Niralamb Upanishad - Text and Translation

निरालम्बोपनिषत्

यत्रालम्बालम्बिभावो विद्यते न कदाचन ।
ज्ञविज्ञसम्यग्ज्ञालम्बं निरालम्बं हरिं भजे ॥

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते ।
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

ॐ नमः शिवाय गुरवे सच्चिदानन्दमूर्तये ।
निष्प्रपञ्चाय शान्ताय निरालम्बाय तेजसे ॥

निरालम्बं समाश्रित्य सालम्बं विजहाति यः ।
स संन्यासी च योगी च कैवल्यं पदमश्नुते ॥१॥

एषमज्ञानजन्तूनां समस्तारिष्टशान्तये ।
यद्यद्बोद्धव्यमखिलं तदाशङ्क्य ब्रवीम्यम् ॥२॥

किं ब्रह्म । क ईश्वरः । को जीवः । का प्रकृतिः । कः परमात्मा । को ब्रह्मा । को विष्णुः । को रुद्रः । क इन्द्रः । कः शमनः । सः शमनः । कः सूर्य । कश्चन्द्र । के सुराः । के असुराः । के पिशाचाः । के मनुष्याः । काः स्त्रियः । के पश्वादयः । किं स्थावरम् । के ब्राह्मणादयः । का जातिः । किं कर्म । किमकर्म । किं ज्ञानम् । किमज्ञानम् । किं सुखम् । किं दुखम् । कः स्वर्गः । को नरकः । को बन्धः । को मोक्षः । क उपास्यः । कः शिष्यः । को विद्वान् । को मूढः । किमासुरम् । किं तपः । किं पदमं पदम् । किं ग्राह्यम् । किमग्राह्यम् । कः संन्यासीत्याशङ्क्याह ब्रह्मेति । ॥३॥

स होवाच महदहङ्कारपृथिव्यप्तॆजोवाय्वाकाशत्वेन बृहद्रूपेणाण्डकोशेन कर्मज्ञानार्थरूपतया भासमानमद्वितीयमखिलोपाद्विनिर्मुक्तं तत्सकलशक्त्युपबृंहितमनाद्यनन्तं शुद्धं शिवं शान्तं निर्गुणमित्यादिवाच्यमनिर्वाच्यं चैतन्यं ब्रह्म ईश्वर इति च । ब्रह्मैव स्वशक्तिं प्रकृत्यभिधेयामाश्रित्य लोकान्सृष्ट्वा प्रविश्यान्तर्यामित्वेन ब्रह्मादीनां बुद्धीन्द्रियनियन्तृत्वादीश्वरः ॥ ४ ॥

जीव इति च ब्रह्मविष्णवीशानेन्द्रादीनां नामरूपद्वारा स्थूलोऽहमिति मिथ्याध्यासवशाज्जीवः । सोऽहमेकोऽपि देहारम्भकभेदवशाद्बहुजीवः ॥ ५ ॥

