Verse 12

Brahmavidya

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

कांस्यघण्टानिनादस्तु यथा लीयति शान्तये । ओङ्कारस्तु तथा योज्यः शान्तये सर्वमिच्छता ॥ यस्मिन्विलीयते शब्दस्तत्परं ब्रह्म गीयते । धियं हि लीयते ब्रह्म सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ॥१२–१३॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

कांस्य-घण्टा-निनादः । तु । यथा । लीयति । शान्तये । ओङ्कारः । तु । तथा । योज्यः । शान्तये । सर्वम् । इच्छता । यस्मिन् । विलीयते । शब्दः । तत् । परम् । ब्रह्म । गीयते । धियम् । हि । लीयते । ब्रह्म । सः । अमृतत्वाय । कल्पते ।

IAST Transliteration

kāṃsyaghaṇṭāninādastu yathā līyati śāntaye | oṅkārastu tathā yojyaḥ śāntaye sarvamicchatā || yasmin vilīyate śabdastat paraṃ brahma gīyate | dhiyaṃ hi līyate brahma so'mṛtatvāya kalpate ||12–13||

Translation

Wie der Nachklang einer bronzenen Glocke zur Stille hin vergeht, so ist auch der Oṃkāra anzuwenden von dem, der vollkommene Ruhe begehrt. Das, worin der Klang sich auflöst, wird als das höchste Brahman besungen; wahrlich, wenn der Geist in Brahman aufgeht, wird man der Unsterblichkeit teilhaftig.

Academic Translation

Just as the resonance of a bronze bell subsides into silence, so should the Oṅkāra be applied by one who desires complete peace. That in which sound dissolves is sung as the supreme Brahman; indeed, when the mind dissolves into Brahman, one becomes fit for immortality.

Verse Context

• Oṃ (Praṇava) as upāsanā leading to mind-dissolution (laya) in Brahman and amṛtatva
• Mahavakya: Aligns with ‘प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म’ (Prajñānam brahma): the ground in which sound and mind resolve is pure consciousness; also supports ‘तत् त्वम् असि’ by pointing to the same ultimate reality as one’s inner silence.
• Atharva
• Chandas: Mixed/Anuṣṭubh-like (late Upaniṣadic śloka style)