Verse 8

Mandukya

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

सोऽयमात्माध्यक्षरमोङ्कारोऽधिमात्रं पादा मात्रा मात्राश्च पादा अकार उकारो मकार इति ॥८॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

सः । अयम् । आत्मा । अध्यक्षरम् । ओङ्कारः । अधि-मात्रम् । पादाः । मात्राः । मात्राः । च । पादाः । अकारः । उकारः । मकारः । इति ॥८॥

IAST Transliteration

so ’yam ātmā adhyakṣaram oṅkāro ’dhimātraṃ pādā mātrā mātrāś ca pādā akāra ukāro makāra iti ||8||

Translation

Ang mismong Sariling ito ay Oṃ, ang Di-nasisira; at may mga sukat (mātrā). Ang mga bahagi nito ay ang mga sukat, at ang mga sukat ay ang mga bahagi—yaon ay A, U, at M.

Academic Translation

This very Self is Oṃ, as the imperishable; as possessing measures (mātrā). Its quarters are the measures, and the measures are the quarters—namely, A, U, and M.

Verse Context

• Oṃ as symbol (pratīka) and pointer to Ātman/Brahman; mapping of four pādas to phonemes/mātrās
• Mahavakya: Supports “ayam ātmā brahma” by identifying Ātman with Oṃ as an upāsanā-pratīka leading to knowledge; also aligns with “prajnānam brahma” insofar as Oṃ is taught as the indicator of consciousness-reality.
• Atharva
• Atharva-veda (Ātharvaṇa tradition; commonly transmitted with Śaunaka affiliation) Shakha
• Chandas: Prose