Brahmavidya Upanishad 8: Verse 8

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

सूर्यमण्डलमध्येऽथ ह्यकारः शङ्खमध्यगः । उकारश्चन्द्रसंकाशस्तस्य मध्ये व्यवस्थितः ॥

मकारस्त्वग्निसंकाशो विधूमो विद्युतोपमः । तिस्रो मात्रास्तथा ज्ञेया सोमसूर्याग्निरूपिणः ॥७-८॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

सूर्य-मण्डल-मध्ये अथ हि अकारः शङ्ख-मध्य-गः । उकारः चन्द्र-संकाशः तस्य मध्ये व्यवस्थितः ॥

मकारः तु अग्नि-संकाशः वि-धूमः विद्युत्-उपमः । तिस्रः मात्राः तथा ज्ञेयाः सोम-सूर्य-अग्नि-रूपिणः ॥७-८॥

Sanskrit recitationBrahmavidya Upanishad 8

IAST Transliteration

sūryamaṇḍalamadhye 'tha hy akāraḥ śaṅkhamadhyagaḥ | ukāraś candrasaṅkāśas tasya madhye vyavasthitaḥ ||

makāras tv agnisaṅkāśo vidhūmo vidyutopamaḥ | tisro mātrās tathā jñeyāḥ somasūryāgnirūpiṇaḥ ||7–8||

Translation

Dann ist inmitten der Sonnenscheibe die Silbe „a“ wie im Innern einer Muschelmitte gesetzt. Die Silbe „u“, mondgleich leuchtend, ist in ihrer Mitte gegründet. Die Silbe „m“ leuchtet feuergleich, rauchlos, dem Blitz vergleichbar. So sind die drei Maße zu erkennen als Gestalten von Soma (Mond), Sonne und Feuer.

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Academic Translation

Then, in the midst of the solar orb, the syllable ‘a’ is (as) situated in the middle of a conch. The syllable ‘u’, moon-like in radiance, is established in its midst. The syllable ‘m’ is fire-like in radiance, smokeless, comparable to lightning. Thus the three measures are to be known as having the forms of Soma (moon), Sun, and Fire.

Verse Context

• Praṇava-upāsanā; triadic manifestation within Oṁ
• Mahavakya: Indirect—Oṁ as a pointer (lakṣaṇa) toward the non-dual Self taught by mahāvākyas; triadic contemplation prepares the mind for identity-knowledge.
• Atharva
• Chandas: Mixed śloka/Anuṣṭubh-style (later Upaniṣadic verse)