THE ISAVASYA UPANISHAD

CONTRIBUTED BY

P.J.SITARAMAN &
VIJAYA RAMKUMAR

INTRODUCTION     The Isavasya Upanishad forms a part of the Sukla Yajur Veda, occuring in
fact, as an integral part of the initial Samhita portion, making it an exception to the general feature of the Upanishads occuring towards the end of their respective Vedas. This Upanishad is considered specially important because of this special feature. Its importance also derives from many of its central ideas finding endorsement and elaboration in the Gita. This Upanishad starts with the word
"Isa" or God, and therefore takes its name from this word. This Upanishad is quite a short one, comprised of just 18 stanzas.
ÏOÏO¯ ÞOÏO¯
PEACE INVOCATION
                 `ÔO¥ÎORØOd: ÔO¥ÎOR¢ØOd|    ÔO¥ÎOORÏO¯    ÔO¥ÎORØO¤dÅÙOÏOE
                      ÔO¥ÎORÞÙO ÔO¥ÎORØOOdOÙO ÔO¥ÎORØOEÛOOÛO¢ÜOÝÙOÏOE
                    ` ÜOO¢ÓÏO:     ÜOO¢ÓÏO:     ÜOO¢ÓÏO:
OM.    That (Brahman) is infinite. This (the Universe) too is infinite.
The infinite Universe emanates from the infinte Brahman. Yet the
infinite Brahman remains undiminished. Om Peace ! Peace ! Peace !
` iIÜOO ÛOOÞÙO¢ØOd| ÞOÛOR| ÙO¢ÏkÉÅO ÇOÂOÏÙOO| ÇOÂOÏO¯     .
ÏOEÓO ÏÙOÀÏOEÓO ×O¤ÉÇO£ÐOO ØOO ÂO¦ÒO: kÞÙO¢ÞÛOdq ÒOÓOØO¯    /    1    /

iIÜOO

along with the Lord

ÛOOÞÙOØO¯

is covered by

id|ÞOÛORØO¯

everything given in experience

ÙO¢ÏkÉÅO

whatever

ÇOÂOÏÙOO|

in the universe

ÇOÂOÏO¯

transient

ÏOEÓO ÏÙOÀÏOEÓO

by renouncing

×O¤ÉÇO£ÐOO:

enjoy

ØOO ÂO¦ÒO:

do not desire

kÞÙO¢ÞÛOdq

any others

ÒOÓOØO¯

riches (resources)

1. All that is in this transient world is covered by the Lord. Enjoy
yourself with an attitude of self-resignation. Do not desire eagerly the
riches of any others.

Comments
Our transient existence and its experiences subsist within a setting that is eternal. The fruits of our own effort or the effort of others are also transient. The value
or meaning of any effort lies in its performance as a duty    to sustain and improve ourselves, by serving others selflessly. Enjoy such a full life, because true joy is&nsbp;to be found only in living thus.
k[ÛORÓÓOE ÛOEEh kØOOR¢ÎO ¢ÇOÇO£¢ÛOÝOEÅCÏO| ÞOØOO:               .
eÛO| ÏÛO¢ÙO ÓOOÓÙOÐOEÏOOE{¢ÞÏO ÓO kØOR ¢ÚOÔÙOÏOE ÓOrE    /    2    /

k[ÛORÓO¯

doing

here

kØOOR¢ÎO

activities

¢ÇOÇO£¢ÛOÝOEÏO¯

wish to live

ÞOÏO|

one hundred

ÞOØOO:

years

eÛO|

in this manner

ÏÛO¢ÙO

for you

ÓO AÓÙOÐOO

no other way

A¢ÞÏO

exists

ÓO

not

kØOR

action

¢ÚOÔÙOÏOE

taints

ÓOrE

in man

2. One should wish to live a hundred years only by engaging in activities as prescribed. In no other way can man be free from taint.
Comments
A full life of a hundred years is to be desired only if it is devoted to discharging obligations prescribed by the scriptures.These obligations are both personal and social.
AÞO¤ÙOOR ÓOOØO ÏOE ÚOOEkO AÓÒOEÓO ÏOØOÞOOÛO¦ÏOO: .
ÏOO|ÞÏOE p#EÏÙOO¢×OÂOÅC¢ÓÏO ÙOE kE ÅOOÏØOhÓOOE ÇOÓOO: / 3 /

