Isha Upanishad

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Īśā Upanishad

1. Whatever exists in this world, is to be enveloped by (the thought of) God (the Ruler). By renouncing it (the world), thou shalt save (thy soul). Do not covet the riches of any one.

2. Performing sacred works, let a man desire to live a hundred years. If thou thus (desirest), O man, there is no other manner, in which thou art not tainted by work.

3. To the godless worlds covered with gloomy darkness, go all the people, when departing (from this world) who are slayers of their souls.

4. He (the soul) does not move, is swifter than the mind; not the gods (the senses) did obtain him, he was gone before. Standing he outstrips all the other (gods, senses), how fast they run. Within him the Ruler of the atmosphere upholds the vital actions.

5. He moves, he does not move ; he is far, and also near; he is within this all, he is out of this all. 

6. Whoever beholds all beings in the soul alone, and the soul in all beings, does hence not look down (on any creature).

7. When a man knows, that all beings are even the soul, when he beholds the unity (of the soul), then there is no delusion, no grief.

8. He is all pervading, brilliant, without body, invulnerable, without muscles, pure, untainted by sin; he is all-wise, the Ruler of the mind, above all beings, and self-existent. He distributed according to their nature the things for everlasting years.

9. Those who worship ignorance, enter into gloomy darkness, into still greater darkness those who are devoted to knowledge.

10. They say, different is the effect of knowledge, different the effect of ignorance; thus we heard from the sages who explained (both) to us. 

11. Whoever knows both, knowledge and ignorance together, overcomes death by ignorance, and enjoys immortality by knowledge.

12. Those who worship uncreated nature, enter into gloomy darkness, into still greater darkness those who are devoted to created nature.

13. They say, different is the effect from (worshipping) uncreated nature, different from (worshipping) created nature. This we heard from the sages, who explained (both) to us.

14. Whoever knows both, created nature and destruction together, overcomes death by destruction, and enjoys immortality by created nature.

15. To me whose duty is truth, open, O Pushan, the entrance to the truth concealed by the brilliant disk, in order to behold (thee.).

16. 0 Pushan, Rishi thou alone, O dispenser of justice, (Yama) O Sun, offspring of Prajāpati, disperse thy rays (and) collect thy light; let me see thy most auspicious form; (for) the same soul (which is in thee), am I.

17. Let my vital spark obtain the immortal air; then let this body be consumed to ashes. Om! O my mind, remember, remember (thy) acts, remember, O mind, remember, remember thy acts.

18. Guide, us, O Agni, by the road of bliss to enjoyment, (guide us) O god, who knowest all acts. Destroy our crooked sin, that we may offer thee our best salutation.

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Īśā Upanishad
English Translation
Translated by E. Röer
Originally published in Bibliotheca Indica
1853