Nirvana Shatakam- Adi Shankaracharya’s Nirvanashatakam by Brahmasree Sreejith Nampoothiri

Nirvana Shatakam By Brahmasree Sreejith Nampoothiri This is one of the rare stotras written by Adi Sankara Bhagawat Pada identifying himself the Lord Shiva and clearly explaining his theory of non-dualism. It is mellifluous and has remarkable tempo. There is a story that one of his disciples started saying Shivoham like the Acharya without understanding its significance. The Acharya visited the black smith’s house and happily drank one tumbler of molten iron and ordered the disciple to do so. Naturally he was not able to it. The Acharya told him that as for himself the molten iron or ice cold water are not different because he has realized that he is no different from Lord Shiva, and till the disciple attains that state, there is no point in his repeating Shivoham i.e “I am Shiva” Mano budhya ahankara chithaa ninaham, Na cha srothra jihwe na cha graana nethrer, Na cha vyoma bhoomir na thejo na vayu, Chidananada Roopa Shivoham, Shivoham., 1 Neither am I mind, nor intelligence, Nor ego, nor