Kaivalya Upanishad — Chapter 1
KaivU 1.1
अथाश्वलायनो भगवन्तं परमेष्ठिनम् उपसमेत्योवाच । अधीहि भगवन् ब्रह्मविद्यां वरिष्ठां सदा सद्भिः सेव्यमानां निगूढाम् । यथाचिरात् [ययाचिरात्] सर्वपापं व्यपोह्य परात्परं पुरुषं याति विद्वान्
athāśvalāyano bhagavantaṃ parameṣṭhinam upasametyovāca | adhīhi bhagavan brahmavidyāṃ variṣṭhāṃ sadā sadbhiḥ sevyamānāṃ nigūḍhām | yathācirāt [yayācirāt] sarvapāpaṃ vyapohya parātparaṃ puruṣaṃ yāti vidvān
Then Āśvalāyana, having approached the Lord Parameṣṭhin (the highest-seated one, Brahmā), said: "Teach (me), Lord, the knowledge of brahman, the most excellent, ever cultivated by the good, hidden, by which the knower, casting off all evil without delay, goes to the Person higher than the high."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.2
तस्मै स होवाच पितामहश् च श्रद्धा-भक्ति-ध्यान-योगाद् अवैहि । न कर्मणा न प्रजया धनेन त्यागेनैके अमृतत्वम् आनशुः
tasmai sa hovāca pitāmahaś ca śraddhā-bhakti-dhyāna-yogād avaihi | na karmaṇā na prajayā dhanena tyāgenaike amṛtatvam ānaśuḥ
And the Grandfather said to him: "Know (it) through faith, devotion and the practice of meditation. Not by action, not by offspring or by wealth—by renunciation alone have some attained immortality."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.3
परेण नाकं निहितं गुहायां विभ्राजते यद् यतयो विशन्ति । वेदान्त-विज्ञानसुनिश्चितार्थाः संन्यासयोगाद् यतयः शुद्धसत्त्वाः
pareṇa nākaṃ nihitaṃ guhāyāṃ vibhrājate yad yatayo viśanti | vedānta-vijñānasuniścitārthāḥ saṃnyāsayogād yatayaḥ śuddhasattvāḥ
Beyond heaven it is set down in the cave (of the heart); it shines forth, and (there) the ascetics enter—the ascetics whose purpose is well settled by the knowledge of the Vedānta's end, pure in being through the practice of renunciation.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.4
ते ब्रह्मलोकेषु परान्तकाले परामृताः [परामृतात्] परिमुच्यन्ति सर्वे । विविक्तदेशे च सुखासनस्थः शुचिः समग्रीवशिरःशरीरः
te brahmalokeṣu parāntakāle parāmṛtāḥ [parāmṛtāt] parimucyanti sarve | viviktadeśe ca sukhāsanasthaḥ śuciḥ samagrīvaśiraḥśarīraḥ
They all, in the brahman-worlds, at the time of the final end, are wholly released, being supremely immortal. And in a solitary place, seated at ease, pure, holding neck, head and body straight,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
KaivU 1.5
अन्त्याश्रमस्थः सकलेन्द्रियाणि निरुध्य भक्त्या स्वगुरुं प्रणम्य । हृत्पुण्डरीकं विरजं विशुद्धं विचिन्त्य मध्ये विषदम् [विशदं] विशोकम्
antyāśramasthaḥ sakalendriyāṇi nirudhya bhaktyā svaguruṃ praṇamya | hṛtpuṇḍarīkaṃ virajaṃ viśuddhaṃ vicintya madhye viṣadam [viśadaṃ] viśokam
abiding in the last stage of life, restraining all the senses, having bowed with devotion to his own teacher, meditating on the heart-lotus, dustless, utterly pure, and in its midst (on that which is) clear and free of sorrow—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.6
अचिन्त्यम् अव्यक्तम् अनन्तरूपं शिवं प्रशान्तम् अमृतं ब्रह्मयोनिम् । तम् आदिमध्यान्तविहीनम् एकं विभुं चिदानन्दम् अरूपम् अद्भुतम्
acintyam avyaktam anantarūpaṃ śivaṃ praśāntam amṛtaṃ brahmayonim | tam ādimadhyāntavihīnam ekaṃ vibhuṃ cidānandam arūpam adbhutam
(on that which is) unthinkable, unmanifest, of endless forms, benign, wholly calm, immortal, the womb of brahman, that One without beginning, middle or end, all-pervading, consciousness-and-bliss, formless, wondrous—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.7
उमासहायं परमेश्वरं प्रभुं त्रिलोचनं नीलकण्ठं प्रशान्तम् । ध्यात्वा मुनिर्गच्छति भूतयोनिं समस्तसाक्षिं तमसः परस्तात्
umāsahāyaṃ parameśvaraṃ prabhuṃ trilocanaṃ nīlakaṇṭhaṃ praśāntam | dhyātvā munirgacchati bhūtayoniṃ samastasākṣiṃ tamasaḥ parastāt
having meditated on him who has Umā as companion, the supreme lord, the master, three-eyed, blue-throated, wholly calm, the sage goes to the womb of beings, the witness of all, beyond darkness.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.8