प्रकृतिरिति च ब्रह्मणः सकाशान्नानाविचित्रजगन्निर्माणसामार्थ्यबुद्धिरूपा ब्रह्मशक्तिरेव प्रकृतिः ॥ ६ ॥
परमात्मेति च देहादेः परतरत्वाद्ब्रह्मैव परमात्मा ॥ ७ ॥
स ब्रह्मा स विष्णुः स इन्द्रः स शमनः स सूर्यः स चन्द्रस्ते असुरास्ते पिशाचास्ते मनुष्यास्ताः स्त्रियते पश्वादयस्तत्स्थावरं ते ब्राह्मणादयः ॥ ८ ॥
सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म नेह नानास्ति किञ्चन ॥ ९ ॥
जातिरिति च । न चर्मणो न रक्तस्य न मांसस्य न चास्थिनः ।
न जातिरात्मनो जातिर्व्यवहारप्रकल्पिता ॥ १० ॥
कर्मेति च क्रियमाणेन्द्रियैः कर्माण्यहं करोमीत्यध्यात्मनिष्ठतया कृतं कर्मैव कर्म । अकर्मेति च कर्तुव्यभोक्तृत्वाद्यहङ्कारतया बन्धरूपं जन्मादिकारणं नित्यनैमित्तिकयागव्रततपोदानादिषु फलाभिसन्धानं यत्तदकर्म॥ ११-१२॥
ज्ञानमिति च देहेन्द्रियनिग्रहसद्गुरूपासनश्रवणमनननिदिध्यासनैर्यद्यदृग्दृश्यस्वरूपं सर्वान्तरस्थं सर्वसमं घटपचादिपदार्थमिवाविकारं विकारेषु चैतन्यं विना किञ्चिन्नास्तीति साक्षात्कारानुभवो ज्ञानम् ॥ १३ ॥
अज्ञानमिति च रज्जौ सर्पभ्रान्तिरिवाद्वितीये सर्वानुस्यूते सर्वमये ब्रह्मणि देवतिर्यङ्नरस्थावरस्त्रीपुरुषवर्णाश्रम -बन्धमोक्षोपाधिनानात्मभेदकल्पितं ज्ञानमज्ञानम् ॥ १४ ॥
सुखमिति च सच्चिदानन्दस्वरूपं ज्ञात्वानन्दरूपा या स्थितिः सैव सुखम् ॥ १५ ॥
दुःखमिति अनात्मरूपो विषयसङ्कल्प एव दुःखम् ॥ १६ ॥
स्वर्ग इति च सत्संसर्गः स्वर्गः ।
नरक इति च असत्संसारविषयजनसंसर्ग एव नरकः ॥ १७ ॥
बन्ध इति च अनाद्यविद्यावासनया जातोऽहमित्यादिसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥ १८ ॥
पितृमातृसहोदरदारापत्यगृहारामक्षेत्रममतासंसारावरणसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥ १९ ॥
कर्तृत्वाद्यहङ्कारसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥ २० ॥
अणिमाद्यष्टैश्वर्याशासिद्धसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥ २१ ॥
देवमनुष्याद्युपासनाकामसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥ २२ ॥
यमाद्यष्टाङ्गयोगसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥ २३ ॥
वर्णाश्रमधर्मकर्मसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥ २४ ॥
आज्ञाभयसंशयात्मगुणसङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥ २५ ॥
यागव्रततपोदानविधिविधानज्ञानसङ्कल्पो बन्ध ॥ २६ ॥
केवलमोक्षापेक्षा सङ्कल्पो बन्धः ॥ २७ ॥
सङ्कल्पमात्रसंभवो बन्धः ॥ २८ ॥
मोक्ष इति च नित्यानित्यवस्तुविचारादनित्यसंसारसुखदुःखविषयसमस्तक्षेत्र ममताबन्धक्षयो मोक्षः ॥ २९ ॥
उपास्य इति च सर्वशरीरस्थचैतन्यब्रह्मप्रापको गुरुरुपास्यः ॥ ३० ॥
शिष्य इति च विद्याध्वस्तप्रपञ्चावगाहितज्ञानावशिष्टं ब्रह्मैव शिष्यः ॥ ३१ ॥
विद्वानिति च सर्वान्तरस्थस्वसंविद्रूपविद्विद्वान् ॥ ३२ ॥
मूढ इति च कर्तृत्वाद्यहङ्कारभावारूढो मूढः ॥ ३३ ॥
आसुरमिति च ब्रह्मविष्ण्वीशानेन्द्रादीनामैश्वर्यकामनया निरशनजपाग्निहोत्रादिष्वन्तरात्मानं संतापयति चात्युग्ररागद्वेष-विहिंसादम्भाद्यपेक्षितं तप आसुरम् ॥ ३४ ॥
तप इति च ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्येत्यपरोक्षज्ञानाग्निना । ब्रह्माद्यैश्वर्याशासिद्धसङ्कल्पबीजसन्तापं तपः ॥ ३५ ॥
परमं पदमिति च प्राणेन्द्रियाद्यन्तः करणगुणादेः। परतरं सच्चिदानन्दमयं नित्यमुक्तब्रह्मस्थानं परमं पदम् ॥ ३६ ॥
ग्राह्यमिति च देशकालवस्तुपरिच्छेदराहित्यचिन्मात्रस्वरूपं ग्राह्यम् ॥ ३७ ॥
अग्राह्यमिति च स्वस्वरूपव्यतिरिक्तमायामयबुद्धीन्द्रियगोचरजगत्सत्यत्वचिन्तनमग्राह्यम् ॥ ३८ ॥
संन्यासीति च सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य निर्ममो निरहङ्कारो भूत्वा ब्रह्मेष्टं शरणमुपगम्य तत्त्वमसि अहं ब्रह्मास्मि सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म नेह नानास्ति किञ्चनेत्यादिमहावाक्यार्थानुभवज्ञानाद् ब्रह्मैवाहमस्मीति निश्चित्य निर्विकल्पसमाधिना स्वतन्त्रो यतिश्चरति स संन्यासी स मुक्तः स पूज्यः स योगी स परमहंसः सोऽवधूतः स ब्राह्मण इति ॥ ३९ ॥
इदं निरालम्बोपनिषदं योऽधीते गुर्वनुग्रहतः सोऽग्निपूतो भवति स वायुपूतो भवति न स पुनरावर्तते न स पुनरावर्तते पुनर्नाभिजायते पुनर्नाभिजायत इत्युपनिषत् ॥ ४० ॥
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते ।
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
|| इति निरालम्बोपनिषत्समाप्ता ॥

