Iśāvāsyopanisat with meaning
Iśāvāsyopanisat with meaning
२. ईशावास्योपनिषत्
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुच्यते । पूर्णस्य पूर्णमाया॒य पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ।
Om pūrņamadaḥ pūrņamidam pürņātpürņamudacyatē. Pūrņasya pūrņamādāya pürņamēvāvaśiṣyatē.
ॐ शान्ति शान्ति शान्तिः । Om śānti śānti śāntih
That (Transcendental Brahman) is complete. This (phenomenal universe) is also complete since, this phenomenal universe has emerged from that Transcendental Brahman. Even after emergence of this phenomenal universe, that Transcendental Brahman remains complete.
According to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, universe is the projection of God; therefore, the universe is as perfect as God himself. In continuation, Bhagawan says that when one’s Drishti (vision) is filled with Prema (love), Srishti (creation) is filled with Brahma (God).
ॐ ईशा वास्र्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जर्गत्यां जग॑त् । तेर्न त्यक्तेन॑ भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्य॑स्विद्धनम् ॥ १ ॥
Om isä väsyamıdagam sarvam yatkiñca jagátyám jagat. Tena tyaktična bhunjitha må grdhah kasyasviddhanam.
- God pervades the entire phenomenal universe. One should enjoy what has been bestowed by Him with a sense of detachment without coveting what belongs to others.
According to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the Truth (Sathya) is that the universe is the Lord Himself. One has to practise Dharma (Righteousness) in order to attain Sathya (Truth). The essence of Dharma is to enjoy with detachment what belongs to you without desiring for what belongs to others.
कुव॑ने॒वेह कर्मीणि जिजीविषेच्छ्रतं सौः । एवं त्वय॒ नान्यथेर्तोऽस्ति न कर्म’ लिप्यते नरै Kurvannēvēha karmaņi jijīvişēcchatagam samaḥ. Evam tvayi nănyathēto’sti na karma lipyatē nare.
- Aspire to live for a hundred years filling your life with righteous activity. Spiritual way of life is to experience the material world with a sense of detachment (Materialism is to enjoy the material world with a sense of attachment). The spiritual way is the only way to reach the goal of life.
According to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, detachment means to act without the sense of ego and not seek any reward for action. When the reward comes, one should learn to enjoy it without the sense of possessiveness by realising that whatever comes is the gift of God (God’s prasadam). This is the essence of Karma Yoga. Bhagawan Baba further explains that, Karma Yoga is to involve in Karma (work) with Bhakthi (worship) for Jnana (wisdom).
असु॒या॒ नाम॒ ते लोका अन्धेन॒ तम॒साऽऽर्वृताः । तांस्ते प्रेत्या॒भिर्गच्छन्ति॒ि ये के चाँत्महतो॒ जनाँः ॥ ३ ॥
Asuryā nāma të lökā andhēna tamasä”vrtah. Tagatiste prétyabhigacchanti yë kë catmahanó janah
- Materialistic people who don’t strive for spiritual enlightenment will be condemned to enter the worlds filled with darkness (where the sun will never shine).
According to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the spiritual way of life will lead to bliss and enlightenment, whereas the materialistic way of life would lead one to misery.
अनॆजदेकं मन॑सो जीँयो॒ नैन॑दे॒वा आँध्रुव॒न्पूर्वमर्षंत् ।
तद्धाव॑तो॒ऽन्यानत्यैति तिष्ठत्तस्मिन्न॒पो मा॑त॒रिश्वा॑ दधाति ||४||
Anejadēkam manásō javīyō nainaddēvā apnuvanpūrvamarşát. Taddhāvatō’nyānatyeti tişthattasminnapō matariśva dadhāti
- All the moving worlds have emerged from the one and the only immovable Brahman. All the five elements derive their power from that Brahman. Though Brahman sustains the universe, Brahman is not affected by what happens in the universe. This changing universe has in fact emerged from the changeless Brahman.
Bhagawan Baba gives the example of the road and the vehicles moving on the road. The moving tyres are supported by the road which is stationary (the road is permanent and does not move). The road is like the Brahman; the vehicles are the ever changing world. Brahman (who is eternal) supports the ever changing universe.
