Adhyaya 4
Original Sanskrit
1 य एकोऽवर्णो बहुधा शक्तियोगाद्वर्णाननेकान्निहितार्थो दधाति ।विचैति चान्ते विश्वमादौ च देवः स नो बुद्ध्या शुभया संयुनक्तु ॥
2 तदेवाग्निस्तदादित्यस्तद्वायुस्तदु चन्द्रमाः ।तदेव शुक्रं तद्ब्रह्म तदापस्तत्प्रजापतिः ॥
3 त्वं स्त्री पुमानसि त्वं कुमार उत वा कुमारी ।त्वं जीर्णो दण्डेन वञ्चसि त्वं जातो भवसि विश्वतोमुखः ॥
4 नीलः पतङ्गो हरितो लोहिताक्षस्तडिद्गर्भ ऋतवः समुद्राः ।अनादिमत्त्वं विभुत्वेन वर्तसे यतो जातानि भुवनानि विश्वा ॥
5 अजामेकां लोहितशुक्लकृष्णां बह्वीः प्रजाः सृजमानां सरूपाः ।अजो ह्येको जुषमाणोऽनुशेते जहात्येनां भुक्तभोगामजोऽन्यः ॥
6 द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते ।तयोरन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यनश्नन्नन्योऽभिचाकशीति ॥
7 समाने वृक्षे पुरुषो निमग्नोऽनीशया शोचति मुह्यमानः ।जुष्टं यदा पश्यत्यन्यमीशमस्य महिमानमिति वीतशोकः ॥
8 ऋचो अक्षरे परमे व्योमन्यस्मिन्देवा अधि विश्वे निषेदुः ।यस्तं न वेद किमृचा करिष्यति य इत्तद्विदुस्त इमे समासते ॥
9 छन्दांसि यज्ञाः क्रतवो व्रतानि भूतं भव्यं यच्च वेदा वदन्ति ।अस्मान्मायी सृजते विश्वमेतत्तस्मिंश्चान्यो मायया सन्निरुद्धः ॥
10 मायां तु प्रकृतिं विद्यान्मायिनं च महेश्वरम् ।तस्यवयवभूतैस्तु व्याप्तं सर्वमिदं जगत् ॥
11 यो योनिं योनिमधितिष्ठत्येको यस्मिन्निदं सं च विचैति सर्वम् ।तमीशानं वरदं देवमीड्यं निचाय्येमां शान्तिमत्यन्तमेति ॥
12 यो देवानां प्रभवश्चोद्भवश्च विश्वाधिपो रुद्रो महर्षिः ।हिरण्यगर्भं पश्यत जायमानं स नो बुद्ध्या शुभया संयुनक्तु ॥
13 यो देवानामधिपो यस्मिन्ल्लोका अधिश्रिताः ।य ईशेऽस्य द्विपदश्चतुष्पदः कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम ॥
14 सूक्ष्मातिसूक्ष्मं कलिलस्य मध्ये विश्वस्य स्रष्टारमनेकरूपम् ।विश्वस्यैकं परिवेष्टितारं ज्ञात्वा शिवं शान्तिमत्यन्तमेति ॥
15 स एव काले भुवनस्य गोप्ता विश्वाधिपः सर्वभूतेषु गूढः ।यस्मिन्युक्ता ब्रह्मर्षयो देवताश्च तमेवं ज्ञात्वा मृत्युपाशांश्छिनत्ति ॥
16 घृतात्परं मण्डमिवातिसूक्ष्मं ज्ञात्वा शिवं सर्वभूतेषु गूढम् ।विश्वस्यैकं परिवेष्टितारं ज्ञात्वा देवं मुच्यते सर्वपाशैः ॥
17 एष देवो विश्वकर्मा महात्मा सदा जनानां हृदये सन्निविष्टः ।हृदा मनीषा मनसाभिक्लृप्तो य एतद् विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति ॥
18 यदाऽतमस्तन्न दिवा न रात्रिर्न सन्नचासच्छिव एव केवलः ।तदक्षरं तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं प्रज्ञा च तस्मात्प्रसृता पुराणी ॥
19 नैनमूर्ध्वं न तिर्यञ्चं न मध्ये न परिजग्रभत् ।न तस्य प्रतिमा अस्ति यस्य नाम महद्यशः ॥
20 न संदृशे तिष्ठति रूपमस्य न चक्षुषा पश्यति कश्चनैनम् ।हृदा हृदिस्थं मनसा य एनमेवं विदुरमृतास्ते भवन्ति ॥
21 अजात इत्येवं कश्चिद्भीरुः प्रपद्यते ।रुद्र यत्ते दक्षिणं मुखं तेन मां पाहि नित्यम् ॥
22 मा नस्तोके तनये मा न आयुषि मा नो गोषु मा न अश्वेषु रीरिषः ।वीरान् मा नो रुद्र भामितोऽवधीर्हविष्मन्तः सदामित्त्वा हवामहे ॥
Musean translation
Complete machine-assisted translation made directly from Sanskrit.
1 The one without color, through the union of his powers, bears many colors, his purpose hidden;the god in whom the universe dissolves at the end and arises at the beginning—may he join us to auspicious understanding.
2 That alone is fire; that is the sun, that is wind, that is the moon.That is the bright one, that is Brahman, that is the waters, that is Prajapati.
3 You are woman; you are man; you are the boy and also the girl.You are the old one who walks bent over a staff; born, you turn your face in every direction.
4 You are the dark-blue bird, the green one with red eyes, the womb of lightning, the seasons, the seas.Without beginning, you abide in your pervasiveness; from you all worlds were born.
5 One unborn female, red, white and black, brings forth many offspring resembling her.One unborn male lies beside her in delight; another leaves her after enjoying what she offers.
6 Two fair-winged birds, companions joined together, clasp the same tree.One of them eats its sweet fig; the other, not eating, looks on.
7 Sunk in that same tree, the person grieves, bewildered by helplessness.When he sees the other, the beloved Lord, and his greatness, he is free of sorrow.
8 The verses abide in the imperishable, the highest heaven, where all the gods have taken their seats.What will one do with a verse who does not know that? Those who know it sit assembled here.
9 The meters, sacrifices, rites and vows, what has been, what will be, and what the Vedas tell—from this the wielder of illusion creates the whole universe; within it another is bound by illusion.
10 Know nature as illusion, and the great Lord as illusion's wielder.This whole world is pervaded by beings that are his members.
11 The one who presides over every womb, in whom all this comes together and dissolves—perceiving that Lord, giver of blessings, god worthy of praise, one reaches this peace forever.
12 Rudra, the great seer, source and origin of the gods, sovereign of all,behold the Golden Embryo coming to birth—may he join us to auspicious understanding.
13 The ruler of the gods, on whom the worlds rest,who rules the two-footed and four-footed here—to which god shall we offer our oblation?
14 Subtler than the subtle, amid the tangle, creator of the world, taking many forms,the one who encompasses the universe—knowing Shiva, one reaches peace forever.
15 He alone is the world's guardian in time, sovereign of all, hidden in all beings.Knowing him thus, with whom the seers of Brahman and the gods are joined, one cuts the bonds of death.
16 Knowing Shiva, subtler than the cream of clarified butter, hidden in all beings,knowing the god who alone encompasses the universe, one is freed from every bond.
17 This god, maker of all, the great Self, is always lodged in people's hearts.He is apprehended by heart, discernment and mind. Those who know this become immortal.
18 When darkness is absent, there is neither day nor night, neither being nor nonbeing, only Shiva alone.That is the imperishable, that is Savitr's, worthy of choice; from that ancient wisdom has streamed forth.
19 No one has grasped him above, across or in between.There is no likeness of him whose name is great glory.
20 His form does not stand within sight; no one sees him with the eye.Those who know him thus, by heart and mind, dwelling in the heart, become immortal.
21 Someone fearful takes refuge, saying, "You are unborn."Rudra, with that gracious face of yours, guard me always.
22 Do not harm our children or descendants, our span of life, our cattle or our horses.Do not strike down our warriors in your anger, Rudra. Bearing offerings, we call to you always.
Plain English translation
Complete machine-assisted translation made independently from Sanskrit.
1 The one god has no color, but by combining his powers he takes on many colors, keeping his purpose hidden.At the end the universe dissolves in him, and at the beginning it arises in him. May he give us sound and fortunate understanding.
2 That is fire itself, the sun, the wind and the moon.It is the bright one, Brahman, the waters and Prajapati.
3 You are a woman and a man. You are a young boy and a young girl.You are an old person leaning on a walking stick. You are born with your face turned everywhere.
4 You are a blue bird, a green one with red eyes, lightning's womb, the seasons and the oceans.You have no beginning and exist everywhere. All worlds have come from you.
5 A single unborn female, red, white and black, gives birth to many beings that look like her.One unborn male stays beside her and enjoys her; another has enjoyed her and leaves her behind.
6 Two birds with beautiful wings are close companions. They cling to the same tree.One eats the sweet fig growing there. The other does not eat but watches.
7 On that same tree, the person is caught up in things, confused and grieving because he has no control.When he sees the other, the Lord who is loved, and recognizes his greatness, his grief goes away.
8 The sacred verses are in the highest space, in what cannot perish, where all the gods have settled.What can someone do with a verse without knowing that? The people who know it sit together here.
9 Verse meters, sacrifices, ritual acts, vows, past and future things and everything the Vedas describe:from this the one with the power of illusion produces the whole world. In it another is held fast by illusion.
10 Understand nature as illusion, and the great Lord as the one who uses illusion.Beings that form parts of him fill this entire world.
11 There is one who controls every source of birth. Everything here comes together in him and breaks up in him.Recognizing that god, the ruler who grants gifts and deserves praise, brings this peace that has no end.
12 Rudra, the great seer and ruler of everything, is where the gods originate and come into being.Look at the Golden Embryo as it is born. May he give us sound and fortunate understanding.
13 He governs the gods, and the worlds depend on him.He rules the two-legged and four-legged beings here. To which god should we give our offering?
14 He is finer than the finest thing, within the tangle, the many-formed maker of the world.Knowing Shiva, the one who surrounds everything, brings peace that has no end.
15 He alone guards the world through time, rules everything and is hidden inside all beings.Know him in this way, the one with whom the seers of Brahman and the gods are united, and you cut the ties of death.
16 Know Shiva, hidden in every being, extremely fine, like an essence finer than clarified butter.Know the god who alone surrounds the universe, and all your ties are released.
17 This god made everything. He is the great Self, always present in people's hearts.He can be recognized through the heart, understanding and mind. People who know this become immortal.
18 When there is no darkness, there is no day or night, nothing that is or is not. There is only Shiva.That cannot perish; it is Savitr's, worthy of being chosen. Ancient wisdom has come out of it.
19 Nobody has taken hold of him above, to the side or in the middle.There is no image of the one whose name is great glory.
20 His shape is not something you can see. Nobody sees him with their eyes.He is in the heart. People who know him this way, through heart and mind, become immortal.
21 A frightened person turns to him and says, "You have never been born."Rudra, always protect me with your kind face.
22 Do not hurt our children, their offspring, our lives, our cattle or our horses.Rudra, do not kill our warriors in anger. We always call on you with offerings.
About this section
Adhyaya 4 is part of Shvetashvatara Upanishad by Unknown. This page sets the Sanskrit original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is section 4 of 6 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
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