Verse 4

Mundaka

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

प्राणो ह्येष यः सर्वभूतैर्विभाति विजानन् विद्वान् भवते नातिवादी ।

आत्मक्रीड आत्मरतिः क्रियावान् एष ब्रह्मविदां वरिष्ठः ॥४॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

प्राणः । हि । एषः । यः । सर्व-भूतैः । विभाति । विजानन् । विद्वान् । भवते । न । अति-वादी ।

आत्म-क्रीडः । आत्म-रतिः । क्रिया-वान् । एषः । ब्रह्म-विदाम् । वरिष्ठः ॥४॥

IAST Transliteration

prāṇo hy eṣa yaḥ sarva-bhūtair vibhāti vijānan vidvān bhavate nātivādī |

ātma-krīḍa ātma-ratiḥ kriyāvān eṣa brahma-vidāṃ variṣṭhaḥ ||4||

Translation

یہی پران ہے جو تمام بھوتوں میں جلوہ گر ہے۔ اسے جان کر عارف حد سے بڑھ کر گفتگو نہیں کرتا۔ آتما میں کھیلنے والا، آتما ہی میں لذت پانے والا، اور درست عمل میں سرگرم—وہ برہمن کے جاننے والوں میں سب سے برتر ہے۔

Academic Translation

For this indeed is prāṇa, which shines forth through all beings. Knowing (thus), the knower becomes not an excessive talker. Sporting in the Self, delighting in the Self, active (in the proper way)—this one is the श्रेष्ठ (best) among the knowers of Brahman.

Verse Context

• Brahma-jñāna expressed as inner fullness (ātma-krīḍā/ātma-rati) and disciplined speech; prāṇa as a manifestation/indicator of the Self’s presence
• Mahavakya: Indirectly supports mahāvākya realization by describing the jīvanmukta’s marks: self-delight and restraint of vain speech, consistent with identity-knowledge (e.g., ‘अहं ब्रह्मास्मि’).
• Atharva
• Śaunaka (Atharvaveda tradition; Muṇḍaka is classed among Atharva-upaniṣads) Shakha
• Chandas: Mixed/Upaniṣadic verse (not rigidly fixed; commonly recited as metrical śloka-like cadence)