Prashna Upanishad: Verse 1.8

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

विश्वरूपं हरिणं जातवेदसं परायणं ज्योतिरेकं तपन्तम् । सहस्ररश्मिः शतधा वर्तमानः प्राणः प्रजानामुदयत्येष सूर्यः ॥८॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

विश्वरूपम् हरिणम् जातवेदसम् परायणम् ज्योतिः एकम् तपन्तम् । सहस्ररश्मिः शतधा वर्तमानः प्राणः प्रजानाम् उदयति एषः सूर्यः ॥८॥

Recitation with translationPrashna Upanishad 1.8

IAST Transliteration

viśvarūpaṁ hariṇaṁ jātavedasaṁ parāyaṇaṁ jyotirekaṁ tapantam | sahasraraśmiḥ śatadhā vartamānaḥ prāṇaḥ prajānāmudayatyeṣa sūryaḥ ||8||

Translation

ବିଶ୍ୱରୂପ, ସୁବର୍ଣମୟ, ସର୍ବଜ୍ଞ, ପରମ ଶରଣ, ଏକ ଜ୍ୟୋତି, ସହସ୍ର କିରଣଯୁକ୍ତ, ଶତବିଧରେ ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନ—ଏହି ପ୍ରଜାଙ୍କର ପ୍ରାଣ ଉଦୟ ହୁଅନ୍ତି, ଏହି ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ।

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Academic Translation

The sun of universal form, the golden one, the knower of all beings, the supreme refuge, the one light burning, with thousand rays, existing in a hundredfold manner—this prana of beings rises, this sun.

Word by Word

• viśvarūpam: all-formed / universal in form
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśvarūpa
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• hariṇam: golden / tawny / deer
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hariṇa
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• jātavedasam: Jatavedas / knower of all beings
• Type: Noun
• Root: jātavedas
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• parāyaṇam: supreme refuge / final support
• Type: Noun
• Root: parāyaṇa
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• jyotirekam: one light
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyotis-eka
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• tapantam: shining / burning
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tap (tapati)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• sahasraraśmiḥ: having thousand rays
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasra-raśman
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• śatadhā: in a hundred ways
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śata-dhā
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular (adverbial)

• vartamānaḥ: moving / existing
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛt (vartate)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• prāṇaḥ: prāṇa / vital force
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• prajānām: of creatures / of beings
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• udayati: rises
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√i (udayati)
• Form: Present tense, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• eṣaḥ: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: idam
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• sūryaḥ: the sun
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Sandhi Notes

• jyotirekam = jyotis + ekam (s before vowel becomes r via visarga, then r + e; or jyotiḥ + ekam with visarga sandhi)
• prāṇaḥ prajānām = no sandhi (visarga before pa)
• prajānāmudayati = prajānām + udayati (ām + u = āmu, no visarga shown)
• udayatyeṣa = udayati + eṣa (i + e = ye)

About this Verse

Central concept

Surya as Cosmic Prana

The mahavakyas

The identification of the sun with prana of all beings supports the non-dual vision underlying 'Tat tvam asi' (Chandogya 6.8.7)—the universal life-force is one, appearing as many. The sun as 'parāyaṇam' (supreme refuge) echoes the sentiment of 'Ayam ātmā brahma' (Mandukya 2).

Veda

Atharva Veda

Shakha

Pippalada (Paippalada)

Chandas

Trishtup (11-syllable per pada, 44 syllables total)

Yoga and practice

This verse is foundational for surya-trataka (sun-gazing meditation) and the practice of meditating on prana as solar energy. The 'thousand rays' correspond to the nadis (subtle energy channels) in yogic physiology, with the sun as their source. The identification of the sun with prana supports the practice of prana-vidya (knowledge of vital force) and the meditation on the heart-lotus as the seat of the inner sun.