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Nirvana Upanishad: Verse 21

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 21

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

上なる伝承(ūrdhvāmnāya)とはこれである。支えなき座(pīṭha)、合一への灌頂、離別すなわち離欲の教示、そして灌頂の満足を飲むこと。太陽を十二相として観ずること。識別(viveka)を護ること。慈悲のみを神聖なる戯れ(līlā)とすること。歓喜の花環。独りの洞窟において、解脱の座・姿勢の安楽を語り合う集い。作為なき托鉢を食する者。ハンサ(Haṃsa)の行。ハンサが一切の衆生の内に住すと確立する教え。

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
Central concept
Sarvātmabhāva (the Self as all) culminating in moksha/jīvanmukti; paramahaṃsa ideal
The mahavakyas
Closest in spirit to ‘ayam ātmā brahma’ (Atharva) and ‘ahaṃ brahmāsmi’ (identity realized as nirālamba); expressed via ‘sarvabhūtāntarvartī haṃsa’ (the Self within all).
Veda
Atharva
Chandas
Prose (gadyātmaka, enumerative)

Yoga and practice

Abidance in the heart-cave (hṛdaya-guhā) as meditation locus; effortless seated stability (muktāsana) as a symbol of inner freedom; breath-awareness resonance with haṃsa; ethical yoga via compassion and non-possessiveness; contemplative unity-in-multiplicity through solar visualization.

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