तद॑जति॒ तन्नेज॑ति॒ तद्दूरे तद्वंन्तिके । तद॒न्तर॑स्य॒ सर्वस्य॒ तदु सर्वस्यास्य बाह्यतः ।। ५ ।।
Tadejati tannējati taddūrē tadvantikë. Tadantarásya sarvasya tadu sarvasyāsya bāhyataḥ
- Brahman is all that moves and all that is immovable; He is both the farthest (to the one who thinks He is really far away) and the nearest (to the devotee who keeps Him in his heart); He is both inside (the universe) as well as outside (the universe). Hence, this is the only way one can describe the indescribable and the one beyond all reason.
According to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, “Yath Bhavam, Tad Bhavathi,” i.e, “As is the feeling, so is the result.”
God cannot be either described or understood. Hence Bhagawan Baba says that one should not try to understand Him, but should only experience and enjoy the Divine company. The only way to attain God is to experience Him through the heart and not by analysing Him through the head.
यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतान्या॒त्मन्ये॒वानुपश्य॑ति । स॒र्वभूतेषु चात्मानं ततॊ न विर्जुगुप्सते ।। ६ ।। Yastu sarvani bhūtānyātmanyēvānupaśyati. Sarvabhūtēşu cātmānam tatō na vijugupsatē.
- He, who sees God in all the beings and all the beings in God, will not have any ill feelings towards anyone.
According to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, “Ekatma Sarvabhootantaratma”. There is only one Atma and the same is reflected in all beings.
यस्मिन्सर्वैणि भूतान्या॒त्मैवार्भूद्विजान॒तः । तत्र को मोहः कः शोर्क एकत्वम॑नुपश्य॑तः ।। ७ ।। Yasminsarvani bhūtānyātmaivābhüdvijānataḥ. Tatra kō mōhaḥ kaḥ śōka ēkatvamanupaśyataḥ.
- If one has realised that all beings are God Himself and has realised the ‘unity in multiplicity’, how can there be grief or attachment?
According to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Agnyani (Ignorant man) sees the multiplicity in unity, whereas a Jnani (Wise man) sees the unity in multiplicity. Hence, a Jnani does not have either grief or attachment.
स पर्यंगाच्छुक्रम॑वा॒यम॑व॒णम॑स्त्रावि॒रं ग्रुद्धम쀼पविद्धम् । क॒विर्मा ‘नीषी प॑र॒भूः स्व॑य॒म्भू-थातथ्य॒तोऽर्थान् व्य॑दधाच्छाश्व॒तीभ्यः समा॑भ्यः ॥ ८ ॥
Saparyagācchukramákāyamávraņamásnāviragam śuddhamapapaviddham Kavirmānīşī paribhūḥ svayambhūryathātathyatō’rthān vyadadhācchāśvatībhyaḥ samabhyaḥ
- He (The Brahman) is all pervasive, effulgent, formless and hence beyond injury and pain. He is absolutely pure and therefore cannot be tainted by any sin. He is the All-knowing Supreme Lord in control of everything and is born by Himself (Come into existence by His own will). He is the One who has bestowed upon each element its intrinsic value. According to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, God is “Nitya, Suddha, Budha, Nirmala Swaroopinam”. The Lord is eternal, pure and the embodiment of peace. The Lord is not affected by either sin or pain.
अन्धं तमः प्रर्विशन्ति॒ि येऽव॑द्यामुपास॑ते । ततॊ भूय॑ इव॒ ते तो य उ॑ वि॒द्यार्यांं र॒ताः ।। ९ ॥ Andham tamaḥ praviśanti yē’vidyāmupāsátē. Tatō bhūya iva të tamō ya u vidyāyāgam ratāḥ.
- Those who follow Avidya (knowledge which does not help realise the divine nature) enter into deep darkness. Those who follow Vidya (aware of their divine nature through bookish knowledge/ theoretical knowledge but have not put things into practice) enter into deeper darkness.
According to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, those individuals who have gained the knowledge and do not practise are worse than those who have not attained the knowledge and hence cannot practise. Bhagawan explains that there are five types of knowledge and they are: a) Superficial knowledge b) Bookish knowledge c) General knowledge d) Discriminatory knowledge and e) Practical knowledge. One would attain true Vidya when one has not only attained bookish knowledge but also practical knowledge.
