Nirvana Shatakam Explained: The Song of the Self

Short Answer
Nirvana Shatakam (निर्वाण षट्कम्) also known as Atma Shatakam is a six-verse hymn composed by Adi Shankaracharya, expressing the direct experience of the Self in its pure, unconditioned nature. Each verse systematically negates all identifications—with the mind, intellect, ego, senses, body, and the world—and affirms “I am Shiva,” “I are consciousness,” “I are bliss.” The term Nirvana here means the absolute, unconditioned state, not the Buddhist concept of extinction. Shatakam means six verses. The hymn is a direct expression of Self-realization, not a philosophical analysis. It is recited by Advaita students as a daily meditation on their true nature. The famous refrain “Chidananda Rupa Shivoham, Shivoham” (I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva) is the heart of the hymn.

In one line:
I am not the mind, not the intellect, not the ego—I am consciousness, I are bliss, I am the Self.

Key points

• Nirvana means absolute, unconditioned; Shatakam means six verses.
• Attributed to Adi Shankaracharya; expresses direct experience, not philosophical analysis.
• Each verse begins with “Mano buddhi ahankara chittani naham” (I am not the mind, intellect, ego, or memory).
• The refrain “Chidananda Rupa Shivoham, Shivoham” affirms “I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am Shiva.”
• The hymn negates all identifications (with the five elements, the three bodies, the three states).
• It is recited daily by Advaita students as a meditation on the true Self.

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Part 1: The Meaning of Nirvana Shatakam – The Song of Liberation

The title Nirvana Shatakam combines two key terms: Nirvana and Shatakam.

Nirvana (निर्वाण) – In Advaita, Nirvana means the absolute, unconditioned state. It is the extinction of the ego, not the extinction of the Self. The Self is ever-present; the ego is extinguished. Nirvana is liberation (moksha), the direct recognition of one’s true nature as pure consciousness.

Shatakam (षट्कम्) – Shatakam means a set of six (shat = six). The hymn has six verses.

Atma Shatakam – The Song of the Self – The hymn is also called Atma Shatakam, the “Six Verses on the Self.” This title emphasizes that the hymn is not about something external; it is a direct expression of the Self.

The context of composition – According to tradition, Shankara composed this hymn as a child. He was asked by his mother, “Who are you?” He spontaneously responded with these six verses, expressing his direct realization of the Self.

The style – direct expression, not analysis – The Nirvana Shatakam is not a philosophical analysis. It does not argue or prove. It simply declares. It is the voice of one who has realized the Self. The verses are not to be believed; they are to be recognized as true of your own nature.

The refrain – The refrain “Chidananda Rupa Shivoham, Shivoham” (I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva) is repeated at the end of each verse. The repetition is intentional. The mind needs to hear the truth again and again until it becomes direct recognition.

Scholar’s Note: Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s Awakening Through Vedanta explains: “The Nirvana Shatakam is not a hymn to be sung. It is a declaration to be lived. Each verse is a negation of what you are not. The refrain is the affirmation of what you are. Negate. Affirm. Rest. That is the path.”

Term	Meaning	Significance
Nirvana	Absolute, unconditioned state	Extinction of ego, not Self
Shatakam	Six verses	The hymn has six verses
Atma Shatakam	Song of the Self	Expresses direct Self-realization
Chidananda Rupa	Form of consciousness and bliss	The nature of the Self

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Part 2: The First Verse – Negation of the Mind and Ego

The first verse negates identification with the inner faculties.

The Sanskrit (Verse 1) – “Mano buddhi ahankara chittani naham” – “I am not the mind, intellect, ego, or memory.”

The four inner faculties – The verse negates the four functions of the antahkarana (inner instrument):

• Manas (mind) – The faculty of doubt, desire, and indecision.
• Buddhi (intellect) – The faculty of decision, discrimination, and knowledge.
• Ahankara (ego) – The “I-maker,” the sense of a separate self.
• Chitta (memory) – The storehouse of impressions and memories.

The negation of the senses – “Na cha shrotra jihve na cha ghrana netre” – “I am not the ear, tongue, nose, or eyes.” The five senses are also negated.

