Prashna Upanishad (with commentary) · Chapter 1

praśnopaniṣad
oṃ bhadraṃ karṇebhiḥ śṛṇuyāma devā bhadraṃ paśyemākṣibhiryajatrāḥ /
sthirairaṅgaistuṣṭuvāṃ sastanūbhirvyaśema devahitaṃ yadāyuḥ //
oṃ śāntiḥ! śāntiḥ!! śāntiḥ!!!
svasti na indro vṛddhaśravāḥ svasti naḥ pūṣā viśvavedāḥ /
svasti nastārkṣyo ariṣṭanemiḥ svasti no bṛhaspatirdadhātu //
oṃ śāntiḥ!śāntiḥ!!śāntiḥ!!!
prathama praśnaḥ
mantroktasyārthasya vistarānuvādīdaṃ brāhmaṇamārabhyate /
ṛṣipraśnaprativacanākhyāyikā tu vidyāstutaye /
evaṃ saṃvatsarabrahmacaryasaṃvāsādiyuktairgrāhyā pippalādādivatsarvajñakalpairācāryairvaktavyā ca, na sā yena kenaciditi vidyāṃ stauti /
brahmacaryādisādhanāsūcanācca tatkartavyatā syāt /
oṃ
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sukeśā ca bhāradvājaḥ śaibyaś ca satyakāmaḥ sauryāyaṇī ca gārgyaḥ kausalyaś cāśvalāyano bhārgavo vaidarbhiḥ kabandhī kātyāyanas te haite brahmaparā brahmaniṣṭhā paraṃ brahmānveṣamāṇā eṣa ha vai tatsarvaṃ vakṣyatīti te ha samitpāṇayo bhagavantaṃ pippalādam upasannāḥ

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sukeśā ca nāmataḥ, bharadvājasyāpatyaṃ bhāradvājaḥ, śaibyaśca śiveḥ apatyaṃ śaibyaḥ satyakāmo nāmataḥ;sauryāyaṇī sūryastasyāpatyaṃ sauryaḥ tasyāpatyaṃ sauryāyaṇiśachāndasaḥ sauryāyaṇīti, gārgyo gargagotrāpatyaṃ bhargavo vaidarbhiḥ vidarbhe bhavaḥ;kabandhī nāmataḥ, katyasyāpasyaṃ kātyāyanaḥ, vidyamāna prapitāmaho yasya saḥ, yuvapratyayaḥ /
te haite brahmaparā aparaṃ brahma paratvena gatāstadanuṣṭhānaniṣṭhāśca brahmaniṣṭhāḥ paraṃ brahmānveṣamāṇāḥ - kiṃ tat?yannityaṃ vijñeyamiti tatprāptyarthaṃ yathākāmaṃ yatiṣyāma ityevaṃ tadanveṣaṇaṃ kurvantastadadhigamāyaiṣa ha vai tatsarvaṃ vakṣyatītyācāryamupajagmuḥ /
katham te ha samitpāṇayaḥ samidlāragṛhītahastāḥ santo bhagavantaṃ pippalādamācāryamupāsannā upajagmuḥ //
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tān ha sa ṛṣir uvāca |
bhūya eva tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śraddhayā saṃvatsaraṃ saṃvatsyatha |
yathākāmaṃ praśnān pṛcchata |
yadi vijñāsyāmaḥ sarvaṃ ha vo vakṣyāma iti

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tānevamupagatānha sa kila ṛṣiruvāca bhūyaḥ punareva yadyapi yūyaṃ pūrvaṃ tapasmina eva tapasendriyasaṃyamena tathāpīha viśeṣato brahmacaryeṇa śraddhayā cāstikyabuddhyādaravantaḥ saṃvatsaraṃ kālaṃ saṃvatsyatha samyagguruśuśrūṣāparāḥ santo vatsyatha /
tato yathākāmaṃ yo yasya kāmastamanatikramya yathākāmaṃ yadviṣaye yasya jijñāsā tadviṣayānpraśnānpṛcchata /
yadi tadyuṣmatpṛṣṭama vijñāsyāmaḥ - anuddhatatvapradarśanārtho yadiśabdo nājñānasaṃśayārthaḥ praśnanirṇayādavasīyate - sarvaṃ ha vo vaḥ pṛṣṭaṃ vakṣyāma iti //2//
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atha kabandhī kātyāyana upetya papraccha |
bhagavan kuto ha vā imāḥ prajāḥ prajāyanta iti

