Nirvana Shatakam

Nirvāṇaṣaṭkam

A six-verse hymn, also called Atma Shatakam, in which the speaker negates identification with mind, body, senses and roles, and affirms identity with Shiva as pure consciousness and bliss.

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Tradition: Advaita Vedanta
Difficulty: beginner
Attribution: Traditionally attributed to Shankara; authorship debated
Period · language: Traditionally 8th century CE; date uncertain · Sanskrit
Themes: Self · Negation · Consciousness · Identity

Why read this?

In six verses it gives a sung, first-person version of the 'not this, not this' method. It is widely recited and a gentle entry into Advaita's view of the Self.

The frame story

Tradition says the young Shankara composed it when his future teacher Govindapada asked him who he was; this is a traditional account.

Questions it answers

?Who am I, if not my body, mind or roles?

Key teachings

Editorial overview

Negation of the non-Self

Each verse denies that the Self is mind, intellect, ego, senses, elements, breath, merit, demerit, relationships or even the seeker's own practices.

Affirmation

Each verse ends by affirming the Self as consciousness and bliss, named as Shiva, understood here as the non-dual Self.

Structure

6 verses with a refrain

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The text of the Nirvana Shatakam is not part of this version. What you see here is an editorial overview with passage references. No verses have been reproduced or invented. The architecture is ready for the text to be added.

Concepts

Conceptआत्मन्Atman — the SelfThe innermost Self — what you are beneath body, mind and personality.Conceptनेति नेतिNeti neti — not this, not thisThe Upanishadic method of describing the ultimate by negating every limited description.Conceptअद्वैत / अद्वयNon-duality (advaya / advaita)The claim that reality is ultimately 'not two' — understood very differently across schools.ConceptशिवShiva (as principle)Shiva as the supreme reality or pure consciousness, as understood in Shaiva philosophies.Conceptआत्मविचारAtma-vichara — self-inquiryInquiring into the nature of the 'I' until its source is recognised.

Textबृहदारण्यकोपनिषद्Brihadaranyaka UpanishadSource of the 'neti neti' method it enacts Textभज गोविन्दम्Bhaja GovindamAnother short hymn attributed to Shankara Textनान् यार्Who Am I? (Nan Yar)Ramana Maharshi's inquiry asks the same question

Thinkers

Thinkerआदि शङ्कराचार्यAdi ShankaracharyaTraditionally 788–820 CE; many scholars prefer an earlier 8th-century or late 7th-century date. Dates are debated.

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Traditions

अद्वैत वेदान्तAdvaita Vedanta

Source type: Primary source. Overview text on this page is editorial.