𑌈𑌶𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌪𑌨𑌿𑌷𑌦𑍍 (𑌈𑌶𑍋𑌪𑌨𑌿𑌷𑌦𑍍)

𑌈𑌶𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌪𑌨𑌿𑌷𑌦𑍍, also known as Isha Upanishad, is a brief but extraordinarily dense Upanishad belonging to the Shukla Yajurveda, traditionally placed as the fortieth chapter of the Vajasaneyi Samhita. It begins with the famous vision that all this moving universe is pervaded by the Lord, and it teaches a life of renunciation, duty, knowledge, and inner wholeness.

The Upanishad's opening peace mantra, 𑌪𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌮𑌦𑌃 𑌪𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌮𑌿𑌦𑌮𑍍, gives the philosophical key: the Whole does not become less by manifesting the whole universe. From that vision, the text addresses how to live: enjoy through renunciation, act without bondage, see the Self in all beings, and avoid one-sided attachment to ignorance, knowledge, manifestation, or non-manifestation.

𑌓𑌂 𑌪𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌣॒𑌮𑌦𑌃॒ 𑌪𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌣॒𑌮𑌿𑌦𑌂॒ 𑌪𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌾॒𑌤𑍍𑌪𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌣॒𑌮𑍁𑌦॒𑌚𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇 ।
𑌪𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌣॒𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌪𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌣॒𑌮𑌾𑌦𑌾॒𑌯 𑌪𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌣॒𑌮𑍇𑌵𑌾𑌵𑌶𑌿॒𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
The peace mantra declares fullness as the source, the manifestation, and what remains after manifestation; nothing can diminish the Whole.

𑌓𑌂 𑌶𑌾𑌂𑌤𑌿𑌃॒ 𑌶𑌾𑌂𑌤𑌿𑌃॒ 𑌶𑌾𑌂𑌤𑌿𑌃॑ ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
The second peace recitation repeats the prayer for wholeness and removal of obstacles before and after the Upanishadic teaching.

𑌓𑌂 𑌈॒𑌶𑌾 𑌵𑌾॒𑌸𑍍𑌯॑𑌮𑌿॒𑌦𑌗𑍍𑌮𑍍 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌂॒-𑌯𑌁𑌤𑍍𑌕𑌿𑌂𑌚॒ 𑌜𑌗॑𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌂॒ 𑌜𑌗॑𑌤𑍍 ।
𑌤𑍇𑌨॑ 𑌤𑍍𑌯॒𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍇𑌨॑ 𑌭𑍁𑌂𑌜𑍀𑌥𑌾॒ 𑌮𑌾 𑌗𑍃॑𑌧𑌃॒ 𑌕𑌸𑍍𑌯॑𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌿॒𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌨𑌮𑍍᳚ ॥ 1 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
All this moving universe is pervaded by the Lord; therefore one should live through renunciation and not covet another's wealth.

𑌕𑍁॒𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌨𑍇॒𑌵𑍇𑌹 𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌾᳚𑌣𑌿 𑌜𑌿𑌜𑍀𑌵𑌿॒𑌷𑍇𑌚𑍍𑌚॒𑌤𑌗𑍍𑌮𑍍 𑌸𑌮𑌾𑌃᳚ ।
𑌏॒𑌵𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌿॒ 𑌨𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌥𑍇॒𑌤𑍋᳚𑌽𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌿॒ 𑌨 𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌮॑ 𑌲𑌿𑌪𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇॑ 𑌨𑌰𑍇᳚ ॥ 2 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
By performing one's duties here without attachment, one may wish to live a full life, for action does not bind when done in this spirit.

𑌅॒𑌸𑍁॒𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌾॒ 𑌨𑌾𑌮॒ 𑌤𑍇 𑌲𑍋॒𑌕𑌾 𑌅𑌂॒𑌧𑍇𑌨॒ 𑌤𑌮॒𑌸𑌾𑌽𑌽𑌵𑍃॑𑌤𑌾𑌃 ।
𑌤𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌮𑍍𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍇 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾॒𑌭𑌿𑌗॑𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌂𑌤𑌿॒ 𑌯𑍇 𑌕𑍇 𑌚𑌾᳚𑌤𑍍𑌮॒𑌹𑌨𑍋॒ 𑌜𑌨𑌾𑌃᳚ ॥ 3 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Those who destroy the Self through ignorance enter dark worlds covered by blindness after death.

