Ātma Upaniṣad

By Ṛṣi Āñgirāsa. Translated by Visti Larsen

Introduction
यत्र नात्मप्रपञ्चोऽयमपह्नवपदं गतः।
प्रततयोतगववतनममुक्तः परमात्मावतिष्यते॥
yatra nātmaprapañco'yamapahnavapadaṁ gataḥ |
pratiyogivinirmuktaḥ paramātmāvaśiṣyate ||

yatra: wherever, where; nātma: not (in) the self; prapañca: expansion, manifestation, multitude; ayam: this, this one;
apahnava: concealed one; padaṁ: the steps of; gataḥ: has gone, gone away, has departed;
pratiyogi: resistance, opposition, contradiction, controversy, antidote, remedy; vinirmukta: liberated, escaped, free or exempt;
paramātma: the supreme spirit; avaśiṣya: to be left, remainder;

Where the self does not manifest in the world, the steps of this concealed one has
gone. Having become free from all restraints, it remains as the supreme spirit.

A mesmerizing introduction to the Upaniṣad gathering the essence of the entire work. The concealed
one is the self, but an aspect of the self which is unmanifest. The various parts of the self as divided into
three main parts follows in the beginning of the Upaniṣad as herunder and makes up the first portion or
chapter of the Upaniṣad

The restraints are dealt with in the second chapter or portion of the Upaniṣad. They are specified and
highlighted in detail with the topic of Māyā being the foremost herein. The method of releasing one
from these restraints is also touched upon, and the studious zealot would find that the Upaniṣad
clarifies many views, and settles philosophical differences in the topic of the soul, bondage and
liberation.

The translation of the Upaniṣad has been performed to the best of this author’s ability, and the
following Jyotish commentary has been included for benefit of students of the subject.

Prayer
ॐ भद्रं कर्णे भभिः श्रुर्णुयाम दे वािः। भद्रं
पश्ये माक्शभभयय जत्ािः।
स्थिरै रङ्गैस्तु ष्टु वां सस्तनूभभर्व्य शेम दे वभितं यदायुिः।
स्वस्स्त न इन्द्रो वृ द्धश्रवािः। स्वस्स्त निः पूषा भवश्ववे दािः।
स्वस्स्त नस्तार्क्श्श्यो अररष्टनेभमिः। स्वस्स्त नो बृ िस्पभतदय धातु ॥
ॐ शास्तिः शास्तिः शास्तिः॥
om bhadraṁ karṇebhiḥ śruṇuyāma devāḥ | bhadraṁ paśyemākśabhiryajatrāḥ |
sthirairaṅgaistuṣṭuvāṁsastanūbhirvyaśema devahitaṁ yadāyuḥ |svasti na indro
vṛddhaśravāḥ | svasti naḥ pūṣā viśvavedāḥ |
svasti nastārkśyo ariṣṭanemiḥ | svasti no bṛhaspatirdadhātu ||
om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||
om; bhadraṁ: auspicious, fair; karṇebhiḥ: with ears; śruṇu: hear, listen; yāma: motion, course, progress; deva: God, divinity;
bhadraṁ: auspicious; paśyema: see, observe; ākśabhir: with eyes; yajatrāḥ: worthy of worship/sacrifice;
sthirair: fixed, steady; aṅga: limbs, body parts; stuṣṭu; va: or; aṁsas: divisions, portions, parts; tanūbhir: with body; vyaśema:
to reach, attain; deva: divinity, God; hitaṁ: sent, impelled, urged on; yada: who, which, what, that; āyur: longevity;
svasti: well-being, luck, success, prosperity, a blessing; na: like, akin, as, as it were; indro: King of the Deva and senses, God
Indra; vṛddhaśravāḥ: possessed of great swiftness; svasti; naḥ; pūṣā: 7th form of the Sun God, to nourish, increase; viśvavedāḥ:
all knowledge, all veda, name of Aditī – mother of the Āditya; svasti; na; tārkśya: celestial bird, identified with or as Garuḍa;
ariṣṭanemiḥ: one who is unhurt, father of God Garuda; svasti; no; bṛhaspatir: teacher of the Deva, God Bṛhaspati, the planet
Jupiter; dadhātu: preserving, granting, giving;
om; śāntiḥ: peace; śāntiḥ; śāntiḥ; ||

om̐ , Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious. Ye worthy of worship, may
we see with our eyes, what is auspicious. Praising the Deva with our body and limbs
steady, may we enjoy the term of life designated by the Devas. May Indra the, with
his swiftness, bless us; May the nourishing Sun, the all-knowing, bless us; May
Tārkṣya, the remedy for evil, bless us; May Bṛhaspati grant us well-being.
Om peace, peace, peace

Here above is the Śanti śloka from the Atharva Veda. By asking for peace every day we can have a
peaceful life. As mental peace is an important requirement for performing mantras and meditation, this
is recited prior and following worship to ensure one is in the right state of mind to pray. Should there be
unrest or lack of peace in one’s life and surroundings, the Śanti ślokas from the Vedas are to be
performed daily. The Atharva Veda emerged at the advent of Kali Yuga, and therefore is the most
appropriate to deal with strife and difficulty.

In astrology, lack of peace or unrest occurs due to the negatives of Mars or the affliction of Jupiter in the
chart. For this Parāśara Muni advises the recitation of Śanti mantras. In the traditions of India these
always precede and succeed the daily worship, and are chosen depending on the Veda one follows. If in
doubt, the placement of Ketu in the Śaṣṭyaṁśa (D-60) divisional chart will reveal the appropriate Veda
and Śanti śloka to follow.

Ṛgveda: Ketu in watery signs: Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces.

Yajurveda: Ketu in airy signs: Libra, Aquarius and Gemini.
Samaveda: Ketu in earthy signs: Capricorn, Taurus and Virgo.
Atharvaveda: Ketu in fiery signs: Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.

For those following the Yajurveda there are two portions, namely the Śukla and Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda, and
are recommend for those born in Śukla and Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa portions of the month respectively.
 ॐ अथाङ्गगराङ्िववधः पमरुषोऽजायतात्मान्तरात्मा परमात्मा चेतत।
om athāṅgirāstrividhaḥ puruṣo'jāyatātmāntarātmā paramātmā ceti |

om; atha: now, here; āṅgirās: sage āñgira; tri: three; vidhaḥ: knowledge, education; puruṣa: human being; ajāyat: unborn;
ātma: soul, self; āntarātmā: subtle soul/self; paramātmā: supreme soul, God; ca: and; iti: it has been said;

om̐ , now begins the three definitions [of the soul] by Sage Añgirāsa. These are the self
(Ātmā), Inner self (Antarātmā) and Supreme self (Paramātmā).

The three parts correspond to three distinctions of kāraka or significator.

• The Sthirakāraka, or fixed significators, which signify the body and consist of the two luminaries
and five planets, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn.
• The Charakāraka, or changeable significators, signifying the soul and consisting of the seven
mentioned bodies, including the Moon’s north node, Rāhu. These are changeable and are
designated based on the degrees of the planets in their signs. They show the bondage we
experience in the manifested and un-manifested universe.
• The Naisargikakāraka, or natural significators, which consists of all the eight mentioned bodies
including the Moon’s south-node, Ketu. These signify the entire manifested universe. By
including Ketu, liberation from the experience of bondage is taken into account.

