निर्वाणषट्कम्

आत्मज्ञान पर छह श्लोक

 Introduction

This is the Nirvāṇaṣaṭkam (also called Ātmaṣaṭkam) or «Six Stanzas on Enlightenment». For purists, the word «Nirvāṇa» literally means «Extinction», and this has a direct Buddhist connotation and therefore «atheistic» one. Well, the Supreme Lord whom we know by the name of Śiva CANNOT ever be extinguished. Unfortunately, it was decided to put that word in the title of the hymn. Hence I translated «Nirvāṇa» as «Enlightenment», to give it a more theistic touch. Thank God, this hymn is also called «Ātmaṣaṭkam» or «Six Stanzas on the Self», a much more accurate title.

It is said that when the Guru named Govindapāda asked the great Śaṅkarācārya (the founder of Advaitavedānta, who at that time was only eight years old) «Who are you?», the wise little boy answered him with this hymn. Of course, Govindapāda immediately accepted him as a disciple.

The way in which Śaṅkarācārya isolates the «true I» is called «neti neti» (it is not this, it is not that, etc.). This reasoning is typical of the Vivekajamārga (the path born of discernment). In the philosophy of Trika Shaivism, on the other hand, we use the typical reasoning of the Yogajamārga (the path born of union), that is: «I am this, I am that... I am everything». Certainly, in the West, the Vivekajamārga is more popular, at least for now.

So, as it is obvious, the author of this hymn is the venerable Śaṅkarācārya. My most respectful salutations to him!

Now read the Nirvāṇaṣaṭkam and experience Supreme Delight, dear Śiva.

Important: Everything that is within parentheses and in italics in the translation has been added by me to complete the meaning of a given phrase or sentence. Likewise, everything that is between double hyphens (--...--) constitutes additional clarifying information also added by me.

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 Nirvāṇaṣaṭkam

मनोबुद्ध्यहङ्कारचित्तानि नाहं न च श्रोत्रजिह्वे न च घ्राणनेत्रे।
न च व्योम भूमिर्न तेजो न वायुश्चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम्॥१॥
Manobuddhyahaṅkāracittāni nāhaṁ na ca śrotrajihve na ca ghrāṇanetre|
Na ca vyoma bhūmirna tejo na vāyuścidānandarūpaḥ śivo'haṁ śivo'ham||1||

I am not (na aham) the mind --lit. mind, but associated with thoughts and the senses--, intellect, ego or citta --lit. mind, but associated with memory-- (manas-buddhi-ahaṅkāra-cittāni), nor (na ca) the auditory and gustatory powers (śrotra-jihve), nor (na ca) the olfactory and visual powers (ghrāṇa-netre), nor (na ca... na... na) the ether (vyoma), the earth (bhūmiḥ), the fire (tejas) (or) the wind (vāyuḥ). I am (aham) Śiva (śivaḥ), I am (aham) Śiva (śivaḥ), whose form/nature is Consciousness and Bliss (cit-ānanda-rūpaḥ)!||1||

न च प्राणसंज्ञो न वै पञ्चवायुर्न वा सप्तधातुर्न वा पञ्चकोशः।
न वाक्पाणिपादौ न चोपस्थपायू चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम्॥२॥
Na ca prāṇasaṁjño na vai pañcavāyurna vā saptadhāturna vā pañcakośaḥ|
Na vākpāṇipādau na copasthapāyū cidānandarūpaḥ śivo'haṁ śivo'ham||2||

(I am not) nor (na ca) what is called the vital energy (prāṇa-saṁjñaḥ), nor (na vai) the five vital airs (pañca-vāyuḥ), nor (na vā) the seven bodily constituents (sapta-dhātuḥ), nor (na vā) the five sheaths (pañca-kośaḥ), nor the powers of speech, prehension and locomotion (vāk-pāṇi-pādam), nor (na ca) the sexual and excretory powers (upastha-pāyū). I am (aham) Śiva (śivaḥ), I am (aham) Śiva (śivaḥ), whose form/nature is Consciousness and Bliss (cit-ānanda-rūpaḥ)!||2||

न मे द्वेषरागौ न मे लोभमोहौ मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः।
न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो न मोक्षश्चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम्॥३॥
Na me dveṣarāgau na me lobhamohau mado naiva me naiva mātsaryabhāvaḥ|
Na dharmo na cārtho na kāmo na mokṣaścidānandarūpaḥ śivo'haṁ śivo'ham||3||

