्विकल्पो निराकाररूपो विभुत्वाच्च सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम् । न चासंगतं नैव मुक्तिर्न मेयः चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥

Aham nirvikalpo nirakararupo Vibhutvachcha sarvatra sarvendriyanam Na chasamgatam naiva muktirna meyah Chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham

Meaning:I am without thought or change (nirvikalpa), of formless nature; pervading all, present within all the senses everywhere; I am neither bound nor liberated, nor a thing to be known. I am the form of consciousness and bliss — I am Shiva, I am Shiva.

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

चिदानन्दरूपः🔊Chidananda-rupahOf the very nature of consciousness (chit) and bliss (ananda)

शिवोऽहम्🔊Shivoham'I am Shiva' — I am the auspicious, pure Self (the refrain of every verse)

मनोबुद्ध्यहंकार🔊Mano-buddhy-ahankaraMind, intellect and ego — the inner instruments the Self is not

निर्विकल्पः🔊NirvikalpaWithout thought-constructs or division; the undivided Absolute

पञ्चकोशः🔊Pancha-koshaThe five sheaths (food, breath, mind, intellect, bliss) that veil the Self

Benefits of Chanting Nirvana Shatkam (Atma Shatkam)

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Composed by Adi Shankaracharya, this is the supreme hymn of Advaita Vedanta — chanted to realise the Self (Atman) as pure consciousness-bliss, beyond body and mind.

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By negating all that one is not ('neti neti') and affirming 'Shivoham' (I am Shiva), it steadies the mind in the awareness of the deathless, formless Self.

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Recited for inner peace, fearlessness and detachment, dissolving identification with body, ego, and the pairs of pleasure and pain.

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A favourite of seekers and meditators, recited at the start of meditation and study of Vedanta, and on Maha Shivaratri.

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Chanted with Om Namah Shivaya and the Shiva stotras as a contemplation on the Self that is Shiva.

How to Chant Nirvana Shatkam (Atma Shatkam)

Repetitions1times

Best TimeEarly morning meditation; Maha Shivaratri; before Vedanta study

FaceEast or North; or simply seated in meditation

Sit quietly in a meditative posture, settle the breath, and recite each verse slowly, dwelling on its meaning — negating identification with body, mind and ego, and resting in the refrain 'Chidananda-rupah Shivoham, Shivoham' (I am consciousness-bliss, I am Shiva). It is a contemplation as much as a chant.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Nirvana Shatkam (also called Atma Shatkam) is a six-verse hymn composed by Adi Shankaracharya, the great teacher of Advaita Vedanta. Each verse negates identification with body, mind, emotions and circumstance, and ends with the affirmation 'Chidananda-rupah Shivoham' — 'I am consciousness-bliss, I am Shiva.'

'Shivoham' means 'I am Shiva' — not the personal deity alone, but the pure, auspicious, formless Self (Atman) that is one with the Absolute. The refrain affirms that one's true nature is consciousness and bliss, untouched by the body, mind and the world.

It was composed by Adi Shankaracharya (8th century CE). Tradition says that as a boy seeking a guru, when asked 'Who are you?', he answered with these six verses — declaring that he was not the body or mind but the eternal Self, consciousness-bliss itself.

It is chanted in the quiet of early morning, at the beginning of meditation, before the study of Vedanta, and on Maha Shivaratri. More than a ritual chant, it is a contemplation to be recited slowly while reflecting on the meaning of each verse.