Shvetashvatara Upanishad — Chapter 4
SvetUp 4.1
य एको ऽवर्णो बहुधा शक्तियोगाद् वर्णान् अनेकान् निहितार्थो दधाति वि चैति चान्ते विश्वम् आदौ स देवः स नो बुद्ध्या शुभया संयुनक्तु
ya eko 'varṇo bahudhā śaktiyogād varṇān anekān nihitārtho dadhāti vi caiti cānte viśvam ādau sa devaḥ sa no buddhyā śubhayā saṃyunaktu
He who is one and without colour, yet by the application of his power disposes many colours in manifold ways, his purpose hidden; in whom the universe dissolves at the end and (arises) at the beginning — he is the god; may he join us with a good understanding.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
SvetUp 4.2
तद् एवाग्निस् तद् आदित्यस् तद् वायुस् तद् उ चन्द्रमाः तद् एव शुक्रं तद् ब्रह्म तद् आपस् तत् प्रजापतिः
tad evāgnis tad ādityas tad vāyus tad u candramāḥ tad eva śukraṃ tad brahma tad āpas tat prajāpatiḥ
That indeed is fire, that is the sun, that is the wind, and that the moon; that indeed is the bright (seed), that is brahman, that is the waters, that is Prajāpati.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.3
त्वं स्त्री त्वं पुमान् असि त्वं कुमार उत वा कुमारी त्वं जीर्णो दण्डेन वञ्चसि त्वं जातो भवसि विश्वतोमुखः
tvaṃ strī tvaṃ pumān asi tvaṃ kumāra uta vā kumārī tvaṃ jīrṇo daṇḍena vañcasi tvaṃ jāto bhavasi viśvatomukhaḥ
You are woman, you are man; you are the boy, or else the girl; you, aged, move along with a staff; you, being born, become facing in all directions.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.4
नीलः पतङ्गो हरितो लोहिताक्षस् तडिद्गर्भ ऋतवः समुद्राः अनादिमांस् त्वं विभुत्वेन वर्तसे यतो जातानि भुवनानि विश्वा
nīlaḥ pataṅgo harito lohitākṣas taḍidgarbha ṛtavaḥ samudrāḥ anādimāṃs tvaṃ vibhutvena vartase yato jātāni bhuvanāni viśvā
(You are) the dark-blue bird, the green one with red eyes, the (cloud) pregnant with lightning, the seasons, the oceans; you exist without beginning, by your omnipresence — you from whom all the worlds have been born.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.5
अजाम् एकां लोहितशुक्लकृष्णां बह्वीः प्रजाः सृजमानां सरूपाः अजो ह्य् एको जुषमाणो ऽनुशेते जहात्य् एनां भुक्तभोगाम् अजो ऽन्यः
ajām ekāṃ lohitaśuklakṛṣṇāṃ bahvīḥ prajāḥ sṛjamānāṃ sarūpāḥ ajo hy eko juṣamāṇo 'nuśete jahāty enāṃ bhuktabhogām ajo 'nyaḥ
One unborn female, red, white and black, giving birth to many offspring of like form; one unborn male lies beside her, delighting in her; another unborn male leaves her, her enjoyment once enjoyed.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.6
द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते तयोर् अन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्व् अत्त्य् अनश्नन्न् अन्यो अभिचाकशीति
dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā samānaṃ vṛkṣaṃ pariṣasvajāte tayor anyaḥ pippalaṃ svādv atty anaśnann anyo abhicākaśīti
Two birds, companions joined together, embrace the same tree; one of them eats the sweet fig, the other looks on without eating.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.7
समाने वृक्षे पुरुषो निमग्नो अनीशया शोचति मुह्यमानः जुष्टं यदा पश्यत्य् अन्यम् ईशं अस्य महिमानम् इति वीतशोकः
samāne vṛkṣe puruṣo nimagno anīśayā śocati muhyamānaḥ juṣṭaṃ yadā paśyaty anyam īśaṃ asya mahimānam iti vītaśokaḥ
On the same tree a man, sunk down, grieves, deluded by his lack of lordship; when he sees the other, the lord who is honoured, and his greatness, he becomes free of grief.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.8
ऋचो अक्षरे परमे व्योमन् यस्मिन् देवा अधि विश्वे निषेधुः यस् तन् न वेद किम् ऋचा करिष्यति य इत् तद् विदुस् त इमे समासते
ṛco akṣare parame vyoman yasmin devā adhi viśve niṣedhuḥ yas tan na veda kim ṛcā kariṣyati ya it tad vidus ta ime samāsate
The verses (of the Ṛc) are in the imperishable, in the highest heaven, where all the gods have taken their seat; one who does not know that—what will he do with a verse? Those indeed who know it, they sit here together.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.9
छन्दांसि यज्ञाः क्रतवो व्रतानि भूतं भव्यं यच् च वेदा वदन्ति अस्मान् मायी सृजते विश्वम् एतत् तस्मिंश् चान्यो मायया संनिरुद्धः
chandāṃsi yajñāḥ kratavo vratāni bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ yac ca vedā vadanti asmān māyī sṛjate viśvam etat tasmiṃś cānyo māyayā saṃniruddhaḥ
Metres, sacrifices, rites, vows, what has been and what is to be, and what the Vedas declare—from this the wielder of māyā creates all this world, and in it the other is confined by māyā.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.10
मायां तु प्रकृतिं विद्यान् मायिनं तु महेश्वरं तस्यावयवभूतैस् तु व्याप्तं सर्वं इदं जगत्
māyāṃ tu prakṛtiṃ vidyān māyinaṃ tu maheśvaraṃ tasyāvayavabhūtais tu vyāptaṃ sarvaṃ idaṃ jagat
One should know māyā as nature (prakṛti), and the wielder of māyā as the Great Lord; this whole world is pervaded by beings that are parts of him.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.11
यो योनिं-योनिम् अधितिष्ठत्य् एको यस्मिन्न् इदं सं च वि चैति सर्वम् तम् ईशानं वरदं देवम् ईड्यं निचाय्येमां शान्तिम् अत्यन्तम् एति
yo yoniṃ-yonim adhitiṣṭhaty eko yasminn idaṃ saṃ ca vi caiti sarvam tam īśānaṃ varadaṃ devam īḍyaṃ nicāyyemāṃ śāntim atyantam eti
He who, one alone, presides over every womb, in whom all this comes together and goes apart—having perceived that lord, the god who grants boons and is to be praised, one goes to this peace forever.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.12
यो देवानां प्रभवश् चोद्भवश् च विश्वाधिको रुद्रो महर्षिः हिरण्यगर्भं पश्यत जायमानं स नो बुद्ध्या शुभया संयुनक्तु
yo devānāṃ prabhavaś codbhavaś ca viśvādhiko rudro maharṣiḥ hiraṇyagarbhaṃ paśyata jāyamānaṃ sa no buddhyā śubhayā saṃyunaktu
He who is the source and origin of the gods, the ruler of all, Rudra the great seer, who saw Hiraṇyagarbha being born—may he join us with clear understanding.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.13
यो देवानाम् अधिपो यस्मिंल् लोका अधिश्रिताः य ईशे अस्य द्विपदश् चतुष्पदः कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम
yo devānām adhipo yasmiṃl lokā adhiśritāḥ ya īśe asya dvipadaś catuṣpadaḥ kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema
He who is the overlord of the gods, in whom the worlds rest, who rules over these two-footed and four-footed creatures—to what god shall we offer worship with oblation?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.14
सूक्ष्मातिसूक्ष्मं कलिलस्य मध्ये विश्वस्य स्रष्टारम् अनेकरूपं विश्वस्यैकं परिवेष्टितारं ज्ञात्वा शिवं शान्तिम् अत्यन्तम् एति
sūkṣmātisūkṣmaṃ kalilasya madhye viśvasya sraṣṭāram anekarūpaṃ viśvasyaikaṃ pariveṣṭitāraṃ jñātvā śivaṃ śāntim atyantam eti
Finer than the finest, in the midst of the tangle, the creator of all, of many forms, the one encompasser of all—having known him as the auspicious one, one goes to peace forever.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.15
स एव काले भुवनस्य गोप्ता विश्वाधिपः सर्वभूतेषु गूढः यस्मिन् युक्ता ब्रह्मर्षयो देवताश् च तम् एवं ज्ञात्वा मृत्युपाशांश् छिनत्ति
