Nirvana Shatakam: Six Transformative Affirmations

In a world obsessed with labels, achievements, anxieties, and endless search for contentment, only one answer can bring the peaceful stillness within:  Who am I, really?

Adi Shankaracharya answered this question in a way that continues to shake the foundations of our ordinary understanding of ourselves. When the young seeker was asked by his future guru, "Who are you?", instead of replying with his name, family, profession, or background, he composed and chanted 6 powerful verses. These verses became known as the Nirvana Shatakam (Ātma Shatakam), a timeless declaration of the true Self.

I find them as powerful spiritual affirmations. They remind us of what we already are beneath our fears, desires, successes, failures, and changing identities.

Most today's affirmations say: I am successful/I am confident/I am strong/I am worthy.

Nirvana Shatakam says You are the ever-free, ever-pure consciousness in which all experiences arise and pass away.

These six verses help shift our identification from the limited personality to the limitless Self.

1: I Am Not My Thoughts

"I am not the mind, intellect, ego, or memory."
Most of our suffering arises because we identify completely with our thoughts. When the mind becomes restless, we say, "I am disturbed." When the mind is happy, we say, "I am happy."
But thoughts come and go. The one who observes them remains.
Affirm: I am the witness of my thoughts, not the thoughts themselves. I rest in the awareness that observes all mental activity.

2: I Am More Than the Body

Our culture constantly teaches us to define ourselves through appearance, age, health, strength, or weakness. Yet the body changes every day.

The child, the youth, the adult, and the elderly person all possess different bodies. What remains constant?

The witnessing consciousness.

Affirm: I am not limited by the body. I am the changeless awareness that experiences the body's changing states..

3: I Am Free from Likes and Dislikes

"I have no attachment or aversion."

Much of our life swings between attraction and repulsion.

"I like this."/"I dislike that."/"I want more."/"I must avoid this."

These reactions constantly agitate the mind. The Self, however, remains free.

Affirm: I am not controlled by craving or resistance. I remain centered, peaceful, and free.

4: My True Nature Is Not Defined by Roles

We spend our lives collecting identities: mother/father/teacher/director/researcher/designer/scientist...While these roles are important for daily work, they are not our ultimate reality.

Affirm: I am not merely the roles I play. My true nature is timeless, limitless awareness.

This perspective helps us maintain inner stability even when external circumstances change.

5: I Am Beyond Fear and Limitation

Fear often arises from identification with what can be lost: Health/Wealth/Reputation/Relationships/Status

Nirvana Shatakam reminds us that our deepest nature cannot be damaged, diminished, or destroyed.

The Self was never born and never dies.

Affirm: I am fearless because my true nature is beyond gain and loss. Nothing can diminish what I truly am.

Repeated contemplation on this truth can gradually weaken insecurity and existential anxiety.

6: I Am Pure Awareness, Peace, and Bliss

Every verse ends with the famous declaration: Chidananda Rupa Shivoham Shivoham

"I am of the nature of Consciousness and Bliss. I am Shiva. I am Shiva."

It is the dissolution of all individuality into universal consciousness, a recognition that our essential nature is already whole, complete, and free.

Affirm: My true nature is pure consciousness, peace, freedom, and bliss. I am whole exactly as I am.

The greatest affirmation is not positive thinking "I can do it." or "I am successful." or "I am happy."

The greatest affirmation is the one revealed by Adi Shankaracharya:

"I am not the limited person I take myself to be. I am the infinite awareness in which all experiences arise and dissolve."

And that recognition is the beginning of true freedom.

The Beauty of Leaving No Footprints

 

I heard people being told to do something worth remembering for, even after they are gone. 

My inner voice tells me to leave the world anonymous.

World constantly asks us to become 'something.' Build a brand, leave a legacy, create influence....be remembered. But doing something with this intention, looks performative to me. 

When social media and statuses show every meal photographed, every thought archived, every experience converted into content, it is perhaps because we are made to believe that existence matters only if it leaves visible marks behind. But doesn't this make people depend on outer approval?

Shouldn't it be: do good as much as possible because you want to, AND you do not need to occupy so much space in anyone's mind. Let people live light.