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atha saṃvatsarādūdhvaṃ kabandhī kātyāyana upetyopagamya papraccha pṛṣṭavān /
he bhagavan kutaḥ kasmāddha vā imā brāhmaṇādyāḥ prajāḥ prajāyanta utpadyante /
aparavidyākarmaṇoḥ samuccitayoryatkāryaṃ yā gatistadvaktavyamiti tadartho 'yaṃ praśnaḥ //3//
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tasmai sa hovāca |
prajākāmo vai prajāpatiḥ |
sa tapo 'tapyata |
sa tapas taptvā sa mithunam utpādayate rayiṃ ca prāṇaṃ ceti |
etau me bahudhāḥ prajāḥ kariṣyata iti

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tasmā evaṃ pṛṣṭavate sa hovāca tadapākaraṇāyāha /
prajākāmaḥ prajā ātmanaḥ sisṛkṣurvai prajāpatiḥ sarvātmā sajjagatsrakṣyāmi ityevaṃ vijñānavānyathoktakārī tadbhāvabhāvitaḥ kalpādau nivṛtto hiraṇyagarbhaḥ sṛjyamānānāṃ prajānāṃ sthāvarajaṅgamānāṃ patiḥ sajjanmāntarabhāvitaṃ jñānaṃ śrutiprakāśitārthaviṣayaṃ tapo 'nvālocayadatapyata /
ata tu sa evaṃ tapastaptvā śrautaṃ jñānamanvālocya sṛṣṭisādhanabhūtaṃ mithunamutpādayate mithunaṃ dvandvamutpāditavān /
rayiṃ ca somamannaṃ praṇaṃ cāgnimattāram etāvagniṣomāvattrannabhūtau me mama bahudhānekadhā prajāḥ kariṣyata ityevaṃ saṃcintyāṇḍotpattikrameṇa sūryācandramasāvakalpayat //4//
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ādityo ha vai prāṇo rayir eva candramāḥ |
rayir vā etat sarvaṃ yanmūrtaṃ cāmūrtaṃ ca |
tasmān mūrtir eva rayiḥ

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tatrādityo ha vai prāṇo 'ttā agniḥ /
rayireva candramāḥ, rayiḥ, evānnaṃ soma eva /
tadetadekamattā cānnaṃ ca, prajāpatirekaṃ tu mithunam, guṇapradhānakṛto bhedaḥ /
katham?rayirvā annaṃ vā etan sarvam;kiṃ tadyanmūrtaṃ ta sthūlaṃ cāmūrtaṃ ca sūkṣmaṃ ca mūrtāmūrte attrannarūpe rayireva /
tasmātpravibhaktād amūrtādyadanyanmūrtārūpaṃ mūrtiḥ saiva rayiramūrtenādyamānatvāt //5//
tathāmūrto 'pi prāṇottā sarvameva yaccādyam /
katham -
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athāditya udayan yatprācīṃ diśaṃ praviśati tena prācyān prāṇān raśmiṣu saṃnidhatte |
yad dakṣiṇaṃ yat pratīcīṃ yad udīcīṃ yad adho yad ūrdhvaṃ yad antarā diśo yat sarvaṃ prakāśayati tena sarvān prāṇān raśmiṣu saṃnidhatte

