Isha Upanishad, also known as Ishavasya Upanishad, is the shortest of all Upanishads. It contains 18 verses (plus the invocation) and is the final chapter of Shukla Yajurveda. It is a poetic Upanishad and is one of the principal Upanishads. Ishavasya is the only Upanishad attached to the Samhita. Therefore, it is also called Samhitoupanishad. Other Upanishads are attached to a later layer of Vedic texts, such as Brahmanas or Aranyakas. It is nonliturgical, which means its verses are not used in rituals since they explain the true nature of the Self, which is not subsidiary to karma.
Meaning of the word Isha-Upanishad:
The word Isha means “master” or “ruler” and Upanishad means “sitting at the feet of”.
Who Wrote Isha Upanishad?
Isha Upanishad is the 40th chapter of Vajasaneyi Samhita. The Rishi of Vajasaneyi Samhita is Sage Vivasvana. Therefore, most probably, it was revealed to (written by) him.
Isha Upanishad:
The eighteen verses of this Upanishad are to be understood as falling into four sections—
I. Verse 1, which teaches that those who understand the Self and are fit for realizing it should give up all worldly desires and devote themselves exclusively to attaining final release;
II. Verse 2, which enjoins the performance of karma on such others as do not comprehend the Self and are consequently unable to realize it;
III. Verses 3-8, which, having in view persons referred to in verse 1, describe the true nature of the Self and indicate the consequences of realizing or not realizing it;
IV. Verses 9-18, which commend the simultaneous practice of karma and Upasana to persons referred to in verse 2.
Following is the complete translation of Isha Upanishad by M. Hiriyanna, who was an eminent Indian philosopher and Sanskrit scholar in the 20th century.
Invocation:
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते ।
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-Idam Puurnnaat-Puurnnam-Udacyate |
Puurnnasya Puurnnam-Aadaaya Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||
Om! That is full; this is full, (for) from the full, the full (indeed) arises. When the full merges into the full, what remains is full indeed. Om! Peace! Peace! Peace!
Verse 1:
ईशा वास्यम् इदं सर्वं यत् किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् ।
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्य स्विद्धनम् ॥ १ ॥
īśā vāsyam idaṃ sarvaṃ yat kiñca jagatyāṃ jagat |
tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya sviddhanam || 1 ||
In the Lord is to be veiled all this—whatsoever moves on the earth. Through such renunciation do you save (yourself); be not greedy, for whose is wealth?
Verse 2:
कुर्वन्न् एवेह कर्माणि जिजीविषेच्छतं समाः ।
एवं त्वयि नान्यथेतोऽस्ति न कर्म लिप्यते नरे ॥ २ ॥
kurvann eveha karmāṇi jijīviṣecchataṃ samāḥ |
evaṃ tvayi nānyatheto’sti na karma lipyate nare || 2 ||
Always performing karma here, one should desire to live, for a hundred years. So long as you (seekest to live) a mere man, no other (path) exists (where) activity does not taint you.
Verse 3:
असुर्या नाम ते लोका अन्धेन तमसावृताः ।
तांस्ते प्रेत्याभिगच्छन्ति ये के चात्महनो जनाः ॥ ३ ॥
asuryā nāma te lokā andhena tamasāvṛtāḥ |
tāṃste pretyābhigacchanti ye ke cātmahano janāḥ || 3 ||
3. Malignant are those worlds and enveloped in blinding darkness, into which pass, after death, whatsoever people slay the Self.
Verse 4:
अनेजद् एकं मनसो जवीयो नैनद्देवा आप्नुवन्पूर्वमर्षत् ।
तद्धावतोऽन्यानत्येति तिष्ठत् तस्मिन्न् अपो मातरिश्वा दधाति ॥ ४ ॥
anejad ekaṃ manaso javīyo nainaddevā āpnuvanpūrvamarṣat |
taddhāvato’nyānatyeti tiṣṭhat tasminn apo mātariśvā dadhāti || 4 ||
4. Unmoving, one, (and speedier than the mind; the senses reach it never; (for) it (Self) goes before. Standing, it outstrips others that run. In virtue of it, does mātarisvā allot functions (severally to all).