त्वकचमुमांसरोमागगमष्ठागगमल्यः पृष्ठवंिनखगमल्फोदर-
नातिमेढ्रकटू रुकपोलश्रोत्रभ्रूललाटबाहमपार्श्ुतिरोऽक्षीङ्ि िवङ्न्त
जायते तियत इत्येष आत्मा।
tvakcarmamāṁsaromāṅguṣṭhāṅgulyaḥ pṛṣṭhavaṁśanakhagulphodara-
nābhimeḍhrakaṭūrukapolaśrotrabhrūlalāṭabāhupārśvaśiro'kṣīṇi bhavanti
jāyate mriyata ityeṣa ātmā |
tvak: skin; carma: bones; māṁsa: flesh; roma: hair or feathers of the bird; āṅguṣṭhāṅgulya: fingers; pṛṣṭhavaṁśa: backbone;
nakha: nails; gulpha: ankles; udara: stomach; nābhi: navel; meḍhra: penis; kaṭu: hip; ūru: thigh; kapola: knee-cap; śrotra: ears;
bhrū: eyebrows; lalāṭa: forehead, the soma chakra; bāhu: arms; pārśva: flanks; śira: head; akṣīṇi: eyes; bhavanti: being,
existing, present, present time;
jāyate: born; mriyata: will die; iti: it has been said, it is known; eṣa: wish, desire, seeking, going after; ātmā: the soul, the self;

The self (Ātmā) is composed of skin, bones, flesh, hair, fingers, backbone, nails,
ankles, stomach, navel, penis, hips, knee-caps, thighs, ears, eyebrows, forehead,
arms, flanks, head and eyes; these are born and will die.

Herein the sage has listed twenty-one distinct bodily attributes. Translated these can be allotted to
relative positions of the human body, yet it is unlikely that the sage would restrict these attributes to
only humans and only men. Instead we may infer that these parts apply to all living beings. The division
of these body parts into planets, signs, houses and nakshatra can be found in standard literature, but it
is evident that the Sage has mentioned both bodily constituents such as skin, bone and flesh, and areas
such as flanks, head, eyes, penis and thighs, without specifically mentioning organs such as heart, liver,
etc. nor the senses such as sight, smell, etc. Notably the senses have been mentioned in the following
śloka.
The Sthirakāraka will die and do not survive the transition of the soul between the different states of life
and death. They are further used to identify the health and longevity of family members.

• The stronger of Sun and Venus indicates the father (9th)

• The stronger among Moon and Mars indicates the mother (4th)
• Mars: younger siblings (3rd).
• Mercury: uncles (6th).
• Jupiter: elder siblings (11th), husband (7th), children (5th), paternal grandfather (5th) and paternal
grandmother (12th).
• Venus: aunts (6th), wife (7th), maternal grandfather (12th) and maternal grandmother (7th).
• Saturn indicates the self (1st).

The planets, and the mentioned houses in parenthesis, are used to examine the health and state of the
particular relative. E.g. should both the lord of the house and its kāraka be badly placed in the chart, risk
to the relative’s life is indicated. This should be substantiated in the Navāṁśa (D-9) and the relevant
varga (self D-30, siblings D-3, all parents D-12 and children D-7) when making the final diagnosis.

अिातरात्मानाम पृभिर्व्ापस्ते जोवायु राकाशभमच्छाद्वे षसु खदु िःख-

काममोिभवकल्पानाभदस्मृभतभिङ्गोदात्तानुदात्तह्र्स्स्वदीर्यप्लुतिः
खभितगभजयतस्फुभटतमुभदतनृ त्तगीतवाभदत्प्रियभवजृस्िताभदभभिः
श्रोता घ्राता रसभयता नेता कताय भवज्ञानात्मा पुरुषिः
पुरार्णन्यायमीमां साधमयशास्त्रार्णीभत श्रवर्णघ्रार्णाकषयर्णकमयभवशेषर्णं
करोत्येषोऽतरात्मा।
athāntarātmānāma pṛthivyāpastejovāyurākāśamicchādveṣasukhaduḥkha-
kāmamohavikalpānādismṛtiliṅgodāttānudāttahrsvadīrghaplutaḥ
khalitagarjitasphuṭitamuditanṛttagītavāditrapralayavijṛmbhitādibhiḥ
śrotā ghrātā rasayitā netā kartā vijñānātmā puruṣaḥ
purāṇanyāyamīmāṁsādharmaśāstrāṇīti śravaṇaghrāṇākarṣaṇakarmaviśeṣaṇaṁ
karotyeṣo'ntarātmā |

atha: here begins; āntarātmā: the subtle self; nāma: names; pṛthivi: earth; āpas: water; tejo: fire; vāyu: wind; ākāśa: ether;
icchā: desire; dveṣa: hatred; sukha: happiness; duḥkha: sorrow;
kāma: longing; moha: obsession; vikalpānādi: doubts, endless confusion; smṛti: memory;
liṅga: mark, spot, sign, emblem, badge; udātta: elevated, lofty, arisen, come forth; ānudātta: not raised, not elevated, not
pronounced; hrsva: short; dīrgha: long; pluta: floated, bathed overflowed, submerged, covered;
khalita: crush, to hurt, injure, treat; garjita: sounded, roared, bellowed; sphuṭita: burst, budded, blown; mudita: delighted,
joyful, glad; nṛtta: dancing, acting; gīta: singing, chanting; vāditra: musical instrument; pralaya: dissolution, reabsorption,
annihilation; vijṛmbhita: yawned, gaped, opened, expanded, blown; ādi: and so on; bhi; exists, is;
śrotā: hearing; ghrātā: smell; rasayitā: tasting; netā: seeing; kartā: making, acting, doing; vijñāna: comprehending,
recognizing, discerning intelligence; ātmā: self; puruṣa: person;
purāṇa; nyāya: rules, systems, logic; mīmāṁsā: philosophy; dharma: duty; śāstrā: science; ṇīti: conduct; śravaṇa: listening;
ghrāṇā: smelling; karṣaṇa: grasping; karma: acts; viśeṣaṇa: special, various;
kara: doer, maker, causer, doing; iti: it is known, is has been said; eṣa: wish, desire, seeking, going after; antarātmā:
inner/subtle self;

Next this self, named the inner self, is [the tattva] earth, water, fire, air, ether,
[the aspects of the buddhi] desire, aversion, pleasure, sorrow, desire, obsession,
doubts, etc., and memory,
[the aspects of the ahamkāra giving talents] the high pitch and accentlessness, short,
 long and prolate (vowel sounds),
stumbling, shouting, enjoying, dancing, singing and playing on musical instruments.
[the aspects of the manas] the hearing, smelling, tasting, seeing, agent and self of
knowledge.
He is the ancient spirit that distinguishes between Purāṇa, logic, philosophy, Dharma,
science and conduct, having the power of listening, smelling and grasping.

He is the inner or subtle Self.

According to the Śiva Purāṇa, the soul consists of eight parts namely the five elements, earth (Mercury),
water (Venus), fire (Mars), air (Saturn) and ether (Jupiter). To this is added buddhi
(comprehension/distinction - Rāhu), ahamkāra (ego - Sun) and manas (mind - Moon). The translation
attempts to distinguish these parts for the reader.

The senses belong within the manas (mind) and are therefore distinct from the body. We may therefore
argue that the senses are not dependent on the organs and are ethereal, i.e.. a person who cannot hear
because of their ear, but may hear sounds in dreams and therefore still hears. Similarly, dreams have
images and those who cannot see with their eyes can still see images in dreams.

These eight parts of the Antarātma are further distinguished on the degrees of the planets in their signs.
The eight bodies, from Sun to Rāhu are ranked compared to the degrees they occupy in their own signs,
i.e. from 0-30, with Rāhu’s degrees being treated in reverse, i.e. 30 minus the degree of Rāhu. Then
listing them from highest to lowest degrees they are given attributes.

The planet with highest degrees is the Ātmakāraka (self), followed by Amatyakāraka (employer),
Bhrātṛkāraka (siblings), Mātṛkāraka (mother), Pitṛkāraka (father), Putrakāraka (children), Jñātikāraka
(community or larger family) and Dārakāraka (spouse).

Again, alike the Sthirakāraka, the focus herein is to distinguish the self from other souls, which occupy
one’s life and dominates ones relationships with them.