AÞO¤ÙOOR:

fiendish in nature

ÓOOØO

indeed

ÏOE

they

ÚOOEkO:

births

AÓÒOEÓO

dense

ÏOØOÞOO

darkness

AOÛO¦ÏOO:

covered

ÏOO|

those births

ÏOE

they

p#EÏÙO

departing hence

A¢×OÂOÅC¢ÓÏO

reach

ÙOE kE

whoever

ÅO

and

AOÏØOhÓOOE

destroyer of the self

ÇOÓOO:

individual souls

3. Verily, Births covered in dense ignorance are reached on death by those who destroy their Self.

Comments
Lives devoted to wordly pleasure are lives spent in darkness, i.e. not illuminated
by the light of one's own inner potential; a darkness from which there is no redemption in their life, or if you are prepared to accept it, in future
lives as well.
AÓOEÇOdEk| ØOÓOÞOOE ÇOÛO£ÙOOE ÓOWÓOêEÛOO AOÔÓO¤ÛOÓO¯ ÔO¥ÛORØOÝORÏO¯ .
ÏO¼OÛOÏOOE{ÓÙOOÓOÏÙOE¢ÏO ¢ÏO¿ÏO¯ ÏO¢ÞØO°ÔOOE ØOOÏO¢ráqOO dÒOO¢ÏO /4 /

AÓOEÇOÏO¯

unchangeable

ek|

This Brahman

ØOÓOÞO:

than the mind

ÇOÛO£ÙO:

quicker

ÓO

nor

eÓOÏO¯

Brahman

dEÛOO :

senses

AOÔÓO¤ÛOÓO¯

attained

ÔO¥ÛORØO¯

gone (earlier)

AÝORÏO¯

the mind

ÏOÏO¯

that

ÒOOÛOÏO:

running

AÓÙOÏO¯

another

AÏÙOE¢ÏO

overtakes

¢ÏO¿ÏO¯

firm

ÏO¢ÞØOÓO¯

in it

AÔO:

all activity

ØOOÏO¢ráqOO

cosmic energy (prana)

dÒOO¢ÏO

sustain

4. The One is unchangeable, yet It is quicker than the mind and always ahead of it.     It overtakes the senses, yet is firm . It's mere
presence enables the cosmic energy to sustain all activity.

Comments
That eternal is one, transcendent or immanent (whether within or without -
Brahman or Atman). It outstrips the speed of the mind or anything that runs.
It goes beyond the reach of the senses and from It springs the cosmic energy
that sustains all creation.
ÏOdEÇO¢ÏO ÏO°WÇO¢ÏO ÏOdqd\rE ÏO¹¢ÓÏOkE
ÏOdÓÏOrÞÙO ÞOÛORÞÙO ÏOd[ ÞOÛORÞÙOOÞÙO ÖOO/ÏO:         /    5    /

ÏOÏO¯

That

eÇO¢ÏO

moves

ÏOÏO¯

That

ÓO eÇO¢ÏO

moves not

ÏOÏO¯

That

d\rE

is far

ÏOÏO¯

That

u A¢ÓÏOkE

yet near

eÏOÏO¯

This

AÞÙOÞOÛORRÞÙO

of all this

AÓÏO:

within

ÏOÏO¯

That

ÞOÛORÞÙO AÞÙO

of all this

yet

ÖOO/ÏO:

outside

5. That moves, yet moves not. That is far, and yet That is near. That is within everything, yet also outside everything.

Comments
That which we conceive of as Infinite, or Eternal, which we call Brahman must exist here, there, everywhere; inside and outside the finite things we recognise;
and at all times, not just in the time frames of the past, present and future
that we recognise. Movement has meaning only    within the dimensions of
space and time, not outside these.

ÙOÞÏO¤ ÞOÛOOR¢ÎO ×O¥ÏOOÓÙOOÏØOÓÙOEÛOOÓO¤ÔOÜÙO¢ÏO
ÞOÛOR×O¥ÏOEÝO¤ ÅOOÏØOOÓO| ÏOÏOOE ÓO ¢ÛOÇO¤ÂO¤ÔÞOÏOE                   /    6    /

ÙO:

who

ÏO¤

however

ÞOÛOOR¢ÎO

all

×O¥ÏOO¢ÓO

beings

AOÏØO¢ÓO

in his self

eÛO

itself

AÓO¤ÔOÜÙO¢ÏO

perceives

ÞOÛOR×O¥ÏOEÝO¤

in all beings

ÅO

and

AOÏØOOÓO|

his self

ÏOÏO:

from that

ÓO

not

¢ÛOÇO¤ÂO¤ÔÞOÏOE

dislikes

6. The   man who perceives all beings as   his own Self and his own Self     as other beings is free from dislikes.

Comments
The wise one who sees all that exists as part of the same eternal existence, is automatically freed from likes and dislikes which can arise only in one who sees himself as different from all else.

ÙO¢ÞØOÓO¯ ÞOÛOOR¢ÎO ×O¥ÏOOÓÙOOÏØOWÛOO×O¥dq ¢ÛOÇOOÓOÏO:                           .
ÏOæO kOE ØOOEh: k: ÜOOEk ekÏÛOØOÓO¤ÔOÜÙOÏO:      /    7    /

ÙO¢ÞØOÓO¯

where

ÞOÛOOR¢ÎO

all

×O¥ÏOO¢ÓO

beings

AOÏØO

self

eÛO

verily

A×O¥ÏO¯

has become

¢ÛOÇOOÓOÏO:

to the realised one

ÏOæO

there

what

ØOOEh:

misapprehension

what

ÜOOEk:

sorrow

ekÏÛOØO¯

oneness

AÓO¤ÔOÜÙOÏO:

of the seer (experiencer)

7. What misapprehension or sorrow can there be for the realised one who sees the oneness everywhere and all beings as his own Self ?

