Vachmi

The Isha Upanishad derives its name from the opening words of its first Mantra. It is the last chapter of Shukla Yajurveda Samhita.

In all collections and enumerations of the Upanishads, it occupies the first place.

Every verse in the Isha Upanishad reposes on a number of ideas implicit in the text but nowhere set forth explicitly; the reasoning also that supports its conclusions is suggested by the words, not expressly conveyed to the intelligence.

Owing to the terseness and the obscurity of many of the concepts found in this Upanishad, many of its verses are liable to be interpreted differently.
Mandala


ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते ।
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥
ॐ शान्तिः । शान्तिः । शान्तिः ॥
सच्चिदानंदस्वरूप परब्रह्म सर्व प्रकारे पूर्ण आहे आणि हे दृश्य जगत् सुद्धा पूर्णच आहे.
जरी पूर्ण परब्रह्मातून हे पूर्ण जगत् व्यक्त स्थितीस आलेले असले तरीही ह्या पूर्ण ब्रह्माच्या पूर्ण स्थितीला बाधा येत नाही. ते आहे तसेच पूर्ण राहते.
That (Karana Brahma) is a complete whole. This (Karya Brahma) too is a complete whole. From the complete whole only, the (other) complete whole arises (comes forth).
Even after removing the complete whole from the (other) complete whole, still the complete whole remains unaltered and undisturbed.


ईशावास्यम् इदं सर्वं यत् किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् ।
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्य स्विद्धनम् ॥ १ ॥
ह्या जगात जे काही उत्पन्न होणारे व विलयास जाणारे आहे ते सर्व ईशतत्त्वाचा निवास असलेले आहे.
त्यागबुद्धी ठेवून त्याचा उपभोग घे. ही सर्व प्रकारची (सृष्टीतील) संपदा खरोखर कोणाच्या मालकीची आहे? (कोणाचीही एकट्याची नाही) काहीही हव्यासाने घेऊ नकोस. ॥ १ ॥
Whatever there is in the ephemeral (ever changing) world, all that must be enveloped by the Lord (Isha).
You should enjoy by (that) renunciation, Do not covet the wealth of anyone.

This verse is for those people who are capable of true wisdom and withdrawal from the world to realize Brahman (the True Self)


कुर्वन्न् एवेह कर्माणि जिजीविषेच्छतं समाः ।
एवं त्वयि नान्यथेतोऽस्ति न कर्म लिप्यते नरे ॥ २ ॥
ह्या जगात शास्त्रविहित कर्मे करता करताच शंभर वर्षे जगण्याची इच्छा केली पाहिजे.
ह्या प्रकारे कर्म केल्यास तुला (मनुष्याला) कर्म बंधनकारक होत नाही. ह्याहून दुसरा कर्मबंधनातून मुक्त होण्याचा मार्ग नाही. ॥ २ ॥
Only performing scripture-ordained works (necessary and occassional rites like Agnihotra and the other duties ordained by the scriptures), should one desire to live a hundred years.
Thus, and in no other way, can you be free from the taint of evil deeds as long as you are fond of your human life.

This verse is directed to those who cannot seek the Self as suggested in Verse 1, and hence the emphasis for them is to engage in Karma.


असूर्या नाम ते लोका अन्धेन तमसावृताः ।
तांस्ते प्रेत्याभिगच्छन्ति ये के चात्महनो जनाः ॥ ३ ॥
जे अंधाराने भरलेले लोक (स्थाने) आहेत त्यांचे नाव 'असुर्या' लोक असे आहे.
जे आत्मघात (जे आत्म्याच्या साक्षात्काराविषयी उदासीन आहेत) करतात ते मरणानंतर ह्याच 'असुर्या' लोकाप्रत जातात. ॥ ३ ॥
Verily, those worlds (births) are demoniac, enshrouded in blind darkness.
Those who slay the Self (Those who are indifferent to the realization of the Atman) attain to them after death.

Verses 3 to 8 describe the nature of the True Self. These are directed to same audience as Verse 1.