Somehow I am not able to relate to this Obsession With Being Remembered

Nature Leaves No Signatures

A flower blooms fully and falls silently. A bird sings and disappears into the sky. Clouds create magnificent shapes without preserving them. The most beautiful things in existence often do not try to become permanent. Nature participates intensely in life, yet lightly.

The Weight of Psychological Occupation

Today, humans do not only leave physical footprints. We leave psychological and digital occupation everywhere. Unused accounts. Dozens of Forgotten photographs that we do not have time to open and see. Arguments stored forever..........Constant noise added to an already crowded world.

To reduce unnecessary consumption, noise, and self-projection, I, too, feel this is a form of ecological responsibility. One of my point in my to-do list is to close so many of my digital accounts, delete to-be-looked-at-later files.

A footprint is not merely about carbon. It is also about the mental space that I try to occupy in someone's mind.

How much burden do we leave behind for others to manage! Sometimes simplicity becomes an act of compassion.

Living Without Demanding Permanence

There is freedom in not needing to be remembered.

When we stop negotiating with immortality, we can finally participate in life instead of constantly documenting ourselves against time.

One may live quietly and still transform lives deeply. Not all influence needs visibility.

A teacher who encourages a child or a stranger offering kindness. The deepest contributions are often anonymous.

The Spiritual Wisdom of Lightness

In fact, many spiritual traditions point toward this understanding. The Bhagavad Gita teaches action without attachment to ownership. Taoist wisdom praises water because it nourishes all things without competing. Buddhist thought reminds us of impermanence and that clinging creates suffering.

These traditions ask us to live fully, yet lightly.

And maybe a beautiful life is one that leaves the world a little less crowded than it found it.

The Right Place for Everything

 We often give too much power to one part of life.

Some people think wealth will solve everything. Others believe marriage, career success, education, or relationships alone will bring permanent happiness. But every part of life has a limited role. When we understand that limit, we begin making calmer and wiser decisions.

Money is important. It gives comfort, security, and opportunities. But wealth cannot guarantee peace of mind, meaningful relationships, or inner fulfillment. A person may be financially rich and emotionally exhausted at the same time.

Education is valuable because it expands our thinking and helps us grow. Yet degrees alone do not create wisdom, kindness, or emotional maturity. Real understanding comes from experience, reflection, and humility.

Career success can bring achievement and identity, but it should not become our entire self-worth. Jobs change, industries shift, and titles fade. If our happiness depends only on professional success, life becomes fragile.

Marriage and relationships also have an important but limited role. They can offer companionship, support, and love, but no person can completely fill every emotional gap within us. Expecting someone else to become the source of all happiness creates pressure and disappointment.

Life works better when we stop expecting one thing to do everything.

Wealth should support life, not control it.
Education should guide thinking, not create arrogance.
Career should provide purpose, not consume identity.
Relationships should add warmth, not become emotional dependency.

Understanding these limits creates balance. And balance leads to better decisions; decisions based not on desperation, fear, or unrealistic expectations, but on clarity.

A meaningful life is built through correct perspective, balance, and knowing where everything truly belongs.

3Ps: highway to chitta shuddhi

Our minds are constantly bombarded with news, notifications, endless to-do lists. Even if nothing of this is there, our minds would go and ruminate past events or worry about future. It becomes very important to be in the present to not allow any past impressions or future worries to etch anything on our mind's canvas. This cleansing of the mind is called Chitta Shuddhi.

The term chitta refers to the mind-stuff; the storehouse of thoughts, impressions, and memories. Shuddhi means purification. Together, Chitta Shuddhi points to a mind that is free from clutter, free from agitation, and ready to reflect truth like a still lake mirrors the moon.

The journey to Chitta Shuddhi can be seen in three steps: Practice, Perfection, Purity.

1. Practice: Laying the Foundation

Just as the body needs exercise, the mind needs discipline. Practice (abhyasa) is the daily effort to realign the mind with higher values.

• Meditation: Sitting silently, watching the breath or repeating a mantra, helps in reducing restlessness.

• Selfless Service: Small acts of kindness wash away selfish tendencies.

• Right Study: Reading scriptures or uplifting books gradually replaces negative impressions with noble ones.

The key here is consistency, not intensity. A few minutes every day builds far more than an occasional burst of effort.