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athāditya udayannudgacchan prāṇināṃ cakṣurgocaramāgacchan yatprācīṃ diśaṃ svaprakāśena praviśati vyāpnoti;tena svātmāvabhāsarūpeṣu vyāptimatsu vyāptatvātprāṇinaḥ saṃnidhatte saṃniveśayati;
ātmabhūtānkaroti ityarthaḥ /
tathaiva yatpraviśati dakṣiṇāṃ yatpratīcīṃ yadudīcīmadha ūrdhvaṃ yatpraviśati yaccāntarā diśaḥ koṇadiśo 'vāntaradiśo yaccānyat sarvaṃ prakāśayati tena svaprakāśavyāptyā sarvān sarvadiksthān prāṇān raśmiṣu sannidatte //6//
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sa eṣa vaiśvānaro viśvarūpaḥ prāṇo 'gnirudayate |
tad etad dacābhyuktam

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sa eṣo 'ttā praṇo vaiśvānaraḥ sarvātmā viśvarūpo viśvātmatvācca prāṇo 'gniśca sa evāttodayata udgacchati pratyahaṃ sarvā diśa ātmasātkurvan /
tadetaduktaṃ vastu ṛcā mantreṇāpyabhyuktam //7//
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viśvarūpaṃ hariṇaṃ jātavedasaṃ parāyaṇaṃ jyotir ekaṃ tapantam /
sahasraraśmiḥ śatadhā vartamānaḥ prāṇaḥ prajānām udayaty eṣa sūryaḥ

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viśvarūpaṃ sarvarūpaṃ hariṇaṃ raśmivantaṃ jātavedasaṃ jātaprajñānaṃ parāyaṇaṃ sarvaprāṇāśayaṃ jyotirekaṃ sarvaprāṇināṃ cakṣurbhūtamadvitīyaṃ tapantaṃ tāpakriyāṃ kurvāṇaṃ svātmānaṃ sūryaṃ sūrayo vijñātavanto brahmavidaḥ /
ko 'sau yaṃ vijñātavantaḥ?sahasraraśmiranekaraśmiḥ śatadhānekadhā prāṇibhedena vartamānaḥ prāṇaḥ prajānāmudayatyeṣa sūryaḥ //8//
yaścāsau candramā mūrtirannam amūrtiśca prāṇo 'ttādityastadekam etanmithunaṃ sarvaṃ kathaṃ prajāḥ kariṣyata iti ucyate-
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saṃvatsaro vai prajāpatiḥ |
tasyāyane dakṣiṇaṃ cottaraṃ ca |
tad ye ha vai tadiṣṭāpūrte kṛtim ity upāsate te cāndramasam eva lokam abhijayante |
ta eva punar āvartante |
tasmād eta ṛṣayaḥ prajākāmā dakṣiṇaṃ pratipadyante |
eṣa ha vai rayir yaḥ pitṛyāṇaḥ

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tadeva kālaḥ saṃvatsaro vai prajāpatistannirvartyatvātsaṃvatsarasya /
candrādityanirvartyatvātsaṃvatsarasya /
candrādityanirvartyatithyahorātrasamudāyo hi saṃvatsaraḥ tadananyatvādrayiprāṇamithunātmaka evetyucyate /
tatkatham?tasya saṃvatsarasya prajāpaterayane mārgau dvau dakṣiṇaṃ cottaraṃ ca dve prasiddhe hyayane ṣaṇmāsalakṣaṇe yābhyāṃ dakṣiṇenottareṇa ca yāti savitā kevalakarmiṇāṃ jñānasaṃyuktakarmavatāṃ ca lokān vidadhat /
katham?tat tatra ca brāhmaṇādiṣu ye ha vai tadupāsata iti, kriyāviśeṣaṇo dvitīyastacchabdaḥ, iṣṭaṃ ca pūrtaṃ ceṣṭāpūrte ityādi kṛtamevopāsate nākṛtaṃ nityaṃ te cāndramasaṃ candramasi bhavaṃ prajāndramasya /
te tatraiva ca kṛtakṣayātpunarāvartante"imaṃ lokaṃ hīnataraṃ vā viśanti"(mu.u.1 / 2 / 10) iti hyuktam /
yasmādevaṃ prajāpatimannātmakaṃ phalatvenābhinirvartayanti candram iṣṭāpūrtakarmaṇaiva ṛṣayaḥ svargadraṣṭāraḥ prajākāmāḥ prajārthino gṛhasthāstasmātsvakṛtameva dakṣiṇaṃ dakṣiṇāyanopalakṣitaṃ candraṃ pratipadyante /
eṣa ha vai rayirannaṃ yaḥ pitṛyāṇaḥ pitṛyāṇapalakṣitaḥ //9//
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athottareṇa tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śraddhayā vidyayātmānam anviṣyādityam abhijayante |
etad vai prāṇānām āyatanam etad amṛtam ayam etat parāyaṇam |
etasmān na punarāvartanta iti |
eṣa nirodhaḥ |
tad eṣa ślokaḥ

