Atma Shatkam by Adi Shankaracharya
27 Dec 2015

Atma Shatkam (wikipedia) by Adi Shankaracharya is a beautiful composition that explains Advaita Vedanta.

Another recording, sung by S P Balasubramaniam, is here.

Translation by Swami Vivekananda

Source: The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda — Vol 4.

मनोबुद्धयहंकार चित्तानि नाहं,
न च श्रोत्रजिव्हे न च घ्राणनेत्रे ।
न च व्योम भूमिर्न तेजो न वायुः,
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। 1 ।।

I am neither the mind, nor the intellect, nor the ego, nor the mind-stuff ;
I am neither the body, nor the changes of the body ;
I am neither the senses of hearing, taste, smell, or sight,
Nor am I the ether, the earth, the fire, the air ;
I am Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute, Bliss Absolute—
I am He, I am He. (Shivoham, Shivoham).

न च प्राणसंज्ञो न वै पंचवायुः,
न वा सप्तधातुः न वा पञ्चकोशः ।
न वाक्पाणिपादं न चोपस्थपायु,
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। 2 ।।

I am neither the Prâna, nor the five vital airs ;
I am neither the materials of the body, nor the five sheaths ;
Neither am I the organs of action, nor object of the senses ;
I am Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute, Bliss Absolute—
I am He, I am He. (Shivoham, Shivoham).

न मे द्वेषरागौ न मे लोभमोहौ,
मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः ।
न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो न मोक्षः,
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। 3 ।।

I have neither aversion nor attachment, neither greed nor delusion;
Neither egotism nor envy, neither Dharma nor Moksha;
I am neither desire nor objects of desire ;
I am Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute, Bliss Absolute—
I am He, I am He. (Shivoham, Shivoham).

न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं,
न मन्त्रो न तीर्थो न वेदा न यज्ञ ।
अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता,
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। 4 ।।

I am neither sin nor virtue, neither pleasure nor pain ;
Nor temple nor worship, nor pilgrimage nor scriptures,
Neither the act of enjoying, the enjoyable nor the enjoyer ;
I am Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute, Bliss Absolute—
I am He, I am He. (Shivoham, Shivoham).

न मे मृत्युशंका न मे जातिभेदः,
पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्मः ।
न बन्धुर्न मित्रं गुरूर्नैव शिष्यः,
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। 5 ।।

I have neither death nor fear of death, nor caste ;
Nor was I ever born, nor had I parents, friends, and relations ;
I have neither Guru, nor disciple ;
I am Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute, Bliss Absolute—
I am He, I am He. (Shivoham, Shivoham).

अहं निर्विकल्पो निराकार रूपो,
विभुत्वाच सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम् ।
न चासङत नैव मुक्तिर्न मेयः,
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ।। 6 ।।

I am untouched by the senses, I am neither Mukti nor knowable ;
I am without form, without limit, beyond space, beyond time ;
I am in everything ; I am the basis of the universe ; everywhere am I.
I am Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute, Bliss Absolute—
I am He, I am He. (Shivoham, Shivoham).

Other Resources

  1. Word by word translation of Atma Shatkam — hover the mouse over the words in Sanskrit to see English translations of each word.
  2. Ramana Maharshi explains Advaita Vedanta through answers to 28 questions posed to him by disciples. See the 8-page Who Am I?

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