The great Adi Shankara (first Shankaracharya) of the eighth century summarized t he 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 Se lf. The sage the boy was talking to was Swami Govindapada Acharya, who was, inde ed, the teacher he was looking for. Mano-budhy-ahankara cittani naham na ca srotra-jihve na ca ghrana netre Na ca vyoma bhumim na tejo na vayuh Cidananda rupah sivoham sivoham Na ca prana samnjo na vai pancavayur na va sapta-dhatur na va panca-kosah Na vak-pani-padam na copastha-payu Cidananda rupah sivoham sivoham Na me dvesa ragau na me lobha mohau mado naiva me naiva matsaryabhavah Na dharmo na cartho na kamo na moksah Cidananda rupah sivoham sivoham Na punyam na papam na saukhyam na dukham na mantro na tirtham na veda na yajna Aham bhojanam naiva bhojyam na bhokta Cidananda rupah sivoham sivoham Na mrtyur na sanka na me jati bhedah pita naiva me naiva mata na janma Na bandhur na mitram gurur naiva sisya Cidananda rupah sivoham sivoham Aham nirvikalpo nirakara rupo vibhutvacca sarvatra sarvendriyanam Na ca sangatam naiva muktir na meya Cidananda rupah sivoham sivoham I am neither the mind,nor the intellect,nor the ego,nor the mind stuff.I am neit her the body,nor the changes of the body.I am neither the senses of hearing,tast e,smell or sight.Nor am i ether,the earth,the fire,the air.I am existence absolu te,knowledge absolute bliss absolute.I am He,I am He. I am neither the Prana,nor the five vital airs.I am neither the materials of the body,nor the five sheaths.Neither am I the organs of action nor objects of the senses. I am existence absolute,knowledge absolute bliss absolute.I am He,I am H e. I have neither aversion nor attachment,neither greed nor delusion,neither egotis m nor envy.neither Dharma nor Moksha.I have neither desire nor object of desire. I am existence absolute,knowledge absolute,bliss absolute.I am He,I am He. I am neither sin nor virtue,neither pleasure nor pain,nor temple,nor worship,nor pilgrimage,nor scriptures.And I am neither the act of enjoying,the enjoyable no r the enjoyer.I am existence absolute,knowledge absolute,bliss absolute.I am He, I am He. I have neither death,nor fear of death,nor caste nor was I ever born,nor had i p arents,friends and relations.I have neither Guru nor disciple.I am existence abs

olute,knowledge absolute,bliss absolute.I am He,I am He. I am untouched by the senses.I am neither Mukti nor knowable,I am without form,w ithout limit,beyond space,beyond time.I am in everything,I am the basis of the u niverse,everywhere am I.I am existence absolute,knowledge absolute,bliss absolut e.I am He,I am He.