sa eva kāle bhuvanasya goptā viśvādhipaḥ sarvabhūteṣu gūḍhaḥ yasmin yuktā brahmarṣayo devatāś ca tam evaṃ jñātvā mṛtyupāśāṃś chinatti
He alone is the guardian of the world in time, the overlord of all, hidden in all beings, in whom the brahmin seers and the deities are joined—knowing him thus, one cuts the bonds of death.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.16
घृतात् परं मण्डम् इवातिसूक्ष्मं ज्ञात्वा शिवं सर्वभूतेषु गूढं विश्वस्यैकं परिवेष्टितारं ज्ञात्वा देवं मुच्यते सर्वपाशैः
ghṛtāt paraṃ maṇḍam ivātisūkṣmaṃ jñātvā śivaṃ sarvabhūteṣu gūḍhaṃ viśvasyaikaṃ pariveṣṭitāraṃ jñātvā devaṃ mucyate sarvapāśaiḥ
Having known the auspicious one, exceedingly subtle like the cream higher than the ghee, hidden in all beings, the one encompasser of all—having known that god, one is released from all bonds.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.17
एष देवो विश्वकर्मा महात्मा सदा जनानां हृदये संनिविष्टः हृदा मनीषा मनसाभिकॢप्तो य एतद् विदुर् अमृतास् ते भवन्ति
eṣa devo viśvakarmā mahātmā sadā janānāṃ hṛdaye saṃniviṣṭaḥ hṛdā manīṣā manasābhikḷpto ya etad vidur amṛtās te bhavanti
This god, the maker of all, the great self, is always seated in the heart of people; he is apprehended by the heart, by insight, by the mind—those who know this become immortal.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.18
यदातमस् तन् न दिवा न रात्रिर् न सन् न चासच् छिव एव केवलः तद् अक्षरं तत् सवितुर् वरेण्यं प्रज्ञा च तस्मात् प्रसृता पुराणी
yadātamas tan na divā na rātrir na san na cāsac chiva eva kevalaḥ tad akṣaraṃ tat savitur vareṇyaṃ prajñā ca tasmāt prasṛtā purāṇī
When there is no darkness, there is neither day nor night, neither being nor non-being; the auspicious one alone is; that is the imperishable, that is the Sun's choicest (light); and from it the ancient wisdom went forth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.19
नैनम् ऊर्ध्वं न तिर्यञ्चं न मध्ये परिजग्रभत् न तस्य प्रतिमा अस्ति यस्य नाम महद् यशः
nainam ūrdhvaṃ na tiryañcaṃ na madhye parijagrabhat na tasya pratimā asti yasya nāma mahad yaśaḥ
No one has grasped him above, nor across, nor in the middle; there is no likeness of him whose name is Great Glory.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.20
न संदृशे तिष्ठति रूपम् अस्य न चक्षुषा पश्यति कश्चनैनं हृदा हृदिस्थं मनसा य एनम् एवं विदुर् अमृतास् ते भवन्ति
na saṃdṛśe tiṣṭhati rūpam asya na cakṣuṣā paśyati kaścanainaṃ hṛdā hṛdisthaṃ manasā ya enam evaṃ vidur amṛtās te bhavanti
His form does not stand within sight; no one sees him with the eye; he is in the heart, (grasped) by the heart and the mind—those who know him thus become immortal.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.21
अजात इत्य् एवं कश्चिद् भीरुः प्रपद्यते रुद्र यत् दक्षिणं मुखम् तेन मां पाहि नित्यम्
ajāta ity evaṃ kaścid bhīruḥ prapadyate rudra yat dakṣiṇaṃ mukham tena māṃ pāhi nityam
"Unborn"—thus some fearful one takes refuge; O Rudra, whatever is your right-hand face, with that protect me always.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
SvetUp 4.22
मा नस् तोके तनये मा न आयुषि मा नो गोषु मा नो अश्वेषु रीरिषः वीरान् मा नो रुद्र भामितो वधीर् हविष्मन्तः सदम् इत् त्वा हवामहे
mā nas toke tanaye mā na āyuṣi mā no goṣu mā no aśveṣu rīriṣaḥ vīrān mā no rudra bhāmito vadhīr haviṣmantaḥ sadam it tvā havāmahe
Do not harm us in our child or offspring, not in our life, not in our cattle, not in our horses; do not in your anger, Rudra, slay our men; bearing oblations we invoke you always.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition