Verse 12

Parabrahma

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

ज्ञानशिखिनो ज्ञाननिष्ठा ज्ञानयज्ञोपवीतिनः । ज्ञानमेव परं तेषां पवित्रं ज्ञानमीरितम् ॥१२॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

ज्ञान-शिखिनः । ज्ञान-निष्ठाः । ज्ञान-यज्ञोपवीतिनः । ज्ञानम् । एव । परम् । तेषाम् । पवित्रम् । ज्ञानम् । ईरितम् ॥१२॥

IAST Transliteration

jñānaśikhino jñānaniṣṭhā jñānayajñopavītinaḥ | jñānam eva paraṃ teṣāṃ pavitraṃ jñānam īritam ||12||

Translation

ज्ञानमेव शिखा येषां, ज्ञाननिष्ठा ये, ज्ञानयज्ञोपवीतिनः ये च; तेषां परं पवित्रं ज्ञानमेव इति प्रोक्तम्।

Academic Translation

Having knowledge as their crest (śikhā), established in knowledge, and having knowledge as their yajñopavīta—knowledge alone is declared to be their supreme purifier.

Verse Context

• Jñāna as the supreme purifier (jñāna-pavitratva) and marker of the jñānī
• Mahavakya: Resonates with ‘tat tvam asi’ and ‘ahaṃ brahmāsmi’ insofar as liberating purity is identity-knowledge of Brahman/Ātman, not external observance.
• Atharva
• Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (śloka)