• Home
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  • Translated mantras C
    • om tare tutare ture soha
    • purnam-adah-purnam-idam
    • Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Shyām
    • sarvesham svastir bhavatu
    • Shambho Shangkara namah Shivaya >
      • Shambhu Shankara Namah Shivaya Krishna Das meaning
      • Om Namah Shivaya Krishna Das. Lyrics, meaning, discussion.
    • shri sache maha prabhu
    • Shiva Shiva Shambho Shangkara
    • Sīta Ram Hanuman.
    • twam eva.
    • tri-ambakam yajamahe >
      • Maha Mrityeonjaya Hein Braat meaning
  • Translated mantras B
    • mangalam bhagavan Vishnu
    • namah Shivaya hare Hari om
    • om bhakta jai
    • Bhakti Heenam
    • om jaya Shiva Shambo
    • om asat oma sad gamaya
    • om mani padme hum
    • om namo bhagavate Vasudevaya
    • om namō narāyanāya
    • om namah Shivaya
    • om param eshvaraya vidmahe
    • om tat purushaya vidmahi
  • Mantras Translated A
    • amma amma taye
    • chid-ananda-rupah shivo-ham
    • The Essence of All
    • gate gate para gate
    • Gayatri om bhur bhuvah svaha
    • Govinda, Gopala Radha. >
      • Radhe Govinda Krishna Das meaning
      • sands of pleasure lyrics translation
    • hare Krishna hare Rama (a) >
      • hare Krishna hare Rama (b)
      • The Hare Krishna Sect.
    • jai Radha Madhava - Meaning.
    • je ma je Kali ma
    • Moola Mantra
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    • A : Introduction to Practice
    • B : Buddha's Enlightenment
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    • E : The Ego
    • F : Discharge of DIstress
    • G : Relationships
    • I : Desire >
      • dhammacakkappavattana sutta word by word
    • J : Karma
    • K : Dissatisfaction and Anger
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  • Translated mantras C
    • om tare tutare ture soha
    • purnam-adah-purnam-idam
    • Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Shyām
    • sarvesham svastir bhavatu
    • Shambho Shangkara namah Shivaya >
      • Shambhu Shankara Namah Shivaya Krishna Das meaning
      • Om Namah Shivaya Krishna Das. Lyrics, meaning, discussion.
    • shri sache maha prabhu
    • Shiva Shiva Shambho Shangkara
    • Sīta Ram Hanuman.
    • twam eva.
    • tri-ambakam yajamahe >
      • Maha Mrityeonjaya Hein Braat meaning
  • Translated mantras B
    • mangalam bhagavan Vishnu
    • namah Shivaya hare Hari om
    • om bhakta jai
    • Bhakti Heenam
    • om jaya Shiva Shambo
    • om asat oma sad gamaya
    • om mani padme hum
    • om namo bhagavate Vasudevaya
    • om namō narāyanāya
    • om namah Shivaya
    • om param eshvaraya vidmahe
    • om tat purushaya vidmahi
  • Mantras Translated A
    • amma amma taye
    • chid-ananda-rupah shivo-ham
    • The Essence of All
    • gate gate para gate
    • Gayatri om bhur bhuvah svaha
    • Govinda, Gopala Radha. >
      • Radhe Govinda Krishna Das meaning
      • sands of pleasure lyrics translation
    • hare Krishna hare Rama (a) >
      • hare Krishna hare Rama (b)
      • The Hare Krishna Sect.
    • jai Radha Madhava - Meaning.
    • je ma je Kali ma
    • Moola Mantra
  • Spiritual Practice
    • A : Introduction to Practice
    • B : Buddha's Enlightenment
    • C Meditation for Enlightenment.
    • D Self Realisation
    • E : The Ego
    • F : Discharge of DIstress
    • G : Relationships
    • I : Desire >
      • dhammacakkappavattana sutta word by word
    • J : Karma
    • K : Dissatisfaction and Anger
    • References. >
      • New Page 2
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  Pathway
  • Home
    • Buying the Music.
  • Music Meditation
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  • Translated mantras C
    • om tare tutare ture soha
    • purnam-adah-purnam-idam
    • Rādhe Rādhe Rādhe Shyām
    • sarvesham svastir bhavatu
    • Shambho Shangkara namah Shivaya >
      • Shambhu Shankara Namah Shivaya Krishna Das meaning
      • Om Namah Shivaya Krishna Das. Lyrics, meaning, discussion.
    • shri sache maha prabhu
    • Shiva Shiva Shambho Shangkara
    • Sīta Ram Hanuman.
    • twam eva.
    • tri-ambakam yajamahe >
      • Maha Mrityeonjaya Hein Braat meaning
  • Translated mantras B
    • mangalam bhagavan Vishnu
    • namah Shivaya hare Hari om
    • om bhakta jai
    • Bhakti Heenam
    • om jaya Shiva Shambo
    • om asat oma sad gamaya
    • om mani padme hum
    • om namo bhagavate Vasudevaya
    • om namō narāyanāya
    • om namah Shivaya
    • om param eshvaraya vidmahe
    • om tat purushaya vidmahi
  • Mantras Translated A
    • amma amma taye
    • chid-ananda-rupah shivo-ham
    • The Essence of All
    • gate gate para gate
    • Gayatri om bhur bhuvah svaha
    • Govinda, Gopala Radha. >
      • Radhe Govinda Krishna Das meaning
      • sands of pleasure lyrics translation
    • hare Krishna hare Rama (a) >
      • hare Krishna hare Rama (b)
      • The Hare Krishna Sect.
    • jai Radha Madhava - Meaning.
    • je ma je Kali ma
    • Moola Mantra
  • Spiritual Practice
    • A : Introduction to Practice
    • B : Buddha's Enlightenment
    • C Meditation for Enlightenment.
    • D Self Realisation
    • E : The Ego
    • F : Discharge of DIstress
    • G : Relationships
    • I : Desire >
      • dhammacakkappavattana sutta word by word
    • J : Karma
    • K : Dissatisfaction and Anger
    • References. >
      • New Page 2
      • New Page 3
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    • 1. All attention on sensation.
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    • 5 Making Effort
    • 6 Beauty
    • 7 Beauty of Spiritual Qualities
    • 8. Suffering
    • Traditional Terminology
  • About Mike
  • om namah Shivaya

