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heAtma shatakam is also known as Nirvana Shatakam , and by other variations of these

names. It is a shlokain six stanzas written byAdi Sankara summarising the basic teachings

ofAdvaita Vedanta, or theHindu teachings of non-dualism.

The speaker of the poem is Shiva. He lists in the earlier verses what he ( orbrahman) is not. He

is not body or mind, nor the things that attach them to each other and to the world, including the

intellect, the senses, the practices of life, the occurrences of life such as birth and death. In the

last verse he says that he permeates through the universe, and that he is consciousness, bliss

and the soul, and by implication, the atman and brahman.[1][2

]

Atma Ashtakam:

Manobudhhi ahankar Chitta ninaham Nacha Shotra jive nacha ghrana Netre

Nacha Vyoma Bhoomir na tejo na vayu Chidananda rupas Shivoham Shivoham -1Nacha prana sandhno na ve manchtauh na va saptadhatur na va panchakoshah

na vak panipadau na chopastha payu chidananda rupas Shivoham Shivoham -2

Na me dwesh ragau na me loobha mohau mado naiva me naiva matsaryabhvah

na dharmo na chartho na kamo na mokshah Chidananda rupas Shivoham Shivoham -3

Na punyam na paapam na Saukhyam na dukham na mantro na tirtho na veda na yagna

aham Bhojanam naiv bhojam na bhokta Chidananda rupas Shivoham Shivoham -4

na me mrutu Shanka Na me Jatibheda Pita naiva me naiva mata na Janma

na bhandu na mitra gurur naiva shishya Chidananda rupas Shivoham Shivoham -5

Aham Nirvikalpo Nirakar rupo Vibhurvyapa sarvatra sarvendriyani

Sada me samatvam na muktir na bhandha Chidananda rupas Shivoham Shivoham -6

************

Translated as

1. I am not mind, nor the intellect, nor the ego, nor the reflections of inner self (chitta). I do not

have senses, I am beyond that! I am not the ether, nor the earth, nor the fire, nor the wind. I

am indeed, eternal blissful Shiva - love and happiness.

2. Neither can I be termed as praana (energy), nor five types of breathes. Nor the seven

essences, nor the five coverings (Panchakosha) Neither am I the speech, nor am I the hands

and the feet, nor the genitals. I am indeed, eternal blissful Shiva - love and happiness.

3. I have no hatred, nor the affiliation, nor the greed nor the delusion, nor the haughtiness, nor

the feeling of envy. I am not the dharma, nor the money nor the kaama nor the moksha. I am

indeed, eternal blissful Shiva - love and happiness.

4. Nor am I the merit, nor the dismerit. I do not commit sins or good deeds. Nor the happiness,nor the sorrow. I do not need mantra, holy places, veda and yagnas (sacrifices). I (the triplet)

do not consume anything nor am I consumable, nor I am consumptions I am indeed, eternal

blissful Shiva - love and happiness.

5. I do not have fear of death (I do not have death) and no separation from my true self, no

doubt (about my existence), nor have I the discrimination on the basis of birth. I have no

father, no mother, nor did I have a birth. I am not the relative, nor the friend, nor the Guru, nor

the disciple. I am indeed, eternal blissful Shiva - love and happiness.

6. I am all pervasive. I am without any attributes, and without any form. I am always in

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shlokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shlokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi_Sankarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advaita_Vedantahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advaita_Vedantahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shivahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80tman_(Hinduism)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atma_Shatakam#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atma_Shatakam#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atma_Shatakam#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atma_Shatakam#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shlokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi_Sankarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advaita_Vedantahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shivahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80tman_(Hinduism)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atma_Shatakam#cite_note-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atma_Shatakam#cite_note-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atma_Shatakam#cite_note-1

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equilibrium. Nor I have the attachment to the world, nor liberation (Mukti). I do not have

wishes for anything because I am everything, everywhere, everytime -always in equilibrium. I

am indeed, eternal blissful Shiva - love and happiness.