Ishopanishad

 ఈశోపనిషత్ 

Recognition of the unity underlying the diversity of the world

The fortieth chapter of Yajurveda is cailed Isavasyopanishad. It has been given first place in the

series of Upanishads. The visible world and life within this gigantic creation presuming as abode of

God and thus, developing conscious to realise omnipresent and almighty features of God, this

Upanishad has advised living discipline, with peace and satisfaction and further establishing integrity

with no distinction. Its 18 hymns are said of same significance as that of eighteen chapters in Gita.

Instruction given in the first hymn is that the life and world both are God's above, hence, use the

treasure of life abiding the rules. The sage has given a predominate formulae for keeping oneself

scot-free from the proud of achievements and wealth by simply raising a question "whose money is

this?" In second hymn there are formulae of living long life and performing activity without least

bondage or ties. In third hymn, dire consequence arising due to infringement of discipline are

indicated. The fourth, fifth and eighth hymns explain the feature of perfect knowledge (Parabrahman)

and hymn six and seventh highlight the characteristics of the people who realise it. From ninth to

fourteenth, the secret of establishing a balance between learning and ignorance and the creation as

also destruction has been disclosed. Hymn 15 and 16 describes the pray to God for enabling to

understand his feature and the aptitude for realisation of the same. In hymn 17 and 18 the lord of fire

have been solicited for enabling to know the mortal body and leading to aim of life through the best

route.

The perfect knowledge (Parabrahman) expressed as Om is absolute in itself with all respects and

this universe is also absolute in itself like Om. The perfect world has arisen from that absolute

element. The balance resulted on an extraction of perfect from the perfect also remains perfect in

itself. May the pains and pricks either super divine, super material or spiritual be turn in peace.

The opinion of the Rushi is excellent when he says the balance or result of extracting perfect from

the perfect is also perfect.

ఓం పూర్ణమదః పూర్ణమిదం పూర్ణాత్ పూర్ణముదచ్యతే .
పూర్ణస్య పూర్ణమాదాయ పూర్ణమేవావశిష్యతే ..
       ఓం శాంతిః శాంతిః శాంతిః ..

Om! The yon is fulness; fulness, this. From fulness, fulness doth proceed. Withdrawing

fulness's fulness off, even fulness then itself remains. )

[Parbrahman expressed as "Om" is absolute from all angles and this creation is also perfect in

itself. This whole (complete) universe has been originated from that perfect element. In case this perfection is extracted out from that perfect element, the resultant or the residual part also remains

perfect. May 'the fevers and fatigues of material, metaphysical and celestial be cooled-down.]

       .. అథ ఈశోపనిషత్ ..

ఓం ఈశా వాస్యమిదꣳ సర్వం యత్కించ జగత్యాం జగత్ .
తేన త్యక్తేన భుంజీథా మా గృధః కస్యస్విద్ధనం .. 1..

By the Lord (lsa) enveloped must this all be-

Whatever moving thing there is in the moving world.

With this renounced, you may enjoy. Covet not the wealth of anyone at all.

[Whatever either inert or alive is seen in this world, that all is covered embedded within God

viz., under jurisdiction of God. Use only the part abandoned (entrusted) by him for you.]

కుర్వన్నేవేహ కర్మాణి జిజీవిషేచ్ఛతꣳ సమాః .
ఏవం త్వయి నాన్యథేతోఽస్తి న కర్మ లిప్యతే నరే .. 2..

Even while doing deeds here, one may desire to live a hundred years. Thus on you - not otherwise than this is it-The deed (karman) adheres not on the man.

[The sages have told such disciplines following which a man can avail long life as also live free

from ties usually created due to Karma.]

అసుర్యా నామ తే లోకా అంధేన తమసాఽఽవృతాః .
తాꣳస్తే ప్రేత్యాభిగచ్ఛంతి యే కే చాత్మహనో జనాః .. 3..

Devilish (asurya) are called those worlds, which are covered over with blind darkness (lamas). Unto them, on deceasing, go whatever folk are slayers of the Self.

[The people violating the discipline are known as Asurya (Dependent to the physical and sensual

power but not following the true discretion). They are surrounded with the immeasuring darkness i.e.

ignorance through out their life.]

అనేజదేకం మనసో జవీయో నైనద్దేవా ఆప్నువన్పూర్వమర్షత్ .
తద్ధావతోఽన్యానత్యేతి తిష్ఠత్తస్మిన్నపో మాతరిశ్వా దధాతి .. 4..

Unmoving, the One (ekam) is swifter than the mind.

The sense-powers (devas) reached not It, speeding on before.

Past others running, This goes standing.

In It Matarisvan places action.

[The unvariated God is one who is more dynamic than the mind itself. He cannot be chased i.e.

known to deities viz., the senses irrespective of stable, he goes ahead running to the dynamic bodies.]

తదేజతి తన్నైజతి తద్దూరే తద్వంతికే .
తదంతరస్య సర్వస్య తదు సర్వస్యాస్య బాహ్యతః .. 5..

It moves. It moves not. It is far and It is near. It is within all this. It is outside of all this.

[He is at immeasuring distant and at the same time, nearest to all. He too is present within these all.]

యస్తు సర్వాణి భూతాన్యాత్మన్యేవానుపశ్యతి .
సర్వభూతేషు చాత్మానం తతో న విజుగుప్సతే .. 6..

Now, he who on all beings looks as just (eva) in the Self (Atman). And on the Self as in all beings- He does not shrink away from Him.

[The knowledge acquired by virtue of reading cannot remove the illusion and the knowledge well experienced is sine-qua-non for this.]

