Isa Upanisad

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❄ Īśā Upaniṣad ❄

Paramahamsa Nithyananda

with original samskrit verses, transliteration and translation

Published by Nithyananda University Press

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Iśā Upaniṣad or Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad (ईशावास्य उपनिषद्) is the primordial Upaniṣad, enumerated as the first and principle (mukhya) of all the Upaniṣads; and as per the Muktikopaniṣad order of 108 Upaniṣads. Iśā Upaniṣad is a Mantropaniṣad, being one of the shortest Upaniṣads of 18 mantras. It holds the prime authority and significance in the revelations of the Truth, as seen and grasped by the Apauruṣha Vedic Seers (who are beyond human form and authorless) from the cosmic vibrations emanating from the Pure Consciousness - Mahadeva. Being the only Upaniṣad that finds an integral place in the Saṁhita portion of vedic texts, it appears as the last part of Shukla Yajur Veda Saṁhitā.

Named after its very opening mantra phrase, starting with Īśā Vāsyam – everything is enveloped by Īśā, Consciousness — Īśā Upaniṣad occupies the crowning position Preface amongst the Vedic literatures. As the voice incarnate of the indisputable truth, this Upaniṣad powerfully asserts the oneness of the Self with everything and the all-pervasiveness, changelessness and eternality of each one of us, and proclaims the truth of Advaita. Through reading, re-reading and intra-analyzing these Upaniṣadic utterances of the Vedic Ṛṣis from the earliest dawn of the Vedic era, as now revealed by H.H. Paramahamsa Nithyananda in its pure essence, one can kindle the fire of pure seeking that leads one even beyond the glowing glares of the Sun into the sublime light of our own Consciousness – crossing the ever-changing, perishable limits of incomplete knowledge, avidyā or ignorance that binds us and through the path of vidyā, the right knowledge, awakening us to grasp the subtle Truth of life, Truth of own own Self! In this Upaniṣad, is invoked That seeking which was then inherent in the very blood and veins of the Sarasvatī-Ganges civilization and That seeking which makes one, on the righteous path, demand the Divine Face of Truth - satya-dharmāya dṛṣṭaye (15), and that very first prayer uttered on the planet – so’ham asmi (16) – that even while praying to the infinitude of Consciousness, one beholds oneself in pure oneness (śuddha advaita) with that Īśa; and ultimately such a seeker, in constant remembrance of that Īśā in his actions, words and thoughts, merges himself into the fire sacrifice of Consciousness, offering and surrendering oneself wholly to ever-delight in the eternal nectar and bliss of Īśa, Consciousness.