𑌅𑌨𑍇᳚𑌜॒𑌦𑍇𑌕𑌂॒ 𑌮𑌨॑𑌸𑍋॒ 𑌜𑌵𑍀᳚𑌯𑍋॒ 𑌨𑍈𑌨॑𑌦𑍍𑌦𑍇॒𑌵𑌾 𑌆᳚𑌪𑍍𑌨𑍁𑌵॒𑌨𑍍𑌪𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌵॒𑌮𑌰𑍍𑌷॑𑌤𑍍 ।
𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌾𑌵॑𑌤𑍋॒𑌽𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌨𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇᳚𑌤𑌿॒ 𑌤𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌠॒𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌨𑍍᳚𑌨॒𑌪𑍋 𑌮𑌾᳚𑌤॒𑌰𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌾᳚ 𑌦𑌧𑌾𑌤𑌿 ॥ 4 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
The Self is unmoving, one, swifter than mind, beyond the gods and senses, yet sustaining the cosmic powers.

𑌤𑌦𑍇᳚𑌜𑌤𑌿॒ 𑌤𑌨𑍍𑌨𑍇𑌜॑𑌤𑌿॒ 𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌦𑍂॒𑌰𑍇 𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌂॑𑌤𑌿॒𑌕𑍇 ।
𑌤𑌦𑌂॒𑌤𑌰॑𑌸𑍍𑌯॒ 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵॑𑌸𑍍𑌯॒ 𑌤𑌦𑍁॒ 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵॑𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌬𑌾𑌹𑍍𑌯॒𑌤𑌃 ॥ 5 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
That reality moves and does not move; it is far and near, within everything and outside everything.

𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍁 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾᳚𑌣𑌿 𑌭𑍂॒𑌤𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌾॒𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌯𑍇॒𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍁॒𑌪𑌶𑍍𑌯॑𑌤𑌿 ।
𑌸॒𑌰𑍍𑌵॒𑌭𑍂॒𑌤𑍇𑌷𑍁॑ 𑌚𑌾॒𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌂॒ 𑌤𑌤𑍋॒ 𑌨 𑌵𑌿𑌹𑍁॑𑌗𑍁𑌪𑍍𑌸𑌤𑍇 ॥ 6 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
One who sees all beings in the Self and the Self in all beings does not hate or shrink from anyone.

𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿॒𑌨𑍍𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾᳚𑌣𑌿 𑌭𑍂॒𑌤𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌾॒𑌤𑍍𑌮𑍈𑌵𑌾𑌭𑍂᳚𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌜𑌾𑌨॒𑌤𑌃 ।
𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌰॒ 𑌕𑍋 𑌮𑍋𑌹𑌃॒ 𑌕𑌃 𑌶𑍋𑌕𑌃॑ 𑌏𑌕॒𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌮॑𑌨𑍁॒𑌪𑌶𑍍𑌯॑𑌤𑌃 ॥ 𑍭 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
For the knower to whom all beings have become the Self, delusion and sorrow disappear because oneness is seen.

𑌸 𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌯॑𑌗𑌾𑌚𑍍𑌚𑍁॒𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌮॑𑌕𑌾॒𑌯𑌮॑𑌵𑍍𑌰𑌣॒𑌮॑𑌸𑍍𑌨𑌾𑌵𑌿॒𑌰𑌗𑍍𑌮𑍍 𑌶𑍁॒𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌮𑌪𑌾᳚𑌪𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌮𑍍 ।
𑌕॒𑌵𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌮॑𑌨𑍀॒𑌷𑍀 𑌪॑𑌰𑌿॒𑌭𑍂𑌃 𑌸𑍍𑌵॑𑌯𑌂॒𑌭𑍂-𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌾᳚𑌥𑌾𑌤𑌥𑍍𑌯॒𑌤𑍋𑌽𑌰𑍍𑌥𑌾॒𑌨𑍍
𑌵𑍍𑌯॑𑌦𑌧𑌾𑌚𑍍𑌛𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌵॒𑌤𑍀𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌃॒ 𑌸𑌮𑌾᳚𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌃 ॥ 𑍮 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
The Self is all-pervading, radiant, bodiless, woundless, pure, untouched by evil, wise, self-existent, and the ordainer of reality.

𑌅𑌂॒𑌧𑌂 𑌤𑌮𑌃॒ 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌿॑𑌶𑌂𑌤𑌿॒ 𑌯𑍇𑌽𑌵𑌿॑𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑍁॒𑌪𑌾𑌸॑𑌤𑍇 ।
𑌤𑌤𑍋॒ 𑌭𑍂𑌯॑ 𑌇𑌵॒ 𑌤𑍇 𑌤𑌮𑍋॒ 𑌯 𑌉॑ 𑌵𑌿॒𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌯𑌾᳚𑌗𑍍𑌮𑍍 𑌰॒𑌤𑌾𑌃 ॥ 𑍯 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Those attached only to ignorance enter darkness; those attached only to knowledge in a one-sided way enter an even subtler darkness.

𑌅॒𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌦𑍇॒𑌵𑌾𑌯𑍁𑌰𑌿॒𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌯𑌾॒𑌽𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌦𑌾᳚𑌹𑍁॒𑌰𑌵𑌿॑𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌯𑌾 ।
𑌇𑌤𑌿॑ 𑌶𑍁𑌶𑍁𑌮॒ 𑌧𑍀𑌰𑌾᳚𑌣𑌾𑌂॒-𑌯𑍇𑌁 𑌨॒𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿॑𑌚𑌚𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿॒𑌰𑍇 ॥ 10 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
The wise have taught that knowledge and ignorance lead to different results; both must be understood in their proper place.

𑌵𑌿॒𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌂 𑌚𑌾𑌵𑌿॑𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌂 𑌚॒ 𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌦𑍋॒𑌭𑌯॑𑌗𑍍𑌮𑍍 𑌸॒𑌹 ।
𑌅𑌵𑌿॑𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌯𑌾 𑌮𑍃॒𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌂 𑌤𑍀॒𑌰𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌵𑌿॒𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌯𑌾𑌽𑌮𑍃𑌤॑𑌮𑌶𑍍𑌨𑍁𑌤𑍇 ॥ 11 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Knowing knowledge and ignorance together, one crosses death through the appropriate means and attains immortality through knowledge.

𑌅𑌂॒𑌧𑌂 𑌤𑌮𑌃॒ 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌿॑𑌶𑌂𑌤𑌿॒ 𑌯𑍇𑌽𑌸𑌮𑍍᳚𑌭𑍂𑌤𑌿𑌮𑍁॒𑌪𑌾𑌸॑𑌤𑍇 ।
𑌤𑌤𑍋॒ 𑌭𑍂𑌯॑ 𑌇𑌵॒ 𑌤𑍇 𑌤𑌮𑍋॒ 𑌯 𑌉॒ 𑌸𑌂𑌭𑍂᳚𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌗𑍍𑌮𑍍 𑌰॒𑌤𑌾𑌃 ॥ 12 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Those attached only to the unmanifest enter darkness; those attached only to manifestation enter an even subtler darkness.

𑌅॒𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌦𑍇॒𑌵𑌾𑌹𑍁𑌃 𑌸𑌮𑍍᳚𑌭॒𑌵𑌾𑌦॒𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌦𑌾᳚𑌹𑍁॒𑌰𑌸𑌮𑍍᳚𑌭𑌵𑌾𑌤𑍍 ।
𑌇𑌤𑌿॑ 𑌶𑍁𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌮॒ 𑌧𑍀𑌰𑌾᳚𑌣𑌾𑌂॒-𑌯𑍇𑌁 𑌨॒𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿॑𑌚𑌚𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿॒𑌰𑍇 ॥ 13 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
The wise have taught distinct results from manifestation and non-manifestation, so both must be understood without confusion.

𑌸𑌂𑌭𑍂᳚𑌤𑌿𑌂 𑌚 𑌵𑌿𑌣𑌾॒𑌶𑌂 𑌚॒ 𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌦𑍋॒𑌭𑌯॑𑌗𑍍𑌮𑍍 𑌸॒𑌹 ।
𑌵𑌿॒𑌨𑌾॒𑌶𑍇𑌨॑ 𑌮𑍃॒𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍁𑌂 𑌤𑍀॒𑌰𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌸𑌂𑌭𑍂᳚𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾॒𑌽𑌮𑍃𑌤॑𑌮𑌶𑍍𑌨𑍁𑌤𑍇 ॥ 14 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
Knowing manifestation and dissolution together, one crosses death through dissolution and attains immortality through the manifested support.

𑌹𑌿॒𑌰॒𑌣𑍍𑌮𑌯𑍇᳚𑌨॒ 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍇᳚𑌣 𑌸॒𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌪𑌿॑𑌹𑌿𑌤𑌂॒ 𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌮𑍍᳚ ।
𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌪𑍂᳚𑌷॒𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌪𑌾𑌵𑍃॑𑌣𑍁 𑌸॒𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌧᳚𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌯 𑌦𑍃॒𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌯𑍇᳚ ॥ 15 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
The seeker prays to the Sun to remove the golden covering that hides the face of truth, so the follower of truth may see it.

𑌪𑍂𑌷॑𑌨𑍍𑌨𑍇𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌷𑍇 𑌯𑌮 𑌸𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌯॒ 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌜𑌾᳚𑌪𑌤𑍍𑌯॒ 𑌵𑍍𑌯𑍂᳚𑌹 𑌰॒𑌶𑍍𑌮𑍀𑌨𑍍
𑌸𑌮𑍂᳚𑌹॒ 𑌤𑍇𑌜𑍋॒ 𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍇᳚ 𑌰𑍂॒𑌪𑌂 𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌯𑌾᳚𑌣𑌤𑌮𑌂॒ 𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍇᳚ 𑌪𑌶𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌿 ।
𑌯𑍋॒𑌽𑌸𑌾𑌵॒𑌸𑍌 𑌪𑍁𑌰𑍁॑𑌷𑌃॒ 𑌸𑍋॒𑌽𑌹𑌮॑𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌿 ॥ 16 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
The seeker asks the Sun to gather its rays, reveal the most auspicious form, and recognizes the purusha there as the same Self.

𑌵𑌾॒𑌯𑍁𑌰𑌨𑌿॑𑌲𑌮॒𑌮𑍃𑌤॒𑌮𑌥𑍇𑌦𑌂 𑌭𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌂᳚𑌤॒𑌗𑍍𑌮𑍍॒ 𑌶𑌰𑍀॑𑌰𑌮𑍍 ।
𑌓𑌂 3 𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌤𑍋॒ 𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌰॑ 𑌕𑍃॒𑌤𑌗𑍍𑌮𑍍 𑌸𑍍𑌮॑𑌰॒ 𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌤𑍋॒ 𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌰॑ 𑌕𑍃॒𑌤𑌗𑍍𑌮𑍍 𑌸𑍍𑌮॑𑌰 ॥ 1𑍭 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
As the body returns to ash and the life-breath to the immortal air, the seeker asks the will to remember what has been done.

𑌅𑌗𑍍𑌨𑍇॒ 𑌨𑌯॑ 𑌸𑍁॒𑌪𑌥𑌾᳚ 𑌰𑌾॒𑌯𑍇 𑌅॒𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌨𑍍 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌾॑𑌨𑌿 𑌦𑍇𑌵 𑌵॒𑌯𑌨𑌾॑𑌨𑌿 𑌵𑌿॒𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌨𑍍 ।
𑌯𑍁॒𑌯𑍋॒𑌧𑍍𑌯॒𑌸𑍍𑌮𑌜𑍍𑌜𑍁॑𑌹𑍁𑌰𑌾॒𑌣𑌮𑍇𑌨𑍋॒ 𑌭𑍂𑌯𑌿॑𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌾𑌂 𑌤𑍇॒ 𑌨𑌮॑𑌉𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌂-𑌵𑌿𑌁𑌧𑍇𑌮 ॥ 1𑍮 ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
The final prayer asks Agni to lead by the good path, remove crooked sin, and receive repeated salutations.

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
The peace mantra closes by returning to the same vision of fullness.

𑌓𑌂 𑌶𑌾𑌂𑌤𑌿𑌃॒ 𑌶𑌾𑌂𑌤𑌿𑌃॒ 𑌶𑌾𑌂𑌤𑌿𑌃॑ ॥

Translation (𑌭𑌾𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌥):
The final peace invocation seals the recitation with a prayer for peace at all levels.

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