Nirvana Shatakam

निर्वाण षट्कम्

Nirvāṇa Ṣaṭkam

All 6 verses

Verse 1

मनोबुद्ध्यहङ्कारचित्तानि नाहं न च श्रोत्रजिह्वे न च घ्राणनेत्रे । न च व्योम भूमिर्न तेजो न वायुः चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥१॥

Study note

Editorial Advaita reflection

Word breakdown

मनःmanaḥ: the thinking mindmind
बुद्धिःbuddhiḥ: discriminative intellectintellect
अहङ्कारःahaṅkāraḥ: the sense of ‘I’ as doerego-sense
चित्तानिcittāni: the store of impressionsmemory / mind-stuff
न अहम्na aham: I am not these
श्रोत्र-जिह्वेśrotra-jihve: ear and tongue (organs of sense)
घ्राण-नेत्रेghrāṇa-netre: nose and eyes
व्योम भूमिः तेजः वायुःvyoma bhūmiḥ tejaḥ vāyuḥ: space, earth, fire, air - the elements
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम्cidānandarūpaḥ śivo’ham: I am Śiva, whose nature is consciousness and bliss

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 material elements. What remains after this clearing is not emptiness but *cidānanda* - awareness that is inherently joyful. ‘Śiva’ here names that pure consciousness, not a sectarian deity alone.

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Verse 2

न च प्राणसंज्ञो न वै पञ्चवायुः न वा सप्तधातुर्न वा पञ्चकोशः । न वाक्पाणिपादं न चोपस्थपायु चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥२॥

Study note

Editorial Advaita reflection

Word breakdown

प्राणसंज्ञःprāṇasaṃjñaḥ: that which is called prāṇa (vital breath)
पञ्चवायुःpañcavāyuḥ: the five vital airs
सप्तधातुःsaptadhātuḥ: the seven bodily constituents
पञ्चकोशःpañcakośaḥ: the five sheaths covering the Self
वाक् पाणि पादम्vāk pāṇi pādam: speech, hands, and feet
उपस्थ पायुupastha pāyu: organs of generation and excretion
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम्cidānandarūpaḥ śivo’ham: I am Śiva - consciousness-bliss

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 body for the knower. Liberation begins when identification with the five sheaths loosens and awareness recognizes itself as prior to them.

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Verse 3

न मे द्वेषरागौ न मे लोभमोहौ मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः । न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो न मोक्षः चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥३॥

Study note

Editorial Advaita reflection

Word breakdown

द्वेष-रागौdveṣa-rāgau: aversion and attachment
लोभ-मोहौlobha-mohau: greed and delusion
मदःmadaḥ: pride / intoxication of ego
मात्सर्यभावःmātsaryabhāvaḥ: envy / jealousy
धर्म अर्थ काम मोक्षdharma artha kāma mokṣa: the four aims of human life (puruṣārthas)
न मेna me: these are not mine / I am free of them

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 and spiritual practice, yet the absolute Self is not *defined* by seeking them. This verse points past both passion and purpose to the one who witnesses them.

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Verse 4

न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं न मन्त्रो न तीर्थं न वेदा न यज्ञाः । अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥४॥

Study note

Editorial Advaita reflection

Word breakdown

पुण्यं पापंpuṇyaṃ pāpaṃ: merit and demerit / sin
सौख्यं दुःखंsaukhyaṃ duḥkhaṃ: pleasure and pain
मन्त्रः तीर्थंmantraḥ tīrtham: sacred formula and pilgrimage place
वेदाः यज्ञाःvedāḥ yajñāḥ: the Vedas and sacrificial rites
भोजनं भोज्यं भोक्ताbhojanaṃ bhojyaṃ bhoktā: the act of eating, the food, and the eater

Religious means - mantra, tīrtha, Veda, yajña - are honored as paths, yet they too are objects in awareness. Even the triad of experiencer, experience, and experienced dissolves in non-dual recognition. The verse does not abolish practice; it reveals the Self that practice cannot manufacture.

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Verse 5

न मृत्युर्न शङ्का न मे जातिभेदः पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्मः । न बन्धुर्न मित्रं गुरुर्नैव शिष्यः चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥५॥

Study note

Editorial Advaita reflection

Word breakdown

मृत्युः शङ्काmṛtyuḥ śaṅkā: death and fear / doubt
जातिभेदःjātibhedaḥ: distinctions of caste or birth
पिता माता जन्मःpitā mātā janmaḥ: father, mother, and birth
बन्धुः मित्रम्bandhuḥ mitram: kinsman and friend
गुरुः शिष्यःguruḥ śiṣyaḥ: teacher and student

Social and familial identities - including the sacred roles of guru and disciple - are relative truths. Absolute Self-knowledge is birthless and deathless; therefore fear of death and pride of caste have no foothold. Compassion for relationships remains; ownership of them as ‘me’ falls away.

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Verse 6

अहं निर्विकल्पो निराकाररूपो विभुत्वाच्च सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम् । न चासङ्गतं नैव मुक्तिर्न मेयः चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥६॥

Study note

Editorial Advaita reflection

Word breakdown

निर्विकल्पःnirvikalpaḥ: without mental constructs / free of duality
निराकाररूपःnirākārarūpaḥ: formless in nature
विभुत्वात् सर्वत्रvibhutvāt sarvatra: by all-pervasiveness, everywhere
सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम्sarvendriyāṇām: of all the senses (as their witness)
असङ्गतम् मुक्तिः मेयःasaṅgatam muktiḥ meyaḥ: neither attachment, nor liberation as a measurable gain - beyond both

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 every sense. Even ‘liberation’ as a future achievement is relativized - what you seek, you already are. The refrain seals the recognition: *śivo’ham śivo’ham*.

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