The negation of space and elements – “Na cha vyoma bhumir na tejo na vayuh” – “I am not space, earth, fire, or air.” The five elements (pancha mahabhutas) are negated.

The refrain – “Chidananda rupa shivoham, shivoham” – “I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva.”

The meaning of Shiva – Shiva here does not refer to the deity. It means “the auspicious,” “the pure,” “the Self.” To say “I am Shiva” is to say “I am the pure, unconditioned Self.”

The practical implication – This verse is a meditation. Recite it. Feel the negation. “I am not the mind. I am not the ego. I am not the senses. I am not the elements.” After negating all, feel the refrain: “I am consciousness. I am bliss. I am the Self.”

Scholar’s Note: Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s Awakening Through Vedanta explains: “The Nirvana Shatakam’s first verse is the neti neti method in action. Negate. Negate. Negate. What remains? Not a blank. Not a void. Consciousness itself. That is you.”

Negated Item	Sanskrit	Meaning
Mind	Manas	Doubt, desire, indecision
Intellect	Buddhi	Decision, discrimination
Ego	Ahankara	Sense of separate self
Memory	Chitta	Storehouse of impressions
Senses	Shrotra, jihva, ghrana, netra	Hearing, taste, smell, sight
Elements	Vyoma, bhumir, tejo, vayuh	Space, earth, fire, air

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Part 3: The Second Verse – Negation of the Prana and Life Functions

The second verse negates identification with the vital energies and life functions.

The negation of prana – “Na cha prana samjno na vai pancha vayuh” – “I am not the prana, nor the five vital airs.”

The five pranas – The verse negates the five vital energies (pancha pranas):

• Prana – The upward-moving vital air (respiration, life force).
• Apana – The downward-moving vital air (excretion, reproduction).
• Vyana – The diffused vital air (circulation).
• Udana – The upward-moving vital air (speech, consciousness at death).
• Samana – The central vital air (digestion, assimilation).

The negation of the sheaths – “Na cha sapta dhatur na cha pancha koshah” – “I am not the seven bodily tissues, nor the five sheaths.”

The seven dhatus – The seven bodily tissues (rasa, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow, semen) are negated.

The five sheaths (pancha kosha) – The five sheaths (annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya, vijnanamaya, anandamaya) are negated.

The refrain – “Chidananda rupa shivoham, shivoham” – “I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva.”

The practical implication – Do not identify with the life force. The prana flows; you are the witness of the prana. Do not identify with the body’s tissues or the sheaths. You are the witness of all.

Scholar’s Note: Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s The Hidden Secrets of Immortality explains: “The chariot is the gross body. The horses are the senses. The reins are the mind. The charioteer is the intellect. The passenger is the Self. The Nirvana Shatakam is the passenger speaking. ‘I am not the chariot. I am not the horses. I am not the reins. I am not the charioteer. I am the passenger.'”

Negated Item	Sanskrit	Meaning
Prana	Prana	Life force
Five vital airs	Pancha vayuh	Prana, apana, vyana, udana, samana
Seven tissues	Sapta dhatu	Bodily tissues
Five sheaths	Pancha kosha	Annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya, vijnanamaya, anandamaya

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Part 4: The Third Verse – Negation of the States of Consciousness

The third verse negates identification with the three states of consciousness.

The negation of the states – “Na va pancha vargas na va punya papa” – “I am not the five groups (of vrittis), nor the pairs of merit and demerit.”

The five vrittis – The verse may refer to the five types of mental modifications (vrittis) described in the Yoga Sutras: right knowledge, wrong knowledge, imagination, sleep, and memory.

The negation of merit and sin – “Na va punya papa” – “I am not merit, nor sin.” The Self is beyond all moral categories. It is not made pure by merit or impure by sin.

The negation of pleasure and pain – “Na shoka na moha na lobha na moha” – “I am not sorrow, nor delusion, nor greed, nor attachment.”

The negation of the three states – Implicitly, the verse negates identification with the waking state (where vrittis operate), the dream state (where vrittis also operate), and deep sleep (where vrittis are dormant but the seed remains).

