Study guide
Nirvana Shatakam Guide - Atma Shatakam Meaning
Guide to Nirvana Shatakam (Atma Shatakam): six verses of neti-neti self-inquiry, English meaning, and how to read Shankaracharya's shortest Advaita hymn.
Nirvana Shatakam (निर्वाण षट्कम्) is the shortest complete introduction to Shankara's Advaita method on this site. Each verse applies neti neti - not this, not this - until only the Self remains. The refrain cidānandarūpaḥ śivo'ham declares identity with consciousness and bliss.
Verse by verse
- Verse 1 - not mind, senses, or elements
- Verse 2 - not birth, death, or lineage
- Verse 3 - not virtue, vice, or pleasure-pain
- Verse 4 - not mantra, pilgrimage, or scripture alone
- Verse 5 - not meditation object or destroyer of doubt
- Verse 6 - all-pervading, without form
Read the full Nirvana Shatakam hub or explore the Shiva stotras guide. Atma Shatakam and the Shivoham refrain name this same hymn.
Common questions
- What is Nirvana Shatakam?
- Nirvana Shatakam, also called Atma Shatakam, is a six-verse hymn traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. It negates false identifications with body, mind, and roles, then affirms the Self as consciousness-bliss in the refrain Shivoham (Chidananda rupah Shivoham).
- Why is it called Atma Shatakam?
- Atma means Self and shatakam means a group of six. The hymn is a mirror for asking who one truly is beyond changing attributes.
- Is the Shivoham hymn the same as Nirvana Shatakam?
- Yes. The refrain Shivoham, of the nature of consciousness and bliss, belongs to this same six-verse work, whether you look it up as Nirvana Shatakam or Atma Shatakam.
- How long does it take to chant?
- Most devotees complete all six verses in about four minutes at a moderate pace.