Verse 17

Ishavasya

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं भस्मान्तं शरीरम्। ॐ क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर॥१७॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

वायुः । अनिलम् । अमृतम् । अथ । इदम् । भस्म-अन्तम् । शरीरम् । ॐ । क्रतो । स्मर । कृतम् । स्मर । क्रतो । स्मर । कृतम् । स्मर ।

IAST Transliteration

vāyur anilam amṛtam atha idaṃ bhasmāntaṃ śarīram | oṃ krato smara kṛtaṃ smara krato smara kṛtaṃ smara ||17||

Translation

ਪ੍ਰਾਣ-ਵਾਯੂ ਅਮਰ ਅਨਿਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਲੀਨ ਹੋ ਜਾਵੇ; ਫਿਰ ਇਹ ਦੇਹ ਭਸਮ ਵਿੱਚ ਅੰਤ ਹੋਵੇ। ਓੰ—ਹੇ ਕ੍ਰਤੁ (ਮਨ/ਇੱਛਾ), ਯਾਦ ਕਰ; ਕੀਤੇ ਕਰਮ ਨੂੰ ਯਾਦ ਕਰ। ਹੇ ਕ੍ਰਤੁ, ਯਾਦ ਕਰ; ਕੀਤੇ ਕਰਮ ਨੂੰ ਯਾਦ ਕਰ।

Academic Translation

Let the vital breath (vāyu) go to the immortal air; then this body ends in ashes. Oṃ—O Kratu (mind/will), remember; remember what has been done. O Kratu, remember; remember what has been done.

Verse Context

• Anta-kāla smṛti (final remembrance), karma and its fruition, distinction of perishable body and ‘immortal’ prāṇa/cosmic principle; preparation for mokṣa
• Mahavakya: Indirect: supports nididhyāsana/constant remembrance that culminates in mahāvākya-realization; not itself a mahāvākya statement.
• Yajur
• Śukla (Vājasaneyī) Yajurveda; Mādhyandina/Kāṇva recensions Shakha
• Chandas: Prose (with rhythmic repetition)