Atma Upanishad — Verse 26

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अमुष्य ब्रह्मभूतत्त्वाद् ब्रह्मणः कुत उद्भवः । मायाक्लृप्तौ बन्धमोक्षौ न स्तः स्वात्मनि वस्तुतः ॥

यथा रज्जौ निष्क्रियायां सर्पाभासविनिर्गमौ । अवृतेः सदसत्त्वाभ्यां वक्तव्ये बन्धमोक्षणे ॥ २६–२७ ॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

अमुष्य । ब्रह्म-भूत-तत्त्वात् । ब्रह्मणः । कुतः । उद्भवः ।

माया-क्लृप्तौ । बन्ध-मोक्षौ । न । स्तः । स्व-आत्मनि । वस्तुतः ।

यथा । रज्जौ । निष्क्रियायाम् । सर्प-आभास-विनिर्गमौ ।

अ-वृतेः । सत्-असत्त्वाभ्याम् । वक्तव्ये । बन्ध-मोक्षणे ।

IAST Transliteration

amuṣya brahmabhūtatattvād brahmaṇaḥ kuta udbhavaḥ | māyākḷptau bandhamokṣau na staḥ svātmani vastutaḥ ||

yathā rajjau niṣkriyāyāṃ sarpābhāsavinirgamau | avṛteḥ sadasattvābhyāṃ vaktavye bandhamokṣaṇe || 26–27 ||

Translation

Since this (Self) is of the very nature of Brahman, how could Brahman have any origination? Bondage and liberation, fashioned by māyā, do not truly exist in one’s own Self. As, in an inactive rope, the appearance and disappearance of a snake-appearance are spoken of due to the presence or absence of a covering (ignorance), so too are bondage and liberation spoken of.

Academic Translation

From the fact that this (Self) is of the nature of Brahman, how could there be any origination for Brahman? Bondage and liberation, fabricated by māyā, do not truly exist in one’s own Self. As, in an inactive rope, the appearance and disappearance of a snake are spoken of due to the presence or absence of covering (ignorance), so too are bondage and liberation spoken of.

Verse Context

• Māyā/avidyā as the basis of bandha–mokṣa; ajāti (non-origination) of Brahman; rope–snake adhyāsa
• Mahavakya: Supports ‘Aham Brahmāsmi’ and ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ by asserting the Self’s Brahman-nature and denying real bondage in Ātman.
• Atharva
• Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (śloka-style)