Ātmaṣaṭkaṃ - Nirvānaṣaṭkaṃ (आत्मषट्कं - निर्वानषट्कं)

Prologue – Ātmaṣaṭkaṃ, also called as Nirvānaṣaṭkaṃ is considered as one of the masterpieces of the great scholar Śrī Ādi Śaṅkarācārya. The six-verse hymn is a prayer to Lord Śiva describing Him/It as the infinite super-consciousness that is simply pure eternal bliss. It is typically set in the style of Vedānta and the doctrine of Advaita, propagated by Bhagavatpāda Śrī Ādi Śaṅkarācārya. The infinite is described by negating everything that we can possibly identify as God or Brahman (Śiva). All that is left, is simply consciousness that has no description and is beyond conception.

Let us dive in and enjoy the six hymns composed by the great teacher!

mano-buddhy-ahaṅkāra-cittāni nāhaṃ na ca śrotra-jihve na ca ghrāṇa-netre ।

na ca vyoma-bhūmirna tejo na vāyuś-cidānanda-rūpaḥ śivo'haṃ śivo'ham ॥ 1 ॥

मनोबुद्ध्यहङ्कारचित्तानि नाहं न च श्रोत्रजिह्वे न च घ्राणनेत्रे ।

न च व्योमभूमिर्न तेजो न वायुश्चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥ १ ॥

I am not the mind (manas), or the intellect (buddhi), or the ego (ahaṅkāra) or the thoughts (cittāni). I am not the one possessing the organs of hearing (śrotra), taste (jihva), nostrils (ghrāṇa) and eyes (netra). Neither am I the sky (vyoma), earth (bhūmi), fire (tejas) or the wind (vāyu). All I am, is just pure eternal bliss (cidānanda-rūpaḥ). I am the purest of the pure, consciousness Itself (śivo'haṃ)

na ca prāṇa-saṃjño na vai pañca-vāyurna vā sapta-dhāturna vā pañca-kośaḥ ।

na vāk-pāṇi-pādau na copasthapāyuś-cidānanda-rūpaḥ śivo'haṃ śivo'ham ॥ 2 ॥

न च प्राणसंज्ञो न वै पञ्चवायुर्न वा सप्तधातुर्न वा पञ्चकोशः ।

न वाक्पाणिपादौ न चोपस्थपायुश्चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥ २ ॥

I am not the vital breath (Prāṇa) nor its constituent five vital airs (pañcavāyu - Prāṇa, Apāna, Udāna, Samāna and Vyāna) that aid in the physiological functions of sentient beings. Neither am I the seven vital constituents of the body (sapta-dhātu - marrow, bone, fat, flesh, blood, inner and outer skin). I am also NOT the five sheaths that make up the body (pañca-kośaḥ - annamaya [food], prāṇamaya [vital breaths], manomaya [mind], vijñānamaya [intellect] and ānandamaya [joy and bliss]). I am not the organs of speech(vāk), nor the hands(pāṇi) or the feet(pāda) or procreation(upastha) or excretion (pāyu). All I am, is just pure eternal bliss (cidānanda-rūpaḥ). I am the purest of the pure, consciousness Itself (śivo'haṃ).

na me dveṣa-rāgau na me lobhamohau mado naiva me naiva mātsarya-bhāvaḥ ।

na dharmo na cārtho na kāmo na mokṣaś-cidānanda-rūpaḥ śivo'haṃ śivo'ham ॥ 3 ॥

न मे द्वेषरागौ न मे लोभमोहौ मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः ।

न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो न मोक्षश्चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥ ३ ॥

I neither possess hatred (dveṣa), nor passion and possessiveness (raga). Neither am I greedy (lobha)          or obsessed (moha) with anything. Neither do I possess any pride and arrogance (mada) nor am I envious (mātsarya) of anyone, nor do I have any emotions (bhāva) and attachments. Neither am I confined and bound to justice (dharma) or fulfillment (artha) or desires (kāma) or even liberation (mokṣa). All I am, is just pure eternal bliss (cidānanda-rūpaḥ). I am the purest of the pure, consciousness Itself (śivo'haṃ).

