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"#दयोप(नषत्

यद्ब्रह्म रुद्रहृदयमहािवद्याप्रकािशतम्।
तद्ब्रह्मात्रावस्थानपदवीमधुना भजे॥

ॐ सह नाववतु॥ सह नौ भुनक्तु॥ सह वीयर्ं करवावहै॥

तेजिस्वनावधीतमस्तु मा िविद्वषावहै॥

ॐ शांितः शांितः शांितः॥

हिरः ॐ॥

हृदयं कुंडली भस्मरुद्राक्षगणदशर्नम्।

तारसारं महावाक्यं पंचब्रह्मािग्नहोत्रकम्॥१॥

प्रणम्य िशरसा पादौ शुको व्यासमुवाचः।

को देवः सवर्देवेषु किरस्मंदेवाश्च सवर्शः॥२॥

कस्य शुश्रूषणािन्नत्यं प्रीता देवा भवंित मे।

तस्य तद्वचं श्रुत्वा प्रत्युवाच िपता शुकम्॥३॥

सवर्देवात्मको रुद्रः सवोर् देवाः िशवात्मकाः।

रुद्रस्य दिक्षणे पाश्वेर् रिवब्रर्ह्मा त्रयोऽग्नयः॥४॥

वामपाश्वेर् उमा देवई िवष्णुः सोमोऽिप ते त्रयः।

या उमा सा स्वयं िवष्णुयोर् िवष्णुः स िह चंद्रमाः॥५॥

ये नमस्यंित गोिवंदं ते नमस्यंित शंकरम्।

येऽचर्यंित हिरं भक्त्या तेऽचर्यंित वृषध्वजम्॥६॥

ये िद्वषंित िवरूपाक्षं ते िद्वषंित जनादर्नम्।

ये रुद्रं नािभजानंित ते न जानंित केशकम्॥७॥

रुद्रात्प्रवतर्ते बीजं बीजयोिनजर्नादर्नः।

यो रुद्रः स स्वयं ब्रह्मा यो ब्रह्मा स हुताशनः॥८॥

ब्रह्मिवष्णुमयो रुद्र अग्नीषोमात्कं जगत्।

पुंिलंगं सवर्मीशानं स्त्रीिलंगं भगवत्युमा॥९॥
उमारुद्राित्मकाः सवार्ः ग्रजाः स्थावरजंगमाः।
व्यक्तं सवर्मुमारूपमव्यक्तं तु महेश्वरम्॥१०॥

उमा शंकरयोगो यः स योगो िवष्णुरुच्यते।

यस्तु तस्मै नमस्कारं कुयार्द्भिक्तसमंिवतः॥११॥

आत्मानं परमात्मानमंतरात्मानमेव च।
ज्ञात्वा ित्रिवधमात्मानं परमात्मानमाश्रयेत्॥१२॥

