Nirvana Shatakam

Nirvana Shatakam (also called Atma Shatakam) is among the most beloved short compositions attributed to Sri Adi Shankaracharya. In six verses, it strips away every false identification - body, senses, mind, caste, duty, and even the roles of teacher and disciple - and rests in the refrain: *cidānandarūpaḥ śivo’ham śivo’ham* - “I am Śiva, of the nature of consciousness and bliss.”

The text is ideal for morning contemplation and for seekers new to Advaita: each verse negates what the Self is not (*neti neti*), then affirms what remains. Chant the Sanskrit, then read the editorial study note for each verse’s insight.

Tradition holds that Shankara composed these lines when asked by his guru Govinda Bhagavatpada who he was. Whether read as biography or teaching device, the hymn remains a living mirror for self-inquiry.