अ॒न्यदे॒वाहुवि॒द्यया॒ऽन्यदाँहु॒रव॑द्यया । इति॑ि शुश्रुम धीराणां ये न॒स्तर्द्विचचक्षिरे ।। १० ।।
Anyadēvāhurvidyayā’nyadahuravidyayā. Iti śuśruma dhīraņām yē nastadvicacakșirē
10 & 11. This is what we have heard from the wise (those who have realised their divine nature). Avidya and Vidya would lead to different outcomes when one practises the knowledge he has gained. Then, Avidya will lead one to misery and Vidya would lead one to immortality
According to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Lord Rama was a good man and King Ravana was a great man. Ravana was accomplished in 64 forms of knowledge but Lord Rama was accomplished in only 32 forms of knowledge. The difference between the two was just being able to put into practise all knowledge gained – Lord Rama put his knowledge into practice, but King Ravana did not.
विद्यां चाव॑िद्यां च यस्तद्धेोभय॑ं स॒ह । अव॑िद्यया मृत्युं ती॒त्वा॑ वि॒द्यया॒ऽमृत॑मश्नुते ॥ ११ ॥ Vidyām cāvidyāṁ ca yastadvēdōbhayagam saha. Avidyayā mṛtyum tīrtvā vidyayā
अन्धं तमः प्रवि॑िशन्त॒ येऽसम्भूतिमुपास॑ते । ततो भूय॑ इव॒ ते तो य उ सम्र्भूत्यां रताः ।। १२ ।। Andham tamaḥ praviśanti yē’sambhūtimupāsátē. Tatō bhūya iva të tamō ya u sambhűtyāgam ratāḥ
- Those who follow Dwaitha (Duality) enter into darkness. Those who follow or worship Advaitha (The Unity principle without practising it) will enter into deeper darkness.
{In Sanskrit, there are four meanings for the word Sambhoothi. One of the meanings is Union or Unity (Advaitha); therefore the opposite word Asambhooti would represent Duality (Dwaitha)}
According to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, “A man with dual mind is half blind.” Bhagawan explains the above with an example of a seeker of Truth who ‘attempted’ to see the Lord in everything. One day as he was walking on the road, he noticed an elephant rushing towards him.
He thought that this elephant was the ‘Lord’ Himself and hence he would not be harmed. But this ‘seeker’ of Truth was trampled over by the elephant. Later, when he asked his Guru, “Why was I hurt even when I saw the Lord in the elephant?” the Guru replied, “You should have not only have seen the Lord in the elephant which was rushing towards you, but also in the Mahut who was urging (shouting at you) you to move away!”
This lesson is very relevant to each seeker of Truth to ensure nothing is thought, said or done based on superficial knowledge, but one would be able to practise the true Advaitic (Unity) philosophy through real divine experience.
अ॒न्यदे॒वाहुः सम्म॒वान्यदाँहुरसम्भवात् । इति॑ि शुश्रुम॒ धीरा॑णां ये न॒स्तर्द्विचचक्षिरे ।। १३ ।। Anyadēvāhuḥ sambhavādanyadahurasambhavat. Itu śuśruma dhīraņām yē nastadvicacakşirē
सम्भूतिं च विना॒शं च॒ यस्तद्धेोभय॑ं स॒ह । वि॒मा॒ज्ञेन॑ मृत्युं ती॒र्ध्वा सम्भूर्भूत्या॒ऽमृत॑मश्नुते ।। १४ ।।
Sambhutim ca vināśaṁ ca yastadvēdōbhayagan saha. Vināśēna mṛtyum tīrtvā sambhůtyā mṛtamaśnutē
13 & 14. This is what we have heard from the wise (who have attained the state of Advaitha or realised the unity of all existence). Samboothi and Asamboothi would lead to different outcomes; Samboothi (Dwaitha) leads to death and Asamboothi (Advaitha) leads to immortality. But when one practises Dwaitha (Duality) and Advaitha (Unity) in their true spirit, one will cross over death and attain immortality.
