Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad

Subhash Kak

Chapman University
2023
 Subhash Kak

Foreword

The Upaniṣads have been called the Breath of the Eternal. If you wish to
understand Ātma-vidyā (Science of Consciousness) of the Vedas, the
Upaniṣads are the easiest way to begin the journey.
There are many Upaniṣads, and some of them are as dialogue between
a sage and a student using simple suggestive language that appeals to
intuition. But to understand the concept of the Ātman requires a switch in the
intellect and for that to happen sometimes one needs to meditate on them for
a long time. It is something like what happens with, say, a four-year old child,
who knows the letters but somehow for months cannot string the letters
together to make words, and then suddenly one day there is light (epiphany,
pratibhā), and the child can now do it.
The Īśāvāsya or Īśā Upaniṣad has simple language but it is hard to
understand for it goes to the very heart of the paradoxical nature of
consciousness and our normal sense of the self. It comes directly and hard at
the conventional notion of reality that can be challenging and perplexing and
yet is appealing at a deep level. For many, such an approach can make it an
excellent starting point to get on the road of Ātma-vidyā. In any event, its
simplicity is a virtue for one can go repeatedly into it and get fresh insight in
new readings.
Commentators on this Upanisad include Ādi Śaṅkara, Uvaṭa a
Kashmiri scholar in the court of King Bhoja Paramāra (11th century) who
wrote the Vājasaneyī Prātiśākhyabhāṣya, and Mahīdhara (16th century) in his
Bhāṣya called Vedādīpa.
Some of the differences between the commentaries are around the
meaning of terms such as vidyā and avidyā, which on the surface would mean
“knowledge” and “ignorance”. Śaṅkara takes vidyā to mean good works
related to ritual and vidyā to mean knowledge of the gods. But we have
enough clues from other texts like the Brāhmaṇas that make it clear that
avidyā is materialistic knowledge (which is elsewhere called aparā

2
 Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad

knowledge) and vidyā is parā or transcendent knowledge. Since our existence

is in the material domain, the two must go together and this complementarity
is one of the most subtle teachings of the Upaniṣad.
The Īśā Upaniṣad is the only Upaniṣad that is included in a Saṃhitā;
it is found in the Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā, i.e. the Śukla Yajurveda, both in the
Kāṇva and the Mādhyandina recensions. The 18th mantra is left out in the
Mādhyandina recension but given that it is verbatim from Ṛgveda 1.189.1,
the two versions may be considered identical (with slight variation in the
order).

Stillwater
June 4, 2023

3
 Subhash Kak

Invocation

ओं | पूर्णमदः पूर्णममदं पूर्णण त्पूर्णमुदच्यते ।

पूर्णस्य पूर्णमणदणय पूर्णमेवणवमिष्यते ॥

oṃ | pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidaṃ pūrṇātpūrṇamudacyate |

pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate ||

Om. That is full, and this is full. The whole arose out of the whole. When
the whole is taken from the whole, the whole alone remains.

Note: Here the whole refers simultaneously to the Brahman and the Ātman,
addressing directly the counterintuitive and mysterious equation of the two.
At the mathematical level, one may be tempted to take the whole to imply
infinity, for infinity subtracted from infinity remains unchanged, but the
infinity of the Ātman stems from it being transcendent and, therefore, is
beyond any measure in the ordinary perceptions of the mind.

4
 Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad

ईिणवणस्यममदं सवं यत्किञ्च जगत्णं जगत् ।

तेन त्क्तेन भुञ्जीथण मण गृधः कस्य त्किद्धनम् ॥ १ ॥

īśāvāsyamidaṃ sarvaṃ yatkiñca jagatyāṃ jagat |

tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya sviddhanam || 1 ||

1. Īśa (Ātman) pervades all that moves in this universe. Renouncing that (sense
that one is the body alone], enjoy. Do not covet, for whose are the riches.

Note: This points to how the realization that the same Ātman animates all beings
leads one to knowledge and understanding.

कुवणन्नेवेह कमणण मर् मजजीमवषेच्छतं समणः ।

एवं त्वमय नणन्यथेतोऽत्कि न कमण मिप्यते नरे ॥ २ ॥

kurvanneveha karmāṇi jijīviṣecchataṃ samāḥ |

evaṃ tvayi nānyatheto’sti na karma lipyate nare || 2 ||

2. One should live doing karma [acts] in one’s wish to live a hundred years.
Thus, (for you as) a person, there is no other way by which karma will
not cling to you.

Note: The “clinging of karma” means being forced into a reactive life without
real freedom. Action [karma] based on true knowledge of our nature makes
it possible to live in a state of freedom, in which we are not reactive (so karma
does not cling to us).

5
 Subhash Kak

असुयणण नणम ते िोकण अन्धेन तमसणवृतणः ।

तणं िे प्रेत्णमभगच्छत्कि ये के चणत्महनो जनणः ॥ ३ ॥

asuryā nāma te lokā andhena tamasāvṛtāḥ |

tāṃste pretyābhigacchanti ye ke cātmahano janāḥ || 3 ||

3. Their worlds are Asuric [without light], enveloped in blind darkness. Af-
ter they leave their body, those who kill their Ātman [by never finding
freedom of action], attain these (dark worlds).

Note: Asuric means materialistic or body-centric. There is darkness if one

doesn’t account for the complementary view related to consciousness.

अनेजदे कं मनसो जवीयो नैनद्दे वण आप्नुवन्पू वणमषण त् ।

तद्धणवतोऽन्यणनत्ेमत मतष्ठत्तत्किन्नपो मणतररश्वण दधणमत ॥ ४ ॥

anejadekaṃ manaso javīyo nainaddevā āpnuvanpūrvamarṣat |

taddhāvato’nyānatyeti tiṣṭhattasminnapo mātariśvā dadhāti || 4 ||

4. It is the one, motionless but swifter than the mind; and the devas (senses)
could not reach it for it walked before them. Sitting, it overtakes those who
run. The all-pervading air (Mātariśvā) supports the waters [of life].

Note: The air referred to is the working of the Ātman through the elements
(mahābhūtas).

6
 Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad

तदे जमत तन्नैजमत तद् दू रे तद्वत्किके ।

तदिरस्य सवणस्य तदु सवणस्यणस्य बणह्यतः ॥ ५ ॥

tadejati tannaijati taddūre tadvantike |

tadantarasya sarvasya tadu sarvasyāsya bāhyataḥ || 5 ||

5. It moves, it is motionless. It is distant, it is near. It is within all, it is with-

out all this.

Note: Consciousness operating through the mind is faster than any material
object and its working is paradoxical.

यिु सवणण मर् भूतणन्यणत्मन्येवणनुपश्यमत ।

सवणभूतेषु चणत्मणनं ततो न मवजुगुप्सते ॥ ६ ॥

yastu sarvāṇi bhūtānyātmanyevānupaśyati |

sarvabhūteṣu cātmānaṃ tato na vijugupsate || 6 ||

6. One who sees everything in the Ātman and the Ātman in everything, has
no hate.

Note: This idea is the foundation of morality and compassion.

7
 Subhash Kak

यत्किन्सवणण मर् भूतणन्यणत्मैवणभूमद्वजणनतः ।

तत्र को मोहः कः िोक एकत्वमनुपश्यतः ॥ ७ ॥

yasminsarvāṇi bhūtānyātmaivābhūdvijānataḥ |
tatra ko mohaḥ kaḥ śoka ekatvamanupaśyataḥ || 7 ||

7. When to the knower, all beings are one with the Ātman, what delusion
what sorrow is there for one who has seen this unity?

Note: The knowledge that the Ātman is everywhere fortifies one against fear.

स पयणगणच्छु क्रमकणयमव्रर्मस्नणमवरं िुद्धम् अपणपमवद्धम् ।

कमवमणनीषी पररभूः स्ययम्भू यणण थणतथ्यतोऽथणण न्व्यदधणच्छणश्वतीभ्यः समणभ्यः ॥ ८ ॥

sa paryagācchukramakāyamavraṇamasnāviraṃśuddham apāpaviddham |
kavirmanīṣī paribhūḥ syayambhūryāthātathyato’rthānvyadadhāc-
chāśvatībhyaḥ samābhyaḥ || 8 ||

8. He [Īśa] pervaded all, bright, bodiless, complete (but) with no sinews,

pure, untouched by wrong; seer, wise, transcendent, self-sprung, he set
forth causes from the truth for all, for eternity.

8
 Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad

अन्धिमः प्रमवित्कि येऽमवद्यणमुपणसते ।

ततो भूय इव ते तमोय उ मवद्यणयणं रतणः ॥ ९ ॥

andhantamaḥ praviśanti ye’vidyāmupāsate |

tato bhūya iva te tamoya u vidyāyāṃ ratāḥ || 9 ||

9. Those who worship avidyā [outer knowledge] fall into blind darkness;
and those who are absorbed in vidyā [alone] fall into even greater dark-
ness.

Note: vidyā = knowledge, but here it means spiritual or causal knowledge.

Absorbed only in vidyā means that the knowledge is not complete. One’s
experience is a dance between the two poles of outer and inner knowledge
for reality has these two complementary aspects.

10

अन्यदे वणहुमवणद्ययणऽन्यदणहुरमवद्ययण ।
इमत िुश्रुम धीरणर्णं ये निमद्वचचमिरे ॥ १० ॥

anyadevāhurvidyayā’nyadāhuravidyayā |
iti śuśruma dhīrāṇāṃ ye nastadvicacakṣire || 10 ||

10. One thing, they say, is obtained from vidyā; another, they say, from
what is avidyā. This we have heard from the wise who taught us.

9
 Subhash Kak

11

मवद्यणं चणमवद्यणं च यिद्वे दोभयं सह ।

अमवद्ययण मृत्ुं तीत्वणण मवद्ययणमृतमश्नुते ॥ ११ ॥

vidyāṃ cāvidyāṃ ca yastadvedobhayaṃ saha |

avidyayā mṛtyuṃ tīrtvā vidyayāmṛtamaśnute || 11 ||

11. One who simultaneously knows both vidyā and avidyā overcomes
death by avidyā, and attains immortality by vidyā.

Note: Both Uvaṭa and Mahīdhara stress the significance of knowing both.

12

अन्धं तमः प्रमवित्कि येऽसम्भूमतमुपणसते ।

ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ संभूत्णं रतणः ॥ १२ ॥

andhaṃ tamaḥ praviśanti ye’sambhūtimupāsate |

tato bhūya iva te tamo ya u saṃbhūtyāṃ ratāḥ || 12 ||

12. Those who worship asambhūti [Prakṛti] fall into blind darkness; and
those who are absorbed in sambhūti [alone] fall into even greater darkness.

Note: Sambhūti and asambhūti are like vidyā and avidyā. Sambhūti was seen
by Ādi Śaṅkara as Hiraṇyagarbha, the universal aspect of creativity, which
informs us through pratibhā in dreams or in flashes of out-of-the-box visions.

10
 Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad

13

अन्यदे वणहुः संभवणदन्यदणहुरसंभवणत् ।

इमत िुश्रुम धीरणर्णं ये निमद्वचचमिरे ॥ १३ ॥

anyadevāhuḥ saṃbhavādanyadāhurasaṃbhavāt |
iti śuśruma dhīrāṇāṃ ye nastadvicacakṣire || 13 ||

13. One thing, they say, is obtained from asambhūti; another, they say, from
what is sambhūti. This we have heard from the wise who taught us.

14

संभूमतं च मवनणिं च यिद्वे दोभयं सह ।

मवनणिेन मृत्ुं तीत्वणण संभूत्णमृतमश्नुते ॥ १४ ॥

saṃbhūtiṃ ca vināśaṃ ca yastadvedobhayaṃ saha |

vināśena mṛtyuṃ tīrtvā saṃbhūtyāmṛtamaśnute || 14 ||

14. One who simultaneously knows sambhūti [Hiraṇyagarbha] and disso-

lution (asambhūti), overcomes death through dissolution, and attains immor-
tality through sambhūti.

Note: Materialistic sciences (asambhūti) are an important element of

knowledge. The state that one overcomes death by knowing death is
astonishingly powerful.

11
 Subhash Kak

15

महरण्मयेन पणत्रेर् सत्स्यणमपमहतं मुखम् ।

तत्त्वं पूषन्नपणवृर्ु सत्धमणण य दृष्टये ॥ १५ ॥

hiraṇmayena pātreṇa satyasyāpihitaṃ mukham |

tattvaṃ pūṣannapāvṛṇu satyadharmāya dṛṣṭaye || 15 ||

15. The door of the truth is covered with a golden vessel. Remove, O
Pūṣan [Inner Sun who shows the way], the covering so that I may behold the
nature of the truth.

16

पूषन्नेकषे यम सूयण प्रणजणपत् यूह रश्मीन्समूह ।

तेजः यत्ते रूपं कल्यणर्तमं तत्ते पश्यणमम योऽसणवसौ पुरुषः सोऽहमत्कि ॥ १६ ॥

pūṣannekarṣe yama sūrya prājāpatya vyūha raśmīnsamūha |

tejaḥ yatte rūpaṃ kalyāṇatamaṃ tatte paśyāmi yo’sāvasau puruṣaḥ so’ha-
masmi || 16 ||

16. O Pūṣan, only seer, Yama, Sūrya, son of Prajāpati, spread your rays
and gather them. I see your benevolent form; I am he, the Puruṣa within you.

Note: so’ham = saḥ + aham = I am he / she; it is the same as śivo’ham = I am

Śiva (Universal Consciousness)

12
 Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad

17

वणयुरमनिममृतमथेदं भिणिं िरीरम् ।

ओं । क्रतो िर कृतं िर क्रतो िर कृतं िर ॥ १७ ॥

vāyuranilamamṛtamathedaṃ bhasmāntaṃ śarīram |

oṃ | krato smara kṛtaṃ smara krato smara kṛtaṃ smara || 17 ||

17. From the breath to air to the immortal [Self]; let the body end in ashes. Om!
Mind, remember; remember your deeds. Mind, remember; remember your
deeds.

18

अग्ने नय सुपथण रणये अिणत्किश्वणमन दे व वयुनणमन मवद्वणन् ।

युयोध्यिज्जुहुरणर्मेनो भूमयष्ठणं ते नम उत्कक्तं मवधेम ॥ १८ ॥

agne naya supathā rāye asmānviśvāni deva vayunāni vidvān |

yuyodhyasmajjuhurāṇameno bhūyiṣṭhāṃ te nama uktiṃ vidhema || 18 ||

18. O Agni, lead us by the good path to the fruits of our deeds, knowing O
God [Agni], all our deeds. Keep us from wrong, and we offer you the fullest
praise.

Note: This last mantra is from Ṛgveda 1.189.1. Agni is also a form of Śiva.

13