Kundika

Verse 0

ब्रह्मचर्याश्रमे क्षीणे गुरुशुश्रूषणे रतः । वेदानधीत्यानुज्ञात उच्यते गुरुणाश्रमी ॥ दारमाहृत्य सदृशमग्निमाधाय शक्तितः । ब्राह्मीमिष्टिं यजेत्तासामहोरात्रेण निर्वपेत् ॥ १-२ ॥

When the discipline of brahmacarya is completed, and one—devoted to serving the teacher—has studied the Vedas and received permission, the teacher declares him an āśramī, fit to enter the next stage. Having taken a wife and, according to his capacity, established the appropriate sacred fire, he should perform the Brāhmī iṣṭi; and from those offerings he should complete the oblation within a day and a night.

Verse 0

संविभज्य सुतानर्थे ग्राम्यकामान्विसृज्य च । संचरन् वनमार्गेण शुचौ देशे परिभ्रमन् ॥ ३ ॥

Having duly apportioned to his sons the means for their livelihood, and having abandoned worldly desires, he should wander—moving along forest paths and roaming in a pure place.

Verse 0

वायुभक्षोऽम्बुभक्षो वा विहितैः कन्दमूलकैः । स्वशरीरे समाप्याथ पृथिव्यां नाश्रु पातयेत् ॥४॥

Whether subsisting on air, or subsisting on water, or on prescribed bulbs and roots—having thus brought the body to its end, one should then not let a tear fall upon the earth.

Verse 0

सह तेनैव पुरुषः कथं संन्यस्त उच्यते । सनामधेयो यस्मिंस्तु कथं संन्यस्त उच्यते ॥५॥

How can a person be called “renounced” while still bound together with that attachment? And one who still bears a name—how can he truly be called “renounced”?

Verse 0

तस्मात् फलविशुद्धाङ्गी संन्यासं संहितात्मनाम् । अग्निवर्णं विनिष्क्रम्य वानप्रस्थं प्रपद्यते ॥६॥

Therefore, with his limbs purified by the ripening of the fruits (of action), he approaches saṃnyāsa—the way of those whose selves are disciplined; having departed into the “fire-colored” state, he enters the forest-dweller (vānaprastha) mode.

Verse 0

लोकवद्भार्ययासक्तो वनं गच्छति संयतः । संत्यक्त्वा संसृतिसुखमनुतिष्ठति किं मुधा ॥ किं वा दुःखमनुस्मृत्य भोगांस्त्यजति चोच्छ्रितान् । गर्भवासभयाद्भीतः शीतोष्णाभ्यां तथैव च ॥७-८॥

Like ordinary people, attached to a wife, a self-controlled man goes to the forest; having abandoned the pleasures of saṃsāric existence, does he undertake this life in vain? Or, remembering suffering, does he renounce even exalted enjoyments—frightened by the fear of dwelling in the womb again, and likewise by cold and heat?

Verse 0

गुह्यं प्रवेष्टुमिच्छामि परं पदमनामयम् इति । संन्यस्याग्निमपुनरावर्तनं यन्मृत्युर्जायमावहम् इति ॥ अथाध्यात्ममन्त्राञ्जपेत् । दीक्षामुपेयात्काषायवासाः । कक्षोपस्थलोमानि वर्जयेत् । ऊर्ध्वबाहुर्विमुक्तमा...

“I wish to enter the secret (inner) way; I seek the supreme, disease-free state”—thus he reflects. Having renounced the sacred fires, he seeks non-return, for death brings about birth—thus he reflects. Then he should repeat the adhyātma (spiritual) mantras. He should receive initiation (dīkṣā), wearing ochre robes. He should refrain from removing the hair of the armpits and the pubic region. With arms uplifted, he becomes one whose path is freedom. Homeless, he should wander, living on alms. He should practice nididhyāsana, deep contemplative abiding. He should wear the pavitra (sacred cord) for the protection of living beings. Concerning this there are verses: a water-pot (kuṇḍikā), a staff (camaka), a sling-bag (śikya), sandals, a triple set of cloths (trivīṣṭapa), a cloth against cold, and a kaupīna as covering; the pavitra, a bathing-cloth, and an upper garment—whatever is beyond this, the renunciant (yati) should abandon entirely.