अनेजदेकं मनसो जवीयो नैनद् देवा आप्नुवन् पूर्वमर्षत् ।
तद् धावतोऽन्यानत्येति तिष्ठत् तस्मिन्नपो मातरिश्वा दधाति ॥ ४ ॥
ईश्वर स्थिर​,अचल आहे. तो मनापेक्षा वेगवान आहे. त्याचे ज्ञान देवांना नाही पण तो मात्र सर्व पुर्वीपासून जाणतो.
तो स्वतः स्थिर असून सर्व गतिमान (धावणाऱ्या) गोष्टींपेक्षा तो वेगवान आहे. त्याच्याच आधीन होऊन सर्व पंचमहाभूते (प्राण) काम करतात. ॥ ४ ॥
The Self is one, Unmoving (Immutable). It is faster than the mind. Having preceded the mind, it is beyond the reach of senses (deities).
Ever steady, it outstrips all that run. It enables the cosmic energy (Prana) to sustain activities (of living beings)


तदेजति तन्नैजति तद् दूरे तद्वन्तिके ।
तदन्तरस्य सर्वस्य तदु सर्वस्यास्य बाह्यतः ॥ ५ ॥
ते ब्रह्म (किंवा ईश्वर) चेतन आहे तसेच स्थिरही आहे. तो दूर आहे. तो सर्वात जवळ आहे.
(जीवरूपाने) तो सर्वांच्या अंतःरंगात आहे. सर्वांच्या बाहेर देखील तोच आहे. ॥ ५ ॥
It moves, and It moves not. It is far, and It is near.
It is within all this, and It is also outside of all this.


यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतानि आत्मन्येवानुपश्यति ।
सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं ततो न विजुगुप्सते ॥ ६ ॥
जो स्वतःमध्ये सर्व जगाला पाहातो आणि जगातील सर्व वस्तुमात्राच्या ठिकाणी स्वतःला पाहातो;
तो सर्वत्र एकच ईशतत्त्व पाहातो. त्याला कशाचाही (कोणाचाही) तिरस्कार अथवा घृणा वाटत नाही. ॥६॥
He who perceives all beings as not distinct from his own Self and
his own Self in every being - from him it does not wish to conceal itself.


यस्मिन् सर्वाणि भूतानि आत्मैवाभूद् विजानतः ।
तत्र को मोहः कः शोक एकत्वमनुपश्यतः ॥ ७ ॥
ज्या ज्ञानी मनुष्याच्या अंतःरंगात ऐक्याचाच भाव आहे तिथे सर्व प्राणीमात्र आत्मस्वरूप होऊन जातात.
तिथे कुठला लोभ आणि कुठला शोक. तो सर्वत्र आत्म्याचे ऐक्यच बघतो. ॥ ७ ॥
In whom all beings have become the Self (For the one who sees unity of existence and perceives all beings as his own Self)
(for him), what is the delusion, what is the sorrow?


स पर्यगाच्छुकमकायमव्रणमस्नाविरं शुद्धमपापविद्धम् ।
कविर्मनीषी परिभूः स्वयम्भूर्याथातथ्यतोऽर्थान् व्यदधाच्छाश्वतीभ्यः समाभ्यः ॥ ८ ॥
तो सर्व व्याप्त, तेजस्वी, शरीर-रहित, निष्कलंक, स्नायु-रहित, शुद्ध आणि पवित्र आहे.
तो सर्वदर्शी, सर्वज्ञ, सर्वसमावेशक, स्वयंभु असून अनादि काळापासुन प्राण्यांच्या कर्माप्रमाणे त्यांना योग्य त्याच स्थितीत ठेवणारा असा आहे. ॥ ८ ॥
He, all pervading, without a body, without muscles, unblemished; radiant, whole and pure.
seeing all, knowing all, and encompassing all, the self existent has distributed duties to the objects for eternal years.


अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽविद्यामुपासते ।
ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ विद्यायां रताः ॥ ९ ॥
जे लोक ईश्वराच्या अप्राप्तीरूपी अंधारात (अविद्येत) प्रवेश करतात, ते घोर अंधकारात पडतात.
पण जे लोक केवळ विद्याभ्यासातच सर्वस्वी बुडून राहतात, ते त्याहूनही जास्त अंधारात शिरतात. ॥ ९ ॥
Those who are devoted to avidya (Ignorance) enter into blind darkness (of rites, rituals etc).
Into darkness greater than that, as it were, do those enter, who delight in vidya (Knowledge of ritualistic philosophy) alone.


अन्यदेवाहुर्विद्यया अन्यदाहुरविद्यया ।
इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद् विचचक्षिरे ॥ १० ॥
विद्येने जे प्राप्त होते ते वेगळे आहे. अविद्येने जे प्राप्त होते ते अजुनच वेगळे आहे. आत्मज्ञानी लोकांनी आम्हाला जे नीट शिकविले आहे ते आम्ही ऐकले आहे.
One result they said is obtained by Vidya (knowledge of ritualistic philisophy), and quite another by Avidya (ignorance or pure rituals)
Thus we have heard from the wise who explained it to us.


विद्याञ्च अविद्याञ्च यस्तद् वेदोभयं सह ।
अविद्यया मृत्युं तीर्त्वा विद्ययामृतमश्नुते ॥ ११ ॥
जो विद्या आणि अविद्या या दोन्ही गोष्टी एकत्रितपणे जाणतो, तो अविद्येने मृत्युच्या पलिकडे जातो आणि विद्येने अमरत्वाचा आनंद घेतो.
He who understands Vidya (Knowledge) and Avidya (Ignorance), both together,
attains to the nature of immortals through Vidya (Knowledge), having conquered death through Avidya (Ignorance).


अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽसम्भूतिमुपासते ।
ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ सम्भूत्यां रताः ॥ १२ ॥
Those who worship unmanifested (Prakriti or Maya) enter into blind darkness.
Into darkness still greater than that, as it were, do they enter who delight in (devote) manifested (Hiranyagarbha).


अन्यदेवाहुः सम्भवादन्यदाहुरसम्भवात् ।
इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद् विचचक्षिरे ॥ १३ ॥
Other, indeed, they said is obtained from the worship of Sanbhava (becoming or Hiranyagarbha) and other, they said, from Asambhava (non-becoming or Prakriti)
Thus, we have heard from the wise who explain it to us.


सम्भूतिञ्च विनाशञ्च यस्तद् वेदोभयं सह ।
विनाशेन मृत्युं तीर्त्वा सम्भूत्यामृतमश्नुते ॥ १४ ॥
He who knows Anubhuti (origin) and Vinash (destruction) both together
attains immortality by devotion to Asambhuti (non-becoming or Prakriti) having conqured death by the worship of Vinasha (destruction or Hiranyagarbha).


हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम् ।
तत् त्वं पूषन्न् अपावृणु सत्यधर्माय दृष्टये ॥ १५ ॥
The face (entrance) of truth is covered by the golden goblet.
Remove it, O Sun, so that the nature of Truth, may be seen (revealed).


पूषन्नेकर्षे यम सूर्य प्राजापत्य व्यूह रश्मीन् समूह ।
तेजो यत् ते रुपं कल्याणतमं तत् ते पश्यामि योऽसावसौ पुरुषः सोऽहमस्मि ॥ १६ ॥
O Sun, solitary courser (of the heaven), O Yama, O Sun, offspring of Prajapati, marshal your rays, draw together your light,
That which is your form most illustrious, that of you I behold, He who is that, that Purusha, he I am.


वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं भस्मान्तं शरीरम् ।
ॐ कतो स्मर कृतं स्मर कतो स्मर कृतं स्मर ॥ १७ ॥
Now, let my breath be merged in the all pervading eternal (immortal) Prana, and the body be reduced to ashes.
O Mind, remember, that which was done. O Mind, remember, that which was done.


अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान् विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान् ।
युयोध्यस्मज्जुहुराणमेनो भूयिष्ठां ते नमउक्तिं विधेम ॥ १८ ॥
O God Agni, lead us by the good path so that we may reap the good that we have sown. You know all or deeds.
Remove the deceitful sin in us. We offer you our words of salutation.
Mandala

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