advaitavedantashivohamself-knowledge

Antar Jyotir Bahir Jyotih (Shivoham)

अन्तर्ज्योतिर्बहिर्ज्योतिः (शिवोऽहम्) in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 11× repetitions·🕐 Early morning (Brahma Muhurta) during meditation, or at dusk when contemplating inner light·📜 Advaita Vedanta tradition (a self-luminous Self / Shivoham meditation verse)

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

This radiant Advaitic verse is a meditation on the Self as pure, self-luminous Light, culminating in the great affirmation 'Shivo'smy aham' — 'I am Shiva.' Sweeping through every dimension — the light within, the light without, the inmost light, the supreme beyond all — it declares that the one self-effulgent Consciousness illumining all things is one's own true Self. It is a powerful contemplation on the identity of the individual Self with the absolute Reality.

Origin & Story

Advaita Vedanta tradition (a self-luminous Self / Shivoham meditation verse) · Traditional (Advaita Vedanta) · Ancient / classical

This verse belongs to the rich tradition of Advaitic affirmations that meditate on the Self as self-luminous light and culminate in 'Shivo'ham' — 'I am Shiva.' Such verses are used by seekers to fix the mind upon the witnessing Consciousness that illumines all inner and outer experience, recognizing it as one's own true nature, identical with the supreme Reality.

✦ As told in scripture

The Upanishads declare that in the realm of the Self, the sun does not shine, nor the moon and stars, nor fire — for everything shines only after that self-luminous Light. The one who realizes 'I am that Light' is said to cross beyond all darkness of ignorance and fear.

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The Mantra

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antar-jyotir bahir-jyotiḥ pratyag-jyotiḥ parāt-paraḥ | jyotir-jyotiḥ svayaṃ-jyotir ātma-jyotiḥ śivo'smy aham ||

Meaning:The light within and the light without, the inmost indwelling light, higher than the highest; the light of all lights, self-luminous, the radiant light of the Self — that auspicious Shiva, I am.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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antaḥ-jyotiḥ🔊the inner light, the light within

bahiḥ-jyotiḥ🔊the outer light, the light without

pratyak-jyotiḥ🔊the indwelling light, the inmost light of the Self turned inward

parāt-paraḥ🔊higher than the highest, beyond the beyond

jyotiḥ-jyotiḥ🔊the light of all lights (that which illumines even light)

svayaṃ-jyotiḥ🔊self-luminous, self-effulgent (shining by its own light)

ātma-jyotiḥ🔊the light of the Self, the radiance of pure Consciousness

śivaḥ🔊Shiva, the auspicious one, the ever-pure absolute Reality

asmi aham🔊I am (I am that)

Benefits of Chanting अन्तर्ज्योतिर्बहिर्ज्योतिः (शिवोऽहम्)

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A direct affirmation of the Self as self-luminous Consciousness ('I am Shiva')

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Excellent for meditation on inner light (jyoti) and the witnessing awareness

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Dissolves the sense of limitation and separateness through identification with the Absolute

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Brings deep peace, fearlessness and inner illumination

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Cultivates the non-dual recognition that the one Light shines as everything

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A potent contemplative verse (mahavakya-style affirmation) for the path of knowledge

How to Chant अन्तर्ज्योतिर्बहिर्ज्योतिः (शिवोऽहम्)

Repetitions11times

Best TimeEarly morning (Brahma Muhurta) during meditation, or at dusk when contemplating inner light

Sit in a calm posture and recite the verse, then dwell on the affirmation 'Shivo'smy aham' — I am that self-luminous Light. With each repetition, gently turn attention from outer objects toward the awareness that illumines all experience, and rest in it. As an affirmation of identity with the Self, it is best chanted slowly and meditatively; 11, 21 or 108 repetitions deepen the contemplation.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete अन्तर्ज्योतिर्बहिर्ज्योतिः (शिवोऽहम्) written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

Here 'jyoti' (light) refers not to physical light but to Consciousness — the self-luminous awareness by which everything else is known. The verse calls the Self the 'light of all lights' because even the sun, fire and the mind are revealed only in the light of awareness.

It means 'I am Shiva' — Shiva understood here not as a personal deity alone but as the auspicious, ever-pure, absolute Reality (Brahman). It is an affirmation of the Advaitic truth that one's own innermost Self is identical with the supreme Reality.

It is used as a meditative affirmation in self-inquiry and Advaita practice. The seeker recites it and rests as the self-luminous awareness it describes, letting the recognition 'I am that Light' steady and purify the mind.

It shares the same spirit and the famous 'Shivo'ham' refrain found in Adi Shankaracharya's Nirvana Shatkam ('chidananda rupah shivo'ham shivo'ham'). Both affirm that the true Self, beyond body and mind, is the blissful, self-luminous absolute Reality.