Notably, the Antarātma is responsible for one’s spiritual path and spiritual strength, therefore an
examination of the Ātmakāraka in the chart will reveal these attributes of the self.

अि परमात्मा नाम यिाक्षर उपासनीयिः।

स च प्रार्णायामप्रत्यािारधार्णाय ध्यानसमाभधयोगानुमानात्मभचतकवटकभर्णका
वा श्यामाकतण्डु िो वा वािाग्रशतसिस्रभवकल्पनाभभिः स िभ्यते
नोपिभ्यते न जायते न भियते न शुष्यभत न स्िद्यते न दह्यते न कम्पते
न भभद्यते न स्च्छद्यते भनगुय र्णिः साभक्षभू तिः शुद्धो भनरवयवात्मा केवििः
सू क्ष्मो भनमयमो भनरञ्जनो भनभवय कारिः शब्दस्पशयरूपरसगन्धवभजयतो भनभवय कल्पो
भनराकाङ्क्षिः सवय र्व्ापी सोऽभचन्त्यो भनवय र्ण्यश्च पुनात्यशु द्धान्यपूताभन।
भनस्ियस्तस्य सं सारो नास्स्त।
atha paramātmā nāma yathākṣara upāsanīyaḥ |
sa ca prāṇāyāmapratyāhāradhārṇādhyānasamādhiyogānumānātmacintakavaṭakaṇikā
vā śyāmākataṇḍulo vā vālāgraśatasahasravikalpanābhiḥ sa labhyate
nopalabhyate na jāyate na mriyate na śuṣyati na klidyate na dahyate na kampate
na bhidyate na cchidyate nirguṇaḥ sākṣibhūtaḥ śuddho niravayavātmā kevalaḥ
sūkṣmo nirmamo nirañjano nirvikāraḥ śabdasparśarūparasagandhavarjito nirvikalpo
 nirākāṅkṣaḥ sarvavyāpī so'cintyo nirvarṇyaśca punātyaśuddhānyapūtāni |
niṣkriyastasya saṁsāro nāsti |

atha: here begins, now begins; paramātmā: the supreme soul; nāma: name; yathā: in such a manner, as follows; ākṣara:
sound, syllable; upāsanīyaḥ: sitting down, worshipping, serving;
sa: that; ca: and; prāṇāyāma: restraining breathe; pratyāhāra: withdrawing senese; dhārṇā: immovable concentration;
dhyāna: contemplation; samādhi: intense spiritual absorption; yoga: union especially with God; anumān: approve, assent to,
permit; ātma: self; cintaka: reflects, thinks; vaṭakaṇikā: seed of the banyan tree; vā: or; śyāmākataṇḍulo: grain of millet; vā:
or; vālāgra: point of hair; śatasahasra: hundred-thousand; vikalpanābhiḥ: false notion, assumption, fancy, imagination; sa:
that; labhyate: gained; nopalabhyate: unobtained, ungained; na: not; jāyate: born; na: not; mriyate: dying; na: not; śuṣyati:
dry; na: not; klidyate: wet; na: not; dahyate: burnt; na: not; kampate: trembling; na: not; bhidyate: breaking, splitting, piercing;
na: not; cchidyate: pierced; nirguṇaḥ: beyond the guṇa; sākṣibhūtaḥ: the observer; śuddho: pure; niravayava: without limbs,
indivisible; ātmā: self; kevala: alone, sole, one; sūkṣmo: acute, subtle; nirmamo: unselfish, disinterested; nirañjano: spotless,
pure, without blemish; nirvikāra: immutable, unchanged, uniform; śabda: sound; sparśa: touch; rūpa: form; rasa: taste;
gandha: smell; varjito: devoid; nirvikalpo: without doubt, free from change, undoubtable, unwavering; nirākāṅkṣaḥ: expecting
or wishing nothing, desireless; sarvavyāpī: existing everywhere; so'cintyo: having surpassed all thought; nirvarṇyaśca: without
colour; puna: purifying; āti: excessive, highly, too much; aśuddha: impure; ānya: other, different, another person; pūtāni:
cleaned, purified, pure, clear, bright; niṣkriyastasya: the one performing no karmas, actionless one, the supreme spirit; saṁsāro:
mundane existence, transmigration, the world, secular life, worldly illusion; nāsti: it is not, there is not;

Next the one named the supreme Self, whose sound should be worshipped through
breath control (prāṇāyāma), sense-withdrawal (pratyāhara), mental-fixation
(dhāraṇa), contemplation (dhyāna) and complete spiritual absorption (samādhi),
being the tenets of Yoga. He is to be inferred by the thinkers on the Self as like unto
the seed of the Banyan tree or a grain of millet or a hundredth-thousandth part of a
split hair. He is gained and not obtained. He is not born, does not die, does not dry, is
not wetted, not burnt, does not tremble, is not split, does not sweat. He is beyond the
gunas, is spectator, is pure, indivisible, alone, subtle, unselfish, blemish less,
immutable, devoid of sound, touch, color, taste and smell, is indubitable, non-
grasping, omnipresent. He is unthinkable and invisible. He purifies the impure and
those who’ve yet to be purified. He acts not. He is not subject to mundane existence.

This third definition of the self, or Paramātma, is how God is depicted, and is the goal of all worship. This
Upaniṣad depicts this as an aspect of ourselves and is also the goal of ourselves.

Having finished the description of the three parts of the self, the Upaniṣad continues into a second
portion or chapter.
 आत्मसंज्ञः तिवः िमद्ध एक एवाद्वयः सदा।
ब्रह्मरूपतया ब्रह्म केवलं प्रततिासते॥ १॥
ātmasaṁjñaḥ śivaḥ śuddha eka evādvayaḥ sadā |
brahmarūpatayā brahma kevalaṁ pratibhāsate || 1||

ātma: soul, self; saṁjñaḥ: recollection, rememberance; śivaḥ: most auspicious, God Śiva; śuddha: purity; eka: one; eva: is
indeed, is truly; ādvaya: non-dual; sadā: always; brahmarūpatayā: in the form of the Brahman; brahma; kevalaṁ: alone;
pratibhāsate: to shine upon, to come in sight;

The recollection of the self is Śiva and is pure; it is always one and without duality. In
the form of Brahman, Brahman alone shines forth.

The recollection or remembrance of the self is Śiva. Here Śiva may refer to the God Lord Śiva, or to a
concept or state as being fully auspicious. However, following from the clue given in the introduction,
“the soul is not manifested”, and therefore cannot be distinguishable in multitudes. So also Śiva cannot
be a distinct personality but is an aspect or concept of ourselves. We may therefore translate “When we
remember ourselves we are Śiva”.

Rather than declare the result, the sage is hinting at the means as well, namely that mantras of Lord Śiva
are the means to acquire this understanding and remembrance. The mantra śivo’ham, meaning I am
Śiva, is one such mantra meant for this purpose.

The Śivapurāṇa mentions eight forms of Śrī Śiva, also known as Ātmaliñga, or light of the soul, of which
the Ātmaliñga of ones Chara Ātmakāraka can be chosen to pursue this path of remembrance. The
mantras given below can be found in texts such as Āgamaprāmāṅya, Tārārahasya, Kriyāsāra and
Dīkṣāprakāśa and more.

Graha Ātmaliñga Attribute Mantra (Āgamaprāmāṅya) Direction

Mercury Śarva Kṣiti oṃ śarvāya kṣitimūrtaye namaḥ North-East
Venus Bhava Jala oṃ bhavāya jalamūrtaye namaḥ East
Mars Rudra Agni oṃ rudrāya agnimūrtaye namaḥ South-East
Saturn Ugra Vāyu oṃ ugrāya vāyumūrtaye namaḥ South
Jupiter Bhima Akāśa oṃ bhīmāya ākāśamūrtaye namaḥ South-west
Rāhu Paśupati Yajñaman oṃ paśupataye yajamānamūrtaye namaḥ West
Moon Mahadeva Soma oṃ mahādevāya somamūrtaye namaḥ North-West
Sun Iśana Sūrya oṃ īśānāya sūryamūrtaye namaḥ North
Other mantra using the word liñga also exist and are taught to students after Śiva Pañcakṣari mantra
initiation.

जगद्रप
ू तयाप्येतद्ब्ब्रह्मैव प्रततिासते।
ववद्याववद्याददिेदेन िावािावाददिेदतः॥ २॥
jagadrūpatayāpyetadbrahmaiva pratibhāsate |
vidyāvidyādibhedena bhāvābhāvādibhedataḥ || 2||

jagadrūpataya: in many forms; api: even, also, very; etad: this, this here, here; brahmaiva: indeed the brahma; pratibhāsate: to
shine upon, to come into sight;
vidya: education, knowledge, discovery; āvidya: wrong education or lack of education, lack of discovery; ādi: and others;
bhedena: pierces, breaks, cleaves, tearing; bhāva: existances, experience; ābhāva: non-existence, non-experience; ādi: and
others; bhedata: pierces, breaks, cleaves, tearing, disunion, schism, dissention;

Even in the multitude forms, this Brahman indeed shines forth during distinctions in
correct and incorrect education, [as well as in] existence and non-existence.

In Jyotish, we examine a person’s spiritual education from the Vedavahvāṁśa (D-24). From this chart we
examine the students study of the Parā or spirituality as well as their accomplishments within this. Two
variations of the same divisional chart exist to examine Apara Vidya, i.e. education about the material
world, including formal degrees, and further another divisional chart to examine Avidya, i.e. lack of or
wrong education. Specifically in calculation, the Avidya chart is a dire opposite to the Apara Vidya chart,
and notably the Vedavahvāṁśa comprises of calculations that exist in both the fore mentioned charts!
Therefore, that which causes the light of knowledge from the material world of the Apara vidya chart,
and the cause of darkness from the Avidya chart, both exist simultaneously in the Vedavahvāṁśa! In
other words, the knowledge of the Brahman or spirituality shines forth in both areas of correct and
incorrect education.

गमरुतिष्याददिेदेन ब्रह्मैव प्रततिासते।

ब्रह्मैव केवलं िमद्धं ववद्यते तत्त्वदिुने॥ ३॥
guruśiṣyādibhedena brahmaiva pratibhāsate |
brahmaiva kevalaṁ śuddhaṁ vidyate tattvadarśane || 3||

guru: teacher, guide, mentor; śiṣya: student; ādi: and others; bhedena: pierces, breaks, cleaves, tearing, disunion, schism,
dissention; brahmaiva: indeed the brahma; pratibhāsate: to shine upon, to come into sight; brahmaiva; kevalaṁ: alone;
śuddhaṁ: purity; vidyate: there exists, takes place, there is; tattva: the elements, the true or real state, truth, reality; darśane:
looking at, viweing, showing, appearance;

During disagreements between teacher and student, indeed the Brahman shines
forth. In matters of truth, indeed the Brahman alone is pure.

न च ववद्या न चाववद्या न जगच्च न चापरम।

na ca vidyā na cāvidyā na jagacca na cāparam |
na: not; ca: and; vidyā: education, knowledge, discovery; na: not; ca: and; āvidyā: wrong or lacking education, lack of discovery;
na; jagat: world, universe, everything; ca; na; ca; āparam: inferior, posterior, later, latter, following, inderior, western, distant,
opposite;
 Neither knowledge nor its lacking, neither the world nor anything beyond [is there].

सत्यत्वेन जगद्भानं संसारस्य प्रवतुकम॥ ४॥

असत्यत्वेन िानं तम संसारस्य तनवतुकम।
satyatvena jagadbhānaṁ saṁsārasya pravartakam || 4||
asatyatvena bhānaṁ tu saṁsārasya nivartakam |
satyatva: reality, truth, veracity; ena: with; jagad: world, universe; bhānaṁ: appearance, evidence, perception, light, lustre;
saṁsāra: mundane existence, transmigration, the world, secular life, worldly illusion; asya: of; pravartakam: acting,
proceeding, motion or action, setting on foot, advancing, promoting;
asatyatva: untruth, non-reality; ena: with; bhānaṁ: appearance, evidence, perception, light, lustre; tu: but; saṁsāra: mundane
existence, transmigration, the world, secular life, worldly illusion; asya: of; nivartakam: causing to cease, abolishing, removing,
desisting from, stopping, turning back;

Mundane life advances at the perception of the world as being true. However, the
perception of untruth stops mundane existence.

घटोऽयतमतत ववज्ञातमं तनयमः कोन्वपेक्षते॥ ५॥

ववना प्रमािसमष्ठमत्वं यङ्स्मन्सतत पदाथुधीः।
अयमात्मा तनत्यतसद्धः प्रमािे सतत िासते॥ ६॥
ghaṭo'yamiti vijñātuṁ niyamaḥ konvapekṣate || 5||
vinā pramāṇasuṣṭhutvaṁ yasminsati padārthadhīḥ |
ayamātmā nityasiddhaḥ pramāṇe sati bhāsate || 6||

ghaṭa: jar, pitcher, pot; ayam: this; iti: it has been said, it is known; vijñātuṁ: to wish to understand or know; niyamaḥ:
checking, restraining, holding back, preventing; konv what, how; apekṣate: to look for, to expect;
vinā: without, except; pramāṇa: measure, scale, standard; suṣṭhutvaṁ: aptly, fitly, duly, well, excellently; yasmin: in which, in
the situation, around which, in some place, in such an event, in whose, on that; sati: being; padārtha: substance, object, subject,
topic, category; dhī: intelligence, understanding;

ayam: this; ātmā: self; nityasiddhaḥ: ever perfect; pramāṇe: measure, scale, standard; sati: being; bhāsate: appears, exists;

What rule to look for to know that ‘this is a pot’ without a measure which is apt?
Understanding of the subject [occurs] in such an event [of the measure being
known].This ever-perfect soul appears when the measure is known.

न दे िं नावप कालं वा न िमवद्धं वाप्यपेक्षते।

दे वदत्तोऽहतमत्येतदद्वज्ञानं तनरपेक्षकम॥ ७॥
na deśaṁ nāpi kālaṁ vā na śuddhiṁ vāpyapekṣate |
devadatto'hamityetadvijñānaṁ nirapekṣakam || 7||

na: not, no, neither; deśaṁ: place, country, area; nāpi: also not; kālaṁ: time; vā: or; na: not, no, neither; śuddhiṁ: purity; va:
or; āpi: also; apekṣate: looking round or about, reference, consideration of, dependence on; deva: God; datta: given, granted,
presented, placed, extended; aham: I am; iti: to be known, has been stated; etad: this, this here, here; vijñānaṁ: the act of
distinguishing or discerning, skill, profficiency; nirapekṣakam: desireless, careless, regardless, disinterested;
 Neither place, nor time nor purity is it dependent on. The understanding that ‘I am
God-given’ depends on nothing else.

The word Devadatta has been translated as God-given. The Devata Dattātreya is the son of Ṛṣi Atri
hence the name Datta-Atreya refers to his origin, therefore Devadatta may also be translated as child of
the Deva or Child of God. However, what does it mean?

The Sanskrit writes devadatto aham iti, i.e. it is to be known that I am God-given. This has a striking
resemblance to the mantra śivo’ham or to the Mahavakya, meditated on by the highest souls, or
Paramahamsa, aham brahmasmi. In itself, the statement devadatto’aham, can be considered a
Mahavakya to be meditated on to achieve this understanding. A zealot of mantra may even take this
literally to imply the steps of Chakra worship given in the Dattātreya Upaniṣad.

