Verse 13

Parabrahma

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अग्नेरिव शिखा नान्या यस्य ज्ञानमयी शिखा । स शिखीत्युच्यते विद्वान् नेतरे केशधारिणः ॥१३॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

अग्नेः-इव । शिखा । न । अन्या । यस्य । ज्ञान-मयी । शिखा । सः । शिखी-इति । उच्यते । विद्वान् । न । इतरे । केश-धारिणः ॥१३॥

IAST Transliteration

agner iva śikhā nānyā yasya jñānamayī śikhā | sa śikhīty ucyate vidvān netare keśadhāriṇaḥ ||13||

Translation

ಅಗ್ನಿಯ ಜ್ವಾಲೆಯ ಹೊರತು ಬೇರೆ ಜ್ವಾಲೆಯಿಲ್ಲದಂತೆ, ಯಾರ ಶಿಖೆಯು ಜ್ಞಾನಮಯವಾಗಿದೆಯೋ ಅವನೇ ವಿದ್ವಾನ್ ‘ಶಿಖೀ’ ಎಂದು ಕರೆಯಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತಾನೆ; ಕೇವಲ ಕೂದಲು ಧರಿಸುವ ಇತರರು ಅಲ್ಲ.

Academic Translation

As (there is) no other flame than the flame of fire, so for whom the tuft (śikhā) is made of knowledge—he, the knower, is called ‘one with a tuft’; not the others who merely wear hair.

Verse Context

• Jñāna (knowledge) as the true mark of Brahman-realization; critique of external ritual identity
• Mahavakya: Supports the import of ‘अहं ब्रह्मास्मि (ahaṃ brahmāsmi)’ and ‘तत् त्वम् असि (tat tvam asi)’ by privileging inner realization over external marks.
• Atharva
• Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (śloka)