ओङ्कारार्थतया भातं तुर्योङ्काराग्रभासुरम् । तुर्यतुर्यंत्रिपाद्रामं स्वमात्रं कलयेऽन्वहम् ॥ ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवाः । भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः । स्थिरैरङ्गैस्तुष्टुवाँसस्तनूभिर्व्यशेम देवहितं यदायुः । स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः । स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः । स्वस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्टनेमिः । स्वस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥ ॐ अथ हैनं पैप्पलादोऽङ्गिराः सनत्कुमारश्चाथर्वणमुवाच भगवन्किमादौ प्रयुक्तं ध्यानं ध्यायितव्यं किं तद्ध्यानं को वा ध्याता कश्च ध्येयः । स एभ्योथर्वा प्रत्युवाच । ओमित्येतदक्षरमादौ प्रयुक्तं ध्यानं ध्यायितव्यमित्येतदक्षरं परं ब्रह्मास्य पादाश्चत्वारो वेदाश्चतुष्पादिदमक्षरं परं ब्रह्म । पूर्वास्य मात्रा पृथिव्यकारः ऋग्भिरृग्वेदो ब्रह्मा वसवो गायत्री गार्हपत्यः । द्वितीयान्तरिक्षं स उकारः स यजुभिर्यजुर्वेदो विष्णुरुद्रास्त्रिष्टुब्दक्षिणाग्निः । तृतीयः द्यौः स मकारः स सामभिः सामवेदो रुद्रा आदित्या जगत्याहवनीयः । यावसानेऽस्य चतुर्थ्यर्धमात्रा सा सोमलोक ओङ्कारः साथर्वणमन्त्रैरथर्ववेदः संवर्तकोऽग्निर्मरुतो विराडेकर्षिर्भास्वती स्मृता । प्रथमा रक्तपीता महद्ब्रह्म दैवत्या । द्वितीया विद्युमती कृष्णा विष्णुदैवत्या । तृतीया शुभाशुभा शुक्ला रुद्रदैवत्या । यावासानेऽस्य चतुर्थ्यर्धमात्रा सा विद्युमती सर्ववर्णा पुरुषदैवत्या । स एष ह्योङ्कारश्चतुरक्षरश्चतुष्पादश्चतुःशिरश्चतुर्थमात्रः स्थूलमेतद्ह्रस्वदीर्घप्लुत इति ॥ ॐ ॐ ॐ इति त्रिरुक्त्वा चतुर्थः शान्त आत्माप्लुतप्रणवप्रयोगेण समस्तमोमिति प्रयुक्त आत्मज्योतिः सकृदावर्तते सकृदुच्चारितमात्रः स एष ऊर्ध्वमन्नमयतीत्योङ्कारः । प्राणान्सर्वान्प्रलीयत इति प्रलयः । प्राणान्सर्वान्परमात्मनि प्रणानयतीत्येतस्मात्प्रणवः । चतुर्थावस्थित इति सर्वदेववेदयोनिः सर्ववाच्यवस्तु प्रणवात्मकम् ॥ १॥ देवाश्चेति संधत्तां सर्वेभ्यो दुःखभयेभ्यः संतारयतीति तारणात्तारः । सर्वे देवाः संविशन्तीति विष्णुः । सर्वाणि बृहयतीति ब्रह्मा । सर्वेभ्योऽन्तस्थानेभ्यो ध्येयेभ्यः प्रदीपवत्प्रकाशयतीति प्रकाशः । प्रकाशेभ्यः सदोमित्यन्तः शरीरे विद्युद्वद्द्योतयति मुहुर्मुहुरिति विद्युद्वत्प्रतीयाद्दिशं दिशं भित्त्वा सर्वांल्लोकान्व्याप्नोति व्यापयतीति व्यापनाद्व्यापी महादेवः ॥ २॥ पूर्वास्य मात्रा जागर्ति जागरितं द्वितीया स्वप्नं तृतीया सुषुप्तिश्चतुर्थी तुरीयं मात्रा मात्राः प्रतिमात्रागताः सम्यक्समस्तानपि पादाञ्जयतीति स्वयंप्रकाशः स्वयं ब्रह्म भवतीत्येष सिद्धिकर एतस्माद्ध्यानादौ प्रयुज्यते । सर्व करणोपसंहारत्वाद्धार्यधारणाद्ब्रह्म तुरीयम् । सर्वकरणानि मनसि संप्रतिष्ठाप्य ध्यानं विष्णुः प्राणं मनसि सह करणैः संप्रतिष्ठाप्य ध्याता रुद्रः प्राणं मनसि सहकरणैर्नादान्ते परमात्मनि संप्रतिष्ठाप्य ध्यायीतेशानं प्रध्यायितव्यं सर्वमिदं ब्रह्मविष्णुरुद्रेन्द्रास्ते संप्रसूयन्ते सर्वाणि चेन्द्रियाणि सह भूतैर्न कारणं कारणानां ध्याता कारणं तु ध्येयः सर्वैश्वर्यसंपन्नः शंभुराकाशमध्ये ध्रुवं स्तब्ध्वाधिकं क्षणमेकं क्रतुशतस्यापि चतुःसप्तत्या यत्फलं तदवाप्नोति कृत्स्नमोङ्कारगतिं च सर्वध्यानयोगज्ञानानां यत्फलमोङ्कारो वेद पर ईशो वा शिव एको ध्येयः शिवंकरः सर्वमन्यत्परित्यज्य समस्ताथर्वशिखैतामधीत्य द्विजो गर्भवासाद्विमुक्तो विमुच्यत एतामधीत्य द्विजो गर्भवासाद्विमुक्तो विमुच्यत इत्योँसत्यमित्युपनिषत् ॥ ३॥ ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिरिति शान्तिः ॥ ॥ इति अथर्ववेदीय अथर्वशिखोपनिषत्समाप्ता ॥