Nor are mine (na me) aversion and attachment (dveṣa-rāgau), nor are mine (na me) greed and delusion (lobha-mohau), nor are mine (na eva me na eva) pride (madaḥ) (and) the feeling of jealousy (mātsarya-bhāvaḥ), nor (na) dharma --lit. righteousness-- (dharmaḥ) nor (na ca) wealth (artha), nor (na) desire (kāmaḥ), nor (na) Liberation (mokṣaḥ). I am (aham) Śiva (śivaḥ), I am (aham) Śiva (śivaḥ), whose form/nature is Consciousness and Bliss (cit-ānanda-rūpaḥ)!||3||

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॥
Na puṇyaṁ na pāpaṁ na saukhyaṁ na duḥkhaṁ na mantro na tīrthaṁ na vedā na yajñāḥ|
Ahaṁ bhojanaṁ naiva bhojyaṁ na bhoktā cidānandarūpaḥ śivo'haṁ śivo'ham||4||

(I am not) nor (na) virtue/merit (puṇyam) nor (na) sin (pāpam), nor (na) pleasure/well-being (saukhyam) nor (na) pain (duḥkham), nor (na) mantra (mantraḥ) nor (na) a place of pilgrimage on the banks of a sacred river (tīrtham), nor (na) the Vedas (vedāḥ) nor (na) the sacrifices (yajñāḥ). I am not (aham... na eva) the act of eating (bhojanam) (nor) what is eaten (bhojyam), nor (either) (na) the eater (bhoktā). I am (aham) Śiva (śivaḥ), I am (aham) Śiva (śivaḥ), whose form/nature is Consciousness and Bliss (cit-ānanda-rūpaḥ)!||4||

न मृत्युर्न शङ्का न मे जातिभेदः पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्म।
न बन्धुर्न मित्रं गुरुर्नैव शिष्यश्चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम्॥५॥
Na mṛtyurna śaṅkā na me jātibhedaḥ pitā naiva me naiva mātā na janma|
Na bandhurna mitraṁ gururnaiva śiṣyaścidānandarūpaḥ śivo'haṁ śivo'ham||5||

Nor (na) death (mṛtyuḥ) nor (na) doubt (śaṅkā) nor (na) the distinction of caste (jāti-bhedaḥ) are mine (me), nor are mine (na eva me na eva... na) the father (pitā), the mother (mātā) (and) birth (janma), nor (either) (na) the relative (bandhuḥ), nor (na) the friend (mitram), nor (na eva) the Guru (guruḥ) (or) the disciple (śiṣyaḥ). I am (aham) Śiva (śivaḥ), I am (aham) Śiva (śivaḥ), whose form/nature is Consciousness and Bliss (cit-ānanda-rūpaḥ)!||5||

अहं निर्विकल्पो निराकाररूपो विभुर्व्याप्य सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम्।
सदा मे समत्वं न मुक्तिर्न बन्धश्चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम्॥६॥
Ahaṁ nirvikalpo nirākārarūpo vibhurvyāpya sarvatra sarvendriyāṇām|
Sadā me samatvaṁ na muktirna bandhaścidānandarūpaḥ śivo'haṁ śivo'ham||6||

I am devoid of vikalpa-s --of thoughts-- (aham nirvikalpaḥ), I have no form (nirākāra-rūpaḥ), (and) having penetrated (vyāpya) in all places (sarvatra) of all the indriya-s --powers of perception and action-- (sarva-indriyāṇām), (I am) omnipresent (vibhuḥ). Equanimity (samatvam) (is) always (sadā) mine (me). I (am) (na) not Liberation (muktiḥ) nor (na) bondage (bandhaḥ). I am (aham) Śiva (śivaḥ), I am (aham) Śiva (śivaḥ), whose form/nature is Consciousness and Bliss (cit-ānanda-rūpaḥ)!||6||

इति श्रीमच्छङ्कराचार्यविरचितमात्मषट्कं सम्पूर्णम्
||Iti śrīmacchaṅkarācāryaviracitamātmaṣaṭkaṁ sampūrṇam||

||Thus (iti), the Ātmaṣaṭkam --«Six Stanzas on the Self», also called «Nirvāṇaṣaṭkam»-- (ātma-ṣaṭkam) written by the eminent Śaṅkarācārya (śrīmat-śaṅkarācārya-viracitam) is complete (sampūrṇam)||

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 Further information

This document was conceived by Gabriel Pradīpaka, one of the two founders of this site, and spiritual guru conversant with Sanskrit language and Trika philosophy.

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