top of page

Ātma-bodha (Sanskrit: आत्मबोधः ) is a short Sanskrit text attributed to Adi Shankara of Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. The text in sixty-eight verses describes the path to Self-knowledge or the awareness of Atman.


The Vedanta tradition states that the text was written by Shankara for his disciple, Sanandana, also known as Padmapāda. Ātma-bodha is a prakarṇa grantha: literature that explains the terms and terminologies used in the Śāstras but they do not contribute any original thought.

Atmabodha is also the title of an Upanishad attached to the Atharvaveda.

The original text consists of sixty-eight verses and describes the way to the attainment of the knowledge of the Atman. As the Vivekachudamani, the Atma Bodha teaches that the Ultimate Reality or Brahman, the foundation of all, is beyond name and form, is of the nature of Pure Consciousness, but who can be realized by pursuing the Path of Knowledge, not by worship.


For the Wisdom of Self is the one way to Freedom, leading beyond all other paths,

As cooking cannot be accomplished without fire, so Freedom cannot be attained without wisdom.

— Ātma-bōdha 2,


Atmabodha text reiterates that the Path of Knowledge consists in shravana (hearing the instructions of a teacher), manana (reflecting on what is heard) and nididhyasana (meditating on Truth with single-minded devotion); viveka (philosophical discrimination) and vairagya (renunciation of all that which is unreal) are the basic disciplines required to be followed and that it is not possible for actions (Karma, fasting, vows, pilgrimage)[6] to destroy ignorance (avidya) and cause liberation (moksha) –


अविरोधितया कर्म नाविद्यां विनिवर्तयेत् |

विद्याविद्या निहन्त्येव तेजस्तिमिरसङ्ववत् ||


"Action cannot destroy ignorance, as it is not opposed to ignorance.

Knowledge does verily destroy ignorance just as light destroys deep darkness"

— Ātma-bodha 3


Atma Bodha describes the world and the individual soul are in true essence Brahman, the Absolute Reality, with the nature of Sat-chit-anand, or truth-consciousness-bliss. Brahman is the substratum on which is projected by imagination all the manifested things of the world; the all-pervading Atman illumining the mind and the senses shines in the intellect (Buddhi) just as the reflection in a mirror.


The yogi endowed with complete enlightenment sees, through the eye of Knowledge,

the entire universe in his own Self, regards everything as the Self and nothing else.

—  Ātma-bōdha, 47


The self-abiding Jivanmukta, states verses 49-51 of Atmabodha, is satisfied with his state of bliss derived from Atman (soul, self), is free from hate for anyone, seeks unity, is perfected in peace, grows radiant, rejoices with what he has, is the one who "shines inwardly, like a lamp placed inside a vase".


Through study, reflection and meditation,

You exhaust your vasanas, desires and discover your real Self.

It is through your self-effort you gain the knowledge of Self.

And by discovering your inner Self you experience the infinite, all pervading Brahman.

— Ātma-bōdha, 66-68

Subscribe for newsletters

Thanks! Love & Light

yoga alliance png

Follow us 

  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Karma Yoga
Ναυάρχου Βότση 8 , Αθήνα, Ελλάδα
   email: karmayogaschool.info@gmail.com
τηλ: 210 8314472 , 693 844 0539

Copyrights@ Karma Yoga

bottom of page