Verse 10

Kshurika

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

ततो रक्तोत्पलाभासं पुरुषायतनं महत् । दहरं पुण्डरीकं तद्वेदान्तेषु निगद्यते ॥ तद्भित्त्वा कण्ठमायाति तां नाडीं पूरयन् यतः । मनसस्तु क्षुरं गृह्य सुतीक्ष्णं बुद्धिनिर्मलम् ॥१०॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

ततः । रक्त-उत्पल-आभासम् । पुरुष-आयतनम् । महत् । दहरम् । पुण्डरीकम् । तत् । वेदान्तेषु । निगद्यते ॥ तत् । भित्त्वा । कण्ठम् । आयाति । ताम् । नाडीम् । पूरयन् । यतः ॥ मनसः । तु । क्षुरम् । गृह्य । सु-तीक्ष्णम् । बुद्धि-निर्मलम् ॥

IAST Transliteration

tato raktotpalābhāsaṃ puruṣāyatanaṃ mahat | daharaṃ puṇḍarīkaṃ tad vedānteṣu nigadyate || tad bhittvā kaṇṭham āyāti tāṃ nāḍīṃ pūrayan yataḥ | manasas tu kṣuraṃ gṛhya su-tīkṣṇaṃ buddhi-nirmalam ||10||

Translation

Then one contemplates the great abode of the Puruṣa, shining like a red lotus—the subtle inner lotus spoken of in the Vedāntas. Having pierced it, the current reaches the throat, filling that nāḍī from there. Taking the mind as a razor—exceedingly sharp, purified by buddhi—one proceeds.

Academic Translation

Then (one contemplates) the great abode of the Person, appearing like a red lotus—the small (inner) lotus, which is spoken of in the Vedāntas. Having pierced it, (the current) reaches the throat, filling that nāḍī from there. Taking the mind as a razor—very sharp, made pure by the intellect—(one proceeds).

Verse Context

• Ātman (Puruṣa) in the dahara-puṇḍarīka (heart-lotus); mokṣa through viveka and yogic inner ascent
• Mahavakya: Indirect—supports identity-teaching by locating the ‘Puruṣa’ in the heart (dahara-vidyā), aligning with ‘ayam ātmā brahma’/‘tat tvam asi’ as contemplative import rather than explicit quotation
• Atharva
• Chandas: Mixed/irregular (later Upaniṣadic, largely anuṣṭubh-like śloka diction; not strictly Vedic metrical recension)