Let us return to the quiet of Nature to help quieten our mind.

​

​māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad
​

word for word translation

​

(Pronunciation note.  A dot under a letter or a bar above it, called diacritics,  are important,  for they indicate proper pronunciation.  Please read my webpage “Pronouncing the Sanskrit.”)

Table of Contents.
 
1.  The Upanishads and samādhī.
2.  māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad  and prajn͂aḥ = pra-jn͂āna
3.  māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad  and  ॐ aum.
4.  māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad  in word for word translation
5.  Acknowledgement.
6.  A Clear and Comprehensible Translation
     of Upanishad.



​1.  The Upanishads and samādhī.
 
The Upanishads, such as  māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad  (Mandukya Upanishad), 
 describe the experience of the ancient Rishis or sages of deep meditation or samādhī   and the insights that come from samādhī.  They are also describe the pathway to samādhī.  So let us explore samādhī. 
 
samādhī  is not an easy topic for a website,  partly because the consciousness we use to get info off the net is quite opposite to the consciousness of  samādhī.  So let us slow down, relax, let go of the agitation,  and head towards inner quiet.  This will be a great help, as we explore.
 
Buddha lists samādhī  as the eighth and culminating Factor in his Noble Eightfold Path.  More precisely,  sammā samādhi  (perfection in samādhī)  is the eighth factor.  Similarly,  Patanjali lists  samādhī  as the eighth and culminating Principle in his ast-aṇga (eight limbed) Yoga.  So  samādhi  is important to us as practitioners.
 
To approach samādhī  takes much effort,  so Buddha lists samma vāyāma  (perfection of effort)  as the sixth factor in his Noble Eightfold Path.  In addition,  to approach samādhī  we need to learn to hold the mind steady,  and withdraw our attention from disturbance and distraction.  Therefore Patanjali lists  dhāraṇa  as the sixth Principle in his Astanga Yoga.  dhāraṇa  means “hold still, place, retain”,  and  dhāraṇa    also means “withdraw”  as a dictionary word.  So when we practise  dhāraṇa,  we learn to hold the mind still,  place our attention on our meditation object,  and retain our attention there.  We also withdraw our attention from distraction and disturbance. 
 
