Atma Upanishad 19 — Verse 19

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

दैवेन नीयते देहो यथा कालोपभुक्तिषु ।

लक्ष्यालक्ष्यगतिं त्यक्त्वा यस्तिष्ठेत्केवलात्मना॥

शिव एव स्वयं साक्षादयं ब्रह्मविदुत्तमः ।

जीवन्नेव सदा मुक्तः कृतार्थो ब्रह्मवित्तमः॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

दैवेन । नीयते । देहः । यथा । काल-उपभुक्तिषु ।

लक्ष्य-अलक्ष्य-गतिम् । त्यक्त्वा । यः । तिष्ठेत् । केवल-आत्मना ॥

शिवः । एव । स्वयम् । साक्षात् । अयम् । ब्रह्म-विद्-उत्तमः ।

जीवन् । एव । सदा । मुक्तः । कृत-अर्थः । ब्रह्म-वित्-तमः ॥

IAST Transliteration

daivena nīyate deho yathā kālopabhuktiṣu |

lakṣyālakṣya-gatiṃ tyaktvā yas tiṣṭhet kevalātmanā ||

śiva eva svayaṃ sākṣād ayaṃ brahmaviduttamaḥ |

jīvanneva sadā muktaḥ kṛtārtho brahmavittamaḥ ||

Translation

身体は、時のうちに味わわれるべき経験において、天命（ダイヴァ）によって導かれてゆく。目指すものと目指さぬものへの赴きを捨て、ただ自己（アートマン）として立つ者—その者こそまさにシヴァそのもの、直に現前する者であり、最高のブラフマン知者である。生きながらにして常に解脱し、成就した者—最上のブラフマン知者である。

Academic Translation

The body is led by destiny (daiva), as in experiences that are to be undergone in time. Having abandoned movement toward the ‘aimed-at’ and the ‘not-aimed-at’ (the seen and unseen goals), he who stands by the Self alone—he is indeed Śiva himself, directly; this is the highest knower of Brahman. Living (still), he is ever liberated, fulfilled; the supreme knower of Brahman.

Verse Context

• Jīvanmukti; prārabdha (kālopabhukti); tyāga of saṅkalpa; kevalātma-niṣṭhā; identification of realized Self with Śiva/Brahman
• Mahavakya: Embodies Mahāvākya realization: ‘अहं ब्रह्मास्मि’—the realized one is ‘Śiva himself’ (non-different from Brahman).
• Atharva
• Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (śloka-style)