Sri Isha Upanishad
The Isha Upanishad is part of the White Yajur-veda. It is short with a total of only 19 mantras or verses. Nonetheless, it contains a concentrated view of the essential Vedic philosophy. It is also considered quite auspicious to recite this Isha Upanishad, which produces not only insights into our spiritual position and identity, but also the proper energy from the sound vibrations to invoke purity in the atmosphere as well as realizations in our consciousness. It shows the way the Upanishads describe the nonmaterial aspects of the Supreme Being, as when it describes Him as One who walks but does not walk. It is a way of relating how the Lord has no material qualities, but has all spiritual qualities and characteristics. By understanding this, one can begin to perceive the spiritual truths of which the Upanishads speak.
The Invocation
om purnam adah purnam idam
purnat purnam udachyate
purnasya purnam adaya
purnam evavashishyate
The Personality of Godhead is perfect
and complete. And because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him,
such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as a complete whole.
Whatever is produced of the complete whole is also complete by itself. And
because He is the Complete Whole, even though so many complete units emanate
from Him, He remains the complete balance.
(1)
ishavasyam idam sarvam
yat kincha jagatyam jagat
tena tyaktena bhunjitha
ma gridhah kasya svid
dhanam
Everything animate or inanimate that
is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore
accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his
quota, and one must not accept other things, knowing well to Whom they belong.
(2)
kurvann eveha karmani
jijivisec chatam samaha
evam tvayi nanyatheto 'sti
na karma lipyate nare
One may aspire to live for hundreds
of years if he continuously goes on doing work in that way, because that sort of
work will not bind him to the law of karma. And there is no alternative to this
way for man.
(3)
asurya nama te loka
andhena tamasavritaha
tams te pretyabhigacchanti
ye ke chatma-hano
janaha
The killer of the soul, whoever he
may be, must enter into the planets known as the worlds of the faithless, full
of darkness and ignorance.
(4)
anejad ekam manaso javiyo
nainad deva apnuvan purvan arshat
tad dhavato 'nyan atyeti tishthat
tasminn apo matarishva
dadhati
The Personality of Godhead, although
fixed in His abode, is more swift then the mind, and can overcome all others
running. The powerful demigods cannot approach Him. Although in one place, He
has control over those who supply the air and rain. He surpasses all in
excellence.
(5)
tad ejati tan naijati
tad dure tad vantike
tad antarasya sarvasya
tad u sarvasyasya
bahyataha
The Supreme Lord walks and does not
walk. He is far away, but He is very near as well. He is within everything, and
again He is outside of everything.
(6)
yas tu sarvani bhutany
atmany evanupashyati
sarva-bhuteshu chatmanam
tato na vijugupsate
A person who sees everything in
relation to the supreme Lord, and sees all entities as His parts and parcels,
and who sees the Supreme Lord within everything, never hates anything, nor any
being.
(7)
yasmin sarvani bhutany
atmaivabhud vijanataha
tatra ko mohah kah shoka
ekatvam anupashyataha
One who always sees all living
entities as spiritual sparks, in quality one with the Lord, becomes a true
knower of things. What is there as illusion or anxiety for him?
(8)
sa paryagac chukram akayam avranam
asnaviram shuddham apapa-viddham
kavir manishi paribhuh svayambhur
yathatathyato 'rthan
vyadadhac chashvatibhyah samabhyaha
Such a person must know in fact the
Greatest of all, Who is unembodied, omniscient, beyond reproach, without veins,
pure and uncontaminate, the self-sufficient Philosopher who is awarding
everyone's desire since time immemorial.
(9)
andham tamah pravishanti
ye 'vidyam upasate
tato bhuya iva te tamo
ya u vidyayam rataha
Those who are engaged in the culture
of nescient activities shall enter into the darkest region of ignorance. Worse
still are those engaged in the so-called culture of knowledge.
(10)
anyad evahur vidyaya
anyad ahur avidyaya
iti shushruma dhiranam
ye nas tad
vichachakshire
The wise have explained to us that
one result is derived from the culture of knowledge, and it is said that a
different result is obtained from the culture of nescience.
(11)
vidyam chavidyam cha yas
tad vedobhayam saha
avidyaya mrityum tirtva
vidyayamritam ashnute
Only one who can learn the process of
nescience and that of transcendental knowledge side by side can transcend the
influence of repeated birth and death, and enjoy the full blessings of
immortality.
(12)
andham tamah pravishanti
ye 'sambhutim upasate
tato bhuya iva te tamo
ya u sambhutyam rataha
Those who are engaged in the worship
of demigods enter into the darkest region of ignorance, and still more so do the
worshipers of the impersonal [form of the] Absolute.
(13)
anyad evahuh sambhavad
anyad ahur asambhavat
iti shushruma dhiranam
ye nas tad
vichachakshire
It is said that one result is
obtained by worshiping the Supreme Cause of all causes, and that another is
obtained by worshiping what is not supreme. All this was heard from the
undisturbed authorities who clearly explained it.
(14)
sambhutim cha vinasham cha
yas tad vedobhayam saha
vinashena mrityum tirtva
sambhutyamritam
ashnute
One should know perfectly well about
the Personality of Godhead and His transcendental name, as well as the temporary
material creation with its temporary demigods, men and animals. When one knows
these, he surpasses death and the ephemeral cosmic manifestation with it, and in
the eternal Kingdom of God he enjoys his eternal life of bliss and knowledge.
(15)
hiranmayena patrena
satyasyapihitam mukham
tat tvam pushann apavrinu
satya-dharmaya
drishtaye
O my Lord, Sustainer of all that
lives, Your real face is covered by Your dazzling effulgence. Kindly remove that
covering and exhibit Yourself to Your pure devotee.
(16)
pushann ekarshe yama surya prajapatya
vyuha rashmin samuha tejaha
yat te rupam kalyanatamam tat te pashyami
yo 'sav asau purushah
so 'hama smi
O my Lord, O primeval philosopher,
maintainer of the universe, O regulating principle, destination of the pure
devotees, well-wisher of the progenitors of mankind--please remove the
effulgence of Your transcendental rays so that I can see Your form of bliss. You
are the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead, like unto the sun, as am I.
(17)
vayur anilam amritam
athedam bhasmantam shariram
om krato smara kritam smara
krato smara kritam
smara
Let this temporary body be burned to
ashes, and let the air of life be merged with the totality of air. Now, O my
Lord, please remember all my sacrifices, and because You are the ultimate
beneficiary, please remember all that I have done for You.
(18)
agne naya supatha raye asman
vishvani deva vayunani vidvan
yuyodhy asmaj juhuranam eno
bhuyistham te nama
uktim vidhema
O my Lord, powerful as the fire,
omnipotent one, now I do offer You all obeisances and fall at Your feet on the
ground. O my Lord, please lead me on the right path to reach You, and since You
know all that I have done in the past, please free me from the reactions to my
past sins, so that there will be no hindrance to my progress.
[These prayers are available at www.stephen-knapp.com]
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