Verse 22

Kaivalya

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अपाणिपादोऽहमचिन्त्यशक्तिः पश्याम्यचक्षुः स शृणोम्यकर्णः । अहं विजानामि विविक्तरूपो न चास्ति वेत्ता मम चित्सदाऽहम् ॥ वेदैरनेकैरहमेव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम् ॥२१–२२॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

अ-पाणि-पादः । अहम् । अ-चिन्त्य-शक्तिः । पश्यामि । अ-चक्षुः । सः । शृणोमि । अ-कर्णः । अहम् । विजानामि । विविक्त-रूपः । न । च । अस्ति । वेत्ता । मम । चित् । सदा । अहम् । वेदैः । अनेकैः । अहम् । एव । वेद्यः । वेदान्त-कृत् । वेद-वित् । एव । च । अहम् ।

IAST Transliteration

apāṇipādo ’ham acintyaśaktiḥ paśyāmy acakṣuḥ sa śṛṇomy akarṇaḥ | ahaṃ vijānāmi viviktarūpo na cāsti vettā mama citsadā ’ham || vedair anekair aham eva vedyo vedāntakṛd vedavideva cāham ||

Translation

আমি হাত-পা-রহিত, অচিন্ত্য শক্তিসম্পন্ন; চোখ ছাড়াই দেখি, কান ছাড়াই শুনি। আমি স্বতন্ত্র, অতীত স্বরূপে সব জানি; আমার কোনো জ্ঞাতা নেই—আমি চিরন্তন চিত্ ও সৎ। বহু বেদে আমিই জ্ঞেয়; আমি বেদান্তের কর্তা এবং বেদের জ্ঞাতাও আমি।

Academic Translation

I am without hands and feet, of inconceivable power; I see without eyes; that one hears without ears. I know; (I am) of distinct (transcendent) form; and there is no knower of me. I am ever consciousness and being. By many Vedas I alone am to be known; I am the maker of Vedānta and indeed the knower of the Veda.

Verse Context

• Ātman/Brahman as nirguṇa, self-luminous consciousness beyond sense-organs; svayaṃprakāśa-caitanya
• Mahavakya: Supports ‘Aham Brahmāsmi’ (Bṛhadāraṇyaka) through explicit ‘aham’ identity with the ultimate; also aligns with ‘Prajñānam Brahma’ by emphasizing consciousness as the Self.
• Atharva
• Atharva-veda (Kaivalya Upaniṣad; commonly transmitted within Atharvaṇic Upaniṣad collections; specific śākhā not firmly attested) Shakha
• Chandas: Mixed/irregular (Upaniṣadic metrical śloka-like anuṣṭubh tendencies; not strictly Vedic chandas)