The word Deva in this context needs further scrutiny. In the cosmology all living beings, including human
beings, were created by the Sages or Ṛsi whom are the offspring of Brahmā. The Deva were created
separately by Brahma and those deva did not partake in creating human beings. Being so implies that
the deva referred to are not the offspring of Brahma but Brahma and his lineage itself. This at its
essence implies the prime deva, namely Brahmā-Prajapati, Nārāyaṇa, Śrī, Bhu and Nīla Śakti, Svayambhu
or Śiva and the original Kṛṣṇa, according to Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Lineages will differ slightly in this list
with the concept remaining the same. However, it does not serve us to separate one branch of deva
from another, but rather to establish a sense of origin. According to cosmology, we are children of the
first sages or Ṛṣi, and like Śrī Dattātreya are an aspect of both the Deva and Ṛṣi.

तद्वद्ब्ब्रह्मववदोऽप्यस्यब्रह्माहतमतत वेदनम।
िानमनेव जगत्सवं िास्यते यस्य तेजसा॥ ८॥
tadvadbrahmavido'pyasyabrahmāhamiti vedanam |
bhānuneva jagatsarvaṁ bhāsyate yasya tejasā || 8||

tadvad: having or containing that, like that, thus, so; brahmavido: knowledge of the Brahman; api: also, even; asya: of;
brahmāham: I am Brahman; iti: it is said, it is known; vedanam: knowledge;
bhānun: Sun; eva: indeed, truly, really; jagat: universe/world; sarvaṁ: everything, all; bhāsyate: appears, shines forth; yasya:
to be; tejasā: illuminates, shines, renders bright;

Similarly, the knowledge of the one who understands, ‘I am Brahman’ also [depends
on nothing-else]. Indeed as the Sun causes the entire world to appear, so does [this
knowledge] illuminate [everything].

Another Mahāvakya brahmāham, or, Brahma is I, is given.

अनात्मकमसत्तमच्छं दकं नम तस्याविासकम।

वेदिािपमरािातन िूतातन सकलान्यवप॥ ९॥
येनाथुवङ्न्त तं दकं नम ववज्ञातारं प्रकाियेत।
anātmakamasattucchaṁ kiṁ nu tasyāvabhāsakam |
vedaśāstrapurāṇāni bhūtāni sakalānyapi || 9||
yenārthavanti taṁ kiṁ nu vijñātāraṁ prakāśayet |
anātmakam: non-self; asatt: non-existence, non-entity; tucchaṁ: empty, vain, little, triffling; kiṁ: what?, which?; nu: so now,
now then, indeed, certainly; tasyāva: throw both, fade away both, perish both, both becoming exhausted, cast both upwards;
bhāsakam: illumine, shine;
veda: the four veda, knowledge; śāstra: science, sacred scripture; purāṇāni: ancient knowledge, or knowledge of the olden
times; bhūtāni: facts, reality, fact of matter; sakalāni: effect of the elements of the material world; api: also, even;
yena: by whom or by which, by means of which, by which way; arthavanti: both wealthy, both full of reality, both full of
sense/signification; taṁ: wishing, desiring;
kiṁ: what?, which?; nu: so now, now then, indeed, certainly; vijñātāraṁ: greatest knower; prakāśayet: making visible or
making manifest;

Indeed, what can illumine the empty and non-existent non-Self? That which is the
complete wealth of the Veda, the sciences, the Purāṇa, the history and even the
material sciences. What can the greatest knower make clear [herein]?

क्षमधां दे हव्यथां त्यक्तत्वा बालः क्रीडतत वस्तमतन॥ १०॥

तथैव ववद्वान्रमते तनमुमो तनरहं समखी।
कामाङ्न्नष्कामरूपी संचरत्येकचरो ममतनः॥ ११॥
kṣudhāṁ dehavyathāṁ tyaktvā bālaḥ krīḍati vastuni || 10||
tathaiva vidvānramate nirmamo nirahaṁ sukhī |
kāmānniṣkāmarūpī saṁcaratyekacaro muniḥ || 11||

kṣudhāṁ: hunger; dehavyathāṁ: bodily agitation; tyaktvā: to abandon; bālaḥ: child, kid; krīḍati: playing; vastuni: in such, in
that, in such a place;
tathaiva: similarly, in the same manner, likewise, exactly so, in this manner only; vidvān: one who knows; ramate: pleasing,
delights, rejoices, dear, belowed, joy, spouse; nirmamo: unselfish; nirahaṁ: devoid of self-conceit; sukhī: happy;
kāmān: wish, desire, longing, pleasure, enjoyment; niṣkāmarūpī: the form/embodiment of disinterest/desirelessness;
saṁcarati: to go or come together, meet, join, roam; ekacaro: wandering or living alone, not living in company, solitary; muniḥ:
saint, pure soul;

When in a state of play, the child ignores hunger and bodily pangs. Similarly, one who
knows [Brahman] takes pleasure [in themselves] being happy, unselfish and devoid of
self-conceit. [In this way] the saint, living alone, roams with desire, but being the
embodiment of desirelessness.

स्वात्मनैव सदा तमष्टः स्वयं सवाुत्मना ङ्स्थतः।

तनधुनोऽवप सदा तमष्टोऽप्यसहायो महाबलः॥ १२॥
svātmanaiva sadā tuṣṭaḥ svayaṁ sarvātmanā sthitaḥ |
nirdhano'pi sadā tuṣṭo'pyasahāyo mahābalaḥ || 12||

svātmanaiva: just the self; sadā: always; tuṣṭaḥ: satisfied, pleased; svayaṁ: self, one’s self; sarvātmanā: all souls, universal
soul; sthitaḥ: existing, residing, placed;
nirdhano'pi: also without wealth; sadā: always; tuṣṭo: satisfied, pleased; api: also; asahāyo: without companions, friendless,
solitary; mahābalaḥ: exceedingly strong, very powerful or mighty;

Their self, existing with the universal soul, the saint is always satisfied with just
themselves. Being without wealth, they also are ever pleased in solitude yet
exceedingly powerful!
 तनत्यतृप्तोऽप्यिमञ्जानोऽप्यसमः समदिुनः।
कमवुन्नवप न कमवाुिश्चािोक्ता फलिोग्यवप॥ १३॥
nityatṛpto'pyabhuñjāno'pyasamaḥ samadarśanaḥ |
kurvannapi na kurvāṇaścābhoktā phalabhogyapi || 13||

nitya: eternal, continual, perpetual; tṛpto: satiated, satisfied; api: also; abhuñjāna: not eating, fasting; apyi: also; samaḥ: equal,
same; samadarśanaḥ: views/sees all alike/same;
kurvan: acting, doing, agent, servant; api: also; na: not; kurvāṇa; ca: and; abhoktā: not enjoying, not using; phala: fruits;
bhogi: enjoying, eating; api: also;

Despite not eating, they are ever satiated; being impartial, they look on all alike.
Despite acting they do nothing; though enjoying they do not experience the
enjoyments.

These last four śloka describe the state of the Avadhuta Brahmana, a text also associated closely with Śrī
Dattātreya.