The word samā-dhī  is formed from samaḥ = even or balanced,  and dhī = mind.  Thus samādhī  literally translates as “even-minded-ness”.  In addition, dhi = “hold,  have”,  thus samādhi  translates as “hold the mind steady”,  “have the mind balanced”.   The dictionary gives additional meaning thus  :  samādhi  also translates as “collecting, bringing together,  union” and “completion, conclusion”.  Thus samādhi  means to collect and bring together our attention,  stabilise the mind,  unite heart and mind with Deity,  and thus accomplish our Goal in spiritual practice.
 
In samādhī  the mind is still, focussed,  bright, clear, alert, and very happy to be like this.  samādhī  is the very opposite of saṃsāra (heedless wandering),  where the mind is allowed to wander, unguided and unguarded,  and inevitably stray down dark paths where suffering lurks in ambush.   In samādhī  our attention stays with our chosen meditation object,  enjoys this stability,  and is not pushed nor pulled by destabilising urges.
 
samādhī   is not an act of will.  We cannot make our mind enter  samādhī  if our mind is not yet ready to enter.  samādhī  arises from regular meditation training over the years.  samādhī  arises because the conditions needed for  samādhī  have been sufficiently cultivated.  Let me now discuss the Path to Peace.
 


​Dear Reader.
Sacred texts like Bhagavād Gītā and  māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad
are intended to take the mind towards Inner Peace
that is refreshing, rejuvenating and liberating.
So please do not be driven nor tempted
to read this webpage continuously or hurriedly,
anxious to “know” what the māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad  means.
Be compassionate to your mind,
and take rest to allow the Dharma to soak in.
Perhaps one section is enough for this visit.
Best wishes from Mike B.

The Bhagavad Gita gives brief description on the Path to Peace.  Chapter 12 is entitled “Bhakti Yoga”  or the Yoga of Devotion to spiritual practice.  

BG 12. 8 
mana  ādhatsva     mayi               buddhiṁ       niveśhaya
mind   still                 Presence       thinking         surrender
Let the mind be still.  To Presence,  allow the thinking to be surrendered.  (Allow your thinking to be guided by Presence.)
 
   nivasiṣhyasi          mayy              eva     na  sanśhayaḥ
   live in                      Presence       fully    no  doubt
Live in Presence fully (Be fully Present in this moment.)  Have no doubts (about your practise).
 
BG 12. 9
atha chittaṁ            samādhātuṁ           na  śhaknoṣhi mayi            sthiram
  if      thinking          in samādhī   (is)      not  able             (to be)      steady
If you are not able to steady your thinking in samādhī, 
 
  abhyāsa      yogena          tato
 return           practice         then
repeatedly
then practice repeatedly returning your attention to Presence.
 
The word “meditate”  comes from the Latin meditare  =  frequent.  The foundations of daily meditation practice involve frequently returning to our meditation object,  as frequently as our attention wanders away.  It also involves staying with our meditation, and frequenting it.   I publish a Course in Meditation on this website,  which describes these basic Principles of meditation training. 
 
Returning to the meditation object is called vitakka (vitarka),  and staying with the chosen object is called  vichāra.  vitakka and vichāra  are two essential faculties or powers of mind that we cultivate and need to approach samādhī.   When our mind is well focussed and no longer wandering,  and disturbing thoughts no longer arise,  then we shift our priorities to enjoying and valuing the experience of meditation.  This joy of meditation is called  ānanda,  and the happiness of meditation is the primary attraction of meditation.  To enjoy stillness and silence,  to enjoy focus and clarity,  to enjoy the bright, stable, and alertness of  samādhī. 
 
Thus the experience of  samādhī  is very healing and reassuring.  It is most refreshing, rejuvenating, renewing.   samādhī   is the ideal recreation,  for it re-creates our spiritual essence (sugandhim).   I spend as much of my time in the neighbourhood of  samādhī  as I can,  for it is a delight that far surpasses mundane “pleasure.” 
 
