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1. 1

   मनो बुद्ध्यहंकार चित्तानि नाहम्। न च श्रोत्र जिह्वे न च घ्राण नेत्रे। न च व्योम भूमिर् न तेजो न वायुः। चिदानन्द रूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम्॥

   Mano Buddhyahaṃkāra Cittāni Nāham, Na Ca Śrotra Jihve Na Ca Ghrāṇa Netre; Na Ca Vyoma Bhūmir Na Tejo Na Vāyuḥ, Cidānanda Rūpaḥ Śivo'ham Śivo'ham.

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   In this opening verse Shankaracharya strips away identification with the four faculties of the inner mind — mind, intellect, ego and memory — since these constantly change while the true Self does not. He next denies the physical senses of hearing, taste, smell and sight, showing that the senses are mere instruments used by the Self, not the Self itself. Finally he denies the great elements — sky, earth, fire and air — establishing that the Self is not composed of matter at all. Having negated body, mind and elements, he proclaims his real nature to be pure consciousness and bliss, one with Shiva.

2. 2

   न च प्राण संज्ञो न वै पञ्चवायुः। न वा सप्तधातुर् न वा पञ्चकोशः। न वाक्पाणिपादौ न चोपस्थपायू। चिदानन्द रूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम्॥

   Na Ca Prāṇa Saṃjño Na Vai Pañcavāyuḥ, Na Vā Saptadhātur Na Vā Pañcakośaḥ; Na Vākpāṇipādau Na Copasthapāyū, Cidānanda Rūpaḥ Śivo'ham Śivo'ham.

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   Continuing the same method of negation, Shankaracharya denies that he is the vital breath (prana) or the five subtle life-airs that sustain the body. He is not the seven bodily tissues (dhatus) that form physical structure, nor is he confined within the five sheaths (koshas) that range from the food-body to the bliss-body. He further denies being the organs of speech, hands and feet, or the organs of excretion and reproduction, since these are simply functional parts of the body, not the Self that animates them. Free of every one of these limitations, he again affirms his true identity as pure consciousness-bliss, one with Shiva.

3. 3

   न मे द्वेषरागौ न मे लोभमोहौ। मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः। न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो न मोक्षः। चिदानन्द रूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम्॥

   Na Me Dveṣarāgau Na Me Lobhamohau, Mado Naiva Me Naiva Mātsaryabhāvaḥ; Na Dharmo Na Cārtho Na Kāmo Na Mokṣaḥ, Cidānanda Rūpaḥ Śivo'ham Śivo'ham.

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   Here Shankaracharya negates emotional impurities and even the four traditional goals of human life. He has neither hatred nor attachment, neither greed nor delusion, since these are disturbances of the mind and not qualities of the Self. He has no pride born of ego and no feeling of envy toward others. He then declares that he seeks none of the four purusharthas — righteous duty, wealth, desire or liberation — because the pursuit of goals implies something still to be gained, whereas the Self is by nature already complete. Resting in this completeness, he again affirms himself as pure consciousness-bliss, Shiva.

4. 4

   न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखम्। न मन्त्रो न तीर्थं न वेदा न यज्ञाः। अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता। चिदानन्द रूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम्॥

   Na Puṇyaṃ Na Pāpaṃ Na Saukhyaṃ Na Duḥkham, Na Mantro Na Tīrthaṃ Na Vedā Na Yajñāḥ; Ahaṃ Bhojanaṃ Naiva Bhojyaṃ Na Bhoktā, Cidānanda Rūpaḥ Śivo'ham Śivo'ham.

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   In this verse Shankaracharya sets himself apart from the results of action and from all formal spiritual practices. He is neither virtue nor vice, neither happiness nor sorrow, since these belong to the realm of action and its fruit, while the Self remains untouched by karma. He does not depend on any mantra, place of pilgrimage, Vedic study or ritual sacrifice, for these are only external means toward Self-realisation, not the Self itself. In the final line he denies the entire triad of eater, food and the act of eating, showing that the Self stands beyond every experience of enjoyment — it is the one undivided consciousness-bliss that is Shiva.

5. 5

   न मृत्युर् न शंका न मे जातिभेदः। पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्म। न बन्धुर् न मित्रं गुरुर्नैव शिष्यः। चिदानन्द रूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम्॥

   Na Mṛtyur Na Śaṃkā Na Me Jātibhedaḥ, Pitā Naiva Me Naiva Mātā Na Janma; Na Bandhur Na Mitraṃ Gururnaiva Śiṣyaḥ, Cidānanda Rūpaḥ Śivo'ham Śivo'ham.

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   Here the Self is shown to be beyond the cycle of birth and death and beyond social relationships. Shankaracharya states that he has no fear of death, no doubt of any kind, and no distinction based on birth or caste, since these are notions tied to the body and society, not to the Self. He has neither father nor mother, nor even a birth of his own, because the Self is unborn and eternal. Likewise the bonds of kinsman, friend, teacher and disciple exist only at the level of body and mind, not at the level of the Self. Free from every such worldly relationship, he again declares himself to be pure consciousness-bliss, Shiva.

6. 6

   अहं निर्विकल्पो निराकाररूपो। विभुत्वाच्च सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम्। न चासंगतं नैव मुक्तिर् न मेयः। चिदानन्द रूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम्॥

   Ahaṃ Nirvikalpo Nirākārarūpo, Vibhutvācca Sarvatra Sarvendriyāṇām; Na Cāsaṃgataṃ Naiva Muktir Na Meyaḥ, Cidānanda Rūpaḥ Śivo'ham Śivo'ham.

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   The final verse brings the hymn to its culmination. Shankaracharya declares that he is nirvikalpa — free of all distinctions and mental modifications — and formless, not confined to any shape. Because of his all-pervasiveness he is present everywhere and functions through every sense, yet he is not bound to any single sense organ. He is neither bound by attachment, nor in need of liberation — since there is no real bondage, the very idea of liberation is meaningless — nor is he an object that can be measured or known. Having established this complete, non-dual identity, he closes the hymn with the same affirmation: he is of the nature of pure consciousness-bliss, Shiva.