Guest guest Posted June 6, 2008 Report Share Posted June 6, 2008 Namaste, In relation to the recent discussions about Brahman and Ishvara, it suddenly strikes me that they are in a way related to some stanzas at the beginning of the Isha Upanishad. These stanzas are concerned with Isha and Atma. They are appended below, with a translation and interpretation after each. Ananda Stanza 1 ======== IshA-vAsyam idaM sarvaM yatki~nca jagatyAM jagat . tena tyaktena bhu~njIthA, mA gR^idhaH kasyasvid dhanam .. Translation ----------- This [entire universe] is all for God to live in it: whatever changes in this changing world. Through that renunciation, [all of this world] may be enjoyed. But do not covet [anything]. For whose is any property? Interpretation -------------- All this entire universe belongs to God: who lives in it, in every smallest bit of it. Thus giving up all things to God, whatever changes in this changing universe may be enjoyed: untainted by possessiveness, uncompromised by wanting it. Whatever there may be to claim, to whom, in truth, does it belong? Stanza 4 ======== anejad ekaM manaso javIyo nainad devA Apnuvan pUrvam arShat . tad dhAvato 'nyAn-atyeti tiShThat tasminn apo mAtarishvA dadhAti .. Translation ----------- There is no movement in the one, whose quickness far surpasses thought. It's that which always goes before, beyond the reach of sense and mind. Outrunning alien things which run on by [pursued or in pursuit], it stands at rest [within itself]. On it, all change and movement are produced, from subtle energy. Interpretation -------------- It is unmoving unity; yet mind and sense cannot catch up with it. They always lag behind. It is the unchanged base of change, still centre of all happiness which every action seeks to reach. And yet, it always stays ahead. Just by its nature, as it is, unmoved itself by any act, it is the source of energy from which all seeming actions rise. Stanza 5 ======== tad ejati tan naijati tad dUre tad v antike . tad antarasya sarvasya tad u sarvasyA 'sya bAhyataH .. Translation ----------- It moves; and yet it does not move. It's far beyond the furthest reach of space and time; and yet it is immediate, forever close, inseparably present here. It's here inside, in everything; yet it is outside all of this. Interpretation -------------- It does not move; yet it alone is all that every movement is, and it is all those many things that we perceive to move and change. To sense and mind, it's far beyond the furthest distances of space, much prior to the early past, more final than the end of time. Yet nothing else can be so close. It's here and now: in every sight, in every sound and smell and taste, in every touch, in every thought and feeling, in each mind and heart. It is the only thing that's known immediately, because it is the inmost centre of each heart. It's that whose presence stays unchanged, beneath the surface of the mind where seeming objects come and go. Returning there, beneath the mind, it's found beyond all outward show of changing objects in the world. Stanza 6 ======== yas tu sarvANi bhUtAny Atmany evA 'nupashyati . sarva-bhUteShu cAtmAnaM tato na vijugupsate .. Translation ----------- For one who sees all beings in pure self alone, and just this self in everyone and everything, there's nothing found not to accept. There's nothing alien anywhere, from which to hide or shrink away. Interpretation -------------- False ego is a seeming self: a self that seems conditioned as a little mind or body, which is part of a much larger world. Beneath this false identity, of self with body or with mind, the real self is utterly impersonal; it is the base of consciousness, upon which all conditions are compared and known. It is the unconditioned base of all conditions in the world. Where outward-seeming consciousness is turned back in, towards its source, it is dissolved in truth of self, which is complete reality. For everything is known in self, and self is known in everything. When this plain truth is realized, what is there then to be renounced? How can disharmony arise? Stanza 7 ======== yasmin sarvANi bhUtAny Atmai 'vA 'bhUd vijAnataH . tatra ko mohaH kaH shoka ekatvam anupashyataH .. Translation ----------- There, in that knowing where all things, all beings are but self alone, what could be found inadequate? Then what dissatisfaction or delusion could apply at all: in seeing that pure unity? Interpretation -------------- Where knowing is identity of knowing self with what is known, there known and knower are but one; with nothing alien in between that could obscure plain simple truth: thus making knowledge incomplete, creating partiality, distorted views and nagging doubt. For self, to know is just to be. Its very being is to shine. Its nature is to light itself, without an intervening act that could divide it from itself or could obscure its clarity. What grief, delusion can exist for one who knows true unity, where everything is one with self? Stanza 8 ======== sa paryagAc chukram akAyam avraNam asnAviraM shuddham apApaviddham . kavir manIShI paribhUH svayam-bhUr yAthAtathyato 'rthAn vyadadhAc chAshvatIbhyaH samAbhyaH .. Translation ----------- That [self] shines pure, through everything: unconstrained by muscled body, unaffected by all ill, untouched by any taint of sin. It's that which sees, direct within: intelligent, encompassing, depending only on itself. From it, all purposes have been assigned, throughout unending time. Interpretation -------------- True self is pure, unbodied light of unconditioned consciousness, pervading all experience. It has no organs, nor does it take part in any kind of act. No function can pertain to it. Untouched by any harm or ill, unstained by misery and wrong, it is the living principle which lights perception, knows all thought and shines expressed as what we seek through all our feelings and desires. Self-evident, beyond all things that may appear or disappear, it simply is, in its own right: completely known, beyond all doubt, as self-illuminating light. Upon this changeless, certain base, each seeming thing pursues a course of seeming change through passing time that can't be known with certainty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2008 Report Share Posted June 6, 2008 PranAms Ananda-ji By a remarkable coincidence I had earlier today posted on my blog some excerpts from the SvetASvatara Upanishad - the verses follow along on very similar lines as in these verses you have so nicely translated from the Isha Upanishad - here is the link for my post- http://poornamadam.blogspot.com/2008/06/mystic-doctrine.html Hari OM Shri Gurubhyoh namah Shyam --- Ananda Wood <awood wrote: > Namaste, > > In relation to the recent discussions about Brahman > and Ishvara, it > suddenly strikes me that they are in a way related > to some stanzas at > the beginning of the Isha Upanishad. These stanzas > are concerned with > Isha and Atma. They are appended below, with a > translation and > interpretation after each. > > Ananda > > > > Stanza 1 > ======== > IshA-vAsyam idaM sarvaM yatki~nca jagatyAM jagat . > tena tyaktena bhu~njIthA, mA gR^idhaH kasyasvid > dhanam .. > > Translation > ----------- > This [entire universe] is all for God > to live in it: whatever changes > in this changing world. > Through that renunciation, > [all of this world] may be enjoyed. > But do not covet [anything]. > For whose is any property? > > Interpretation > -------------- > All this entire universe > belongs to God: who lives in it, > in every smallest bit of it. > Thus giving up all things to God, > whatever changes in this changing > universe may be enjoyed: > untainted by possessiveness, > uncompromised by wanting it. > Whatever there may be to claim, > to whom, in truth, does it belong? > > Stanza 6 > ======== > yas tu sarvANi bhUtAny Atmany evA 'nupashyati . > sarva-bhUteShu cAtmAnaM tato na vijugupsate .. > > Translation > ----------- > For one who sees all beings in pure self alone, > and just this self in everyone and everything, > there's nothing found not to accept. > There's nothing alien anywhere, > from which to hide or shrink away. > > Interpretation > -------------- > False ego is a seeming self: > a self that seems conditioned as > a little mind or body, which > is part of a much larger world. > Beneath this false identity, > of self with body or with mind, > the real self is utterly > impersonal; it is the base > of consciousness, upon which all > conditions are compared and known. > It is the unconditioned base > of all conditions in the world. > Where outward-seeming consciousness > is turned back in, towards its source, > it is dissolved in truth of self, > which is complete reality. > For everything is known in self, > and self is known in everything. > When this plain truth is realized, > what is there then to be renounced? > How can disharmony arise? > > Stanza 7 > ======== > yasmin sarvANi bhUtAny Atmai 'vA 'bhUd vijAnataH . > tatra ko mohaH kaH shoka ekatvam anupashyataH .. > > Translation > ----------- > There, in that knowing where all things, > all beings are but self alone, > what could be found inadequate? > Then what dissatisfaction or > delusion could apply at all: > in seeing that pure unity? > > Interpretation > -------------- > Where knowing is identity > of knowing self with what is known, > there known and knower are but one; > with nothing alien in between > that could obscure plain simple truth: > thus making knowledge incomplete, > creating partiality, > distorted views and nagging doubt. > For self, to know is just to be. > Its very being is to shine. > Its nature is to light itself, > without an intervening act > that could divide it from itself > or could obscure its clarity. > What grief, delusion can exist > for one who knows true unity, > where everything is one with self? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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