The joy or ānanda  of meditation is the very opposite to the sensory bombardment of the screen,  and a wonderful refuge and sanctuary from it.  The two are quite incompatible,  the more one moves towards towards sensational screen “entertainment”,  the more one moves away from the joy or  ānanda  of meditation.  The degree to which the screen has invaded people’s non-work time is quite serious,  as well as the increase in the intensity of the sensationalism,  over the last 50 years.  It helps to explain the increase in mental disease in our modern world.   I have never owned a TV set in my life,  and I have never wanted one.  
 


2.  māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad  and prajn͂aḥ = pra-jn͂āna
 
The Upanishads in general and the māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad  in particular describe  prajn͂aḥ = pra-jn͂āna.  The first thing that Ananda Wood discusses in his treatise “Interpreting the Upanishads”  is the etymology of the word  pra-jn͂āna.  The j of  jn͂āna = jnyāna  is almost silent,  and is omitted in Pali.   Thus our deputy Abbott at the monastery was called Ajahn Nyāna-Dhammo,  which means  the (deputy) Abbot who Knows Dharma.   
 
Proper understanding of the word pra-jn͂āna helps explain the themes discussed in the Upanishads. 
 
jn͂āna  is an important Sanskrit word,  for it translates as “know” and “know how”  -
 
  • knowing how to detect defilements at an early stage,  before they can proliferate, invade our mind, and hijack our will, and
  • knowing how to let go of defilements, and allow them to diminish, dissolve, dissipate and thus cease to trouble us,  and
  • knowing how to initiate, cultivate and strengthen the spiritual Qualities or bodhyaṇga,  and
  • knowing how to protect the bodhyaṇga  from self sabotage. 
 
The Sanskrit prefix pra-  is also significant, for it has double translation –
 
  • pra-  can translate as “before”,  in the sense of the English word “precede”, and
  • pra-  can also translate as “forward, onward”  in the sense of the English word “proceed”. 
 
Thus the word  pra-jn͂āna  is usually translated as “pure consciousness,”  for it is an essential foundation for the experience of samādhī. 
 
  • pra-jn͂āna  is the consciousness and know-how that precedes  samādhī  and is necessary to approach  samādhī,  and
  • pra-jn͂āna  is also the consciousness and know-how that  proceeds  and continues throughout  samādhī.   pra-jn͂āna  is needed to support and sustain  samādhī.
 
However, verses 3 & 4 of māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad  gives further meaning to  prajn͂āna   by prefixing it with the words bahiṣ = of the outer,  and  antar = from the inner. 
 
  • bahiṣ-prajn͂āna  can translate as “worldly wisdom,” and
  • bahiṣ-prajn͂āna  can translate as “knowing how to conduct ourselves wisely in daily life.”
  • antar-prajn͂āna  can translate as “positive attitude to our daily life”, and
  • antar-prajn͂āna  can translate as “wise reflection and understanding of our daily life”
 
Verse 7 also gives additional meaning to the word  jn͂āna, using the prefix vi  which means “inwardly”  or “objectively”.  This gives the following meanings –
  • vi-jn͂āna  can translate as “know objectively”  or
  • vi-jn͂āna  can translate as know when defilements are active in our heart and in our mind, without getting ensnared in them,
  • vi-jn͂āna  can translate as “Being conscious and wakeful”.   
 
vijn͂āna  is an essential component of the enlightened human Being.  So Buddha lists vijn͂āna  (viññāṇa)  as the fifth and culminating category or khanda  of body and mind.  vijn͂āna  appears in verse 7 of  māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad  as vijn͂eyaḥ   in the expression “ātmā vijn͂eyaḥ”  which means
 
 “the higher self should be known without clinging to it,”  or
“We will know the higher self when we are Being conscious.”

 
 



3.  māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad  and  ॐ aum.


The Rishi or sage who composed  māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad  in the deeps of time was evidently reciting the  ॐ aum  mantra to access  samādhī.  He opens māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad   with a declaration that can be taken as a mantra,  to gently nudge the mind towards Deity,  towards refreshing and rejuvenating inner quiet and rest, when reciting the sacred yet simple sound  ‘aaa-ooo-mmm.’   (-ooo- is pronounced as in caught, bought, for).   I don’t want this opening mantra to be taken as a prescribed religious belief,  as something that you have to believe in to be in it. So I have interpolated this opening declaration to make it more accessible to us non-Hindus. 
 
