Complete · Short chant · ~4 min · ~4 min chant
Nirvana Shatakam
निर्वाण षट्कम्
Nirvāṇa Ṣaṭkam
Six luminous verses on the Self beyond body, mind, and caste - a cornerstone of Advaita contemplation attributed to Adi Shankaracharya.
6 verses · About 4 min · Lord Shiva
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Nirvana Shatakam, also called Atma Shatakam, is a six-verse inquiry into the Self beyond body and mind, with the refrain Shivoham. Traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, it is the shortest complete work in this library. Read it with English meaning and Advaita notes.
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.”
More about this stotra
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.
At a glance
- Deity
- Lord Shiva
- Verses
- 6 verses
- Chant time
- About 4 minutes (Short chant · ~4 min)
- Attribution
- Traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya
- Sanskrit source
- sanskritdocuments.org · All sources
- Also called
- Atma Shatakam
- Refrain
- Chidananda rupah Shivoham
- Theme
- Neti-neti inquiry into the Self
- Guide
- Reading guide
Traditional context
Nirvana Shatakam, also called Atma Shatakam, is among the shortest and most penetrating Advaita hymns attributed to Shankaracharya. Tradition holds that when asked who he was, the acharya answered in six verses of neti-neti negation.
The refrain Shivoham, of the nature of consciousness and bliss, makes this a cornerstone of morning contemplation and introductory Vedanta study.
Structure of this recension
Six verses strip away false identification with body, senses, mind, birth and death, virtue and vice, and even the roles of teacher and disciple. What remains is declared as the Self.
Each verse ends with the same affirmation, so the hymn can be memorised quickly yet contemplated for years.
How to read this edition
Flagship verses here include word-by-word breakdown and curated philosophy notes. This is an editorial study edition, not a claim to reproduce Shankara's own words of commentary.
Use Study mode to read English notes after chanting each verse in Sanskrit.
Suggested practice
Ideal for beginners: chant all six verses in about four minutes, then read one study note slowly. Pair with the Nirvana Shatakam guide and Bhaja Govindam for daily rhythm.
Verse overview
- 1
The opening verse begins the Advaita method of negation: the Self is not the inner instruments (mind, intellect, ego, memory) nor the sense organs nor the…
- 2
Verse 2 turns from subtle mind to the living body: breath, tissues, kośas, and organs of action. Advaita does not despise the body; it refuses to mistake the…
- 3
Here the hymn negates emotional bondage and even the classical goals of life as ultimate identity. Dharma, wealth, desire, and liberation are valued in worldly…
- 4
Religious means - mantra, tīrtha, Veda, yajña - are honored as paths, yet they too are objects in awareness. Even the triad of experiencer, experience, and…
- 5
Social and familial identities - including the sacred roles of guru and disciple - are relative truths. Absolute Self-knowledge is birthless and deathless;…
- 6
The closing verse affirms the positive truth after all negation: the Self is formless, free of conceptual division, and all-pervasive as the awareness behind…
All verses
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Common questions
- Who composed Nirvana Shatakam?
- Nirvana Shatakam is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. The site presents a working recension with editorial study notes and does not claim to settle every historical authorship question.
- How many verses are in Nirvana Shatakam?
- This edition presents 6 verses with Devanagari, IAST transliteration, English meaning, word breakdown, and editorial Advaita study notes.
- Does Nirvana Shatakam include English meaning?
- Yes. Each verse includes an editorial English meaning and Advaita study note. Sanskrit is in Devanagari, with IAST and Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, or Kannada transliteration in Reading settings. This edition does not include Hindi meanings.
- Can I read Nirvana Shatakam in regional scripts?
- Yes. Use Reading settings or the reader toolbar to view the Sanskrit as Devanagari, IAST, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, or Kannada transliteration. Those views are script transliterations, not separate language translations.
- What is the difference between Nirvana Shatakam and Atma Shatakam?
- Both names refer to the same six-verse hymn. Nirvana Shatakam emphasizes liberation; Atma Shatakam emphasizes inquiry into the Self.
- What does Chidananda roopah Shivoham mean in this hymn?
- The refrain cidananda rupah sivoham affirms I am Shiva, of the nature of consciousness and bliss. Verse 1 begins by setting aside mind, intellect, and ego (mano buddhi ahankara). This edition is the Sanskrit text with English meaning, not a branded recording.