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athottareṇāyanena prajāpateḥ aṃśaṃ prāṇamattāramādityamabhijayante;kena?tapasendriyajayena viśeṣato brahmacarye śraddhayā vidyayā ca prajāpatyātmaviṣayā ātmānaṃ prāṇaṃ sūryaṃ jagatastasthuṣaścānviṣyāhamasmīti viditvādityamabhijayante 'bhiprāpnuvanti /
etadvā āyatanaṃ sarvaprāṇānāṃ sāmānyamāyatanamāśrayametadamṛtamavināśi /
abhayamata eva bhayavajitaṃ na candravatkṣayavṛddhibhayavat /
etatparāyaṇaṃ parā gatiḥ vidyāvatāṃ karmiṇāṃ ca jñānavatām /
etasmānna punarāvartante yathetare kevalakarmiṇā iti /
yasmādeṣo 'viduṣāṃ nirodhaḥ /
ādityādi niruddhā avidvāṃso naite saṃvatsaramādityamātmānaṃ prāṇamabhiprāpnuvanti /
sa hi saṃvatsaraḥ kālātmāviduṣāṃ nirodhaḥ /
tattatrāsminnartha eṣa śloko mantraḥ /
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pañcapādaṃ pitaraṃ dvādaśakṛtiṃ diva āhuḥ pare ardhe purīṣiṇam /
atheme anya u pare vicakṣaṇaṃ saptacakre ṣaḍara āhurarpitamiti

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pañcapādaṃ pañcartavaḥ pādā ivāsya saṃvatsarātmana ādityasya tairasau pādairivartubhirāvartate /
hemantaśiśirāvekīkṛtyeyaṃ kalpanā /
pitaraṃ sarvasya janayitṛtvātpitṛtvaṃ tasya /
taṃ dvādaśākṛtiṃ dvādaśamāsā ākṛtayo 'vayavā ākaraṇaṃ vākyavikaraṇam asya dvādaśamāsaistaṃ dvādaśākṛtiṃ divo dyulokātpara ūrdhver'the sthāne tṛtīyāsyāṃ divītyarthaḥ purīṣiṇaṃ purīṣavantamudakavantamāhuḥ kālavidaḥ /
atha tamevānya ima u pare kālavido ticakṣaṇaṃ nipuṇaṃ sarvajñaṃ saptacakre saptahayarūpeṇa cakre satataṃ gatimati kālātmani ṣaḍare ṣaḍṛtumatyāhuḥ sarvamidaṃ jagatkathayanti arpitamarā iva rathanābhau niviṣṭamiti /
yadi pañcapādo dvādaśākṛtiryadivā saptacakraḥ ṣaḍaraḥ sarvathāpi saṃvatsaraḥ kālātmā prajāpatiḥ candrādityalakṣaṇo 'pi jagataḥ kāraṇam //11//
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yasminn idaṃ śritaṃ viśvaṃ sa eva prajāpatiḥ saṃvatsarākhyaḥ svāvayave māse kṛtsnaḥ parisamāpyate /
māso vai prajāpatiḥ |
tasya kṛṣṇapakṣa eva rayiḥ śuklaḥ prāṇaḥ |
tasmād eta ṛṣayaḥ śukla iṣṭaṃ kurvantītara itarasmin

