SELECTIONS FROM ISAVASYOPANISHAD

The Isavasyopanishad belongs to the Vajasaneyi school of Yajurveda. It deals with the problem of the material causality of the world and of man’s relation thereto, the nature of the highest truth and the difference between reality and unreality and between knowledge and ignorance. This is one of the most beautiful Upanishads both in thought and in expression.
 
 
पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते ।
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शन्तिः शान्तिः ॥
 
That is full, this is full. The full comes out of the full. Taking the full from the full, the full itself remains, Om peace, peace, peace.
 
 
ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् ।
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ॥
 
By the Lord is encompassed all this, whatever changing there is in this changing (world). Through the renunciation of that (world) mayest thou enjoy; covetest thou not anyone’s riches.

 
कुर्वन्नेवेह कर्माणि जिजीविषेच्छतं समाः ।
एवं त्वयि नान्यथेतोऽस्ति न कर्म लिप्यते नरे ॥
 
Ever performing works here one may wish to live a hundred years. In this way – not otherwise than this it is – to thee, that art a man, the deed adheres not.

 
असुर्या नाम ते लोका अन्धेन तमसा वृताः ।
तांस्ते प्रेत्याभिगच्छन्ति ये के चात्महनो जनाः ॥
 
There are verily these demoniac worlds, enveloped in blinding darkness; and to them go, departing hence, whoever slay the self.

 
अनेजदेकं मनसो जवीयो
नैनद्देवा आप्नुवन् पूर्वमर्षत् ।
तद्धावतोऽन्यानत्येति तिष्ठ-
त्तस्मिन्नपो मातरिश्वा दधाति ॥
 
Unmoving, one, swifter than the mind; the gods do not reach it as it speeds before; it overtakes others that run, though itself standing still; in it the all-pervading air supports the activities of beings.

 
तदेजति तन्नैजति तद्दूरे तद्वन्तिके ।
तदन्तरस्य सर्वस्य तदु सर्वस्यास्य बाह्यतः ॥
 
It moves and it moves not; it is far and it is near; it is inside of all this; and it is outside of all this.

 
यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतानि आत्मन्येवानुपश्यति ।
सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं ततो न विजुगुप्सते ॥
 
And he, who uniformly sees all beings even in his self and his own self in all beings, does not feel repelled therefrom (i.e., from beings).

यस्मिन् सर्वाणि भूतान्यात्मैवाभूद्विजानतः ।
तत्र को मोहः कः शोक एकत्वमनुपश्यतः ॥
 
Where to one who knows, all beings are verily identical with one’s own self , there what delusion and what sorrow can be to him who has seen the identity?

 
स पर्यगाच्छुक्रमकायमव्रण-
मस्नाविरं शुद्धमपापविद्धम् ।
कविर्मनीषी परिभूः स्वयंभू-
र्याथातथ्यतोऽर्थान् व्यदधाच्छाश्वतीभ्यः समाभ्यः ॥
 
He has pervaded all, he who is bright, incorporeal, devoid of scratches, devoid of veins, pure and not smitten by sin. The seer, wise, one who pervades, born of himself, he has distributed duly the objects through eternal years.

 
अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽविद्यामुपासते ।
ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ विद्यायां रताः ॥
 
Into blinding darkness enter those who attach themselves to nescience. And they that delight in knowledge appear as entering still greater darkness.

 
अन्यदेवाहुर्विद्यायान्यदाहुरविद्यया ।
इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे ॥
 
Distinct, they say, is what is meant by knowledge and distinct, they say, is what is meant by nescience. Thus have we heard from the wise persons who have discriminated that for us

 
विद्यां चाविद्यां च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह ।
अविद्यया मृत्युं तीर्त्वा विद्ययामृतमश्नुते ॥
 
Knowledge and nescience, he who knows them both together crosses death through nescience and attains immortality through Knowledge.

 
अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति ते येऽसंभूतिमुपासते ।
ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ संभूत्यां रताः ॥
 
Into blinding darkness enter those who attach themselves to the unreal. And they that delight in the real appear as entering still greater darkness.

 
अन्यदेवाहुः संभवादन्यदाहुरसंभवात् ।
इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे ॥
 
Distinct, they say, is what results from the real and distinct, they say, is what results from the unreal. Thus have we heard from the wise who have discriminated them for us.

 
संभूतिं च विनाशं च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह ।
विनाशेन मृत्युं तीर्त्वा संभूत्यामृतमश्नुते॥
 
The real and the unreal, he who knows them both together crosses death through the unreal and attains immortality through the real.

 
हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम् ।
तत् त्वं पूषन्नपावृणु सत्यधर्माय दृष्टये ॥
 
With a golden bowl remains closed the face of Truth. Uncover it, O Pushan, so that I, devoted to truth, may behold (it).

 
पूषन्नेकर्षे यम सूर्य प्राजापत्य व्यूह रश्मीन् समूह ।
तेजो यत्ते रूपं कल्याणतमं तत्ते पश्यामि
योऽसावसौ पुरुषः सोऽहमस्मि ॥
 
Pushan, one seer, without a second,Yama, Surya, progeny of prajapati, spread out and bring together thy rays. May I behold that light which is thy loveliest form ! He who is that Purusha, he I am.

 
वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं भस्मान्तं शरीरम् ।
ओं क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर ॥
 
(May) the wind (enter into) the immortal breath; then (may) this body be reduced to ashes! Om, intellect, remember what has been done; remember O intellect; remember what has been done; remember!

 
अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान्
विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान् ।
युयोध्यस्मज्जुहुराणमेनो
भूयिष्ठां ते नम उक्तिं विधेम ॥

O Agni, lead us on to prosperity along the auspicious path, knowing, god, all our deeds! Keep away from us deceitful sin! We shall offer unto thee words of obeisance again and again.