Verse 17

Parabrahma

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

इदं यज्ञोपवीतं तु परमं यत्परायणम् । विद्वान् यज्ञोपवीती संधारयेद्यः स मुक्तिभाक् ॥१७॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

इदम् । यज्ञ-उपवीतम् । तु । परम् । यत्-परायणम् । विद्वान् । यज्ञ-उपवीती । संधारयेत् । यः । सः । मुक्ति-भाक् ॥१७॥

IAST Transliteration

idaṃ yajñopavītaṃ tu paramaṃ yatparāyaṇam | vidvān yajñopavītī saṃdhārayed yaḥ sa muktibhāk ||17||

Translation

But this yajñopavīta is supreme, having That (Brahman) as its final refuge. The knower who bears the yajñopavīta—he partakes of liberation.

Academic Translation

But this yajñopavīta is supreme—having That (Brahman) as its final resort. The knower who bears the yajñopavīta—he is a partaker of liberation.

Verse Context

• Mokṣa through Brahma-jñāna; Brahman as parāyaṇa (ultimate refuge)
• Mahavakya: Indirect: ‘That as the final resort’ presupposes realization of identity with Brahman (purport consonant with ‘tat tvam asi’/‘ayam ātmā brahma’).
• Atharva
• Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (śloka)