The great Adi Shankara (first Shankaracharya) of the eighth
century summarized the entirety of Advaita Vedanta (non-dualistic philosophy)
in six stanzas. When a young boy of eight, while wandering in the Himalayas,
seeking to find his guru, he encountered a sage who asked him, "Who are
you?" The boy answered with these stanzas, which are known as
"Nirvana Shatakam" or "Atma Shatakam." "Nirvana"
is complete equanimity, peace, tranquility, freedom and joy. "Atma"
is the True Self. The sage the boy was talking to was Swami Govindapada
Acharya, who was, indeed, the teacher he was looking for.
These few verses can be of tremendous value to progress in
contemplation practices that lead to Self-Realization.
1) I am not
mind, nor intellect, nor ego,
nor the reflections of inner self
(chitta).
I am not the five senses.
I am beyond that.
I am not the ether, nor the earth,
nor the fire, nor the wind (the five
elements).
I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss,
Shiva,
love and pure consciousness.
2) Neither
can I be termed as energy (prana),
nor five types of breath (vayus),
nor the seven material essences,
nor the five coverings
(pancha-kosha).
Neither am I the five instruments
of elimination,
procreation, motion, grasping, or
speaking.
I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss,
Shiva,
love and pure consciousness.
3) I have no
hatred or dislike,
nor affiliation or liking,
nor greed,
nor delusion,
nor pride or haughtiness,
nor feelings of envy or jealousy.
I have no duty (dharma),
nor any money,
nor any desire (kama),
nor even liberation (moksha).
I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss,
Shiva,
love and pure consciousness.
4) I have
neither merit (virtue),
nor demerit (vice).
I do not commit sins or good deeds,
nor have happiness or sorrow,
pain or pleasure.
I do not need mantras, holy places,
scriptures (Vedas), rituals or
sacrifices (yagnas).
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.
I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss,
Shiva,
love and pure consciousness.
5) 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.
I have no father or mother,
nor did I have a birth.
I am not the relative,
nor the friend,
nor the guru,
nor the disciple.
I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss,
Shiva,
love and pure consciousness.
6) I am all
pervasive.
I am without any attributes,
and without any form.
I have neither attachment to the
world,
nor to liberation (mukti).
I have no wishes for anything
because I am everything,
everywhere,
every time,
always in equilibrium.
I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss,
Shiva,
love and pure consciousness.