Om ! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious; May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship ! May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas, Praising them with our body and limbs steady ! May the glorious Indra bless us ! May the all-knowing Sun bless us ! May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us ! May Brihaspati grant us well-being ! Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me ! I meditate on that “ultimate truth”, which explains the meaning “of the sound of Om”, which shines as the fourth leg of Om, which is Thureeya of Thureeyas (A super divine state of oneness with God, which is beyond the three states of wakefulness, sleep and dream), which enjoys being in three legs (syllables) and which is one and only one. Om! The sages Pippalada, Aangiras and Sanath Kumara approached the great God like sage, Atharva Maharshi and asked him, “Oh, God like sage, what is the chief aspect of meditation? What is the mantra (holy syllable) on which to meditate? Who can meditate? Who is the God of meditation?” 1.1 The sage Atharva replied to them,” Mainly meditation has to be done on the single letter Om. It itself is the mantra for meditation. The four legs of that mantra are the four devas and the four Vedas. The letter has to be recognized as the Para Brahman (Ultimate reality) and meditated upon. 1.2 The first syllable Aa, indicates earth, the Rig Veda along with its holy chants, Brahma the creator, Ashta Vasus among devas, “Gayathry” among meters, and Garhapthya (the fire of the household) among fires. 1.3 The second syllable Uu denotes the ether, the Yajur Veda, Rudra who is the God of destruction, the eleven Rudras among devas, “Trishgup” among meters and dakshinagni (fire of the south – funeral pyre) among the fires. 1.4 The third syllable Ma indicates the heavens, Sama Veda with its musical sounds of Sama, Vishnu who looks after the worlds, the twelve Adithyas (suns) among devas, “jagathichanda” among meters and Ahavagni (the fire used in fire sacrifice) among the fires. 1.5 That half fourth syllable which is the hidden Ma, is the magical chants of Atharva Veda, Samvarthaka (the fire of exchange) fire among fires, marud Ganas among devas. It is the self glittering Brahman which shines alone and sees everything. 1.6 The first is the red Brahma (creative aspect) , the second the holy white Rudra (destructive aspect), the third the black Lord Vishnu (the administrative aspect) and the fourth which is like lightning is the multi coloured Purushothama (best among males). 1.7 This Omkara has four legs and four heads (fires). The fourth is the half syllable sound of “Ma” which is hidden. That is pronounced in a small short form, slightly extended form (pluthyaga) and much extended form. It is pronounced as Om with one mathra, Om in two mathras and Om in the extended three mathras (mathra is the unit of pronunciation). 1.8 The fourth peaceful half syllable is hidden in the long ended pronunciation. It is the incomparable glitter of the soul. It is that sound which was never there and which will be never there. If not pronounced earlier but pronounced for the first time it, takes one via the Sushumna Nadi to the lotus with thousand petals (Sahasrara). 1.9. The pranava (the sound of Om) makes all the souls to bow before it. It is the one and only one which has to be meditated upon as the four Vedas and the birth place of all devas. One who meditates like that goes away from all sorrows and fears and gets the power to protect all others who approach him. It is because of this meditation only that Lord Vishnu who is spread every where, wins over all others. It is because Lord Brahma controlled all his organs and meditated upon it, he attained the position of the creator. Even Lord Vishnu , parks his mind in the sound (Om) of the place of Paramathma (ultimate soul) and meditates upon Eeshana, who is most proper to be worshipped. All this is only proper in case of Eeshana. 2.1 Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra and Indra are creating all beings, all organs and all karanas. They are also capable of controlling them. But Lord Shiva exists in between them like sky and is permanently stable. 2.2 It is advised that the five gods Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Ishwara and Shiva should be worshipped in the form of pranava Aa+Uu+Ma+sound+Bindu(full stop). 2.3 Even if for one second, if one can stay and meditate on these, he gets more results than that of performing one hundred fire sacrifices. With the full understanding and knowledge, one should only meditate on paramashiva, which would give rise to all benefits. It is definite that, by sacrificing all other things, the twice born, should learn and understand this and he would get rid of the suffering of living in the womb and attain salvation. 2.4 Om ! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious; May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship ! May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas, Praising them with our body and limbs steady ! May the glorious Indra bless us ! May the all-knowing Sun bless us ! May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us ! May Brihaspati grant us well-being ! Om ! Let there be Peace in me ! Let there be Peace in my environment ! Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me ! Here ends the Atharvasikhopanishad, as contained in the Atharva-Veda
oṅkārārthatayā bhātaṃ turyoṅkārāgrabhāsuram । turyaturyaṃtripādrāmaṃ svamātraṃ kalaye'nvaham ॥ oṃ bhadraṃ karṇebhiḥ śṛṇuyāma devāḥ । bhadraṃ paśyemākṣabhiryajatrāḥ । sthirairaṅgaistuṣṭuvām̐sastanūbhirvyaśema devahitaṃ yadāyuḥ । svasti na indro vṛddhaśravāḥ । svasti naḥ pūṣā viśvavedāḥ । svasti nastārkṣyo ariṣṭanemiḥ । svasti no bṛhaspatirdadhātu ॥ oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ॥ oṃ atha hainaṃ paippalādo'ṅgirāḥ sanatkumāraścātharvaṇamuvāca bhagavankimādau prayuktaṃ dhyānaṃ dhyāyitavyaṃ kiṃ taddhyānaṃ ko vā dhyātā kaśca dhyeyaḥ । sa ebhyotharvā pratyuvāca । omityetadakṣaramādau prayuktaṃ dhyānaṃ dhyāyitavyamityetadakṣaraṃ paraṃ brahmāsya pādāścatvāro vedāścatuṣpādidamakṣaraṃ paraṃ brahma । pūrvāsya mātrā pṛthivyakāraḥ ṛgbhirṛgvedo brahmā vasavo gāyatrī gārhapatyaḥ । dvitīyāntarikṣaṃ sa ukāraḥ sa yajubhiryajurvedo viṣṇurudrāstriṣṭubdakṣiṇāgniḥ । tṛtīyaḥ dyauḥ sa makāraḥ sa sāmabhiḥ sāmavedo rudrā ādityā jagatyāhavanīyaḥ । yāvasāne'sya caturthyardhamātrā sā somaloka oṅkāraḥ sātharvaṇamantrairatharvavedaḥ saṃvartako'gnirmaruto virāḍekarṣirbhāsvatī smṛtā । prathamā raktapītā mahadbrahma daivatyā । dvitīyā vidyumatī kṛṣṇā viṣṇudaivatyā । tṛtīyā śubhāśubhā śuklā rudradaivatyā । yāvāsāne'sya caturthyardhamātrā sā vidyumatī sarvavarṇā puruṣadaivatyā । sa eṣa hyoṅkāraścaturakṣaraścatuṣpādaścatuḥśiraścaturthamātraḥ sthūlametadhrasvadīrghapluta iti ॥ oṃ oṃ oṃ iti triruktvā caturthaḥ śānta ātmāplutapraṇavaprayogeṇa samastamomiti prayukta ātmajyotiḥ sakṛdāvartate sakṛduccāritamātraḥ sa eṣa ūrdhvamannamayatītyoṅkāraḥ । prāṇānsarvānpralīyata iti pralayaḥ । prāṇānsarvānparamātmani praṇānayatītyetasmātpraṇavaḥ । caturthāvasthita iti sarvadevavedayoniḥ sarvavācyavastu praṇavātmakam ॥ 1॥ devāśceti saṃdhattāṃ sarvebhyo duḥkhabhayebhyaḥ saṃtārayatīti tāraṇāttāraḥ । sarve devāḥ saṃviśantīti viṣṇuḥ । sarvāṇi bṛhayatīti brahmā । sarvebhyo'ntasthānebhyo dhyeyebhyaḥ pradīpavatprakāśayatīti prakāśaḥ । prakāśebhyaḥ sadomityantaḥ śarīre vidyudvaddyotayati muhurmuhuriti vidyudvatpratīyāddiśaṃ diśaṃ bhittvā sarvāṃllokānvyāpnoti vyāpayatīti vyāpanādvyāpī mahādevaḥ ॥ 2॥ pūrvāsya mātrā jāgarti jāgaritaṃ dvitīyā svapnaṃ tṛtīyā suṣuptiścaturthī turīyaṃ mātrā mātrāḥ pratimātrāgatāḥ samyaksamastānapi pādāñjayatīti svayaṃprakāśaḥ svayaṃ brahma bhavatītyeṣa siddhikara etasmāddhyānādau prayujyate । sarva karaṇopasaṃhāratvāddhāryadhāraṇādbrahma turīyam । sarvakaraṇāni manasi saṃpratiṣṭhāpya dhyānaṃ viṣṇuḥ prāṇaṃ manasi saha karaṇaiḥ saṃpratiṣṭhāpya dhyātā rudraḥ prāṇaṃ manasi sahakaraṇairnādānte paramātmani saṃpratiṣṭhāpya dhyāyīteśānaṃ pradhyāyitavyaṃ sarvamidaṃ brahmaviṣṇurudrendrāste saṃprasūyante sarvāṇi cendriyāṇi saha bhūtairna kāraṇaṃ kāraṇānāṃ dhyātā kāraṇaṃ tu dhyeyaḥ sarvaiśvaryasaṃpannaḥ śaṃbhurākāśamadhye dhruvaṃ stabdhvādhikaṃ kṣaṇamekaṃ kratuśatasyāpi catuḥsaptatyā yatphalaṃ tadavāpnoti kṛtsnamoṅkāragatiṃ ca sarvadhyānayogajñānānāṃ yatphalamoṅkāro veda para īśo vā śiva eko dhyeyaḥ śivaṃkaraḥ sarvamanyatparityajya samastātharvaśikhaitāmadhītya dvijo garbhavāsādvimukto vimucyata etāmadhītya dvijo garbhavāsādvimukto vimucyata ityom̐satyamityupaniṣat ॥ 3॥ oṃ bhadraṃ karṇebhiriti śāntiḥ ॥ ॥ iti atharvavedīya atharvaśikhopaniṣatsamāptā ॥