Home›Upanishads›Nirvana›Verse 20
←Previous Verse
Next Verse→

Nirvana Upanishad: Verse 20

ऊर्ध्वाम्नायः। निरालम्बपीठः। संयोगदीक्षा। वियोगोपदेशः। दीक्षासन्तोषपानं च। द्वादशावदित्यावलोकनम्। विवेकरक्षा। करुणैव केलिः। आनन्दमाला। एकान्तगुहायां मुक्तासनसुखगोष्ठी। अकल्पितभिक्षाशी। हंसाचारः। सर्वभूतान्तर्वर्ती हंस इति प्रतिपादनम्॥१२–२४॥

ऊर्ध्व-आम्नायः । निरालम्ब-पीठः । संयोग-दीक्षा । वियोग-उपदेशः । दीक्षा-सन्तोष-पानम् च । द्वादश-आवत्-आदित्य-अवलोकनम् । विवेक-रक्षा । करुणा-एव केलिः । आनन्द-माला । एकान्त-गुहायाम् मुक्त-आसन-सुख-गोष्ठी । अकल्पित-भिक्षा-आशी । हंस-आचारः । सर्व-भूत-अन्तः-वर्ती हंसः इति प्रतिपादनम् ॥१२–२४॥

Recitation with translationNirvana Upanishad 20

ūrdhvāmnāyaḥ | nirālambapīṭhaḥ | saṃyogadīkṣā | viyogopadeśaḥ | dīkṣāsantoṣapānaṃ ca | dvādaśāvadityāvalokanam | vivekarakṣā | karuṇaiva keliḥ | ānandamālā | ekāntaguhāyāṃ muktāsanasukhagoṣṭhī | akalpitabhikṣāśī | haṃsācāraḥ | sarvabhūtāntarvartī haṃsa iti pratipādanam ||12–24||

The higher transmission (ūrdhvāmnāya) is this: the seat (pīṭha) without support; initiation into union; instruction in separation—detachment; and the drinking of the contentment of dīkṣā; the contemplation of the sun as twelvefold; the guarding of discrimination (viveka); compassion alone as divine play (līlā); a garland of bliss; in the solitary cave, an assembly of the joy of the liberated seat/posture; one who eats uncontrived alms; the conduct of the Haṃsa; and the establishing that the Haṃsa dwells within all beings.

The higher transmission (ūrdhvāmnāya) [is this]: the seat (pīṭha) that is without support; initiation into union; instruction in disunion (detachment); and the drinking of the contentment of initiation; the viewing of the sun as twelvefold; the guarding of discrimination; compassion alone as play; a garland of bliss; in the solitary cave, an assembly of the happiness of the liberated posture/seat; one who eats alms that are uncontrived; the conduct of the Haṃsa; and the establishing (doctrine) that the Haṃsa dwells within all beings.

ūrdhvāmnāyaḥthe higher tradition/transmission
ūrdhvāmnāyaḥ:
TypeNoun
Rootūrdhva- (प्रातिपदिक) + āmnāya- (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्
nirālambapīṭhaḥthe supportless seat
nirālambapīṭhaḥ:
TypeNoun
Rootnirālamba- (प्रातिपदिक) + pīṭha- (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्
saṃyogadīkṣāinitiation into union
saṃyogadīkṣā:
TypeNoun
Rootsaṃyoga- (प्रातिपदिक) + dīkṣā- (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्
viyogopadeśaḥinstruction in detachment
viyogopadeśaḥ:
TypeNoun
Rootviyoga- (प्रातिपदिक) + upadeśa- (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्
dīkṣāsantoṣapānamthe drinking/imbibing of initiation-contentment
dīkṣāsantoṣapānam:
TypeNoun
Rootdīkṣā- (प्रातिपदिक) + santoṣa- (प्रातिपदिक) + pāna- (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्
caand
ca:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्
dvādaśāvatityāvalokanamthe observation through twelve cycles
dvādaśāvatityāvalokanam:
TypeNoun
Rootdvādaśa- (प्रातिपदिक) + āvarti- (प्रातिपदिक) + āvalokana- (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्
vivekarakṣāthe safeguarding of discrimination
vivekarakṣā:
TypeNoun
Rootviveka- (प्रातिपदिक) + rakṣā- (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्
karuṇācompassion
karuṇā:
TypeNoun
Rootkaruṇā- (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्
evaindeed/alone
eva:
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
Formअवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम्
keliḥplay/sport
keliḥ:
TypeNoun
Rootkeli- (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्
ānandamālāa garland of bliss
ānandamālā:
TypeNoun
Rootānanda- (प्रातिपदिक) + mālā- (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्
ekāntaguhāyāmin the solitary cave
ekāntaguhāyām:
TypeNoun
Rootekānta- (प्रातिपदिक) + guhā- (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-एकवचनम्
muktāsanasukhagoṣṭhīthe pleasant gathering in the liberated posture
muktāsanasukhagoṣṭhī:
TypeNoun
Rootmukta- (कृदन्त, √muc) + āsana- (प्रातिपदिक) + sukha- (प्रातिपदिक) + goṣṭhī- (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्
akalpitabhikṣāśīone who eats unplanned alms
akalpitabhikṣāśī:
TypeAdjective
Roota-kalpita- (कृदन्त, √kḷp) + bhikṣā- (प्रातिपदिक) + śin- (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक from √aś ‘to eat’)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (विशेषणम्)
haṃsācāraḥHaṃsa-conduct
haṃsācāraḥ:
TypeNoun
Roothaṃsa- (प्रातिपदिक) + ācāra- (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्
sarvabhūtāntarvartīdwelling within all beings
sarvabhūtāntarvartī:
TypeAdjective
Rootsarva- (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta- (कृदन्त, √bhū) + antar- (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-प्रातिपदिक) + vartin- (कृदन्त, √vṛt)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (विशेषणम्)
haṃsaḥthe Haṃsa
haṃsaḥ:
TypeNoun
Roothaṃsa- (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्
itithus
iti:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
Formइत्यादि-परामर्शार्थक-अव्ययम्
pratipādanamthe exposition/establishment
pratipādanam:
TypeNoun
Rootprati-√pad (धातु) + -ana (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; भाववाचकं कृदन्तम्
  • Resolved: karuṇaiva → karuṇā + eva
  • viyogopadeśaḥ → viyoga + upadeśaḥ
  • dīkṣāsantoṣapānam → dīkṣā + santoṣa + pānam
  • dvādaśāvadityāvalokanam parsed as dvādaśa + āvarti + āvalokanam (orthography suggests āvarti-)
  • ekāntaguhāyāṃ → ekānta + guhāyām
  • muktāsanasukhagoṣṭhī segmented as mukta + āsana + sukha + goṣṭhī
  • sarvabhūtāntarvartī → sarva + bhūta + antar + vartī
Moksha (jīvanmukti) through viveka-vairāgya and recognition of the inner Haṃsa (Ātman) in all beingsMahavakya: Implicitly supports Atharva-veda mahāvākya ‘ayam ātmā brahma’ by asserting the indwelling Self (haṃsa/ātman) in all beings; also aligns with ‘tat tvam asi’ in its universal interiority.AtharvaChandas: Prose (gadyātmaka, aphoristic/nominal style)

Ask anything about this verse

Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.

Not sure where to start?

A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.

Read Upanishads in the Vedapath app

Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Continue reading in the Vedapath app

Open in App
Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play