स ब्रह्मा स शिवः सेन्द्रः सो ऽक्षरः परमः स्वराट् । स एव विष्णुः स प्राणः स कालो ऽग्निः स चन्द्रमाः
sa brahmā sa śivaḥ sendraḥ so 'kṣaraḥ paramaḥ svarāṭ | sa eva viṣṇuḥ sa prāṇaḥ sa kālo 'gniḥ sa candramāḥ
He is Brahmā, he is Śiva, he is Indra, he is the imperishable, the supreme, the self-ruling; he indeed is Viṣṇu, he is breath, he is time, he is fire, he is the moon.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.9
स एव सर्वं यद् भूतं यच् च भव्यं सनातनम् । ज्ञात्वा तं मृत्युम् अत्येति नान्यः पन्था विमुक्तये
sa eva sarvaṃ yad bhūtaṃ yac ca bhavyaṃ sanātanam | jñātvā taṃ mṛtyum atyeti nānyaḥ panthā vimuktaye
He alone is everything that has been and that is to be, the eternal. Knowing him one passes beyond death; there is no other path to liberation.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.10
सर्वभूतस्थम् आत्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि । संपश्यन् ब्रह्म परमं याति नान्येन हेतुना
sarvabhūtastham ātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmani | saṃpaśyan brahma paramaṃ yāti nānyena hetunā
Seeing the Self as standing in all beings and all beings in the Self, one goes to the supreme brahman—by no other means.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.11
आत्मानम् अरणिं कृत्वा प्रणवं चोत्तरारणिम् । ज्ञाननिर्मथनाभ्यासात् पापं [पाशं] दहति पण्डितः
ātmānam araṇiṃ kṛtvā praṇavaṃ cottarāraṇim | jñānanirmathanābhyāsāt pāpaṃ [pāśaṃ] dahati paṇḍitaḥ
Making the Self the (lower) fire-stick and the syllable OM the upper fire-stick, by the practice of churning with knowledge the wise man burns up his evil (variant: his bond).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.12
स एव मायापरिमोहितात्मा शरीरम् आस्थाय करोति सर्वम् । स्त्रियन्नपानादिविचित्रभोगैः स एव जाग्रत् परितृप्तिम् एति
sa eva māyāparimohitātmā śarīram āsthāya karoti sarvam | striyannapānādivicitrabhogaiḥ sa eva jāgrat paritṛptim eti
He himself, his nature utterly deluded by māyā, taking on a body, does everything; and he himself, waking, attains satisfaction through the manifold enjoyments of women, food, drink and the rest.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.13
स्वप्न [स्वप्ने] स जीवः सुखदुःखभोक्ता स्वमायया कल्पितजीवलोके । सुषुप्तिकाले सकले विलीने तमो ऽभिभूतः सुखरूपम् एति
svapna [svapne] sa jīvaḥ sukhaduḥkhabhoktā svamāyayā kalpitajīvaloke | suṣuptikāle sakale vilīne tamo 'bhibhūtaḥ sukharūpam eti
In dream that same living self is the experiencer of pleasure and pain, in a world of living beings fashioned by its own māyā; and at the time of deep sleep, when all has dissolved, overcome by darkness it attains the form of bliss.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.15
पुनश्च जन्मान्तरकर्मयोगात् स एव जीवः स्वपिति प्रबुद्धः । पुरत्रये क्रीडति यश्च जीवस् ततस् तु जातं सकलं विचित्रम् ॥१४॥ धारमानन्दम् अखण्डबोधं यस्मिंल् लयं याति पुरत्रयं च ॥१४*॥ एतस्माज् जायते प्राणो मनः सर्वेन्द्रियाणि च । खं वायुर् ज्योतिर् आपः पृथिवी विश्वस्य धारिणी
punaśca janmāntarakarmayogāt sa eva jīvaḥ svapiti prabuddhaḥ | puratraye krīḍati yaśca jīvas tatas tu jātaṃ sakalaṃ vicitram ||14|| dhāramānandam akhaṇḍabodhaṃ yasmiṃl layaṃ yāti puratrayaṃ ca ||14*|| etasmāj jāyate prāṇo manaḥ sarvendriyāṇi ca | khaṃ vāyur jyotir āpaḥ pṛthivī viśvasya dhāriṇī
And again, through the force of the actions of another birth, that same living self sleeps and wakes. And the living self which plays in the three cities—from that (city-dweller? from that) arose this whole manifold (world). ||14|| ...bliss-sustaining(?), undivided awareness, in which the three cities too go to dissolution. ||14*|| From this are born breath, mind and all the senses, space, wind, fire, water, and earth the supporter of all.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
KaivU 1.16
यत् परं ब्रह्म सर्वात्मा विश्वस्यायतनं महत् । सूक्ष्मात् सूक्ष्मतरं नित्यं तत् त्वम् एव त्वम् एव तत्
yat paraṃ brahma sarvātmā viśvasyāyatanaṃ mahat | sūkṣmāt sūkṣmataraṃ nityaṃ tat tvam eva tvam eva tat
That which is the supreme brahman, the Self of all, the great abode of the universe, subtler than the subtle, eternal—that you are, you indeed are that.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.17
जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्त्यादिप्रपञ्चं यत् प्रकाशते । तद् ब्रह्माहम् इति ज्ञात्वा सर्वबन्धैः प्रमुच्यते
jāgratsvapnasuṣuptyādiprapañcaṃ yat prakāśate | tad brahmāham iti jñātvā sarvabandhaiḥ pramucyate
That which shines forth as the display of waking, dream, deep sleep and the rest—knowing "I am that brahman," one is wholly released from all bonds.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.18
त्रिषु धामसु यद् भोग्यं भोक्ता भोगश् च यद् भवेत् । तेभ्यो विलक्षणः साक्षी चिन्मात्रो ऽहं सदा शिवः
triṣu dhāmasu yad bhogyaṃ bhoktā bhogaś ca yad bhavet | tebhyo vilakṣaṇaḥ sākṣī cinmātro 'haṃ sadā śivaḥ
Whatever in the three states is the object of enjoyment, the enjoyer, and the enjoying—distinct from them, the witness, mere consciousness, am I, ever benign (Śiva).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.19
मय्य् एव सकलं जातं मयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् । मयि सर्वंल् लयं याति तद् ब्रह्माद्वयम् अस्म्य् अहम्
mayy eva sakalaṃ jātaṃ mayi sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam | mayi sarvaṃl layaṃ yāti tad brahmādvayam asmy aham
In me alone has everything arisen, in me is all established, in me all goes to dissolution: I am that brahman without a second.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.20
अणोर् अणियान् अहम् एव तद्वन् महान् अहं विश्वम् अहं विचित्रम् । पुरातनो ऽहं पुरुषो ऽहम् ईशो हिरण्मयो ऽहं शिवरूपम् अस्मि
aṇor aṇiyān aham eva tadvan mahān ahaṃ viśvam ahaṃ vicitram | purātano 'haṃ puruṣo 'ham īśo hiraṇmayo 'haṃ śivarūpam asmi
I myself am smaller than the small, and likewise I am great; I am the universe, I am the manifold; I am the ancient one, I am the Person, the lord; I am golden, I am of the form of Śiva.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.21
अपाणिपादो ऽहम् अचिन्त्यशक्तिः पश्याम्य् अचक्षुः स शृणोम्य् अकर्णः । अहं विजानामि विविक्तरूपो न चास्ति वेत्ता मम चित् सदाहम्
apāṇipādo 'ham acintyaśaktiḥ paśyāmy acakṣuḥ sa śṛṇomy akarṇaḥ | ahaṃ vijānāmi viviktarūpo na cāsti vettā mama cit sadāham
Without hands or feet am I, of inconceivable power; I see without eyes, I hear without ears; I know, being of a nature set apart, and there is no one who knows me: I am ever pure consciousness.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.22
वेदैर् अनेकैर् अहम् एव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद् वेदविद् एव चाहम् । न पुण्यपापे मम नास्ति नाशो न जन्म देहेन्द्रियबुद्धिर् अस्ति
vedair anekair aham eva vedyo vedāntakṛd vedavid eva cāham | na puṇyapāpe mama nāsti nāśo na janma dehendriyabuddhir asti
By the many Vedas it is I alone who am to be known; I am the maker of Vedānta and I am the knower of the Veda. For me there is neither merit nor demerit, there is no destruction, no birth, no body, senses, or intellect.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
KaivU 1.24
अनेन ज्ञानम् आप्नोति संसारार्णवनाशनम् । तस्माद् एवं विदित्वैनं कैवल्यं पदम् [फलम्] अश्नुते । कैवल्यं पदम् [फलम्] अश्नुते
anena jñānam āpnoti saṃsārārṇavanāśanam | tasmād evaṃ viditvainaṃ kaivalyaṃ padam [phalam] aśnute | kaivalyaṃ padam [phalam] aśnute
By this (teaching) one attains the knowledge that destroys the ocean of transmigration. Therefore, having thus known him, one reaches the state [fruit] of aloneness — one reaches the state [fruit] of aloneness.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition