ĪŚĀ UPANIṢAD
Oṁ. That is complete. This is complete. This fullness proceeds from That fullness. Taking fullness from fullness leaves only fullness.
Oṁ. Peace, peace, peace.
Oṁ. Peace, peace, peace.
1. Oṁ. Whatever moves on earth is to be covered by the Lord. Protect yourself though detachment and do not covert – for whose wealth is it?
2. If a person should wish to live here (in this world) a hundred years performing actions, there is no other way except that (detachment) to avoid being tainted by karma (the consequences of one’s actions).
3. Those worlds called demonic are covered with a blinding darkness. Those people who are killers of the Self go there after death.
4. Unmoving, one, and faster than the mind, That moves ahead, so the senses cannot reach It. Although standing still, It outruns all the other runners. In That, the air supports all activities.
5. That moves and stays still. That is far away and also very near. That is inside all of this and outside, as well.
6. The one who sees all beings in the Self and the Self in all beings, consequently, does not hate.
7. Since all beings are the Self to the realized, what delusion or sorrow can there be for that seer of oneness?
8. He is all-pervasive, resplendent, unblemished, and without body or sinew; pure and untouched by sin; the omniscient ruler of the mind. Transcendent and self-existing, He has allotted, for endless years, all things according to their nature.
9. Those who are devoted to ignorance enter into a blinding darkness; but, those who are enamored with knowledge enter an even greater darkness than that.
10. They say one thing comes through knowledge and another through ignorance. This is what we heard from the wise who explained it to us.
11. Whoever knows both knowledge and ignorance together, transcends death with ignorance and attains immortality with knowledge.
12. Those who are devoted to the unborn (unmanifest) enter into a blinding darkness; but, those who are enamored with the born (manifest) enter into an even greater darkness than that.
13. They say one thing comes from the manifest and another comes from the unmanifest. That is what we heard from the wise who explained it to us.
14. Whoever knows both the manifest and the unmanifest together, transcends death with the unmanifest and attains immortality with the manifest.
15. The face of Truth is hidden by a shining vessel, remove it Protector, so it may be seen by the truly virtuous.
16. Oh Protector, Solitary Traveller, and Controller; Oh Sun, descendant of Prajāpati displace Your rays and gather Your brilliant light that I may see Your most auspicious form. That same Spirit, which is there, I am He.
17. Now this breath becomes the immortal wind and this body is reduced to ashes. Oṁ, Mind, remember what was done; remember Mind, remember what was done.
18. Oh Fire, all-knowing and wise God, lead us to the true path of prosperity and remove all crooked sins from us. We offer many salutations to You.
2. If a person should wish to live here (in this world) a hundred years performing actions, there is no other way except that (detachment) to avoid being tainted by karma (the consequences of one’s actions).
3. Those worlds called demonic are covered with a blinding darkness. Those people who are killers of the Self go there after death.
4. Unmoving, one, and faster than the mind, That moves ahead, so the senses cannot reach It. Although standing still, It outruns all the other runners. In That, the air supports all activities.
5. That moves and stays still. That is far away and also very near. That is inside all of this and outside, as well.
6. The one who sees all beings in the Self and the Self in all beings, consequently, does not hate.
7. Since all beings are the Self to the realized, what delusion or sorrow can there be for that seer of oneness?
8. He is all-pervasive, resplendent, unblemished, and without body or sinew; pure and untouched by sin; the omniscient ruler of the mind. Transcendent and self-existing, He has allotted, for endless years, all things according to their nature.
9. Those who are devoted to ignorance enter into a blinding darkness; but, those who are enamored with knowledge enter an even greater darkness than that.
10. They say one thing comes through knowledge and another through ignorance. This is what we heard from the wise who explained it to us.
11. Whoever knows both knowledge and ignorance together, transcends death with ignorance and attains immortality with knowledge.
12. Those who are devoted to the unborn (unmanifest) enter into a blinding darkness; but, those who are enamored with the born (manifest) enter into an even greater darkness than that.
13. They say one thing comes from the manifest and another comes from the unmanifest. That is what we heard from the wise who explained it to us.
14. Whoever knows both the manifest and the unmanifest together, transcends death with the unmanifest and attains immortality with the manifest.
15. The face of Truth is hidden by a shining vessel, remove it Protector, so it may be seen by the truly virtuous.
16. Oh Protector, Solitary Traveller, and Controller; Oh Sun, descendant of Prajāpati displace Your rays and gather Your brilliant light that I may see Your most auspicious form. That same Spirit, which is there, I am He.
17. Now this breath becomes the immortal wind and this body is reduced to ashes. Oṁ, Mind, remember what was done; remember Mind, remember what was done.