Verse 0

नदीपुलिनशायी स्याद्देवागारेषु बाह्यतः। नात्यर्थं सुखदुःखाभ्यां शरीरमुपतापयेत्॥११॥

He should lie down on a river’s sandbank, or outside the temples. He should not torment the body excessively, neither by pursuing pleasure nor by inflicting pain.

Verse 0

स्नानं पानं तथा शौचमद्भिः पूताभिराचिरेत्। स्तूयमानो न तुष्येत निन्दितो न शपेत्परान्॥१२॥

He should perform bathing, drinking (water), and cleansing with purified water, regularly. When praised, he should not be elated; when blamed, he should not curse others.

Verse 0

भिक्षादिवैदलं पात्रं स्नानद्रव्यमवारितम् । एवं वृत्तिमुपासीनो यतेन्द्रियो जपेत्सदा ॥१३॥

A vessel of leaves (or bark) for alms, and bathing materials readily available and unobstructed: abiding in such a way of life, with the senses restrained, one should ever repeat the sacred mantra.

Verse 0

विश्वाय मनुसंयोगं मनसा भावयेत्सुधीः । आकाशाद्वायुर्वायोर्ज्योतिर्ज्योतिष आपोऽद्भ्यः पृथिवी । एषां भूतानां ब्रह्म प्रपद्ये । अजरममरमक्षरमव्ययं प्रपद्ये । मय्यखण्डसुखाम्भोधौ बहुधा विश्ववीचयः । उत्पद्यन्...

The wise should contemplate with the mind the mind’s conjunction with the universe. From space arises air; from air, fire/light; from fire, waters; from waters, earth. To the Brahman of these elements I resort. To the unborn and unaging, deathless, imperishable, immutable Brahman I resort. In me—an ocean of unbroken bliss—the waves of the universe arise in many ways and subside, through the agitation of the wind of māyā.

Verse 0

न मे देहेन सम्बन्धो मेघेनेव विहायसः । अतः कुतो मे तद्धर्मा जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्तिषु ॥१५॥

I have no connection with the body, as the sky has no connection with a cloud. Therefore, how could the properties of that (body) be mine in waking, dream, and deep sleep?

Verse 0

आकाशवत्कल्पविदूरगोऽहमादित्यवद्भास्यविलक्षणोऽहम् । अहार्यवन्नित्यविनिश्चलोऽहमम्बोधिवत्पारविवर्जितोऽहम् ॥१६॥

I am like space—far beyond all imaginings; I am like the sun—distinct from what is illumined. I am like that which cannot be taken away—eternally unmoving; I am like the ocean—without any further shore.

Verse 0

नारायणोऽहं नरकान्तकोऽहं पुरान्तकोऽहं पुरुषोऽहमीशः । अखण्डबोधोऽहमशेषसाक्षी निरीश्वरोऽहं निरहं च निर्ममः ॥१७॥

I am Nārāyaṇa; I am the ender of hell; I am the destroyer of the (three) cities; I am the Puruṣa, the Lord. I am unbroken consciousness; I am the witness of all. I am without a separate ruler; I am without egoity and without possessiveness.

Verse 0

तदभ्यासेन प्राणापानौ संयम्य तत्र श्लोका भवन्ति । वृषणापानयोर्मध्ये पाणी आस्थाय संश्रयेत् । संदश्य शनकैर्जिह्वां यवमात्रे विनिर्गताम् ॥१८॥

By the practice of that, having restrained prāṇa and apāna, there are verses there as follows: Placing the hands between the testicles and the anus, one should take support there. Gently pressing the teeth, one should hold the tongue, protruded by the measure of a barley-corn.

Verse 0

माषमात्रां तथा दृष्टिं श्रोत्रे स्थाप्य तथा भुवि । श्रवणे नासिके गन्धा यतः स्वं न च संश्रयेत् ॥१९॥

Fix the gaze to the measure of a māṣa (a small measure), and place attention in the ear and likewise upon the ground; observe the sounds and the scents in the nose, so that the Self (Ātman) takes no support in them and does not cling to them.

Verse 0

अथ शैवपदं यत्र तद्ब्रह्म ब्रह्म तत्परम् । तदभ्यासेन लभ्येत पूर्वजन्मार्जितात्मनाम् ॥२०॥

Now, that state—called the Śaiva abode—is Brahman itself, Brahman, the Supreme. It is attained through the repeated practice of that contemplation by those whose inner being has been cultivated in former births.

Verse 0

संभूतैर्वायुसंश्रावैर्हृदयं तप उच्यते । ऊर्ध्वं प्रपद्यते देहाद्भित्त्वा मूर्धानमव्ययम् ॥२१॥

By the arisen, regulated currents of wind (vāyu) and their flow, the heart is called tapas—ascetic heat. Then it moves upward from the body, piercing the imperishable crown of the head.

Verse 0

स्वदेहस्य तु मूर्धानं ये प्राप्य परमां गतिम् । भूयस्ते न निवर्तन्ते परावरविदो जनाः ॥२२॥

Those persons who, having reached the crown (mūrdhan) of their own body, attain the supreme state—those knowers of the higher and the lower do not return again.

Verse 0

न साक्षिणं साक्ष्यधर्माः संस्पृशन्ति विलक्षणम् । अविकारमुदासीनं गृहधर्माः प्रदीपवत् ॥२३॥

The properties of the witnessed do not touch the Witness, who is distinct—unchanging and unattached—just as the properties of a house do not affect a lamp.

Verse 0

जले वापि स्थले वापि लुठत्वेष जडात्मकः । नाहं विलिप्ये तद्धर्मैर्घटधर्मैर्नभो यथा ॥२४॥

Whether in water or on land, though (the body) rolls about and is of inert nature, I am not smeared by its properties—just as space is not smeared by the properties of a pot.

Verse 0

निष्क्रियोऽस्म्यविकारोऽस्मि निष्कलोऽस्मि निराकृतिः । निर्विकल्पोऽस्मि नित्योऽस्मि निरालम्बोऽस्मि निर्द्वयः ॥ सर्वात्मकोऽहं सर्वोऽहं सर्वातीतोऽहमद्वयः । केवलाखण्डबोधोऽहं स्वानन्दोऽहं निरन्तरः ॥२५-२६॥

I am actionless; I am without modification; I am partless; I am without form. I am free from conceptual alternatives; I am eternal; I am without support; I am non-dual. I am the Self of all; I am all; I am beyond all; I am non-dual. I am pure, undivided consciousness; I am bliss of my own nature; I am continuous, without interruption.

Verse 0

स्वमेव सर्वतः पश्यन्मन्यमानः स्वमद्वयम् । स्वानन्दमनुभुञ्जानो निर्विकल्पो भवाम्यहम् ॥२७॥

Seeing the Self alone everywhere, knowing the Self as non-dual, and tasting the bliss that is its own, I become nirvikalpa—free from all conceptual alternatives.

Verse 0

गच्छंस्तिष्ठन्नुपविशञ्छयानो वान्यथापि वा । यथेच्छया वसेद्विद्वानात्मारामः सदा मुनिः ॥ इत्युपनिषत् ॥ २८ ॥

Whether walking, standing, sitting, lying down, or in any other manner, the knower should abide as he wishes—ever a sage, delighting in the Self. Thus ends the Upaniṣad.