The refrain – “Chidananda rupa shivoham, shivoham” – “I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva.”

The practical implication – Do not identify with your thoughts, your emotions, your virtues, or your vices. These come and go. You are the witness of them all.

Scholar’s Note: Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s How to Attain Moksha in Hinduism explains: “The Nirvana Shatakam’s third verse is the teaching of the witness. You are not your good deeds. You are not your bad deeds. You are not your happy thoughts. You are not your sad thoughts. You are the awareness that knows them all. That awareness is you.”

Negated Item	Meaning	Significance
Five vrittis	Mental modifications	You are not your thoughts
Merit	Punya	You are not your good deeds
Sin	Papa	You are not your bad deeds
Sorrow	Shoka	You are not your sadness
Delusion	Moha	You are not your confusion
Greed	Lobha	You are not your desires

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Part 5: The Fourth Verse – Affirmation of the Self as Consciousness

The fourth verse begins to affirm the positive nature of the Self.

The negation of outer forms – “Na me mrutyu shanka na me jati bheda” – “I have no fear of death, no distinction of caste or creed.”

The negation of father and mother – “Pita naiva me naiva mata” – “I have no father, no mother.” The Self is not born from parents; it is unborn.

The negation of birth – “Na janma na me” – “I have no birth.” The Self was never born; it will never die.

The negation of friend and relative – “Na me bandhu na mitram” – “I have no friend, no relative.” The Self is alone, not in the sense of loneliness, but in the sense of being one without a second.

The negation of teacher and scripture – “Gurur naiva shishyam” – “I am not the guru, not the disciple.” The Self is beyond the teacher-student relationship.

The refrain – “Chidananda rupa shivoham, shivoham” – “I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva.”

The shift from negation to affirmation – The fourth verse still uses negative language, but the affirmations are positive. “No fear of death” means “I am immortal.” “No birth” means “I am unborn.”

The practical implication – Meditate on your deathlessness. You were never born. You will never die. The body was born; the body will die. But you are not the body.

Scholar’s Note: Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s The Hidden Secrets of Immortality explains: “The Nirvana Shatakam’s fourth verse is the direct teaching of the Katha Upanishad. The Self is not born, nor does it die. It is not killed when the body is killed. Nachiketa learned this from Yama. You can learn it from the Nirvana Shatakam.”

Negated Item	Affirmation	Meaning
Fear of death	Immortality	The Self never dies
Caste/creed	Beyond categories	The Self is universal
Father/mother	Unborn	The Self has no origin
Birth	Unborn	The Self was never created
Friend/relative	Alone (non-dual)	The Self is one without a second
Guru/disciple	Beyond relationship	The Self is its own teacher

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Part 6: The Final Verses – The Complete Affirmation

The fifth and sixth verses culminate in the complete affirmation of the Self.

Verse 5 – Beyond all attributes – “Aham nirvikalpo nirakara rupo” – “I am without modification, without form.” The Self is nirvikara (without change), nirakara (without form).

Beyond all pervasion – “Vibhut vatcha sarvatra sarvendriyanam” – “I am present everywhere, in all senses.” The Self is all-pervasive.

Never attached – “Na cha sangatham naiva muktir na meya” – “I have no attachment, no liberation, no object of knowledge.” The Self is beyond attachment and liberation; it is ever-free.

The refrain – “Chidananda rupa shivoham, shivoham” – “I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva.”

Verse 6 – The final declaration – “Na me dharmartha kamoksham” – “I have no duty, no wealth, no desire, no liberation.” The Self is beyond the four purusharthas (goals of life).

Beyond all scriptures – “Na me shastram” – “I have no scripture.”

Beyond all practice – “Na me dhyanam, na me yogam” – “I have no meditation, no yoga.”

The final refrain – “Chidananda rupa shivoham, shivoham” – “I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva.”

The completion – The hymn ends with the same refrain that began it. The Self is the same before negation, during negation, and after negation. The Self never changes. Only the identification changes.

The practical implication – Recite the entire hymn slowly. With each negation, feel the release of identification. With each refrain, feel the affirmation of your true nature. This is not a ritual; it is a meditation.

