Nirvana Shatakam – Sri Adi Shankaracharya [Six verses for Freedom]

This is my first attempt at sharing  poems, abhangs and bhajans from great enlightened sages. This one is called Nirvana Shatakam, or Atma Shatakam. Which means six verses for freedom, or six verses for Atman.

This poem is a significant contribution by Sri Shankaracharya, a great sage that lived between 788 CE – 820 CE in Kaladi, the Chera Kingdom, which is present day Kerala, India. He describes what we are, and what we aren’t. That we are not this mind, body or anything external to it. We are pure, divine, cosmic consciousness or Shiva.

This video that I’ve created, includes the translations with meanings, as subtitles. Also, for your convenience, I have included the translation after the video below.

मनोबुद्धयहंकार चित्तानि नाहं,
I am not my mind, nor my intellect, ego, nor my memory
न च श्रोत्रजिव्हे न च घ्राणनेत्रे ।
Neither am I my five senses of hearing tasting, smelling, seeing and touch
न च व्योम भूमिर्न तेजो न वायुः,
Neither am I the ether, nor the earth, the fire, nor the wind (the elements)
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। 1 ।।
I am indeed, That eternal and auspicious, Pure Consciousness

न च प्राणसंज्ञो न वै पंचवायुः,
Neither can I be termed as energy (prāṇa), nor five types of breath (vāyus)
न वा सप्तधातुः न वा पञ्चकोशः ।
nor the seven material essences, nor the five sheaths(pañca-kośa)
न वाक्पाणिपादं न चोपस्थपायु,
Neither am I the five instruments of elimination, procreation, motion, grasping, or speaking
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। 2 ।।
I am indeed, That eternal and auspicious, Pure Consciousness

न मे द्वेषरागौ न मे लोभमोहौ,
I have no hatred or dislike, nor affiliation or liking, nor greed, nor delusion,
मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः ।
nor pride or haughtiness, nor feelings of envy or jealousy
न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो न मोक्षः,
I have no duty (dharma), nor any money, nor any desire (kāma), nor even liberation (mokṣa)
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। 3 ।।
I am indeed, That eternal and auspicious, Pure Consciousness

न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं,
I have neither merit (virtue), nor demerit (vice). I do not commit sins or good deeds, nor have happiness or sorrow, pain or pleasure
न मन्त्रो न तीर्थो न वेदा न यज्ञ ।
I do not need mantras, holy places, scriptures (Vedas), rituals or sacrifices (yajñas)
अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता,
I am none of the triad of the observer or one who experiences, the process of observing or experiencing, or any object being observed or experienced
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। 4 ।।
I am indeed, That eternal and auspicious, Pure Consciousness

न मे मृत्युशंका न मे जातिभेदः,
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
पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्मः ।
I have no father or mother, nor did I have a birth
न बन्धुर्न मित्रं गुरूर्नैव शिष्यः,
I am not the relative, nor the friend nor the guru, nor the disciple
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। 5 ।।
I am indeed, That eternal and auspicious, Pure Consciousness

अहं निर्विकल्पो निराकार रूपो,
I am all pervasive. I am without any attributes, and without any form
विभुत्वाच सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम् ।
I have no wishes for anything because I am everything
न चासङत नैव मुक्तिर्न मेयः,
I have neither attachment to the world, nor to liberation (mukti)
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। 6 ।।
I am indeed, That eternal and auspicious, Pure Consciousness