अंतरात्मा भवेद्ब्रह्मा परमात्मा महेश्वरः।

सवेर्षामेव भूतानां िवष्णुरात्मा सनातनः॥१३॥

अस्य त्रैलोक्यवृक्षस्य भूमौ िवटपशािखनः।

अग्रं मध्यं तथा मूलं िवष्णुब्रह्ममहेश्वराः॥१४॥

कायर्ं िवष्णुः िक्रया ब्रह्मा कारणं तु महेश्वरः।

प्रयोजनाथर्ं रुद्रेण मूितर् रेका ित्रधा कृता॥१५॥

धमोर् रुद्रो जगिद्वष्णुः सवर्ज्ञानं िपतामहः।

श्रीरुद्र रुद्र रुद्रेित यस्तं ब्रूयािद्वचक्षणः॥१६॥

कीतर्नात्सवर्देवस्य सवर्पापैः प्रमुच्यते।

रुद्रो नर उमा नारी तस्मै तस्यै नमो नमः॥१७॥

रुद्रो ब्रह्मा उमा वाणी तस्मै तस्यै नमो नमः।

रुद्रो िवष्णुरुमा लक्ष्मीस्तस्मै तस्यै नमो नमः॥१८॥

रुद्रः सूयर् उमा छाया तस्मै तस्यै नमो नमः।

रुद्रः सोम उमा तारा तस्मै तस्यै नमो नमः॥१९॥

रुद्रो िदवा उमा राित्रस्तस्मै तस्यै नमो नमः।

रुद्रो यज्ञ उमा वेिदस्तस्मै तस्यै नमो नमः॥२०॥

रुद्रो विह्नरुमा स्वाहा तस्मै तस्ये नमो नमः।

रुद्रो वेद उमा शास्त्रं तस्मै तस्यै नमो नमः॥१२॥

रुद्रो वृक्ष उमा वल्ली तस्मै तस्ये नमो नमः।

रुद्रो गंध उमा पुष्पं तस्मै तस्यै नमो नमः॥२२॥
रुद्रोऽथर् अक्षरः सोमा तस्मै तस्यै नमो नमः।
रुद्रो िलंगमुमा पीठं तस्मै तस्यै नमो नमः।

सवर्देवात्मकं रुद्रं नमस्कुयार्त्परथक्पृथक्।

एिभमर्ंत्रपदैरेव नमस्यामीशपावर्ती॥१४॥

यत्र यत्र भवेत्साधर्िममं मंत्रमुदीरयेत्।

ब्रह्महा जलमध्ये तु सवर्पापैः प्रमुच्यते॥१५॥

सवार्िधष्ठानमद्वंद्वं परं ब्रह्म सनातनम्।

सिच्चदानंदरूपं तदवाङ् मनसगोचरम्॥१६॥

तिस्मंसुिविदते सवर्ं िवज्ञातं स्यािददं शुक।

तदात्मकत्वात्सवर्स्य तस्मािद्भन्नं नािह क्विचत्॥१७॥

द्वे िवद्ये वेिदतव्ये िह परा चैवापरा च ते।

तत्रापरा तु िवद्यैषा ऋग्वेदो यजुरेव च॥१८॥

सामवेदस्तथाथवर्वेदः िशक्षा मुनीश्वर।

कल्पो व्याकरणं चैव िनरुक्तं छं द एव च॥१९॥

ज्योितषं च यथा नात्मिवषया अिप बुद्धयः।

अथैषा परमा िवद्या ययात्मा परमाक्षरम्॥३०॥

यत्तदद्रेश्यमग्राह्यमगोत्रं रूपविजर् तम्।

अचक्षःु श्रोत्रमत्यथर्ं तदपािणपदं तथा॥३१॥

िनत्यं िवभुं सवर्गतं सुसूक्ष्मं च तदव्ययम्।

तद्भूतयोिनं पश्यंित धीरा आतमानमात्मिन॥३२॥

यः सवर्ज्ञः सवर्िवद्यो यस्य ज्ञानमयं तपः।

तस्मादत्रान्नरूपेण जायते जगदाविलः॥३३॥

सत्यवद्भाित तत्सवर्ं रज्जुसपर्वदािस्थतम्।

तदेतदक्षरं सत्यं तिद्वज्ञाय िवमुच्यते॥३४॥

ज्ञानेनेव िह संसारिवनाशो नैव कमर्णा।

श्रोित्रयं ब्रह्मािनष्ठं स्वगुरुं गच्छे द्यथािविध॥३५॥

गुरुस्तस्मै परां िवद्यां दद्याद्ब्रह्मात्मबोिधनीम्।

गुहायां िनिहतं साक्षादक्षरं वेद चेन्नरः॥३६॥
िछत्वाऽिवद्यामहाग्रंिथं िशवं गच्छे त्सनातनम्।
तदेतदमृतं सत्यं तद्बोद्धव्यं मुमुिक्षिभः॥३७॥

