Atma Shatakam of Sri Shankara

The Atma Shatakam or Nirvana Shatakam is a haunting and beautiful bhajan written by Sri Adi Shankaracharya. The essence of Advaita philosophy is in this bhajan.
Chidananda rupam, Shivoham, Shivoham!

I am not mind, nor intellect, nor ego,

nor the reflections of inner self (chitta).

I am not the five senses. I am beyond that.

I am not the ether, nor the earth,

nor the fire, nor the wind (the five elements).

I am  that eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva,

love and pure consciousness.


Neither can I be termed as energy (prana),

nor five types of breath (vayus),

nor the seven material essences,

nor the five coverings (pancha-kosha).

Neither am I the five instruments of elimination,

procreation, motion, grasping, or speaking.

I am that eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva,

love and pure consciousness.


I have no hatred or dislike, nor affiliation or liking,

nor greed, nor delusion, nor pride or haughtiness,

nor feelings of envy or jealousy.

I have no duty (dharma), nor any money,

nor any desire (kama), nor even liberation (moksha).

I am  that eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva,

love and pure consciousness.


I have neither merit (virtue), nor demerit (vice).

I do not commit sins or good deeds,

nor have happiness or sorrow, pain or pleasure.

I do not need mantras, holy places,

scriptures (Vedas), rituals or sacrifices (yagnas).

I am none of the triad of

the observer or the experience of observing

or the object being observed or experienced.

I am  that eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva,

love and pure consciousness.


I do not have fear of death, as I do not have death.

I have no separation from my true self, no doubt about my existence,

nor have I discrimination on the basis of birth.

I have no father or mother,nor did I have a birth.

I am not the relative, nor the friend,

nor the guru, nor the disciple.

I am  that eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva,

love and pure consciousness.


I am all pervasive.

I am without any attributes and without any form.

I have neither attachment to the world, nor to liberation (mukti).

I have no wishes for anything because I am everything,

everywhere,

every time,

always in equilibrium.

I am  that eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva,

love and pure consciousness.