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māso vai prajāpatiryathoktalakṣaṇa eva mithunātmakaḥ /
tasya māsātmanaḥ prajāpatereko bhāgaḥ kṛṣṇapakṣo rayirannaṃ candramāḥ /
aparo bhāgaḥ śuklapakṣo rayirannaṃ candramāḥ /
aparo bhāgaḥ śuklapakṣaḥ prāṇa ādityo 'ttāgniḥ yasmācchuklapakṣātmānaṃ prāṇaṃ sarvameva paśyanti tasmātprāṇadarśina eta ṛṣayaḥ kṛṣṇapakṣastairna dṛśyate yasmāt /
itare tu prāṇaṃ na paśyantītyadarśanalakṣaṇaṃ kṛṣṇātmānameva paśyanti /
itarasmin kṛṣṇapakṣa eva kurvanti śukle kurvanto 'pi //12//
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ahorātro vai prajāpatiḥ |
tasyāhareva prāṇo rātrireva rayiḥ |
prāṇaṃ vā ete praskandanti ye divā ratyā saṃyujyante |
brahmacaryameva tadyadrātrau ratyā saṃyujyante

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so 'pi māsātmā prajāpatiḥ svāvayave 'horātre parisamāpyate /
ahorātro vai prajāpatiḥ pūrvavat /
tasyāpyahareva prāṇo 'ttāgnī rātrireva rayiḥ pūrvavat /
prāṇamaharātmānaṃ vā ete praskandanti nirgamayanti śoṣayanti vā svātmano vicchidyāpanayanti ke?ye divāhani ratyā ratikāraṇabhūtayā saha striyā saṃyujyante mithunaṃ maithunamācaranti mūḍhāḥ /
yata evaṃ tasmāttanna kartavyamiti pratiṣedhaḥ prāsaṃṅgikaḥ /
yadrātrau saṃyujyante ratyā ṛtau brahmacaryameva taditi praśastatvādṛtau bhāryāgamanaṃ kartavyamityayamapi prāsaṅgiko vidhiḥ /
prakṛtaṃ tūcyate - so 'horātrātmakaḥ prajāpatirvīhiyavādyannātmanā vyavasthitaḥ //13//
evaṃ krameṇa pariṇamya tat -
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annaṃ vai prajāpatis tato ha vai tadretaḥ |
tasmād imāḥ prajāḥ prajāyanta iti

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annaṃ vai prajāpatiḥ /
katham?tatastasmāddha vai reto nṛbījaṃ tatprajākaraṇaṃ tasmādyoṣiti siktādimā manuṣyādilakṣaṇāḥ prajāḥ prajāyante /
yatpṛṣṭaṃ kuto ha vai prajāḥ prajāyanta iti /
tadevaṃ candrādityamithunādikrameṇāhorātrāntenānnāsṛgretoddhāreṇemāḥ prajāḥ prajāyanta iti nirṇītam //14//
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tad ye ha vai tatprajāpativrataṃ caranti |
te mithunam utpādayante |
teṣāmevaiṣa brahmalokaḥ |
yeṣāṃ tapo brahmacaryaṃ |
yeṣu satyaṃ pratiṣṭhitam

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tattatraivaṃ sati ye gṛhasthāḥ - ha vai iti prasiddhasmaraṇārthau nipātau - tatprajāpatervrataṃ prajāpativratamṛtau bhāryāgamanaṃ caranti kurvanti teṣāṃ dṛṣṭaphalamidam /
kim?te mithunaṃ putraṃ duhitaraṃ cotpādayante /
adṛṣṭaṃ ca phalamiṣṭāpūrtadattakāriṇāṃ teṣāmeva eṣa yaścāndramaso brahmalokaḥ pitṛyāṇalakṣaṇo yeṣāṃ tapaḥ snātakavratādīni, brahmacaryam, yeṣu ca satyamanṛtavarjanaṃ pratiṣṭhitamavyabhicāritayā vartate nityameva //15//
yastu punarādityopalakṣita uttarāyaṇaḥ prāṇātmabhāvo virajaḥ śuddho na candrabrahmalokavadrajasvalo vṛddhikṣayādiyukto 'sau teṣāṃ keṣāmityucyate -
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teṣām asau virajo brahmaloko na yeṣu jihvam anṛtaṃ na māyā ceti