िरीयुप्यिरीयेष पररङ्च्छन्नोऽवप सवुगः।

अिरीरं सदा सन्ततमदं ब्रह्मववदं क्तवतचत॥ १४॥
śarīryapyaśarīryeṣa paricchinno'pi sarvagaḥ |
aśarīraṁ sadā santamidaṁ brahmavidaṁ kvacit || 14||
वप्रयावप्रये न स्पृितस्तथैव च िमिा िमिे।
तमसा ग्रस्तवद्भानादग्रस्तोऽवप रववजुनःै ॥ १५॥
priyāpriye na spṛśatastathaiva ca śubhā śubhe |
tamasā grastavadbhānādagrasto'pi ravirjanaiḥ || 15||
ग्रस्त इत्यमच्यते भ्रान्त्या ह्यज्ञात्वा वस्तमलक्षिम।
तद्वद्दे हाददबन्धेभ्यो ववममक्तं ब्रह्मववत्तमम॥ १६॥
grasta ityucyate bhrāntyā hyajñātvā vastulakṣaṇam |
tadvaddehādibandhebhyo vimuktaṁ brahmavittamam || 16||
पश्यङ्न्त दे दहवन्मूढाः िरीरािासदिुनात।
अदहतनव्लुयनीवायं ममक्तदे हस्तम ततष्ठतत॥ १७॥
paśyanti dehivanmūḍhāḥ śarīrābhāsadarśanāt |
ahinirvlayanīvāyaṁ muktadehastu tiṣṭhati || 17||

śarīra: a body; api: also; aśarīryeṣa: bodiless, incorporeal; paricchinno: cut off, divided, detached, confined; api: also; sarvagaḥ:
allpervading, omnipresent;
aśarīraṁ; sadā: always; santam: being present, existing; idaṁ: now, even, just; brahmavidaṁ: the knower of Brahman; kvacit:
somewhere, somewhat;
priyāpriye: pleasant and unpleasant things; na: not, no; spṛśatas: of those touching; tathaiva: similarly, in the same manner,
likewise, exactly so, in this manner only; ca: and; śubha: auspicious; aśubhe: inauspicious;
tamasā: darkness, the graha Rāhu; grastavad: eclipsed, swallowed, seized; bhānād: the Sun; agrasto: uneclipsed, unswallowed,
unseized; api: also; ravir: the Sun; janaiḥ: people, a common person;
grasta; iti: it has been stated; ucyate: are said, is called, please tell; bhrāntyā: perplexity, confusion, doubt, false opinion; hi:
indeed, assuredly, surely; ajñātvā: not knowning, not understood, uncomprehended; vastu: any really existing or abiding
substance or essence, thing, object; lakṣaṇam: indicating, expressing, mark, sign, symbol, token;
tadvad: having or containing that; dehādi: the body and such; bandhebhyo: bondages; vimuktaṁ: liberated, released;
brahmavittamam: knowers of Brahman;
paśyanti: appears, seems; dehivan: having a body; mūḍhāḥ: stupefied, bewildered, perplexed, confused; śarīra: sheath, frame,
body; ābhāsa: splendour, appearance, light; darśanāt: showing, exhibiting;
ahinirvlayanī: the cast-off skin of a snake; vāyaṁ: weaving, thread, strap; mukta: liberated; dehastu: the body; tiṣṭhati:
remains, exists;

[Having] a body they are also bodiless; whilst ascertainable they are also
omnipresent. Bodiless and ever existing the knower of Brahman is rarely touched by
the pleasant and unpleasant or the auspicious and inauspicious. Rāhu eclipses the
Sun, so also the un-eclipsed Sun is said to be eclipsed by the perplexed who have not
comprehended the essence of things.
Containing a body, and such attributes of the gross self, the knower of Brahman is
liberated from their bondages. Appearing to have a body, the bewildered see [the
saint] as bound by the body. The body of the liberated one remains, much like the
cast-off skin of a snake.

इतस्ततश्चाल्यमानो यङ्त्कङ्ञ्चत्प्रािवायमना।
स्रोतसा नीयते दारु यथा तनम्नोन्नतस्थलम॥ १८॥
itastataścālyamāno yatkiñcitprāṇavāyunā |
srotasā nīyate dāru yathā nimnonnatasthalam || 18||

itas: from this point, here, hence; tataś: there, from that point, from that place; cālya: caused to deviate; māno: opnion, notion,
conception, idea; yatkiñcit: whatever, whichever; prāṇavāyunā: vital airs, airs of lifeforce;
srotasā: the current or bed of a river; stream; torrent; nīyate: led, taken about, brought, extracted; dāru: wood; yathā: in such a
manner, as follows; nimnonnata: low and high, depressed and elevated; sthalam: situation, circumstances, ground, soil;

Here and there the ideas are caused to deviate wherever by the vital airs, like a river
stream directing a piece of wood through highs and lows. The Prāṇa affects the
Antarātma, for which reason the learned practice Prāṇāyama, to control their mind
and emotions. There are various methods of Prāṇāyama including well known
techniques such as Bastrika, Ujjayi and Kapalabhatti which should be learned from a
qualified teacher of yoga or meditation. The Śiva and Agni Purāṇa make special
mention of Kumbhaka-rechaka Prāṇāyama which is the process of inhaling, holding
and exhaling the breathe at given time intervals, and can be performed using mantra
as well. The learned practice Prāṇāyama with mantra prior to their ritual
performances to ensure their mind and practice gives the most fruit, where
Prāṇāyama in itself acts as a vehicle for the mantra.

In Jyotish, the Prāṇāpada Lagna (Pp) represents the Prāṇa or lifeforce of the individual and has the
primary focus of keeping the person alive. Notably, the various houses of the Prāṇāpada have a major
impact on the native’s life and can sway the yogas in various directions, e.g. a Rājayoga in the 5th house
from Prāṇāpada can be the cause of severe depression should malefics be involved. So also the various
houses from the Prāṇāpada direct the native in different directions in life. The planet lording the sign of
Prāṇapada Lagna is worshipped as Prāṇeśvara Garuḍa. Depending on the karmas, Śrī Garuḍa tilts his
wings towards the abode suitable for our afterlife, and the cumulative result of our karmas at demise
causes Śrī Garuḍa to fly our soul to that particular abode! Therefore the Prāṇāpada Lagna is among the
most pivotal aspects of the chart and works to identify and remedy the Antarātma.

दै वेन नीयते दे हो यथा कालोपिमवक्तषम।

daivena nīyate deho yathā kālopabhuktiṣu |
daivena: the devas, the Gods; nīyate: led, taken about, brought, extracted; deho: the body; yathā: in such a manner, as follows;
kāla: time; upabhuktiṣu: ready to be enjoyed, ready to be experienced;

The Deva lead the body into experiences at the appropriate times [for the karma to
fructify].

Kāla, or time, has three parts of ka, a and la. They are governed by three Deva, namely Brahmā-
Prajapati, Viṣṇu and Rudra respectively, whom are the governors of time and thus are the three Deva
who lead the body into various experiences. Notably, the body is that which is being led, e.g. the gross
self or sthula ātma having a body and organs. Therefore, despite various events of the body, the
Antarātma may not be affected and can also be altered to contain or alter the experiences of life. For this
reason remedial measures, or Parihāra, contributed by the ancient sages in the form of Mantra, Tantra
and Yantra to alter or shorten the person’s experience of bad karma. These serve mainly to shorten or
compress suffering into a shorter period of time so that the physical experience becomes of no concern.

लक्ष्यालक्ष्यगततं त्यक्तत्वा यङ्स्तष्ठेत्केवलात्मना॥ १९॥

तिव एव स्वयं साक्षादयं ब्रह्मववदत्त
म मः।
lakṣyālakṣyagatiṁ tyaktvā yastiṣṭhetkevalātmanā || 19||
śiva eva svayaṁ sākṣādayaṁ brahmaviduttamaḥ |

lakṣyālakṣyagatiṁ: path of visible and invisible; tyaktvā: one who abandons; yas: to exert oneself; tiṣṭhet: remaining, existing;
kevalātmanā: one whose nature is absolute unity, highest possible soul;
śiva: all auspiciousness, the God Śiva; eva: indeed, truly, really; svayaṁ: self, one’s own accord; sākṣādayaṁ: with the eyes,
with one’s own eyes, before one’s eyes, evidently, clearly; brahmaviduttamaḥ: highest/best knower of Brahman;

One who abandons the path of [focusing on] the visible and invisible [objects]
remains as the highest possible soul. Such a soul is indeed a representative of Śiva
himself and is the best knower of Brahman.

