Verse 12

Brahmavidya

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

कांस्यघण्टानिनादस्तु यथा लीयति शान्तये । ओङ्कारस्तु तथा योज्यः शान्तये सर्वमिच्छता ॥ यस्मिन्विलीयते शब्दस्तत्परं ब्रह्म गीयते । धियं हि लीयते ब्रह्म सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ॥१२–१३॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

कांस्य-घण्टा-निनादः । तु । यथा । लीयति । शान्तये । ओङ्कारः । तु । तथा । योज्यः । शान्तये । सर्वम् । इच्छता । यस्मिन् । विलीयते । शब्दः । तत् । परम् । ब्रह्म । गीयते । धियम् । हि । लीयते । ब्रह्म । सः । अमृतत्वाय । कल्पते ।

IAST Transliteration

kāṃsyaghaṇṭāninādastu yathā līyati śāntaye | oṅkārastu tathā yojyaḥ śāntaye sarvamicchatā || yasmin vilīyate śabdastat paraṃ brahma gīyate | dhiyaṃ hi līyate brahma so'mṛtatvāya kalpate ||12–13||

Translation

ಕಾಂಸ್ಯಘಂಟೆಯ ನಿನಾದವು ಹೇಗೆ ಶಾಂತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಲೀನವಾಗುತ್ತದೋ, ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಶಾಂತಿಯನ್ನು ಬಯಸುವವನು ಓಂಕಾರವನ್ನು ಯುಕ್ತಿಯಾಗಿ ಉಪಯೋಗಿಸಬೇಕು. ಯಾವಲ್ಲಿ ಶಬ್ದ ಲೀನವಾಗುತ್ತದೋ ಅದೇ ಪರಮ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮವೆಂದು ಗಾನಗೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತದೆ; ಮನಸ್ಸು ಬ್ರಹ್ಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಲೀನವಾದಾಗ ಅವನು ಅಮೃತತ್ವಕ್ಕೆ ಯೋಗ್ಯನಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ.

Academic Translation

Just as the resonance of a bronze bell subsides into silence, so should the Oṅkāra be applied by one who desires complete peace. That in which sound dissolves is sung as the supreme Brahman; indeed, when the mind dissolves into Brahman, one becomes fit for immortality.

Verse Context

• Oṃ (Praṇava) as upāsanā leading to mind-dissolution (laya) in Brahman and amṛtatva
• Mahavakya: Aligns with ‘प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म’ (Prajñānam brahma): the ground in which sound and mind resolve is pure consciousness; also supports ‘तत् त्वम् असि’ by pointing to the same ultimate reality as one’s inner silence.
• Atharva
• Chandas: Mixed/Anuṣṭubh-like (late Upaniṣadic śloka style)