nirvana-shatkamatma-shatkamshivohamadi-shankaracharya

𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌣 𑌷𑌟𑍍𑌕𑌮𑍍 (𑌆𑌤𑍍𑌮 𑌷𑌟𑍍𑌕𑌮𑍍)

Nirvana Shatkam (Atma Shatkam) in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

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

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

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

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Verse 1

𑌮𑌨𑍋𑌬𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌹𑌂𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌚𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌨𑌿 𑌨𑌾𑌹𑌂 𑌨 𑌚 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌜𑌿𑌹𑍍𑌵𑍇 𑌨 𑌚 𑌘𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌨𑍇𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍇 । 𑌨 𑌚 𑌵𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌮 𑌭𑍂𑌮𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌨 𑌤𑍇𑌜𑍋 𑌨 𑌵𑌾𑌯𑍁𑌃 𑌚𑌿𑌦𑌾𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌃 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑍋𑌽𑌹𑌮𑍍 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑍋𑌽𑌹𑌮𑍍 ॥

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

𑌨 𑌚 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌸𑌂𑌜𑍍𑌞𑍋 𑌨 𑌵𑍈 𑌪𑌞𑍍𑌚𑌵𑌾𑌯𑍁𑌃 𑌨 𑌵𑌾 𑌸𑌪𑍍𑌤𑌧𑌾𑌤𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌨 𑌵𑌾 𑌪𑌞𑍍𑌚𑌕𑍋𑌶𑌃 । 𑌨 𑌵𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌪𑌾𑌣𑌿𑌪𑌾𑌦𑌂 𑌨 𑌚𑍋𑌪𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌪𑌾𑌯𑍂 𑌚𑌿𑌦𑌾𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌃 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑍋𑌽𑌹𑌮𑍍 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑍋𑌽𑌹𑌮𑍍 ॥

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

𑌨 𑌮𑍇 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌷𑌰𑌾𑌗𑍗 𑌨 𑌮𑍇 𑌲𑍋𑌭𑌮𑍋𑌹𑍗 𑌮𑌦𑍋 𑌨𑍈𑌵 𑌮𑍇 𑌨𑍈𑌵 𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌃 । 𑌨 𑌧𑌰𑍍𑌮𑍋 𑌨 𑌚𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥𑍋 𑌨 𑌕𑌾𑌮𑍋 𑌨 𑌮𑍋𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌃 𑌚𑌿𑌦𑌾𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌃 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑍋𑌽𑌹𑌮𑍍 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑍋𑌽𑌹𑌮𑍍 ॥

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

𑌨 𑌪𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌨 𑌪𑌾𑌪𑌂 𑌨 𑌸𑍗𑌖𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌨 𑌦𑍁𑌃𑌖𑌂 𑌨 𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍋 𑌨 𑌤𑍀𑌰𑍍𑌥𑌂 𑌨 𑌵𑍇𑌦𑌾 𑌨 𑌯𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾𑌃 । 𑌅𑌹𑌂 𑌭𑍋𑌜𑌨𑌂 𑌨𑍈𑌵 𑌭𑍋𑌜𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌨 𑌭𑍋𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌾 𑌚𑌿𑌦𑌾𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌃 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑍋𑌽𑌹𑌮𑍍 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑍋𑌽𑌹𑌮𑍍 ॥

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

𑌨 𑌮𑍇 𑌮𑍃𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌶𑌂𑌕𑌾 𑌨 𑌮𑍇 𑌜𑌾𑌤𑌿𑌭𑍇𑌦𑌃 𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌾 𑌨𑍈𑌵 𑌮𑍇 𑌨𑍈𑌵 𑌮𑌾𑌤𑌾 𑌨 𑌜𑌨𑍍𑌮 । 𑌨 𑌬𑌨𑍍𑌧𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌨 𑌮𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌨𑍈𑌵 𑌶𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌃 𑌚𑌿𑌦𑌾𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌃 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑍋𑌽𑌹𑌮𑍍 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑍋𑌽𑌹𑌮𑍍 ॥

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

𑌅𑌹𑌂 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪𑍋 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑌾𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌰𑍂𑌪𑍋 𑌵𑌿𑌭𑍁𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌚𑍍𑌚 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌰 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌾𑌣𑌾𑌮𑍍 । 𑌨 𑌚𑌾𑌸𑌂𑌗𑌤𑌂 𑌨𑍈𑌵 𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌨 𑌮𑍇𑌯𑌃 𑌚𑌿𑌦𑌾𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌃 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑍋𑌽𑌹𑌮𑍍 𑌶𑌿𑌵𑍋𑌽𑌹𑌮𑍍 ॥

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

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

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

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

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

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

Benefits of Chanting Nirvana Shatkam (Atma Shatkam)

✦

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.

✦

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.

✦

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

✦

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

✦

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

This page shows the complete Nirvana Shatkam (Atma Shatkam) written in the Grantha 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.

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.