The Isa Upanishad

[As with many of the Upanishads, the Isa Upanishad takes its name from the first word of the text, (Isa="Lord"). The Isa Upanishad is a composite piece, in which several of the verses have been lifted from other, earlier Upanishads, and reading through it the breaks in the text become clear. There is speculation that the verses at the end represent the prayer of a dying man, at the moment of final liberation.]

1. This entire universe is pervaded by the lord, and whatever moves within it; abandon it and enjoy, do not covet the wealth of anyone.

2. Performing [ritual] actions here, one may desire to live one hundred years. Whatever you desire, it is the same for others, thus one's actions do not cling to one.

3. Those worlds are called demonic, covered with blind darkness, and those people who destroy themselves go to them after death.

4. Unmoving, it is swifter than the mind. Though going before it, the gods could not overtake it. Standing, it overtakes those who are running, in it water placed fire.

5. It moves, it moves not. It is far, it is near. It is inside all things, and it is outside all things.

6. Once one perceives all beings as one's very self, and oneself in all beings, then one will not want to conceal oneself.

7. When one has recognized that all beings are one's own self, for one perceiving this unity, then where is delusion, where is sorrow?

8. He encircles all things: brilliant, bodiless, unscathed, without sinews, pure, untouched by evil, a seer, wise, all-pervasive, self-born; he arranged things as they are since endless years.

9. Into blind darkness go those who serve ignorance (avidya), yet into greater darkness still go those who delight in wisdom (vidya).

10. It is different, they say, from wisdom, and different too from ignorance--thus we have heard from the wise who have described it to us.

11. One who knows together wisdom and ignorance transcends death through ignorance, through wisdom gains deathlessness.

12. Into blind darkness go those who serve non-becoming, yet into greater darkness still go those who delight in becoming.

13. It is different, they say, from becoming, and different too from nonbecoming--thus we have heard from the wise who have described it to us.

14. One who knows together becoming and destruction transcends death through destruction, through becoming gains deathlessness.

15. The face of truth is covered with a golden bowl. Open it, O Pushan, that we may behold the true path.

16. O Pushan, the only seer, O sun, son of Prajapati, scatter your rays and gather them. I see the light that is your fairest form, and that man in there, I am he.

17. My breath to the immortal winds, this body ends in ashes. Remember the sacrifices, remember the actions.

18. O Agni, lead us on the straight path to prosperity, O god who knows all the ways. Keep us far from crookedness, we would render to you the highest praise.