Paingala Upanishad 18 — Verse 18

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

आकाशवत्सूक्ष्मशरीर आत्मा न दृश्यते वायुवदन्तरात्मा। स बाह्यमभ्यन्तरनिश्चलात्मा ज्ञानोल्कयापश्यति चान्तरात्मा ॥१८॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

आकाश-वत् । सूक्ष्म-शरीरः । आत्मा । न । दृश्यते । वायु-वत् । अन्तर-आत्मा । सः । बाह्यम् । अभ्यन्तरम् । निश्चल-आत्मा । ज्ञान-उल्कया । पश्यति । च । अन्तर-आत्मा ॥१८॥

IAST Transliteration

ākāśavat sūkṣmaśarīra ātmā na dṛśyate vāyuvad antarātmā | sa bāhyam abhyantaraṃ niścalātmā jñānolkayā paśyati cāntarātmā ||18||

Translation

Wie der Raum ist das Selbst—auch wenn es mit dem feinstofflichen Leib verbunden ist—nicht zu sehen; wie der Wind ist das innere Selbst nicht zu fassen. Dieses innere, unbewegte Selbst, das Außen und Innen durchdringt, wird durch die Fackel der Erkenntnis „geschaut“.

Academic Translation

Like space, the Self—(even when associated with) the subtle body—is not seen; like the wind, the inner Self (is not grasped). That inner Self, motionless, (pervading) the outside and the inside—one ‘sees’ by the torch of knowledge.

Verse Context

• Ātman as subtle, invisible, all-pervading; knowledge as the means of ‘seeing’ (aparokṣa-anubhava)
• Mahavakya: Reinforces “अयम् आत्मा ब्रह्म (ayam ātmā brahma)” by describing the inner Self as all-pervading and knowable through knowledge; supports “प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म (prajñānaṃ brahma)” via ‘seeing’ through jñāna (consciousness/knowledge) rather than sensory perception.
• Atharva
• Chandas: Prose with metrical cadence (not strict Vedic chandas)