Sanskrit language is the forefront of languages in terms of diction and has been influential in building vocabulary. It’s been on this earth for many years and has made a global impact on people. Out of all the influential things it has provided us with, one of the most important of them all is Stotras.

They are considered ancient holy texts of Hindus written in the form of a hymn or praise and they are designed to be sung. There were many Indian philosophers and theologians. Among these people, Adi Sankara Bhagawat Pada has laid many important foundations in the field of Stotras.

Benefits Of Shivoham Mantra

Reciting a Stotra has benefits of its own. Happiness and prosperity are just the tip of the iceberg when you sing it in a melody. Out of all the Stotras, the most important one is the Nirvana Shakatam written by Adi Sankara Bhagawat Pada. 

If a person chants Nirvana Shakatam, he or she will feel free from the burden of the world. The ultimate liberation is the final passage of every human life. It will transform your life in ways you have never imagined. Every Stotra has it unique feeling to it and Nirvana Shakatam will give you a powerful and positive vibration all day.

The Stotras were always meant to provide inner peace to the person who sings it and it delivers on it at every level. The world today is filled with anxiety, stress and depression but by reciting Nirvana Shakatam written by Adi Sankara you can get rid of the negative feelings and be completely free devoid of anything that effects your life in a negative way. Reciting these stotras at least once a day will fill you with all the positive energy to fight through every hurdle that may come along the way.

The story goes this way. As a young boy of 8, in search of his Guru, Adi Sankara was wandering in the Himalayas. There he encountered a sage. The sage asked the young boy who he was and it was then that the great Adi Sankara recited the first 3 stanzas. These stanzas later became known as ‘Nirvana Shakatam’. In the end the young boy did find his Guru who was the sage in question all along.

The Stanzas are sung in the first person narrative keeping Siva in mind. It explains the philosophy of non-dualism which means ‘Undivided’ and ‘Without a second’. This philosophy has been passed down to generation after it was sung and the people today still find prosperity and happiness by singing these verses. That’s the power of these stanzas.

Nirvana Shakatam – Lyrics And Meaning

The translations of the verses are given below.

मनो बुद्ध्यहंक- ारचित्तानि- नाहम् न च श्रोत्र जिह्वे न च घ्राण नेत्रे
न च व्योम भूमिर् न तेजॊ न वायु: चिदानन्द रूप: शिवोऽहम् शिवॊऽहम् ॥1॥

Neither am I mind or intelligence,

Nor ego nor thought,

Nor am I ears or the tongue or nose or the eye,

Nor am I earth or sky or air or the light,

But I’m Siva the all pervading happiness,

Yes, I’m definitely Siva.

न च प्राण संज्ञो न वै पञ्चवायु: न वा सप्तधातुर्- न वा पञ्चकोश:
न वाक्पाणिपा- दौ न चोपस्थपायू- चिदानन्द रूप: शिवोऽहम् शिवॊऽहम् ॥2॥

Nor am I the movement due to life,

Nor am I the five airs nor am I the seven elements,

Nor am I the five internal organs,

Nor am I voice or hand or feet or other organs,

But I’m Siva the all pervading happiness,

Yes, I’m definitely Siva.

In the first and the second verses, Adi Sankara Bhagawat Pada is proclaiming that the soul or atman is different from the gross, subtle and the casual body.

न मे द्वेष रागौ न मे लोभ मोहौ मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभा- व:
न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो ना मोक्ष: चिदानन्द रूप: शिवोऽहम् शिवॊऽहम् ॥3॥

I never do have enmity or friendship,

Neither do I have vigour or feeling of competition.

Neither do I have assets or money or passion or salvation,

But I’m Siva the all pervading happiness,

Yes, I’m definitely Siva.

In the third verse Adi Sankara Bhagawat Pada explains that Jnani (One who has attained spiritual knowledge or wisdom) isn’t bound by any obligations as he has attained everything there is to attain.

न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दु:खम् न मन्त्रो न तीर्थं न वेदा: न यज्ञ
अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता चिदानन्द रूप: शिवोऽहम् शिवॊऽहम् ॥4॥

Never do I have good deeds or sins or pleasure or sorrow,

Neither do I have holy chants, or holy water or holy books or fire sacrifice,

I’m neither food nor the consumer, who consumes food,

As I’m Siva the all pervading happiness,

Yes I’m definitely Siva.

The fourth verse is the continuation from the third verse which explains about Nirvana and state of spiritual knowledge.

न मे मृत्युर्शं- का न मे जातिभेद: पिता नैव माता नैव न जन्म:
न बन्धुर् न मित्रं गुरुर्नैव शिष्य: चिदानन्द रूप: शिवोऽहम् शिवॊऽहम् ॥5॥

I do not have death or doubts or distinction of caste,

I do not have either father or mother or even birth,

And I do not have relations or friends or teacher or students,

As I’m Siva the all pervading happiness,

Yes I’m definitely Siva.

This verse too continues the state of spiritual knowledge from the previous verse.

अहं- निर्विकल्प- ॊ निराकार रूपॊ विभुत्वाच्- सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्र- ियाणाम्
न चासंगत नैव मुक्तिर् न मेय: चिदानन्द रूप: शिवोऽहम् शिवॊऽहम् ॥6॥

I’m one without doubts I’m one without forms,

Due to knowledge I do not have any relation with my organs,

And I’m always redeemed,

And I’m Siva the all pervading happiness,

Yes I’m definitely Siva.

In the final verse Adi Sankara explains what atman is after explaining what atman isn’t. Atman is one and without any parts, it’s endless and never changing. It doesn’t have a birth or death. Atman exists in every object in the universe.