Verse 5:
तद् एजति तन् नैजति तद् दूरे तद् व् अन्तिके ।
तद् अन्तर् अस्य सर्वस्य तद् उ सर्वस्यास्य बाह्यतः ॥ ५ ॥
tad ejati tan naijati tad dūre tad v antike |
tad antar asya sarvasya tad u sarvasyāsya bāhyataḥ || 5 ||
5. It moves: and it moves not; it is far and it is near. It is inside all this; it is also outside all this.
Verse 6:
यस् तु सर्वाणि भूतान्य् आत्मन्य् एवानुपश्यति ।
सर्वभूतेषु चात्मानं ततो न विजुगुप्सते ॥ ६ ॥
yas tu sarvāṇi bhūtāny ātmany evānupaśyati |
sarvabhūteṣu cātmānaṃ tato na vijugupsate || 6 ||
6. And he who sees all beings in himself and himself in all beings has no aversion thence.
Verse 7:
यस्मिन् सर्वाणि भूतान्य् आत्मैवाभूद् विजानतः ।
तत्र को मोहः कः शोक एकत्वम् अनुपश्यतः ॥ ७ ॥
yasmin sarvāṇi bhūtāny ātmaivābhūd vijānataḥ |
tatra ko mohaḥ kaḥ śoka ekatvam anupaśyataḥ || 7 ||
7. When to a knower discovering unity, all beings become his very Self, what delusion then (to him) and what sorrow?
Verse 8:
स पर्यगाच् छुक्रम् अकायम् अव्रणम् अस्नाविरं शुद्धम् अपापविद्धम् ।
कविर् मनीषी परिभूः स्ययम्भूर् याथातथ्यतोर्ऽथान् व्यदधाच् छाश्वतीभ्यः समाभ्यः ॥ ८ ॥
sa paryagāc chukram akāyam avraṇam asnāviraṃ śuddham apāpaviddham |
kavir manīṣī paribhūḥ syayambhūr yāthātayourator’thān vyadadhāc chāśvatībhyaḥ samābhyaḥ || 8 ||
8. He (the self) is all-pervading, bright, incorporeal, scatheless and veinless, pure, untouched by sin; a seer, all-knowing, superposed, and self-begotten. (It is He that) has duly allotted to the eternal creators their (various) duties.
Verse 9:
अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽविद्याम् उपासते ।
ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उविद्यायां रताः ॥ ९ ॥
andhaṃ tamaḥ praviśanti ye’vidyām upāsate |
tato bhūya iva te tamo ya uvidyāyāṃ ratāḥ || 9 ||
9. Into blinding darkness pass they who adhere to karma and into still greater darkness, as it were, they who delight in meditation.
Verse 10:
अन्यद् एवाहुर् विद्ययान् यद् आहुर् अविद्यया ।
इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस् तद् विचचक्षिरे ॥ १० ॥
anyad evāhur vidyayān yad āhur avidyayā |
iti śuśruma dhīrāṇāṃ ye nas tad vicacakṣire || 10 ||
10. Distinct, they say, is (the fruit borne) by meditation and distinct again, they say, is (that borne) by karma. Thus have we heard from sages who taught us that.
Verse 11:
विद्यां चाविद्यां च यस् तद् वेदोभयं सह ।
अविद्यया मृत्युं तीर्त्वा विद्ययामृतम् अश्नुते ॥ ११ ॥
vidyāṃ cāvidyāṃ ca yas tad vedobhayaṃ saha |
avidyayā mṛtyuṃ tīrtvā vidyayāmṛtam aśnute || 11 ||
11. Whoever understands meditation and karma as going together, (he) overcoming death through karma, attains immortality through meditation.
Verse 12:
अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽसम्भूतिम् उपासते ।
ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ सम्भूत्यां रताः ॥ १२ ॥
andhaṃ tamaḥ praviśanti ye’sambhūtim upāsate |
tato bhūya iva te tamo ya u sambhūtyāṃ ratāḥ || 12 ||
12. Into blinding darkness pass they who are devoted to the unmanifest, and into still greater darkness, as it were, they who delight in the manifest
Verse 13:
अन्यद् एवाहुः संभवाद् अन्यद् आहुर् असंभवात् ।
इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस् तद् विचचक्षिरे ॥ १३ ॥
anyad evāhuḥ saṃbhavād anyad āhur asaṃbhavāt |
iti śuśruma dhīrāṇāṃ ye nas tad vicacakṣire || 13 ||
13. Distinct, they say, is (what results) from the manifest and distinct again, they say, is (what results) from the unmanifest. Thus have we heard from the sages who taught us that.
Verse 14:
संभूतिं च विनाशं च यस् तद् वेदोभयं सह ।
विनाशेन मृत्युं तीर्त्वा संभूत्यामृतम् अश्नुते ॥ १४ ॥
saṃbhūtiṃ ca vināśaṃ ca yas tad vedobhayaṃ saha |
vināśena mṛtyuṃ tīrtvā saṃbhūtyāmṛtam aśnute || 14 ||
14. Whoever understands the manifest and the unmanifest as going together, (he), by overcoming death through the manifest, attains immortality through the unmanifest
Verse 15:
हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम् ।
तत् त्वं पूषन्न् अपावृणु सत्यधर्माय दृष्टये ॥ १५ ॥
hiraṇmayena pātreṇa satyasyāpihitaṃ mukham |
tat tvaṃ pūṣann apāvṛṇu satyadharmāya dṛṣṭaye || 15 ||
15. Truth’s face is covered with a golden lid; remove that, O Pūṣan, that I, Truth’s devotee, may see It.
Verse 16:
पूषन्न् एकर्षे यम सूर्य प्राजापत्य व्यूह रश्मीन् समूह तेजः ।
यत् ते रूपं कल्याणतमं तत् ते पश्यामि योऽसाव् असौ पुरुषः सोऽहम् अस्मि ॥ १६ ॥
pūṣann ekarṣe yama sūrya prājāpatya vyūha raśmīn samūha tejaḥ |
yat te rūpaṃ kalyāṇatamaṃ tat te paśyāmi yo’sāv asau puruṣaḥ so’ham asmi || 16 ||
16. O Pūṣan, sole traveler, Yama, Sun, child of Prajāpati, recall your rays; withdraw your light that I may behold you of loveliest form. Whosoever that Person is, that also am I.
Verse 17:
वायुर् अनिलम् अमृतम् अथेदं भस्मान्तं शरीरम् ।
ओं क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर ॥ १७ ॥
vāyur anilam amṛtam athedaṃ bhasmāntaṃ śarīram |
oṃ krato smara kṛtaṃ smara krato smara kṛtaṃ smara || 17 ||
17. (May) this life (merge in) the immortal breath! And (may) this body end in ashes! Om! mind, remember, remember your deeds; mind, remember, remember your deeds!
Verse 18:
अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान् विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान् ।
युयोध्य् अस्मज् जुहुराणम् एनो भूयिष्ठां ते नम उक्तिं विधेम ॥ १८ ॥
agne naya supathā rāye asmān viśvāni deva vayunāni vidvān |
yuyodhy asmaj juhurāṇam eno bhūyiṣṭhāṃ te nama uktiṃ vidhema || 18 ||
18. O God Agni, lead us on to prosperity by a good path, judging all our deeds. Take away ugly sin from us. We shall say many prayers to you.
The Essence of Isha Upanishad:
Mahatma Gandhi Said:
“If all the Upanishads and all the other scriptures happened all of a sudden to be reduced to ashes, and if only the first verse in the Ishopanishad were left in the memory of the Hindus, Hinduism would live forever.”
You would understand the significance of this Upanishad by the above lines. The main message that Ishavasya Upanishad conveys is that everything in this world, including material and nonmaterial, is essentially Brahman. Those who think that these are two different things are ignorant.