Nevertheless,  this statement lent new meaning to the word  a-kṣara.    kṣara  means “melting away, moveable, perishable, like water.”   Now akṣara  also means “the sacred sound  ॐ aum”.  I hope this helps to explain the meaning of lines 4 and 6 of verse 1. 

​
 


Picture
The Sage deep in samādhī.    Note the composure of the face, and the smile of ānanda.   


4.  ​māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad.


ॐ aum          iti etat            akṣaram.      idaṃ              sarvaṃ.
the sound     this is             the                  this is              the All
aa-uu-mm                     Imperishable.
“Let us perceive the sound  ‘aaa-uuu-mmm’ as the Imperishable.”
“Let us perceive the sound  ‘aaa-uuu-mmm’ as Deity that pervades All.”
 
tasyo              upa                 -vyākhyāna 
here is            go with          explanation 
Here is an explanation to accompany (this mantra)
 
bhutaṃ         bhavat          bhaviṣyat 
arise               exist                future cessation     
The arising, existence and the future cessation of all Beings
 
sarva     aum       kāra                   eva.
all                         depend upon     surely.
all surely depend on  ॐ aum, the Imperishable.
 
yat ca             ānyat             trikāl              ātītaṃ            
that &            different       these              gone                          
                                                three              beyond
That which has gone beyond arising, existing and dissolution,
 
tat api            aum               kāra               eva 
that also        aum          comes from       surely
that also depends on ॐ aum,  the Imperishable,  surely. 
 
sarvaṃ hi etat         brahman        ayam       ātmā    brahman
universe        is         pan-theistic        is          higher
                                    Deity                                  self
2)  The universe is (pervaded by) pantheistic Deity,  and the higher self  is also (part of) pan-theistic Deity.    
 
ayam             ātmā             catur             ayāt
our                 higher            four                supports
                        self                              favourable destinations.
Our higher self has four supports or favourable destinations.
 
  jāgarita       sthāna           bahiṣ              -prajn͂aḥ
wakeful         firmly             outer              pure consciousness
                        established
3)   When we are firmly established in wakefulness and have pure consciousness (prajn͂aḥ), 
 
sapt-āṅga                 ekonavimśati          mukhaḥ
seven factors           nineteen                   directions
then we will know how to properly conduct ourselves in the world  (bahiṣ-prajn͂aḥ),  in its “seven factors and nineteen directions”,  and

(note  :  ‘bahiṣ-prajn͂aḥ’  literally means  “pure knowing of how to operate in the outer (instrumental case)”)
​
sthūla            bhuk              viśva               -nara
physical         enjoy       all-pervading     Being
and we can know how (bahiṣ-prajn͂aḥ)  to enjoy this worldly life,  and know (bahiṣ-prajn͂aḥ) the All-pervading Being  (pantheistic Deity.)
 
prathamaḥ              pādaḥ
primary                     foundation.
This is the first foundation (of the higher self.)
 
                                                           
svapna                     sthāna           antar             -prajn͂aḥ
visualisation           firmly            meditative    pure
                                   established                           consciousness
4)  When we are firmly established in meditative visualisation,  and we have pure consciousness (prajn͂aḥ),  
  
(By “visualisation” (svapna = supta)  I mean perceiving, assessing, and valuing the people, pursuits, possessions and places of our lives in a wise, insightful manner.  Literally, our “mental image” of our world.  Hence su-supta  means “supreme insight.”)

sapt-āṅga                 ekonavimśati          mukhaḥ
seven factors           nineteen                   directions
then we will have a positive and wise attitude towards the world (antar-prajn͂aḥ) in its “seven factors and nineteen directions”, 

(note  :  ‘antar-prajn͂aḥ’  literally means “pure knowing from within (ablative case).”)

pravivikta     bhuk               taijaso
solitary,         enjoy             illuminating,
seclusion                               radiance
and we can know (antar-prajn͂aḥ) how to enjoy illuminating solitude, know how to enjoy the radiance of seclusion from mental noise, defilement and disturbance. 
 

dvitīyaḥ         pādaḥ
second           foundation.
This is the second foundation (of the higher self.)
 