na puṇyaṃ na pāpaṃ na saukhyaṃ na duḥkhaṃ na mantro na tīrthaṃ na vedā na yajñāḥ ।

ahaṃ bhojanaṃ naiva bhojyaṃ na bhoktā cidānandarūpaḥ śivo'haṃ śivo'ham ॥ 4 ॥

न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं न मन्त्रो न तीर्थं न वेदा न यज्ञाः ।

अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥ ४ ॥

I am also not bound in any manner, to karma and merit (puṇyaṃ) nor to treachery and sins (pāpaṃ), nor am I confined to worldly joys and material comforts (saukhyaṃ), sorrows and misfortune (duḥkhaṃ). I am also not bound to prayers and chants (mantras) nor to holy places of pilgrimage (tīrthaṃ). I am not bound by the holy scriptures (vedā) or by sacrificial offerings (yajñāḥ). I am not the food or enjoyment or the experience (bhojanaṃ), nor am I the object of enjoyment that can be enjoyed or experienced (bhojyaṃ) and neither am I the enjoyer or the one who is experiencing (bhoktā) it. All I am, is just pure eternal bliss (cidānanda-rūpaḥ). I am the purest of the pure, consciousness Itself (śivo'haṃ).

na mṛtyurna śaṅkā na me jāti-bhedaḥ pitā naiva me naiva mātā na janma ।

na bandhurna mitraṃ gurur-naiva śiṣyaś-cidānanda-rūpaḥ śivo'haṃ śivo'ham ॥ 5 ॥

न मृत्युर्न शङ्का न मे जातिभेदः पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्म ।

न बन्धुर्न मित्रं गुरुर्नैव शिष्यश्चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥ ५ ॥

I am not bound by death (mṛtyu) or by its fear (śaṅkā). Nor do I have any afflictions or preferences nor am I bound or endeared to any race (jāti) or caste or divisions (bhedaḥ) of society. Neither do I have a Father (pitā) or a Mother (mātā), nor was I ever born (janma). I am infinite and timeless. Neither do I have any relations (bandhu), nor any friends (mitra). Neither have I ever been taught by a teacher (guru), nor do I possess any students and disciples (śiṣya). All I am, is just pure eternal bliss (cidānanda-rūpaḥ). I am the purest of the pure, consciousness Itself (śivo'haṃ).

ahaṃ nirvikalpo nirākāra-rūpo vibhur-vyāpya sarvatra sarvendriyāṇām ।

sadā me samatvaṃ na muktirna bandhas-cidānanda-rūpaḥ śivo'haṃ śivo'ham ॥ 6 ॥

अहं निर्विकल्पो निराकाररूपो विभुर्व्याप्य सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम् ।

सदा मे समत्वं न मुक्तिर्न बन्धश्चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥ ६॥

I am changeless (nirvikalpa) and possess no form (nirākāra-rūpa). I exist (vibhur) everywhere (vyāpya) and am the constituent of everything (sarvatra), organic (sarvendriyāṇām) and inorganic. I am always equipoised (samatvaṃ) and undisturbed. I am neither free (mukti) nor attached (bandha) to anything. All I am, is just pure eternal bliss (cidānanda-rūpaḥ). I am the purest of the pure, consciousness Itself (śivo'haṃ).

I am the infinite, timeless, boundless constituent of everything. I am what I am!

॥ iti śrīmacchaṅkarācāryaviracitaṃ ātmaṣaṭkaṃ sampūrṇam ॥

॥ इति श्रीमच्छङ्कराचार्यविरचितं आत्मषट्कं सम्पूर्णम् ॥

[ Thus ends the six verse hymn called ātmaṣaṭkaṃ, composed by Śrīmat Ādi Śaṅkarācārya ].

This article is written by Krishna Vallapareddy and can be contacted at Krishna@manblunder.com