2. Perfection: Steadiness of Mind

With regular practice, the mind begins to respond. Just as a musician slowly masters a raga, the practitioner of Chitta Shuddhi notices progress. Thoughts getting fewer, but deeper. Reactions giving way to responses. The mind less tossed about by praise or blame.

Perfection here doesn’t mean being flawless. It means developing steadiness. The mind becomes like a well-tuned instrument, ready to play the symphony of life without discord.

3. Purity: The Blossoming of Inner Light

At the peak of Chitta Shuddhi, purity shines forth naturally. The purified mind is calm. It is luminous. In such a mind, qualities like love, compassion, and truth are not practiced; they flow effortlessly.

This purity allows one to see the divine presence in oneself and in all beings. Spiritual texts say that when the mind is pure, the Self reveals itself without effort, like the sun emerging from behind dispersing clouds.

Why Chitta Shuddhi Matters Today

In an age of speed and distraction, the practice of Chitta Shuddhi is a necessity. It calls for living in the world but not of it, with clarity and balance. A purified mind becomes the foundation for peace in families, harmony in societies, and compassion in the world.

Chitta Shuddhi is not a goal to be checked off. It is a lifelong journey. Each small act of awareness, kindness, or self-control polishes the mirror of the mind. With patience, what begins as practice matures into perfection, and finally blossoms as purity.

In this state, every breath carries the fragrance of peace.

Chitta Shuddhi is about uncovering the purity that has always been within you.

Samana Suktam

Recently I got to learn the chanting of Samana Suktam. When I studied the meaning behind this, I found it so beautiful, that I felt this kind of learning has to be taught to all, right from childhood, so that mind becomes expansive and inclusive.

The suktam says
' Just as the forces of nature are distinct, yet united, and just as their sum total is far more radiant than the individual entities, men must also realize the importance of a common purpose, a united vision, to which we must collectively aspire, and uplift ourselves in this material world, as well as spiritually.'

Isn't that powerful? It is easy to work alone, when one does not need to cater to the whims and fancies of others.

While individual initiative is necessary, Samāna Sūktam teaches that true effectiveness and spiritual progress arise from balancing personal action with empathy, cooperation, and adjustment to others’ legitimate needs, avoiding self-centered isolation that ignores the communal and cosmic order. Acting purely according to one’s whims, detached from the shared rhythm of life, undermines both personal and collective advancement.

Samāna Sūktam suggests that the highest achievement combines self-discipline with attunement to collective harmony, ensuring that personal efforts are not wasted in isolation.

Frequencies in the Modern World

We live in an ocean of frequencies. From the natural hum of the Earth itself to the artificial buzz of cell towers and Wi-Fi routers, we are constantly bathed in vibrations. Some nourish us, others disrupt us. We cannot avoid them The challenge of our age is how we choose which ones to tune into.

Our ancestors lived in soundscapes shaped mostly by nature: rustling leaves, flowing water, bird songs, thunder, or the silence of a night sky. These sounds carried frequencies that evolved with us. They were grounding, stabilizing, and in tune with our nervous systems.

Today, however, our daily environment is filled with:

• Electromagnetic waves from phones, Wi-Fi, and satellites.

• Mechanical noise from engines, machines, and electronics.

• Artificial soundscapes from advertisements, traffic, and digital devices.

Many of these frequencies are jarring, irregular, and disconnected from nature’s harmonic ratios. While science is still exploring the long-term effects, many people report feeling restless, anxious, or drained when constantly surrounded by artificial noise and EM waves.

Our bodies are highly sensitive vibratory systems. Every organ, every cell, and even the brain operates at specific frequencies. For example:

• The heart produces electromagnetic fields that can be measured several feet away.

• The brain shifts between alpha, beta, theta, and delta waves depending on our state of mind.

• The cells resonate in micro-vibrations that can be influenced by sound and frequency.

When bombarded by artificial, incoherent frequencies, our “inner orchestra” can lose its tune. This often shows up as stress, fatigue, or a sense of being “out of balance.”

But the reverse is also true: when we intentionally expose ourselves to natural, coherent frequencies, our system can retune and restore harmony.

Tuning into Nature’s Frequencies

One of the most powerful antidotes to modern noise pollution is simply reconnecting with nature. Consider this:

• Birdsong has been shown to reduce stress and improve mood.