యస్మిన్సర్వాణి భూతాన్యాత్మైవాభూద్విజానతః .
తత్ర కో మోహః కః శోక ఏకత్వమనుపశ్యతః .. 7..

In whom all beings have become just (eva) the Self of the discerner- Then what delusion (moha), what sorrow (soka) is there of him who perceives the unity!

[At which stage, the man is known to the fact that this Atma tattva is appeared in the nature of all beings·, where the attachment or grief may stand or arise in this stage of knowing all in one.]

స పర్యగాచ్ఛుక్రమకాయమవ్రణ-
     మస్నావిరꣳ శుద్ధమపాపవిద్ధం .
కవిర్మనీషీ పరిభూః స్వయంభూ-
     ర్యాథాతథ్యతోఽర్థాన్ వ్యదధాచ్ఛాశ్వతీభ్యః సమాభ్యః .. 8..

He has environed, The bright, the bodiless, the scatheless,

The sinewless, the pure (suddha), unpierced by evil (a-papa-viddha)!

Wise (kavi), intelligent (manisi), encompassing (paribhu), self-existent (svayambha),

Appropriately he distributed objects (arthas) through the eternal years.

అంధం తమః ప్రవిశంతి యేఽవిద్యాముపాసతే .
తతో భూయ ఇవ తే తమో య ఉ విద్యాయాꣳ రతాః .. 9..

They enter into blind darkness, who worship ignorance; and They also enter into darkness greater than that, as it were, who delight in knowledge.

[The persons who are mere devotee to the evil-learning (A vidya), surround in the gross ignorance (darkness) and they also same way surround (trapped) with ignorance who are only devoted to learning (conscience).]

అన్యదేవాహుర్విద్యయాఽన్యదాహురవిద్యయా .
ఇతి శుశ్రుమ ధీరాణాం యే నస్తద్విచచక్షిరే .. 10..

Other, indeed, they say, than knowledge! Other, they say, than non-knowledge! Thus we have heard from the wise (dhlra) who have explained it to us.

[Knowledge leads to a different path, while Ignorance (Avidya) leads to another different path,

this teaching has been transmitted to us by the ancient sages.]

విద్యాం చావిద్యాం చ యస్తద్వేదోభయꣳ సహ .
అవిద్యయా మృత్యుం తీర్త్వా విద్యయాఽమృతమశ్నుతే .. 11..

One who knows the knowledge and non-knowledge- this pair conjointly (saha), he transcends with non-knowledge passing over death and with knowledge wins the immortal.

అంధం తమః ప్రవిశంతి యేఽసంభూతిముపాసతే .
తతో భూయ ఇవ తే తమో య ఉ సంభూత్యాꣳ రతాః .. 12..

They enter into blind darkness, who worship non-becoming (a-sambhuti); 

They enter into darkness greater than that, as it were, who delight in becoming (sambhuti).

[sambhuti is the origination and asambhuti is non-becoming, perishing.]

అన్యదేవాహుః సంభవాదన్యదాహురసంభవాత్ .
ఇతి శుశ్రుమ ధీరాణాం యే నస్తద్విచచక్షిరే .. 13..

Other, indeed-they say-than origin (sambhava)! Other-they say-than non-origin (a-sambhava)! -Thus we have heard from the wise, whC? have explained it to us.

సంభూతిం చ వినాశం చ యస్తద్వేదోభయꣳ సహ .
వినాశేన మృత్యుం తీర్త్వా సంభూత్యాఽమృతమశ్నుతే .. 14..

Becoming '(sambhuti) and destruction (vinasa)-He who knows this pair conjointly (saha) with destruction passing over death and with becoming wins the immortal.

హిరణ్మయేన పాత్రేణ సత్యస్యాపిహితం ముఖం .
తత్త్వం పూషన్నపావృణు సత్యధర్మాయ దృష్టయే .. 15..

With a vessel wholly of gold the mouth of truth is covered over. 0 Pusan, do you uncover or open that for one whose law is the Real to see.

పూషన్నేకర్షే యమ సూర్య ప్రాజాపత్య
     వ్యూహ రశ్మీన్ సమూహ తేజః .
యత్తే రూపం కల్యాణతమం తత్తే పశ్యామి
     యోఽసావసౌ పురుషః సోఽహమస్మి .. 16..

0 Pusan, the sole Seer (ekarshi), 0 Controller (yama), 0 Sun (sUrya), 0 son of Prajapati, spread forth your rays! Gather your splendour (tejas)! What is your-lovable form-that of you I see. He who is yonder, yonder Person (purusha)-I myself am he!

వాయురనిలమమృతమథేదం భస్మాంతꣳ శరీరం .
ఓం క్రతో స్మర కృతꣳ స్మర క్రతో స్మర కృతꣳ స్మర .. 17..

[My] breath (vayu) to the immortal wirid (anila)! This body then ends in ashes! Om!

0 Purpose (kratu),wmember! The deed (krta) remember!

0 Purpose, remember! The deed remember!

అగ్నే నయ సుపథా రాయే అస్మాన్
     విశ్వాని దేవ వయునాని విద్వాన్ .
యుయోధ్యస్మజ్జుహురాణమేనో
     భూయిష్ఠాం తే నమౌక్తిం విధేమ .. 18..

O Agni! lead us on an even (a good) way to prosperity (rai), 0 God, you know all the ways! Keep far away from us crooked~going sin (enas)! we render most ample expression of adoration to you.

      .. ఇతి ఈశోపనిషత్ ..
ఓం పూర్ణమదః పూర్ణమిదం పూర్ణాత్పూర్ణముదచ్యతే .
పూర్ణస్య పూర్ణమాదాయ పూర్ణమేవావశిష్యతే ..

      ఓం శాంతిః శాంతిః శాంతిః ..