18. Oh Fire, all-knowing and wise God, lead us to the true path of prosperity and remove all crooked sins from us. We offer many salutations to You.
Oṁ. That is complete. This is complete. This fullness proceeds from That fullness. Taking fullness from fullness leaves only fullness.
Oṁ. Peace, peace, peace.
Oṁ. Peace, peace, peace.
Comment: The word “Īśā” means lord or ruler; therefore, the first sentence of the Īśā Upaniṣad establishes that Brahman is the ruler of all living beings. The next sentence and verse establish the importance of indifference toward worldly possessions and experience. Those who live for the sake of obtaining wealth and pleasure become attached to those possessions and experiences and suffer the consequences of their actions. The only way to avoid those consequences is to be indifferent to the results of one’s actions; that is, to act without selfish intent. Those worldly people who are ignorant of their true natures are called “killers of the Self,” because their desires trap them in the cycle of transmigratory existence.
The next five verses describe the Supreme and the realized sage. Brahman is far away, beyond the perception of the senses or comprehension of the mind; but, as the Self, He is close at hand, residing in the heart. He is omniscient, omnipresent, transcendent, and pure, unaffected by sin. The wise, who have realized Brahman, see the Self in all beings and live free from illusion, hate, and grief.
Then the language of the Upaniṣad becomes somewhat cryptic. It is obvious that verses 9-11 refer to something other than knowledge and ignorance. How can both lead to darkness and immortality? The same can be said of the manifest and unmanifest of verses 12-14. Śaṇkara, the great teacher of Vedānta, says in his commentary on verses 9-11 that the word “knowledge” refers to meditation on the deities and “ignorance” refers to ritual sacrifice. He also states that the terms for the manifest and unmanifest used in verses 12-14 refer to Hiraṇyagarba (cosmic mind) and Prakṛti (matter) respectively.
The paths of sacrifice and the meditation and worship of deities, Hiraṇyagarba, and Prakṛti are all prescribed in the Vedas. These practices are intended to achieve “eternal” enjoyment in heavenly realms. Then, how can these lead to blinding darkness? Because these worlds are impermanent and part of transmigratory existence. Once one’s merit is exhausted, they are reborn in another temporary body in this or another transient world. Only realization of one’s True Nature liberates one from transmigratory existence. Everything else is temporary and insignificant.
The Upaniṣad ends with the prayers of a seeker of truth at the time of death. He prays to God* to reveal Himself and hopes that, due to his pious acts, he qualifies for such a favor. He also prays that he will remember those good deeds. Lastly, he prays to the Lord to guide him to the true path that leads to Self-realization and Brahman.
*While it appears that the seeker is praying to the sun and fire, it is clear from the nature of the prayer that he is praying to Brahman, the source of the sun and fire’s radiance.
The next five verses describe the Supreme and the realized sage. Brahman is far away, beyond the perception of the senses or comprehension of the mind; but, as the Self, He is close at hand, residing in the heart. He is omniscient, omnipresent, transcendent, and pure, unaffected by sin. The wise, who have realized Brahman, see the Self in all beings and live free from illusion, hate, and grief.
Then the language of the Upaniṣad becomes somewhat cryptic. It is obvious that verses 9-11 refer to something other than knowledge and ignorance. How can both lead to darkness and immortality? The same can be said of the manifest and unmanifest of verses 12-14. Śaṇkara, the great teacher of Vedānta, says in his commentary on verses 9-11 that the word “knowledge” refers to meditation on the deities and “ignorance” refers to ritual sacrifice. He also states that the terms for the manifest and unmanifest used in verses 12-14 refer to Hiraṇyagarba (cosmic mind) and Prakṛti (matter) respectively.
The paths of sacrifice and the meditation and worship of deities, Hiraṇyagarba, and Prakṛti are all prescribed in the Vedas. These practices are intended to achieve “eternal” enjoyment in heavenly realms. Then, how can these lead to blinding darkness? Because these worlds are impermanent and part of transmigratory existence. Once one’s merit is exhausted, they are reborn in another temporary body in this or another transient world. Only realization of one’s True Nature liberates one from transmigratory existence. Everything else is temporary and insignificant.
The Upaniṣad ends with the prayers of a seeker of truth at the time of death. He prays to God* to reveal Himself and hopes that, due to his pious acts, he qualifies for such a favor. He also prays that he will remember those good deeds. Lastly, he prays to the Lord to guide him to the true path that leads to Self-realization and Brahman.
*While it appears that the seeker is praying to the sun and fire, it is clear from the nature of the prayer that he is praying to Brahman, the source of the sun and fire’s radiance.