• Ocean waves and forest sounds synchronize brain activity into calming alpha waves.

• The Schumann resonance (7.83 Hz), often called the “heartbeat of the Earth,” mirrors the frequency of human brain states in meditation and rest.

Even brief time in natural settings can restore coherence to our nervous system. Sound and frequency here are active healers.

The Sacred Pause in a Noisy World

In the book The Humming Effect, the authors emphasize how simple humming can bring us back into balance. Why? Because humming creates a coherent vibration that resonates through the chest, skull, and nervous system. It slows down the breath, lowers heart rate, and stimulates the vagus nerve, all antidotes to modern stress.

Humming is like striking a tuning fork inside yourself. Even in the midst of noise and chaos, you can generate a frequency that heals rather than harms.

Practical Ways to Retune

Some simple practices for navigating a frequency-saturated world:

Humming Meditation: Just one minute of humming can change your physiology by lowering your heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones.

Nature Immersion: Spend at least 20 minutes a day immersed in natural soundscapes. Pay close attention to birds, wind, or water. Allow your nervous system to absorb their rhythm

Sound Detox: Reduce time spent in noisy, chaotic settings when possible. Establish small “quiet zones” during your day; moments of intentional silence.

Tuning Forks and Sound Tools: Experiment with instruments like tuning forks, singing bowls, or chimes tuned to natural ratios. Incorporate them into your meditation or relaxation routines.

Digital Awareness: Be mindful of how your body feels after prolonged exposure to screens, notifications, or city noise. Balance this with grounding practices such as breathing exercises, humming, or walking barefoot on the earth.

Choosing What You Tune Into

The modern world will not become silent anytime soon. Technology will continue to expand, and artificial intelligence will remain an integral part of life. The key is thus not avoidance but choice.

We have the power to decide: Do we allow our nervous systems to be hijacked by chaotic signals? Or do we create intentional rituals that bring us back into alignment with life itself? 

Each time you hum, chant, sit in nature, or even just pause for silence, you are choosing harmony over dissonance. 

In a world overflowing with artificial waves and constant noise, tuning into nature’s frequencies is more than a luxury; it is survival. 

After all, life is vibration. The choice of what we vibrate with, is in our hands.

When Did I Start Listening To The World?

 Today, a small incident made me reflect. One of my master’s batchmates shared some beautiful photos of herself and her daughter performing together as part of a dance troupe. The joy on their faces, the grace in their movement, it was truly heartwarming.

But those pictures carried me back almost 25 years. 

At that time, I was pursuing my PhD. A demanding, often monotonous journey. To bring in some balance, I had registered for classes in music and Bharatanatyam. They were my little pockets of joy and energy amidst research and deadlines.

Around then, this very same friend had moved to my city. She had just welcomed her first baby, and I was excited to meet her again. We caught up about life since our times of master’s. When I had told her that I had joined Bharatanatyam classes, her response was:

“This is the age for you to put your daughter in a Bharatanatyam class, not for you to go and learn.”

At that moment, something inside me had sank. I felt like an immature kid who didn’t know her life priorities. I had begun to question myself; was I wrong to be learning dance at this stage? Should I have been focusing only on “serious” responsibilities? I had suddenly felt like a childish dreamer, someone out of step with life’s “priorities.” 

And here’s the irony of life.

Today, this same friend is learning dance at her 50 years of age. Not only learning, but also performing and even participating in dance competitions! The very path she had once discouraged me from walking, she is joyfully walking herself now.

It made me think: When did I start giving so much importance to what others thought?

I don’t blame her. She simply voiced her perspective back then. The real turning point was not her comment, but the weight I chose to give it. I allowed her words to override my own inner voice.

Looking back, I realize joy has no age. Learning has no deadline. Dance, music, creativity, these are ageless companions. They don’t belong only to the young; they belong to anyone who chooses to embrace them.

So yes, sometimes I still get affected by people’s opinions. Maybe because approval feels like belonging. But as I step into this milestone age, I am slowly learning to listen more to my heart and less to the noise of the world.

And when I see this friend of mine on stage today: dancing, glowing, and alive. I feel two things. One, a quiet pride in her choice to reclaim joy. And two, a renewed reminder to myself: Never get affected by people's statements