According to Bhagawan Baba, what is this true spirit? “Deha Bhavena Dasoham, Atma Bhavena Tvamevaham”. Bhagawan explains the above with the example of Hanuman. When Rama asked Hanuman, “Who are you?” His reply was, “I am your servant when I have body consciousness (Deha Bhava or Duality) and You and I are one when I realise the Atma Bhava (The Unity principle).” Hanuman practised Dwaitha (Duality principle) when he had body consciousness (Deha Bhava) and Advaitha (Unity principle) when he had divine consciousness (Atma Bhava)
हिरण्मयैन पात्रैण स॒त्यस्याप॑िहितं मुखम् । तत्त्वं पू॒षन्नपावृ॑णु स॒त्यर्धंर्माय दृष्टयै ।। १५ ।। Hiranmayena pātreņa satyasyāpihitam mukham. Tattvam puşannapāviņu satyadharmāya drstayễ.
- The face of Sathya (Truth) is hidden by the glittering golden disc (Golden disc refers to the desire for gold and worldly pleasures which come in the way of our realising the Truth). O Lord Surya, remove this golden disc so that I can see the Truth. I have been steadfastly devoted to Sathya and Dharma.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa said that Kamini and Kanchana (lust and greed) come in the way of our realising the Lord. In this stanza, the golden disc refers to lust and greed. We pray to the Lord to overcome them. According to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, where there is Kama (lust), there is no Rama (Lord).
पूर्वन्नेकर्षे यम सूर्य प्राजापत्य व्यूह रश्मीन् समूह तेो यत्तै रूपं कल्याणतमं तत्तै पश्यामि । योऽसाव॒सौ पुरु॑षः सोऽहम॑स्मि ।। १६ ।। Pūşannēkarsē yama sūrya prajapatya vyuha raśmīn saműha tējō yatte rūpam kalyanatamam tatte paśyāmi. Yō’sāvasau puruṣaḥ sõ’hamasmi.
- Oh Lord Sun! You are addressed by many names like Yama, Surya, Praajapati. Kindly withdraw your dazzling rays so that I can see your gracious and benevolent form.
According to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, no one can realise God through self-effort alone. Divine Grace is also required. Hence, here the aspirant is praying for Divine Grace.
वा॒युरन॑लम॒मृत॒मये॒दं भस्मा॑न्त॒ं शरा॑रम् । ॐ ३ क्रतो स्मरे कृतं स्मि॑र॒ क्रतो स्मर॑ कृ॒तं स्मि॑र ।।१७
Vāyuranilamamṛtamathēdam bhasmäntagam śarīram. Om ३ kratō smara krtagam smara kratō smara kṛtaga smara.
- May my life-force merge in the immortal cosmic life-force. May this body, end up in ashes. O mind, contemplate on ‘Om’ (The Brahman). Remember again and again the deeds done in this life span. (This is the prayer of the individual while shedding the mortal coil.)
According to Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, it is important that one engages his entire life in doing good deeds. It is only when one performs good deeds, can he remember the good at the time of his death. If one has not performed good deeds, it would be impossible to remember the good at the time of death.
अग्ने॒ नर्य॑ सु॒पथा॑ रा॒ये अ॒स्मान् विश्वा॑नि देव व॒युना॑नि विद्वान् युयोध्य॒स्मञ्जुहुरा॒णमेवो॒ भूय॑ष्ठां ते॒ नम॑उक्तिं विधेम ॥१८॥
Agnē naya supatha rāyē asmān viśvani dēva vayunar vidvān.
Yuyōdhyasmajjuhurāņamēnō bhūyisthām tē namaukttir vidhēma.
- O Lord Agni! Lead us on the right path so that we may attain the right results. O Lord, you know all that we think and all that we do. Destroy all the evil and the sin within us. Our salutations to you again and again!
Bhagawan Baba has written a prayer for the benefit of His devotees. This prayer will surely help devotees tread the right path if they are not only able to recite it but also act accordingly:
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते. Om pūrņamadaḥ pūrņamidam pūrṇātpūrņamudacyatē
O Lord! Take my love, and let it flow in fullness of devotion to Thee
O Lord! Take my hands, and let them work incessantly for Thee
O Lord! Take my mind and thoughts, and let them be in tune with Thee
O Lord! Take my soul, and let it merge in one with Thee
O Lord! Take my everything, and let me be an instrument to work for Thee