Comments
All delusion and sorrow spring from a person seeing of himself as different from others not from totally identifying himself with others.

ÞO ÔOÙORÂOOÅC[@ØOkOÙOØOÛO#ÎO
ØOÞÓOO¢ÛOr| ÜO¤¼ØOÔOOÔO¢ÛO¼ØO¯
k¢ÛOØORÓO£ÝO£ ÔO¢r×O¥: ÞÛOÙOØ×O¥
ÙOORÐOOÏOÐÙOÏOOE{ÐOORÓO¯ ÛÙOdÒOOÅCOáqOÏO£×ÙO: ÞOØOO×ÙO: / 8 /

ÞO:

He (the Atman)

ÔOÙORÂOOÏO¯

omnipresent

ÜO¤@ØO¯

brilliant

AkOÙOØO¯

bereft of physical body

AÛO#ÎOØO¯

complete

AÞÓOO¢ÛOr|

without muscles

ÜO¤¼ØO¯

pure

AÔOOÔO¢ÛO¼ØO¯

untouched by sin

k¢ÛO:

seeing all

ØOÓO£ÝO£

wise

ÔO¢r×O¥:

enveloping totally

ÞÛOÙOØ×O¥:

self organised

ÙOOÐOOÏOÐÙOÏO:

as it truly is

AÐOORÓO¯

duties

ÛÙOdÒOOÏO¯

distributed

ÜOOáqOÏO£×ÙO:

for all time

ÞOØOO×ÙO:

years

8. He (the self ) is self-existent, omnipresent, without a physical body or muscles, untouchted by sin, complete and brilliant and pure, seeing all, wise and enveloping all . By Him are the Prajapatis assigned their duties
for all time.

Comments
That which is eternal and infinite cannot suffer the transient experiences of sin, ignorance, and darkness or other limitations of a finite body. All creation and the forces that rule all creation for all time (the Prajapatis) can originate only from
that which is eternal and infinite.

AÓÒO| ÏOØO: p#¢ÛOÜO¢ÓÏO ÙOE{¢ÛOïOØO¤ÔOOÞOÏOE
ÏOÏOOE ×O¥ÙO iÛO ÏOE ÏOØOOE ÙO u ¢ÛOÒÙOOÙOO| rÏOO: / 9 /

AÓÒO|

dense

ÏOØO:

darkness

p#¢ÛOÜO¢ÓÏO

fall into

ÙOE

those who

A¢ÛOïOØO¯

ignorance

uÔOOÞOÏOE

worship

ÏOÏO:

then

×O¥ÙO:

greater

iÛO

though

ÏOE

they

ÏOØO:

darkness

ÙOE

who

but

¢ÛOïOÙOO|

in knowledge

rÏOO:

revel

9. Those who continue with mere rituals enter into dense darkness. Into    greater darkness go those who revel in knowledge about them but do not act.

Comments
He who lacks knowledge or is content with theoretical knowledge, remain in darkness, as they fail to translate    their inner potential into activities that can
light up their lives and lead them to fulfillment.

AÓÙOdEÛOOh¤r¯ ¢ÛOïÙOO AÓÙOdOh¤r¢ÛOïÙOO
i¢ÏO ÜO¤½qO¤ØO ÒO£rOÎOO| ÙOE ÓOÞÏOdq ¢ÛOÅOÅO¢ßOrE      /   10    /

AÓÙOÏO¯

another

eÛO

indeed

AOh¤:

they say

¢ÛOïÙOO

by vidya (actions based on partial knowledge)

AÓÙOÏO¯

different

AOh¤:

they say

A¢ÛOïÙOO

through avidya (actions performed mechanically)

i¢ÏO

thus

ÜO¤½qO¤ØO

we have heard

ÒO£rOÎOO|

from the realised

ÙOE

who

ÓO:

to us

ÏOÏO¯

that

¢ÛOÅOÅO¢ßOrE

had elucidated

10. We have heard it being elucidated to us by the realised ones that the fruit of part-knowledge (about ritualistic practices) is one thing but it is entirely different which is obtained by actions (rituals) without even that knowledge.
Comments
Different results follow from lack of knowledge or partial (theoretical) knowledge. Knowledge is full and true only, not when it is a state of intellectual understanding, but when it becomes a living experience.
PROCEED TO NEXT SEQUENCE OF STANZAS RETURN TO INDEX OF THE UPANISHADS