The Śiva Purāṇa lists 8 bondages or chains which are controlled by the eight Ātma-liñga of Śiva.
Therefore one who is the perfect soul, having learned how to control these chains, is also the perfect
representative of Śiva.

जीवन्नेव सदा ममक्तः कृ ताथो ब्रह्मववत्तमः॥ २०॥

उपातधनािाद्ब्ब्रह्मैव सद्ब्ब्रह्माप्येतत तनद्वु यम।
jīvanneva sadā muktaḥ kṛtārtho brahmavittamaḥ || 20||
upādhināśādbrahmaiva sadbrahmāpyeti nirdvayam |
jīvan: eva: truly, indeed, surely; sadā: always; muktaḥ: liberated; kṛtārtho: one who has attained an end or object or has
accomplished a purpose or desire; brahmavittamaḥ: knower of Brahman; upādhi: substitute; nāśād: destruction; brahmaiva:
indeed/surely that brahma; sadbrahma: the true Brahman; āpya: reached, obtainable; iti: to be known, has been stated;
nirdvayam: non-dual;

When all substitutes [for the self] have been destroyed, that knower of the Brahman
merges in the one Brahman becoming devoid of duality. Having attained so, the living
being is liberated and attains the goal of their life.

िैलूषो वेषसद्भावािावयोश्च यथा पममान॥ २१॥

तथैव ब्रह्मववच्रे ष्ठः सदा ब्रह्मैव नापरः।
śailūṣo veṣasadbhāvābhāvayośca yathā pumān || 21||
tathaiva brahmavicchreṣṭhaḥ sadā brahmaiva nāparaḥ |

śailūṣo: an actor, public dancer, tumbler, leader of a band; veṣasad: dress, apparel, ornament, artificial exterorio, assumed
appearnace; bhāvābhāvayośca: being and also not being; yathā: in such a manner, as follows; pumān: a man;
tathaiva: similarly, in the same manner, likewise, exactly so, in this manner only; brahmavicchreṣṭhaḥ: the perfect knower of
Brahman; sadā: always, ever; brahmaiva: indeed/surely that brahma; nāparaḥ: no otherwise, not something else;

Just as man is a man whether he puts on the role of an actor or not, so also the
perfect knower of Brahman is always Brahman and nothing else.

घटे नष्टे यथा व्योम व्योमैव िवतत स्वयम॥ २२॥

तथैवोपातधववलये ब्रह्मैव ब्रह्मववत्स्वयम।
ghaṭe naṣṭe yathā vyoma vyomaiva bhavati svayam || 22||
tathaivopādhivilaye brahmaiva brahmavitsvayam |

ghaṭe: jar, pitcher, jug, large earthern pot; naṣṭe: lost, disappeared, perished, destroyed, spoiled, damaged; yathā: in such a
manner, as follows; vyoma: ether, heaven, sky, atmosphere; vyomaiva: indeed/surely that ether/heaven/sky; bhavati: being,
present; svayam: self, one’s self;
tathaivo: similarly, in the same manner, likewise, exactly so, in this manner only; upādhi: substitute, alternative; vilaye:
dissolution, liquefaction, disappearance, death, destruction; brahmaiva: indeed/surely that brahma; brahmavit: knower of
Brahman; svayam: self, one’s self;

When a pot breaks the ether [in it] becomes part of the ether surrounding it. In the
same manner upon the dissolution of all alternate [views, ideas] the knower of
Brahman becomes part of Brahman itself.

क्षीरं क्षीरे यथा ङ्क्षप्तं तैलं तैले जलं जले॥ २३॥

संयमक्तमेकतां यातत तथात्मन्यात्मववन्ममतनः।
kṣīraṁ kṣīre yathā kṣiptaṁ tailaṁ taile jalaṁ jale || 23||
saṁyuktamekatāṁ yāti tathātmanyātmavinmuniḥ |

kṣīraṁ: milk; kṣīre; yathā: in such a manner, as follows; kṣiptaṁ: thrown, cast, sent, dispatched; tailaṁ: oil; taile; jalaṁ: water;
jale;
saṁyuktam: joined, together; ekatāṁ: become one; yāti: gone, proceeded, marched, gone away, fled; tatha: in that manner, so
be it; ātma: soul, self; ni: down, back, in, into; ātma; vinmuniḥ
 Just as milk poured in milk becomes milk, or oil poured in oil becomes oil or water
poured into water becomes water, so also the soul [joining] into the soul becomes the
soul for the pure Sages.

The term Muni refers to an extremely pure sage. One such Muni was Ṛṣi Parāśara, a title that only few
Ṛṣi attain. Their self identity has been dissolved significantly, to that extent that they are sometimes
referred to as Bhagavan, a word implying Godliness. It may imply a state of sārṣṭi mokṣa where the
sage’s self-identity has been perfectly merged with their iṣṭa devatā, leaving no possibility of
differentiation.

एवं ववदे हकैवल्यं सन्मात्रत्वमखङ्डडतम॥

२४॥ ब्रह्मिावं प्रपद्यैष यततनाुवतुते पमनः।
evaṁ videhakaivalyaṁ sanmātratvamakhaṇḍitam || 24||
brahmabhāvaṁ prapadyaiṣa yatirnāvartate punaḥ |

evaṁ: indeed, truly, really; videha: bodiless, incorporeal, deceased, dead; kaivalyaṁ: abstraction, detachment from all other
connections; sanmātra: the soul/ātma; tvam: one, one-the other, partly; akhaṇḍitam: unbroken, undetached;
brahmabhāvaṁ: state of Brahman; prapadyaiṣa: undertake, commence, begin, do; yatir: a striver, an ascetic, devotee, one
who has retrained his passions and abandoned the world; nāvartate: no repeats, no revolutions; punaḥ: again, repeatedly;

Indeed the state of being without a body is the state of the soul that hasn’t been
broken. The one who has restrained his senses (yati), having embarked for the
consciousness of Brahman, is never reborn again.

सदात्मकत्वववज्ञानदग्धाववद्याददवष्मुिः॥ २५॥
अममष्य ब्रह्मिूतत्त्वाद्ब्ब्रह्मिः कमत उद्भवः।
sadātmakatvavijñānadagdhāvidyādivarṣmaṇaḥ || 25||
amuṣya brahmabhūtattvādbrahmaṇaḥ kuta udbhavaḥ |
sadā: always, ever; ātmakatva: souls identity; vijñāna: higher/special knowledge; dagdhā: combust; avidyādi: lack of
education, etc.; varṣmaṇaḥ: body, form;
amuṣya: of such a one; brahma; bhūtattvād: state of reality; brahmaṇaḥ; kuta: where to, in which direction, from where,
whence, how; udbhavaḥ: birth, origin, generation, springing from, growing;

The forms of wrong knowledge, etc., are consumed by the fire of the higher
knowledge of the soul’s identity. Such a soul becomes Brahman; How can one in that
state of Brahman ever be reborn?

मायाक्तलृप्तौ बन्धमोक्षौ न स्तः स्वात्मतन वस्तमतः॥ २६॥

यथा रज्जौ तनङ्ष्क्रयायां सपाुिासववतनगुमौ।
Māyākḷptau bandhamokṣau na staḥ svātmani vastutaḥ || 26||
yathā rajjau niṣkriyāyāṁ sarpābhāsavinirgamau |

māyā: illusion, unreality, deception, fraud, trick, illusory image, phantom; klṛptau: arranged, prepared, ready, in order,
complete, right; bandhamokṣau: bondage and liberation; na: not; staḥ: both live, both abide, both be present, both take place;
svātmani: own self, one’s own self; vastutaḥ: in fact, in reality, actually, verily, essentially;
yathā: in such a manner, as follows, namely; rajjau: rope; niṣkriyāyāṁ: the actionless one, the supreme spirit; sarpa: snake,
serpent, creeping, crawling, also a rope; ābhāsa: splendour, light, appearance; vinirgamau: goiing out, departure, spreading
abroad;

Bondage and liberation are prepared by Māyā, and have no place in the reality of
one’s soul. Similarly, the beginning and end of the rope do not abide in the rope itself,
which suffers no change.

