Verse 12

Prashna

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

या ते तनूर्वाचि प्रतिष्ठिता या श्रोत्रे या च चक्षुषि । या च मनसि सन्तता शिवां तां कुरु मा उत्क्रमीः ॥१२॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

या । ते । तनूः । वाचि । प्रतिष्ठिता । या । श्रोत्रे । या । च । चक्षुषि । या । च । मनसि । सन्तता । शिवाम् । ताम् । कुरु । मा । उत्क्रमीः ॥१२॥

IAST Transliteration

yā te tanūr vāci pratiṣṭhitā yā śrotre yā ca cakṣuṣi | yā ca manasi santatā śivāṃ tāṃ kuru mā utkramīḥ ||12||

Translation

تلك هيئتك التي استقرّت في الكلام، والتي في السمع، والتي في البصر، والتي امتدّت في الذهن—اجعلها مباركةً ثابتة؛ لا ترحل.

Academic Translation

That form of yours which is established in speech, which (is established) in the ear, and which in the eye, and which is extended in the mind—make that auspicious (form) (remain); do not depart.

Verse Context

• Prāṇa as the sustaining power of the senses and mind; life-force as upholder of embodied experience
• Mahavakya: Indirect: supports inquiry into the Self by showing dependence of speech/senses/mind on prāṇa; not a direct Mahāvākya formulation
• Atharva
• Atharva-veda (Prāśna Upaniṣad; traditionally linked with the Paippalāda tradition) Shakha
• Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (śloka-like)