Atma Upanishad 20 — Verse 20

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

दैवेन नीयते देहो यथा कालोपभुक्तिषु ।

लक्ष्यालक्ष्यगतिं त्यक्त्वा यस्तिष्ठेत्केवलात्मना॥

शिव एव स्वयं साक्षादयं ब्रह्मविदुत्तमः ।

जीवन्नेव सदा मुक्तः कृतार्थो ब्रह्मवित्तमः॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

दैवेन । नीयते । देहः । यथा । काल-उपभुक्तिषु ।

लक्ष्य-अलक्ष्य-गतिम् । त्यक्त्वा । यः । तिष्ठेत् । केवल-आत्मना ॥

शिवः । एव । स्वयम् । साक्षात् । अयम् । ब्रह्म-विद्-उत्तमः ।

जीवन् । एव । सदा । मुक्तः । कृत-अर्थः । ब्रह्म-वित्-तमः ॥

IAST Transliteration

daivena nīyate deho yathā kālopabhuktiṣu |

lakṣyālakṣya-gatiṃ tyaktvā yas tiṣṭhet kevalātmanā ||

śiva eva svayaṃ sākṣād ayaṃ brahmaviduttamaḥ |

jīvanneva sadā muktaḥ kṛtārtho brahmavittamaḥ ||

Translation

The body is carried along by destiny (daiva) for enjoyments and experiences in time. He who, abandoning movement toward the aimed‑at and the not‑aimed‑at, stands as the Self alone—he is verily Śiva himself, directly; the highest knower of Brahman. Even while living he is always liberated, fulfilled—the supreme knower of Brahman.

Academic Translation

The body is carried along by destiny for enjoyments/experiences in time. He who, abandoning movement toward the aimed-at and the not-aimed-at, stands as the Self alone—he is verily Śiva himself, directly; the highest knower of Brahman. Even while living he is always liberated, fulfilled—the supreme knower of Brahman.

Verse Context

• Kevalātma-niṣṭhā; jīvanmukti; prārabdha exhaustion; non-dual Śiva/Brahman identity
• Mahavakya: Directly consonant with Mahāvākya realization (identity): the liberated one is not other than Brahman/Śiva.
• Atharva
• Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (śloka-style)