The Mahavakyas of the Upaniṣads give the impression that bondage and liberation do not exist. A view
which is at ends with the understanding given in the beginning of Ātma Upaniṣad and Śiva Mahapurāṇa,
namely that bondage exists and they exist in various form. The present śloka clarifies this view, namely
that these two exist only within the context of Māyā, but that Māyā cannot delude one who resides in
the consciousness of the Brahman and so also bondage and liberation also do not exist for one who
understands this. This śloka further clarifies that, as there is no beginning and end for the soul, the
bondage associated with birth and the liberation associated with death, do not figure. In other words, if
you live forever there can be no beginning or end! The following śloka dwells more on this.

आवृतेः सदसत्त्वाभ्यां वक्तव्ये बन्धमोक्षिे॥ २७॥

नावृवत्तब्रुह्मिः कातचदन्यािावादनावृतम।
āvṛteḥ sadasattvābhyāṁ vaktavye bandhamokṣaṇe || 27||
nāvṛttirbrahmaṇaḥ kācidanyābhāvādanāvṛtam |
āvṛteḥ: covered, hidden; sadasattvābhyāṁ: both real and unreal; vaktavye: spoken about, uttered, declared; bandhamokṣaṇe:
bondage and liberation; || 27||
nāvṛttir: checked, invited; brahmaṇaḥ: brahman; kācid: some, another, anyone, someone, what; anyā: other, different, other
than, different from; bhāvād: becoming, being existing, occurring, appearance; anāvṛtam: uncovered, undressed, uninclosed,
open;
astīti pratyayo yaśca yaśca nāstīti vastuni || 28||

Bondage and Liberation can be spoken about as long as both the real and unreal
remain hidden. The Brahman cannot be hidden as it always remains uncovered from
the desire for anything other than itself.

Refer śloka 4.

अस्तीतत प्रत्ययो यश्च यश्च नास्तीतत वस्तमतन॥ २८॥

बमद्धेरेव गमिावेतौ न तम तनत्यस्य वस्तमनः।
astīti pratyayo yaśca yaśca nāstīti vastuni || 28||
buddhereva guṇāvetau na tu nityasya vastunaḥ |
asti: existence; iti: it is said, it is declared; pratyayo: belief, firm conviction, trust, faith, assurance or certainty; yaśca: that and;
yaśca; nāstīti: is it said/declared to not be; vastuni: in fact, in reality;
buddhi: intellect, the power of comprehension, understanding, presence of mind; eva: so, just so, indeed, truly, really; guṇa:
good quality, virtue, merit, excellence; avetau: elapsed, passed, one who has gained, obtained; na: not; tu: but, and; nityasya:
continual, perpetual, eternal; vastunaḥ: in fact, in reality, really;
 To declare that [bondage] and that [liberation] is a belief. They do not exist in reality.
Indeed for the intellect of one composed of Guṇa, they exist, yet never in the eternal
reality.

अतस्तौ मायया क्तलृप्तौ बन्धमोक्षौ न चात्मतन॥ २९॥

तनष्कले तनङ्ष्क्रये िान्ते तनरवद्ये तनरं जने।
अदद्वतीये परे तत्त्वे व्योमवत्कल्पना कमतः॥ ३०॥
atastau māyayā klṛptau bandhamokṣau na cātmani || 29||
niṣkale niṣkriye śānte niravadye niraṁjane |
advitīye pare tattve vyomavatkalpanā kutaḥ || 30||

atastau: existence; māyayā: illusion, unreality, deception, fraud, trick, illusory image, phantom; klṛptau: arranged, prepared,
ready, in order, complete, right; bandhamokṣau: bondage and liberation; na: not; ca: and; ātmani: the self;
niṣkale: without time; niṣkriye: without action; śānte: peace; niravadye: blameless, unobjectionable, excellence; niraṁjane:
unpainted, spotless, pure, void of passion or emotion;
advitīye: without a second, without duality; pare: beyond; tattve: essence, element; vyomavat: comprised of ether/heaven/sky;
kalpanā: forming, fashioning, imagining, inventing, making performing, hypothesis; kutaḥ: from whom, wherefore, why, where,
how, in what manner;

Māyā’s existence creates bondage and liberation, and are not part of the soul. How
can one imagine that which is timeless, action less, at peace, blameless, without
duality, beyond the elements and of infinite nature.

The last two śloka suggests that Māyā is a result of one’s mental conception. In Jyotish the Ārūḍḥa is
examined to see how Māyā exists around us. This Māyā decides whether ones mate becomes a spouse,
whether one’s work becomes a profession, and whether one’s influence is labeled as a title. All the
labels come from the Ārūḍha and from this we can differentiate it from the reality of one’s existence.
Some also consider Māyā as a ninth bondage because of this.

The mind, signified by the Moon, is composed of Guṇa, and therefore is attracted to actions which
create happiness, and seeks to avert those which create unhappiness. This leads to the creation of the
Ārūḍha where one creates groups of good and bad in hope to fill one’s life of more of the good. The
houses from the Ārūḍha are divided based on the Guṇa, where the Kendra (1,4,7,10) are composed of
Rajasguṇa where life is both enjoyed and tested, the Panaphara (2,5,8,11) are composed of Sattvaguṇa
creating sustenance, and the remnant Apoklima (3,6,9,12) are composed of Tamasguṇa risking
dissolution.

न तनरोधो न चोत्पवत्तनु बद्धो न च साधकः।

न ममममक्षमनु वै ममक्त इत्येषा परमाथुता॥ ३१॥
na nirodho na cotpattirna baddho na ca sādhakaḥ |
na mumukṣurna vai mukta ityeṣā paramārthatā || 31||

na: no, not; nirodho: confinement, imprisonment, restraint; na; ca: and; utpattir: birth, origin, resurrection; na; baddho:
obstruction; na; ca; sādhakaḥ: accomplishing, fulfilling, completing, finishing;
na; mumukṣurna: desirous of freeing, wishing to deliver from, eager to be free; vai: or; mukta: liberation; iti: it is stated, has
been said; eṣā: wish, option; paramārthatā: highest or whole truth, spiritual knowledge;
 The highest truth is that there is no restraint nor creation, no bondage nor
accomplishment, no desire for liberation and no liberated ones.

इत्यमपतनषत॥
ityupaniṣat ||

Here ends the Upaniṣad.

Prayer
ॐ िद्रं किेतिः श्रमिमयाम दे वाः। िद्रं पश्येमाक्षतियुजत्राः।
ङ्स्थरै रगगैस्तमष्टमवा सस्तनूतिः। व्यिेम दे वदहतं यदायमः॥
ॐ िाङ्न्तः िाङ्न्तः िाङ्न्तः॥
om bhadraṁ karṇebhiḥ śruṇuyāma devāḥ | bhadraṁ paśyemākṣabhiryajatrāḥ |
sthirairaṅgaistuṣṭuvā sastanūbhiḥ | vyaśema devahitaṁ yadāyuḥ ||
om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||

om̐ , Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious. Ye worthy of worship, may
we see with our eyes, what is auspicious. Praising the Deva with our body and limbs
steady, may we enjoy the term of life designated by the Devas. May Indra the, with
his swiftness, bless us; May the nourishing Sun, the all-knowing, bless us; May
Tārkṣya, the remedy for evil, bless us; May Bṛhaspati grant us well-being.

Om peace, peace, peace

॥ हररः ॐ तत्सत॥
|| hariḥ om tatsat ||