Om ! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite.
The infinite proceeds from the infinite.
(Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite (universe),
It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone. 
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !

1. I shall raise and answer (questions covering) all that must be known for liquidating the misfortunes of living beings plunged in ignorance.

2. (1) What is Brahman ? 
(2) Who is God ? 
(3) Who is living being ? 
(4) What is Prakriti ? 
(5) Who is the Supreme Self ? 
(6) Who is Brahma ?
(7) Who is Vishnu ?
(8) Who is Rudra ?
(9) Who is Indra ?
(10) Who is (the god of) Death ?
(11) Who is the Sun ?
(12) Who is the Moon ?
(13) Who are the Gods ?
(14) Who are the demons ?
(15) Who are the evil spirits ?
(16) Who are men ?
(17) Who are women ?
(18) Who are animals and so forth ?
(19) What is the immobile ?
(20) Who are the Brahmanas, etc., ?
(21) What is a caste ?
(22) What is deed ?
(23) What is a non-deed ?
(24) What is knowledge ?
(25) What is ignorance ?
(26) What is pleasure ?
(27) What is pain ?
(28) What is heaven ?
(29) What is hell ?
(30) What is bondage ?
(31) What is liberation ?
(32) What is to be adored ?
(33) Who is the disciple ?
(34) Who is the sage ?
(35) Who is the deluded ?
(36) What is the demoniac ?
(37) What is austerity ?
(38) Which is the supreme abode ?
(39) What is to be sought after ?
(40) What is to be rejected ?
(41) Who is the renouncer (Sannyasin) ?

3. (1) Brahman is the ineffable Spirit. It appears as the Mahat (the Sankhyan Great), the ego, (the elements) earth, water, fire, air and ether – the macrocosm and as actions, knowledge and ends. It is non-dual and free from all adjuncts. It is big with all powers and is without beginning and end. It may be spoken of as pure, good, quiescent, unqualified.

4. (2) God is the veritable Brahman that, depending on Its power called Prakriti creates the worlds and enters (into them) as the inner Controller of Brahma, etc., (He) is Ishvara, as He controls the intellect and the sense-organs.

5. (3) The living being (Jiva) is he who, through false superimposition, affirms ‘I am gross’ due to ‘the name and form’ of Brahma, Vishnu, Isana, Indra, etc. (Jiva thinks): Though I am one, due to the differences of the causes that originate the body, the Jivas are many.

6. (4) Prakriti is but the power of Brahman; it is intellectual in nature and competent to create the variegated and marvellous world from (the matrix) of Brahman.

7. (5) The supreme Self is Brahman alone being altogether different from body, etc.

8-9. (6-20) Brahma, Vishnu, Indra, (the god of) Death, the Sun, the Moon, the gods, the demons, men, women, animals, etc.; the immobile the Brahmanas, etc.; are that very Spirit.

10. (21) Neither skin nor blood nor flesh nor bone has caste; To self is caste ascribed through mere usage.

11. (22) ‘I do the deeds that are done through sense-organs’ – the deed thus done as centred in the Self alone is the deed (in question).

12. (23) The deed done with conceit as agent and enjoyer, causing birth, etc., binds; The non-deed is the obligatory and occasional action – sacrifice, holy vow, austerity, gifts, etc., done without desire for their fruit.

