Nirvana Upanishad: Verse 61

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

एतन्निर्वाणदर्शनम् । शिष्यं पुत्रं विना न देयमित्युपनिषत् ॥६१॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

एतत् । निर्वाण-दर्शनम् । शिष्यम् । पुत्रम् । विना । न । देयम् । इति । उपनिषत् ॥६१॥

Recitation with translationNirvana Upanishad 61

IAST Transliteration

etan nirvāṇa-darśanam | śiṣyaṃ putraṃ vinā na deyam ity upaniṣat ||61||

Translation

Dies ist die Schau (Lehre) des Nirvāṇa. Sie soll nicht weitergegeben werden, außer an einen Schüler oder an einen Sohn — so spricht die Upaniṣad.

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Academic Translation

This is the vision (teaching) of Nirvāṇa. It is not to be given without (i.e., except to) a disciple or a son—thus (says) the Upaniṣad.

Word by Word

• etat: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: etat (sarvanāma-prātipadika)
• Form: napuṃsaka-liṅga; prathamā-vibhakti; ekavacana

• nirvāṇa-darśanam: the vision/realization of Nirvāṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirvāṇa (prātipadika) + darśana (prātipadika)
• Form: napuṃsaka-liṅga; prathamā-vibhakti; ekavacana

• śiṣyam: to a disciple
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiṣya (prātipadika)
• Form: puṃliṅga; dvitīyā-vibhakti; ekavacana

• putram: to a son
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (prātipadika)
• Form: puṃliṅga; dvitīyā-vibhakti; ekavacana

• vinā: without/except
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (avyaya)
• Form: avyaya; governs accusative

• na: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (avyaya)
• Form: avyaya; negation

• deyam: to be given
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dā (dhātu) → deya (kṛdanta; gerundive/ya-pratyaya)
• Form: napuṃsaka-liṅga; prathamā-vibhakti; ekavacana; vidhi/niyama-artha (ought to be given)

• iti: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (avyaya)
• Form: avyaya; quotation marker

• upaniṣat: the Upaniṣad (teaching)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upaniṣad (prātipadika)
• Form: strīliṅga; prathamā-vibhakti; ekavacana

Sandhi Notes

• etan nirvāṇa-darśanam: no sandhi
• compound nirvāṇa-darśanam is ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (‘nirvāṇasya darśanam’). deyam ity upaniṣat: iti + upaniṣat → ity upaniṣat (i + u → y u)

About this Verse

Central concept

Moksha (Nirvāṇa) and adhikāra (eligibility for receiving esoteric knowledge)

The mahavakyas

Indirect: functions as a colophon/disciplinary injunction safeguarding the transmission of non-dual liberating knowledge that culminates in mahāvākya-realization (e.g., 'aham brahmāsmi').

Veda

Rig Veda

Chandas

Prose

Yoga and practice

Emphasizes adhikāra and guru-śiṣya paramparā: (1) choose a qualified teacher and cultivate śraddhā, viveka, vairāgya; (2) keep teachings confidential until stabilized in nididhyāsana; (3) apply the instruction in sustained contemplation on the Self rather than mere discussion.