Verse 1
Naadbindu
Sanskrit (Devanagari)
ॐ अकारो दक्षिणः पक्ष उकारस्तूत्तरः स्मृतः । मकारं पुच्छमित्याहुरर्धमात्रा तु मस्तकम् ॥१॥
Padapatha (Word Split)
ॐ । अकारः । दक्षिणः । पक्षः । उकारः । तु । उत्तरः । स्मृतः । मकारम् । पुच्छम् । इति । आहुः । अर्ध-मात्रा । तु । मस्तकम् ।
IAST Transliteration
oṁ akāro dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣa ukāras tūttaraḥ smṛtaḥ | makāraṁ puccham ity āhur ardhamātrā tu mastakam ||1||
Translation
ॐ में ‘अ’ को दक्षिण पक्ष कहा गया है, ‘उ’ को उत्तर (ऊर्ध्व) पक्ष स्मरण किया गया है। ‘म’ को पुच्छ कहा जाता है और अर्धमात्रा को मस्तक माना गया है।
Academic Translation
Om: the letter ‘A’ is remembered as the right wing; the letter ‘U’ as the left (upper/northern) wing. The letter ‘M’, they say, is the tail; and the half-mora (ardhamātrā) is the head.
Verse Context
Brahman (praṇava as symbol of Brahman)Mahavakya: Indirect: supports mahāvākya contemplation by presenting Oṁ as a comprehensive symbol of Brahman/Ātman (often used as an upāsanā-aid for realizing ‘ayam ātmā brahma’ / ‘tat tvam asi’).AtharvaAtharva-veda (general Atharvaṇic affiliation; specific śākhā not securely attested for this Upaniṣad) ShakhaChandas: Anuṣṭubh (śloka-style)