Atma Upanishad: Verse 6
असत्यत्वेन भानं तु संसारस्य निवर्तकम् । घटोऽयमिति विज्ञातुं नियमः कोऽन्वपेक्षते ॥
विना प्रमाणसुष्ठुत्वं यस्मिन् सति पदार्थधीः । अयमात्मा नित्यसिद्धः प्रमाणे सति भासते ॥५–६॥
असत्यत्वेन । भानम् । तु । संसारस्य । निवर्तकम् । घटः । अयम् । इति । विज्ञातुम् । नियमः । कः । अन्वपेक्षते ॥
विना । प्रमाण-सुष्ठुत्वम् । यस्मिन् । सति । पदार्थ-धीः । अयम् । आत्मा । नित्य-सिद्धः । प्रमाणे । सति । भासते ॥
asatyatvena bhānaṃ tu saṃsārasya nivartakam | ghaṭo’yam iti vijñātuṃ niyamaḥ ko’nvapekṣate ||
vinā pramāṇa-suṣṭhutvaṃ yasmin sati padārtha-dhīḥ | ayam ātmā nitya-siddhaḥ pramāṇe sati bhāsate ||5–6||
जब तुम समझ जाओगे कि यह दुनिया असली नहीं है, तब जनम मरण का चक्कर टूट जाता है। देखो, यह हांडी है, यह जानने के लिए कोई रूल की ज़रूरत है क्या? बिना किसी प्रूफ के भी चीज़ें समझ में आती हैं। आत्मा तो हमेशा से है, कभी खत्म नहीं होती। जब तक सही तरह से देखते हो, तब तक वो साफ साफ नज़र आता है।
The appearance (cognition) of the world as unreal is indeed the remover of saṃsāra. To know “this is a pot,” what rule (restriction) does one depend upon? Without the proper functioning of a means of knowledge, when there is cognition of an object—this Self is eternally established; yet, when a means of knowledge is present, it becomes manifest (is known).
- घटोऽयम् = घटः + अयम् (विसर्ग-लोप, अवग्रह)
- कोऽन्वपेक्षते = कः + अन्वपेक्षते (विसर्ग-लोप, अवग्रह)
About this Verse
- Central concept
- Māyā/Asat-khyāti and Atman as nitya-siddha (ever-established); pramāṇa and aparokṣa-jñāna
- The mahavakyas
- Supports ‘Ayam Ātmā Brahma’ by asserting the Self is ever-established and revealed through right knowledge rather than produced; also aligns with ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ via immediate self-recognition analogy.
- Veda
- Atharva Veda
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh (śloka)
Yoga and practice
Viveka (discrimination of real/unreal) as a meditative theme; śravaṇa–manana to refine pramāṇa (Upaniṣadic teaching) so that ever-present Atman is recognized; practice of witnessing cognition without reifying appearances.
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