Scholar’s Note: Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s Awakening Through Vedanta concludes: “The Nirvana Shatakam is not a hymn to be sung. It is a truth to be lived. Each verse is a step. The first step is negation. The last step is affirmation. The step itself is the Self. The Self is not in the words. The Self is what is reading the words. Be that.”

Verse	Focus	Key Affirmation
1	Negation of inner faculties	I am not mind, intellect, ego, memory
2	Negation of prana and sheaths	I am not life force, not the five sheaths
3	Negation of states and emotions	I am not merit, sin, sorrow, delusion
4	Affirmation of deathlessness	I have no fear of death, no birth
5	Beyond all attributes	I am without form, all-pervasive
6	Beyond all goals and practices	I have no duty, no meditation, no yoga

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Common Questions

1. Do I need to be a devotee of Shiva to recite the Nirvana Shatakam?

No. Shiva here means “the auspicious,” “the pure Self.” The hymn is not sectarian. You can substitute “Shiva” with “Brahman” or “Self” or any name that points to the absolute reality.

2. Is the Nirvana Shatakam only for Advaita Vedanta students?

The hymn expresses Advaita Vedanta, but its message is universal. Anyone seeking to understand the nature of the Self can benefit from reciting and contemplating it.

3. How many verses does the Nirvana Shatakam have?

The core hymn has six verses. Some versions include an introductory verse and a concluding verse, but the six-verse version is standard.

4. What is the difference between the Nirvana Shatakam and the Bhaja Govindam?

The Nirvana Shatakam is a direct expression of Self-realization (“I am Shiva”). The Bhaja Govindam is a wake-up call to the deluded mind (“Worship Govinda, O fool!”). Both are by Shankara. The Nirvana Shatakam is for those ready to hear the highest; the Bhaja Govindam is for those who need to wake up.

5. Can I recite the Nirvana Shatakam without understanding Sanskrit?

Yes. Recite the transliteration with feeling. The sound itself carries power. However, understanding the meaning deepens the meditation. Learn the meaning of each verse.

6. How does Dr. Surabhi Solanki relate to the Nirvana Shatakam?

Dr. Solanki’s works (e.g., Awakening Through Vedanta, Divine Truth Unveiled) are modern expressions of the same Advaita tradition. The Nirvana Shatakam’s teachings—the negation of the non-Self, the affirmation of the Self as consciousness and bliss—are central to her presentation of Advaita. Her books help modern readers understand the philosophical framework behind the hymn.

Summary

The Nirvana Shatakam (also known as Atma Shatakam) is a six-verse hymn attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, expressing the direct experience of the Self in its pure, unconditioned nature. The first verse negates identification with the mind, intellect, ego, memory, senses, and five elements. The second verse negates identification with the prana, the five vital airs, the seven bodily tissues, and the five sheaths. The third verse negates identification with the mental modifications, merit, sin, sorrow, delusion, greed, and attachment. The fourth verse affirms the deathlessness of the Self: no fear of death, no birth, no father, no mother, no friends, no relatives. The fifth verse describes the Self as without modification, without form, all-pervasive, ever-free. The sixth verse declares the Self beyond all goals (duty, wealth, desire, liberation), beyond scriptures, beyond meditation and yoga. The refrain “Chidananda Rupa Shivoham, Shivoham” (I am the form of consciousness and bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva) is repeated at the end of each verse. The Nirvana Shatakam is not a hymn to be sung; it is a truth to be lived. It is the song of the Self. Sing it. Live it. Be it.

The mind says “I am the mind.” The hymn says “You are not.” The intellect says “I am the intellect.” The hymn says “You are not.” The ego says “I am the ego.” The hymn says “You are not.” Negation after negation. The ego dissolves. What remains? Not a blank. Not a void. You. Not the you of name and form. The you that never changed. The you that never suffered. The you that never sought. That you is the refrain. “Chidananda Rupa Shivoham, Shivoham.” “I am consciousness. I am bliss. I am the Self.” Sing it. Live it. Be it. That is the Nirvana Shatakam. That is freedom. That is what you have always been.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti