॥ कैवल्योपनिषत् ॥
कैवल्योपनिषद्वेद्यं
कैवल्यानन्दतुन्दिलम् ।
कैवल्य-गिरिजारामं
स्व-मात्रं कलयेऽन्वहम् ॥
kaivalyopaniṣad-vedyaṃ
kaivalyānanda-tundilam ।
kaivalya-girijārāmaṃ
sva-mātraṃ kalaye’nvaham ॥
I contemplate daily upon the Pure Self, to be known through the (teachings of) Kaivalyopanishad, rich in the bliss of “Aloneness”, no different from (Lord Shiva, who is) the beloved of Girijā, representing the happiness of ‘kaivalya’ (Oneness)!
ॐ सहनाववतु । सह नौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु । मा विद्विषावहै ॥
॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
oṃ sahanāvavatu । saha nau bhunaktu । saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai ।
tejasvināvadhītamastu । mā vidviṣāvahai ॥
॥ oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ॥
Om! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy; May our study be vigorous and effective; May we not develop any misunderstanding. 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!
ॐ अथाश्वलायनो भगवन्तं परमेष्ठिनमुपसमेत्योवाच ।
oṃ athāśvalāyano bhagavantaṃ parameṣṭhinam-upasametyovāca ।
Then Ashvalāyana approached Lord Paramesthi (Brahmā) and said:
अधीहि भगवन् ब्रह्मविद्यां वरिष्ठां
सदा सद्भिः सेव्यमानां निगूढाम् ।
ययाऽचिरात् सर्वपापं व्यपोह्य
परात्परं पुरुषं याति विद्वान् ॥ १॥
adhīhi bhagavan brahmavidyāṃ variṣṭhāṃ
sadā sadbhiḥ sevyamānāṃ nigūḍhām ।
yayā’cirāt sarva-pāpaṃ vyapohya
parāt-paraṃ puruṣaṃ yāti vidvān ॥ 1॥
Teach (me), O Lord, the knowledge of Brahman, the highest, the hidden wisdom always cultivated by the good, and that by which a wise man drives away instantly all sins and reaches the Purusha that is higher than the high. (1)
तस्मै स होवाच पितामहश्च
श्रद्धाभक्ति-ध्यानयोगादवैहि ॥ २॥
tasmai sa hovāca pitāmahaśca –
śraddhā-bhakti-dhyāna-yogād-avaihi ॥ 2॥
And to him, the Grandsire (Brahmā) said, “Know (this) by means of faith, devotion and meditation. (2)
न कर्मणा न प्रजया धनेन
त्यागेनैके अमृतत्वमानशुः ।
परेण नाकं निहितं गुहायां
विभ्राजते यद्यतयो विशन्ति ॥ ३॥
na karmaṇā na prajayā dhanena
tyāgenaike amṛtatvam-ānaśuḥ ।
pareṇa nākaṃ nihitaṃ guhāyāṃ
vibhrājate yad-yatayo viśanti ॥ 3॥
Not by work, nor by progeny, nor by wealth, but by renunciation, some attained immortality. The self-controlled attain that, which shines, is higher than heaven and is seated in the cave (of buddhi). (3)
वेदान्त-विज्ञान-सुनिश्चितार्थाः
संन्यास-योगाद् यतयः शुद्धसत्त्वाः ।
ते ब्रह्मलोकेषु परान्तकाले
परामृताः परिमुच्यन्ति सर्वे ॥ ४॥
vedānta-vijñāna-suniścitārthāḥ
saṃnyāsa-yogād-yatayaḥ śuddha-sattvāḥ ।
te brahmalokeṣu parāntakāle
parāmṛtāḥ parimucyanti sarve ॥ 4॥
All those self-controlled ones, possessing pure minds, who have well ascertained the Reality through the knowledge of Vedānta, and through Sannyāsa (renunciation), get liberated upon reaching the sphere of Brahmā, at the time of cosmic dissolution, from the highest (apparent) immortality of the manifested universe. (4)
विविक्त-देशे च सुखासन-स्थः
शुचिः समग्रीव-शिरः-शरीरः ।
अत्याश्रम-स्थः सकलेन्द्रियाणि
निरुध्य भक्त्या स्वगुरुं प्रणम्य ॥ ५॥
vivikta-deśe ca sukhāsana-sthaḥ
śuciḥ samagrīva-śiraḥ-śarīraḥ ।
atyāśrama-sthaḥ sakalendriyāṇi
nirudhya bhaktyā svaguruṃ praṇamya ॥ 5॥
Sitting in a secluded place, in an easy posture, staying pure, keeping the head, neck and (the main part of the) body in one line, living in the last of the orders of religious life, having controlled all the senses, saluting one’s own preceptor with reverence… (5)
हृत्पुण्डरीकं विरजं विशुद्धं
विचिन्त्य मध्ये विशदं विशोकम् ।
अचिन्त्यमव्यक्तमनन्तरूपं
शिवं प्रशान्तममृतं ब्रह्म-योनिम् ॥ ६॥
hṛt-puṇḍarīkaṃ virajaṃ viśuddhaṃ
vicintya madhye viśadaṃ viśokam ।
acintyam-avyaktam-anantarūpaṃ
śivaṃ praśāntam-amṛtaṃ brahma-yonim ॥ 6॥
…..meditating upon (Brahman) the lotus of the heart, untainted, pure, clear and griefless; (contemplating upon) the unthinkable, unmanifest, of endless forms, the good, the peaceful, the immortal, the origin of the worlds… (6)
तमादिमध्यान्त-विहीनमेकं
विभुं चिदानन्दमरूपमद्भुतम् ।
उमासहायं परमेश्वरं प्रभुं
त्रिलोचनं नील-कण्ठं प्रशान्तम् ।
ध्यात्वा मुनिर्गच्छति भूतयोनिं
समस्त-साक्षिं तमसः परस्तात् ॥ ७॥
tam-ādi-madhyānta-vihīnam-ekaṃ
vibhuṃ cidānandam-arūpam-adbhutam ।
umā-sahāyaṃ parameśvaraṃ prabhuṃ
trilocanaṃ nīla-kaṇṭhaṃ praśāntam ।
dhyātvā munir-gacchati bhūtayoniṃ
samasta-sākṣiṃ tamasaḥ parastāt ॥ 7॥
….without beginning, middle, and end, the only one, all-pervading, Consciousness and Bliss, the formless and the wonderful.
Meditating on the highest Lord, the divine companion of Umā, powerful, three-eyed, blue-necked and tranquil, the contemplative one (man/lady) reaches Him who is the source of all, the witness of all and is beyond darkness (i.e. avidyā). (7)
स ब्रह्मा स शिवः सेन्द्रः
सोऽक्षरः परमः स्वराट् ।
स एव विष्णुः स प्राणः
स कालोऽग्निः स चन्द्रमाः ॥ ८॥
sa brahmā sa śivaḥ sendraḥ
so’kṣaraḥ paramaḥ svarāṭ ।
sa eva viṣṇuḥ sa prāṇaḥ
sa kālo’gniḥ sa candramāḥ ॥ 8॥
He is Brahmā, He is Shiva, He is Indra, He is the Immutable, the Supreme, the Self-luminous. He alone is Vishnu, He is Prāna, He is Time and Fire. He is the Moon. (8)
स एव सर्वं यद्भूतं
यच्च भव्यं सनातनम् ।
ज्ञात्वा तं मृत्युमत्येति
नान्यः पन्था विमुक्तये ॥ ९॥
sa eva sarvaṃ yad-bhūtaṃ
yacca bhavyaṃ sanātanam ।
jñātvā taṃ mṛtyum-atyeti
nānyaḥ panthā vimuktaye ॥ 9॥
He alone is all that was, and all that will be, the Eternal. Knowing Him, one transcends death; there is no other way to freedom. (9)
सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं
सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि ।
सम्पश्यन् ब्रह्म परमं
याति नान्येन हेतुना ॥ १०॥
sarvabhūtastham-ātmānaṃ
sarvabhūtāni cātmani ।
sampaśyan brahma paramaṃ
yāti nānyena hetunā ॥ 10॥
Seeing the Ātman in all beings, and all beings in the Ātman, one attains the highest Brahman – not by any other means. (10)
आत्मानमरणिं कृत्वा
प्रणवं चोत्तरारणिम् ।
ज्ञान-निर्मथनाभ्यासात्
पाशं दहति पण्डितः ॥ ११॥
ātmānam-araṇiṃ kṛtvā
praṇavaṃ cottarāraṇim ।
jñāna-nirmathanābhyāsāt
pāśaṃ dahati paṇḍitaḥ ॥ 11॥
Making the Atman the (lower) arani, and Om the upper arani, and by the repeated friction of (right) knowledge (with erroneous knowledge), a wise one (man or lady) burns up the (long-standing) bond.
स एव माया-परिमोहितात्मा
शरीरमास्थाय करोति सर्वम् ।
स्त्र्यन्न-पानादि-विचित्र-भोगैः
स एव जाग्रत् – परितृप्तिमेति ॥ १२॥
sa eva māyā-parimohitātmā
śarīram-āsthāya karoti sarvam ।
stryanna-pānādi-vicitra-bhogaiḥ
sa eva jāgrat-paritṛptim-eti ॥ 12॥
With his self thus deluded by māyā (or ignorance), it is he who identifies himself with the body and does all sorts of things. In the waking state it is he (the Jīva) who attains satisfaction through the varied objects of enjoyment such as women, food, drink, etc. (12)
स्वप्ने स जीवः सुख-दुःख-भोक्ता
स्वमायया कल्पित-जीवलोके ।
सुषुप्ति-काले सकले विलीने
तमोऽभिभूतः सुख-रूपमेति ॥ १३॥
svapne sa jīvaḥ sukha-duḥkha-bhoktā
sva-māyayā kalpita-jīvaloke ।
suṣupti-kāle sakale vilīne
tamo’bhibhūtaḥ sukharūpam-eti ॥ 13॥
In the dream-state that Jīva feels pleasure and pain in a sphere of existence created by his own māyā (or ignorance). During the state of profound sleep, when everything is dissolved (into their causal state), he / she is overpowered by tamas or non-manifestation and comes to exist in the form of Bliss. (13)
पुनश्च जन्मान्तर-कर्म-योगात्
स एव जीवः स्वपिति प्रबुद्धः ।
पुर-त्रये क्रीडति यश्च जीव:
ततस्तु जातं सकलं विचित्रम् ।
आधारमानन्दमखण्ड-बोधं
यस्मिँल्लयं याति पुरत्रयं च ॥ १४॥
punaś-ca janmāntara-karma-yogāt
sa eva jīvaḥ svapiti prabuddhaḥ ।
pura-traye krīḍati yaśca jīvas-
tatas-tu jātaṃ sakalaṃ vicitram ।
ādhāram-ānandam-akhaṇḍa-bodhaṃ
yasmim̐-llayaṃ yāti pura-trayaṃ ca ॥ 14॥
Again, through his/her connection with deeds done in previous births, that very Jīva returns to the dream-state, or to the waking state. The being who sports in the three cities (viz., the states of wakefulness, dream and profound sleep) – from Him has sprung up all diversity. He is the substrate, the bliss, the indivisible Consciousness, in whom the three cities dissolve themselves. (14)
एतस्माज्जायते प्राणो
मनः सर्वेन्द्रियाणि च ।
खं वायुर्ज्योतिरापश्च
पृथ्वी विश्वस्य धारिणी ॥ १५॥
etasmāj-jāyate prāṇo
manaḥ sarvendriyāṇi ca ।
khaṃ vāyur-jyotir-āpaśca
pṛthvī viśvasya dhāriṇī ॥ 15॥
From This spring up Prāna (vitality), mind, all the organs, sky, air, fire, water and the earth that supports all. (15)
यत्परं ब्रह्म सर्वात्मा
विश्वस्यायतनं महत् ।
सूक्ष्मात् सूक्ष्मतरं नित्यं
तत्त्वमेव त्वमेव तत् ॥ १६॥
yat-paraṃ brahma sarvātmā
viśvasyāyatanaṃ mahat ।
sūkṣmāt-sūkśmataraṃ nityaṃ
tat-tvam-eva tvam-eva tat ॥ 16॥
That which is the Supreme Brahman, the soul of all, the great support of the universe, subtler than the subtle, and eternal – that is thyself, and thou art That. (16)
जाग्रत्-स्वप्न-सुषुप्त्यादि-
प्रपञ्चं यत्प्रकाशते ।
तद् ब्रह्माहमिति ज्ञात्वा
सर्व-बन्धैः प्रमुच्यते ॥ १७॥
jāgrat-svapna-suṣuptyādi-
prapañcaṃ yatprakāśate ।
tad-brahmāhamiti jñātvā
sarva-bandhaiḥ pramucyate ॥ 17॥
“That which manifests the phenomena, such as the states of wakefulness, dream and profound sleep, I am that Brahman” – realising thus one is liberated from all bonds. (17)
त्रिषु धामसु यद्भोग्यं
भोक्ता भोगश्च यद्भवेत् ।
तेभ्यो विलक्षणः साक्षी
चिन्मात्रोऽहं सदाशिवः ॥ १८॥
triṣu dhāmasu yadbhogyaṃ
bhoktā bhogaśca yadbhavet ।
tebhyo vilakṣaṇaḥ sākśī
cin-mātro’haṃ sadāśivaḥ ॥ 18॥
What constitute the enjoyable, the enjoyer, and the enjoyment, in the three abodes – different from them all am I, the Witness, the Pure Consciousness, the Eternal Good. (18)
मय्येव सकलं जातं
मयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् ।
मयि सर्वं लयं याति
तद् ब्रह्माद्वयमस्म्यहम् ॥ १९॥
॥ प्रथमः खण्डः ॥ १॥
mayyeva sakalaṃ jātaṃ
mayi sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam ।
mayi sarvaṃ layaṃ yāti
tad-brahmādvayam-asmyaham ॥ 19॥
॥ prathamaḥ khaṇḍaḥ ॥ 1॥
In me alone is everything born, in me does everything rest, and in me is everything dissolved. I am that Brahman, the secondless. (19)
॥ Here ends the first section. ॥
अणोरणीयानहमेव तद्वत्
महानहं विश्वमहं विचित्रम् ।
पुरातनोऽहं पुरुषोऽहमीशो
हिरण्मयोऽहं शिवरूपमस्मि ॥ २०॥
aṇoraṇīyān-ahameva tadvan-
mahān-ahaṃ viśvam-ahaṃ vicitram ।
purātano’haṃ puruṣo’hamīśo
hiraṇmayo’haṃ śivarūpamasmi ॥ 20॥
I am minuter than the minute, I am likewise the greatest of all, I am the manifold universe. I am the Ancient One, the Purusha and the Ruler, I am the Effulgent One, and the All-good. (20)
अपाणि-पादोऽहमचिन्त्यशक्तिः
पश्याम्यचक्षुः स शृणोम्यकर्णः ।
अहं विजानामि विविक्तरूपो
न चास्ति वेत्ता मम चित्सदाऽहम् ॥ २१ ॥
apāṇi-pādo’ham-acintya-śaktiḥ
paśyāmy-acakṣuḥ sa śṛṇomy-akarṇaḥ ।
ahaṃ vijānāmi vivikta-rūpo
na cāsti vettā mama cit-sadā’ham ॥ 21 ॥
Without arms and legs am I, of unthinkable power; I see without eyes, and I hear without ears. I know all, and am different from all. None can know me. I am always the Intelligence. (21)
वेदैरनेकैरहमेव वेद्यो
वेदान्त-कृद् वेदविदेव चाहम् ।
न पुण्य-पापे मम नास्ति नाशो
न जन्म देहेन्द्रिय-बुद्धिरस्ति ॥ २२॥
vedair-anekair-ahameva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd-vedavid-eva cāham ।
na puṇya-pāpe mama nāsti nāśo
na janma dehendriya-buddhir-asti ॥ 22॥
I alone am taught in the various Vedas, I am the revealer of the Vedānta (or Upanishads), and I am also the Knower of the Vedas. For me there is neither merit nor demerit, I suffer no destruction, I have no birth, nor any self-identity with the body and the organs. (22)
न भूमिरापो न च वह्निरस्ति
न चानिलो मेऽस्ति न चाम्बरं च ।
एवं विदित्वा परमात्मरूपं
गुहाशयं निष्कलमद्वितीयम् ॥ २३ ॥
na bhūmir-āpo na ca vahnir-asti
na cānilo me’sti na cāmbaraṃ ca ।
evaṃ viditvā paramātma-rūpaṃ
guhāśayaṃ niṣkalam-advitīyam ॥ 23 ॥
For me there is neither earth, nor water, nor fire, nor air, nor ether. Thus realising the Paramātman, who lies in the cavity of the heart, who is without parts, and without a second…. (23)
समस्त-साक्षिं सदसद्-विहीनं
प्रयाति शुद्धं परमात्म-रूपम् ॥
samasta-sākṣiṃ sadasad-vihīnaṃ
prayāti śuddhaṃ paramātma-rūpam ॥
….the Witness of all, beyond both existence and non-existence – one attains the Pure Paramatman Itself. (24)
यः शतरुद्रियमधीते
सोऽग्निपूतो भवति सुरापानात् पूतो भवति ॥
स ब्रह्महत्यायाः पूतो भवति
स सुवर्णस्तेयात् पूतो भवति ।
स कृत्याकृत्यात् पूतो भवति
तस्मादविमुक्तमाश्रितो भवति
अत्याश्रमी सर्वदा सकृद्वा जपेत् ॥
yaḥ śatarudriyam-adhīte
so’gnipūto bhavati, surāpānāt pūto bhavati.
sa brahma-hatyāyāḥ pūto bhavati
sa suvarṇa-steyāt-pūto bhavati
sa kṛtyākṛtyāt pūto bhavati
tasmād-avimuktam-āśrito bhavati
atyāśramī sarvadā sakṛd-vā japet ॥
He who studies the Shatarudriya, is purified as by the fires, is purified from the sin of drinking, purified from the sin of killing a Brahmana, from deeds done knowingly or unawares. Through this he has his refuge in Shiva, the Supreme Self. One who belongs to the highest order of life should repeat this always or once (a day). (25)
अनेन ज्ञानमाप्नोति
संसारार्णवनाशनम् ।
तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं
कैवल्यं पदमश्नुते, कैवल्यं पदमश्नुत इति ॥ २४॥
॥ द्वितीयः खण्डः ॥ २॥
anena jñānam-āpnoti
saṃsārārṇava-nāśanam ।
tasmādevaṃ viditvainaṃ
kaivalyaṃ padamaśnute kaivalyaṃ padamaśnuta iti ॥ 24॥
॥ dvitīyaḥ khaṇḍaḥ ॥ 2॥
By means of this, one attains the Knowledge that destroys the ocean of Samsara or repeated transmigration. Therefore, knowing thus one attains the fruit of Kaivalya or liberation, verily one attains liberation. (24)
॥ Here ends the second section. ॥
ॐ सहनाववतु । सह नौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।
तेजस्विनावधीतमस्तु । मा विद्विषावहै ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
oṃ sahanāvavatu । saha nau bhunaktu । saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai ।
tejasvināvadhītamastu । mā vidviṣāvahai ॥
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ॥
॥ इत्यथर्ववेदीया कैवल्योपनिषत् समाप्ता ॥
॥ ityatharvavedīyā kaivalyopaniṣat samāptā ॥
Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy. May our study be vigorous and effective; May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any).
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 Kaivalyopanishad, included in the Atharva-Veda.