13. (24) Knowledge is the immediate realization, due to the disciplining of body and sense-organs, service rendered to the Teacher, hearing, thinking and meditation, that there is nothing but Spirit, the essence of both subjects and objects, which is immutable among the mutables like pots and clothes, the same in all, their innermost (essence).

14. (25) Ignorance is the illusory knowledge – like that of the snake in the rope – of Brahman that is All in all, all-pervasive and non-dual. (This illusory knowledge) is associated with a plurality of selves based on the plurality of the adjuncts of bondage and liberation, viz.; stations in life, castes, men, women, the immobiles, mankind, (lower) animals and gods.

15. (26) Pleasure is the blissful state that succeeds the knowledge of the essence of Being, Intelligence and Bliss. (27) It (Dukha - pain) is the mere Sankalpa (or the thinking) of the objects of mundane existence (or of not-Self). 

16. (28) Heaven is the association with the holy.

17. (29) Association with the worldly folk who are unholy alone is hell.

18. (30) Bondage consists in imagining due to the beginningless latent impressions of nescience, ‘I am born, etc.’

19. Bondage consists in imagining a plunge into the flux of existence with its possessive claims on fields, gardens, houses, children, wives, brothers, mothers and fathers.

20. Bondage is the conceit of egoistic agency in regard to actions, etc.

21. Bondage is the imagination prompted by the desire for the eight powers, anima, etc.

22. Bondage is the imagination prompted by the yearning for adoring gods, men, etc.

23. Bondage is the imagination (leading to) the practice of Yoga with its eight limbs, Yama, etc.

24. Bondage is the planning of action and duties bound up with castes and stations of life.

25. Bondage is to imagine that Atman has qualities like doubts, fear, etc.

26. Bondage is to plan (to acquire) knowledge, to perform sacrifices, vows, austerity and (make) gifts.

27. Bondage is to plan to devote oneself exclusively to moksha.

28. Bondage is what springs exclusively from imagination.

29. (31) Liberation is the attenuation, through discrimination between the eternal and the ephemeral, of the sense of ownership in regard to objects that generate fleeting pleasures and pains in the transmigratory life.

30. (32) Adorable is the teacher who leads one to Brahman, the Spirit dwelling in all bodies.

31. (33) The disciple is Brahman indeed that remains altogether immersed in the knowledge of the world as obliterated by the awareness (of its ground, viz., Brahman).

32. (34) The sage is the knower of the essence of Self-awareness present in all as their innermost (part).

33. (35) The deluded is he who is sustained by the conceit of egoism as regards agency, etc.

34. (36) Demoniac is the austerity, rooted in entrenched attachment, aversion, destructive violence, hypocrisy, etc.; that torments oneself by performing ‘repetition of holy names’ and Agnihotra while fasting and that is prompted by the desire to secure the power of gods like Brahma, Vishnu, Indra and Isana.

35. (37) Austerity is the burning, in the fire of immediate realization of the world’s falsity, of the seed of imagination fashioned by the desire to secure the power of Brahma, etc.

36. (38) The supreme abode is Brahman’s status, one of eternal freedom, comprising Being, Intelligence, and Bliss, beyond the qualities of the inner organ and the sense-organs and the vital breaths.

37. (39) To be sought after is the essence of the pure Spirit undetermined by space, time and objects.

38. (40) To be rejected is the thought that true is the world other than one’s own Self that is perceived by the false sense organs and the intellect.

39. (41) The Sannyasin (mendicant monk) is the wandering independent ascetic who has known for certain, in the indeterminate concentration (Nirvikalpa-Samadhi), ‘I am Brahman’. He is led upto it through the experiential knowledge of the contents of Major texts like: ‘There is no plurality here’; ‘All this is Brahman’; 'That Thou Art', etc.; after renouncing all duties, sense of possession and the ego, and taking refuge in the beloved Brahman. That ascetic is liberated; he is adorable; he is the Yogin; he is the Immense; he is the Brahmana.

Om ! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite.
The infinite proceeds from the infinite.
(Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite (universe),
It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone. 
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
Om Shanti ! Shanti ! Shanti !
Here ends the Niralamba Upanishad, as contained in the Shukla Paksha Yajur-Veda.