धनुस्तारं शरो ह्यात्मा ब्रह्म तल्लक्ष्यमुच्यते।

अप्रमत्तेन वेद्धव्यं शरवत्तन्मयो भवेत्।

लक्ष्यं सत्वगतं चैव शरः सवर्गतो मुखः।

वेद्धा सवर्गतश्चैव िशवलक्ष्यं न संशयः॥३९॥

न तत्र चंद्राकर्वपुः प्रकाशते न वांित वाताः सकला देवताश्च।

स एष देवः कृतभावभूतः स्वयं िवशुद्धो िवरजः प्रकाशते॥४०॥

द्वौ सुपणौर् शरीरेऽिस्मंजीवेशाक्ष्यौ सह िस्थतौ।

तयोजीर्वः फलं भुंक्ते कमर्णो न महेश्वरः॥४१॥

केवलं सािक्षरूपेण िवना भोगं महेश्वरः।

प्रकाशते स्वयं भेदः किल्पतो मायया तयोः॥४२॥

घटाकाशमठाकाशौ यथाकाशप्रभेदतः।
क्लिपतौ परमौ जीविशवरूपेण किल्पतौ॥४३॥

तत्त्वतश्च िशवः साक्षािच्चज्जीवश्च स्वतः सदा।

िचिच्चदाकारतो िभन्ना न िभन्ना िचत्त्वहािनतः॥४४॥

िचतिश्चन्न िचदाकारिद्भद्यते जडरूपतः।

िभद्यते चेज्जडो भेदिश्चदेका सवर्दा खलु॥४५॥

तकर्तश्च प्रमाणाच्चा िचदेकत्वव्यविस्थतेः।

िचदेकत्वपिरज्ञाने न शोचित न मुह्यित॥४६॥

अद्वैतं परमानंदं िशवं याित तु कैवलम्॥४७॥

अिधष्ठानं समस्तस्य जगतः सत्यिचद्धनम्।

अहमस्मीित िनिश्चत्य वीतशोको भवेन्मुिनः॥४८॥
स्वशरीरे स्वयं ज्योितःस्वरूपं सवर्साषणम्।
क्षीणदोषाः प्रपश्यंित नेतरे माययावृताः॥४९॥

एवं रूपपिरज्ञानं यस्यािस्त परयोिगनः।

कुत्रिचद्गमनं चािस्त तस्य पूणर्स्वरूिपणः॥५०॥

आकाशमेकं संपूणर्ं कुत्रिचन्नेव गच्छित।

तद्वत्स्वात्मपिरज्ञानी कुत्रिचन्नैव गच्छित॥५१॥

स यो ह वै तत्परमं ब्रह्म यो वेद वै मुिनः।

ब्रह्मैव भवित स्वस्थः सिच्चदानंद मातृकः॥५२॥

इत्युपिनषत्॥

ॐ सह नाववतु॥ सह नौ भुनक्तु॥ सह वीयर्ं करवावहै॥

तेजिस्वनावधीतमस्तु मा िविद्वषावहै॥
ॐ शांितः शांितः शांितः॥

इित रुद्रहृदयोपिनषत्समाप्ता॥
English Translation

I now take refuge in that great knowledge which illuminates the heart of Rudra, in the honey-like
wisdom of brahman.

Om! May God protect us both together; may God nourish us both together; 

May we work conjointly with great energy,

May our study be vigorous and effective,

May there be no animosity between us nor hatred towards any

Let there be peace in me,


Let there be peace in my environment,

Let there be peace in the forces that act on me!

1. Having born witness to the sacred bhasma and rudrākṣa encircling the heart, knowing the
essence of oṃ and the mahāvakyas, the Agnihotra of the paṃcabrahmas,

2. After having prostrated before his father’s sacred feet, Śuka asked Vyāsa: “Who is the God
of gods, the cause of all others?

3. “Through whose worship, can I please all Gods completely?” Upon hearing these words, the
father of Śuka spoke:

4. That of which all gods consist is Rudra1 , all gods consist of Śiva; On the right side of Rudra,
there are three: the sun, Brahma, and Agni.

5. On the left side there are another three: Umā, Viṣṇu, and the moon. Umā is herself the form
of Viṣṇu, and Viṣṇu himself is the form of the moon.

6. Those who worship Goviṃda2 also worship Śaṃkara3; those who faithfully worship Hari4
also worship Vṛṣadhvaja5 .

1 Śiva - “The fierce one"

2 Viṣṇu - “The cowherd”

3 Śiva - “The maker of auspiciousness”
4Viṣṇu - “Green”/“Auspicious”/“One who carries or bears (the world’s suffering)”/“One who accepts (oblations/
offerings)”
5 Śiva - “The lord of rudras”/“the virtuous one”
7. Those who hate Virūpākṣa6 also hate Janārdana7 ; those who do not know Rudra also do not
know Keśava8.

8. The seed emerges from Rudra, and Janārdana is sprung from the seed; Rudra himself is
Brahma and Brahma himself is Hutāśana9.

9. Rudra is plentiful with Brahma and Viṣṇu, the world is full of Agni and Soma. The male
aspect is Sarvamīśa10 and the feminine aspect is the goddess Umā.

10. All creation, all that which moves and does not move consist of the essence of Umā-Rudra;
the apparent is Umā and the unapparent is Maheśvara.

11. The union of Umā and Śaṃkara itself is Viṣṇu, therefore the adoration of this union is an act
of devotion to each.

12. They are the ātman (Self), paramātman (supreme Self), and aṃtarātman (the inner Self);
having awareness of these three forms of ātman, one should take refuge in the paramātman.

13. The risen Brahma is the aṃtarātma and the paramātman is Maheśvara, verily all living
beings are of the eternal Viṣṇu-ātman.

14. The three worlds are like sprouted boughs and branches of a tree on the earth; the top, the
middle, and its very stem are the Brahma, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara.

15. The effect is Viṣṇu, the action is Brahma, and the cause is Maheśvara; for the benefit of the
three worlds, the three forms arise from Rudra.

16. Rudra is dharma, Viṣṇu is the world, and Pitāmaha11 is all knowledge in the world; May the
clear-sighted one speak aloud “Śrī Rudra is Rudra is Rudra”,

17. By chanting these names of God, one becomes free of all sins. Rudra is man, Umā is woman,
prostrations to Him and Her.

18. Rudra is Brahma; Umā is Vāṇī, prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is Viṣṇu, Umā is Lakṣmī,
prostrations to Him and Her.

6 Śiva - “The one with sun and moon for eyes”; lit. “The differently-eyed one”
7 Viṣṇu - “The exciter/agitator of people”

8 Viṣṇu - “The one with beautiful hair”

9 Śiva - “the sacred fire”; lit. “The eater of oblations”
10 Śiva - “lord of all things”
11 Brahma - “grandfather” or more broadly “ancestor”
19. Rudra is the sun; Umā is the shadow, prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is the moon; Umā
is the star, prostrations to Him and Her.

20. Rudra is day, Umā is night, prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is the yajña, Umā is the
paṃḍit, prostrations to Him and Her.

21. Rudra is the fire, Umā is the syllable svāḥ, prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is the Veda;
Umā is the śāstra, prostrations to Him and Her.

22. Rudra is the tree, Umā is the creeper, prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is scent; Umā is the
flower, prostrations to Him and Her.

23. Rudra is meaning; Umā is the word; prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is the liṃgam, Umā
is the pīṭha, prostrations to Him and Her.

24. One should venerate Rudra, who is the essence of all Gods, by repeatedly chanting these
mantras one by one. Verily, through the verses of these mantras, I worship Īśa12 and Pārvati.

25. Wherever one may be, one should recite with these hymns; thus does the denier of brahman,
amidst frigidity, find freedom from sins.

26. Of the two (other forms of ātman-brahman) foundations of all creation, parabrahman is
eternal, being the form of truth, consciousness and bliss, beyond the reach of speech, mind
and the senses.

27. In knowing this, all things knowable become known, Śuka; due to that (knowledge) having
the nature of all, that is never broken apart.

28. There are but two vidyas to be known: para and aparā. Aparā vidya is the knowledge of the
Ṛgveda, Yajurveda, and

29. the Samaveda, the Atharvaveda, and their six angas, the learning of the lord of sages, ritual
practice, grammar, and like injunctions of the Vedas and

30. of astrology, none dealing with the nature of the ātman. Thus, parā vidya is concerned with
that knowledge of ātman, supreme and imperishable,

31. that which cannot be seen or grasped, without origin or form; with neither eyes nor ears,
neither hands nor feet.

32. Eternal, almighty, omnipresent, extremely subtle, and imperishable, that womb of being that
steadfastly witnesses the the ātman of ātman.

12 Śiva - “lord”
33. They who know all know all vidyas which consist of the knowledge of tapas; from this
knowledge, they know that the range of worlds is sustained through the form of food.

34. The light of truth is in all things just like a serpent superimposed on a rope. This is the
eternal Truth. Knowing the truth that all is imperishable and unchanging, one is liberated at
once.

35. Verily, through knowledge, one is rid of saṃsāra, and not through karma. From one’s
teacher who is well-versed in scripture and established in the limitless brahman should one
begin their learning.

36. The Guru, through giving the student the parā vidyā, expounds the knowledge of ātman-
brahman. Abiding in Guha13 and witness to the changeless one14, one attains enlightenment.

37. By cutting off the knot of ignorance, one should take refuge in the eternal Śiva. This, verily,
is the wisdom which should be sought out by the seeker of liberation.

38. The ātman is the arrow launched from the bow of deliverance, and brahman is like the target
of that arrow. Just like the arrow pierces its target, the ātman becomes one with brahman.

39. In all places is the target, as is the arrow; so too is the foremost one. Pervading all things,
Śiva is undoubtedly the target.

40. There do not shine the sun, moon or the stars. There does not blow the wind, there do not
exist the Devatas. They, the Lord and cause of all existence, alone exists. They, that which is
spontaneously self-purified and without blemish.

41. There are two birds in this body, the jīva and the Lord. The jīva eats the fruit of karma, but
Maheśvara does not.

42. Maheśvara, as the sole witness, partakes of nothing. They, by themselves, illumine apparent
distinctions, manifest through Their māya.

43. Like the space inside a pot seems from the space outside, so does difference seem apparent.
In reality the two entities, imagined to be separate, are both the manifest forms of Śiva.

44. Śiva is the eternal witness, consciousness, and life from Their own self, the consciousness is
other than Its form; as it does not dwindle, the consciousness is undifferentiated.

45. Through consciousness, the mind gathers and distinguishes information like threads,
resulting in the apparent form of insentient matter; indeed, distinguishing that matter such
that difference obscures the eternal One.

13 Here, another name for Śiva, but often used to describe other deities as well.
14 Alternatively, bearing witness to the “syllable” (the mystic syllable indicating Śiva or the oṃkāra)
46. Through conjecture and other valid forms of knowledge, the mind realizes the oneness of all
things; having ascertained this oneness, one does not despair or go astray.

47. Non-duality, the ultimate bliss, Śiva, and oneness are all attained thus.

48. Knowing the foundation of the whole world, solid truth, and wisdom to be one, the sage will
realize “I am that” and may then dispel sorrow.

49. Knowing their bodies to be self-luminous and knowing the witness of all therein, they see
their flaws attenuated, rather than those wrapped up in the ever-shifting māya.

50. Thus those who comprehend the nature of their form are the greatest of yogis. Their own
complete essence, ātman, does not go anywhere.

51. Just as completely full, abundant space verily does not travel anywhere, neither does the one
who knows their ātman dearly and intimately go anywhere as well.

52. One who knows this greatest of truths is an enlightened sage, and so verily attains oneness
with brahman themselves, truth-consciousness-bliss like a mother’s embrace.

Here ends the Rudra-Hṛdayopaniṣad.

Om! May God protect us both together; may God nourish us both together; 

May we work conjointly with great energy,

May our study be vigorous and effective,

May there be no animosity between us nor hatred towards any

Let there be peace in me,


Let there be peace in my environment,

Let there be peace in the forces that act on me!