yatra      supta     na      kan͂cana           kāmam
that        latent     no      whatsoever      destabilising
            unmanifest                                     urges
5 a)  When there is no latent or unmanifest destabilising urges whatsoever,
 
svapna               paśyati                suṣuptam
meditative         visualisation        supreme
                                                            insight
then our meditative visualisation will be a supreme insight.
 
suṣupta                     sthāna           ekī                   bhūtaḥ
supreme                   stable             one,                Being
insight                        posture       at-one-ment
5 b)   When the supreme insight is a stable posture,
 
prajn͂āna               -ghana   eva     ānanda         -maya
pure                         complete           delight           full of
consciousness       favourable       enjoyment
one will surely have complete pure consciousness that is complete and favourable, and one will be full of delight and enjoyment.  Our Being will be at-one with supreme insight, pure consciousness and enjoyment.  (This is atonement.)
 
hi                     ānanda         -bhuk                                                
when             delight           possess                                             
                                                rewarded with                               
When we possess such delight and are rewarded by it,
 
cetaḥ             -mukhaḥ                   prājn͂a.
heart              entrance,                  pure consciousness.
mind              mouth of
our heart and mind is the entrance or ‘mouth’ of pure consciousness. 
 
tṛtīyaḥ           pādaḥ
third               foundation
This is the third foundation (of the higher self.)

Verse (6)  now describes the Silent Mind of  samādhī.   It uses indirect language  “this is entirely … ”   By not naming samādhī,  we gently nudge the mind towards it,  by describing its characteristics. 
 
eṣa                  sarva             īśvara             
this is             entirely        pure              
                                                consciousness                                            
eṣa                   sarva            jn͂a
this is             entirely         pure knowing
 
eṣo                  antar             -yāmin
this is            indwelling     Guide
           
         yoniḥ                sarvasya        
and the origin          of all.             
 
                        prabha          āpyayau           
bhūtānām
It is the          arising   &     ceasing          of all that exists. 
 
Verse (7) describes the Silent Mind of  samādhī  in a different way.  This verse equates the Silent Mind of samādhī  with brahman,  where  brahman  is best understood to be Deity unmanifest,  and not known nor understood by the ego or lower self.  I publish a treatise on the ego on this website. 
 
Hinduism has innumerable words and Names for Deity,  to try to give form to the formless,  to try to make the Immortal understandable to mortal humans like us.  Of all these Names and words for Deity,  brahman   is the most refined presentation of Deity. 
 
brahman   is unknown and ungrasped by the busy-ness of the thinking mind,  intent on trying to understand Mike’s interpretation of  māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad.  brahman has no characteristics that the ego knows.  brahman  transcends worldly wisdom and meditative skill.  It even transcends wisdom and stupidity,  for it is beyond mortal limitations. 
 
The key word used to describe brahman  in verse 7 is  advaita  = beyond duality,  beyond the sense of separation between the ego and other people,  beyond the separation caused by class, language, culture.  advaita  means ‘united with Mother Nature.’   advaita  is the unifying experience, Being at-one with the Divine and the goodness of other people. 
 
na                antaḥ     -prajn͂a          na               bahiṣ      -prajn͂a
beyond       worldy   wisdom       beyond     meditative   skill
                                                                                   
na ubhayatas          -prajn͂a
beyond both            consciousness types
 
na                   prajn͂āna      ghanaṃ
beyond          insight,          complete &
                       wisdom         favourable
 
na                   prajn͂aṃ        nāprajn͂am
beyond          wisdom   &   stupidity
 
a-dṛṣṭam                  a-vyavahārvam      a-grāhya     
not been seen         not yet practised    not yet grasped
 
a-lakṣaṇam             a-cintyam                 a-vyapadeśyam
without                     inconceivable          undefined    
characteristics        
It is without characteristics,  inconceivable and undefined to the ego. 
 
eka          ātma               pratyaya                          sāraṃ
at one     higher             understanding              essence of,
                  self                                                           powerful
It is a powerful understanding of the higher self at-one with Divinity,  that is the essence of the higher self. 
 
prapan͂cāt                -upa-śāmaṃ           śāntaṃ
from noise                great relief               peaceful
It is a great relief from mental noise, and it is still. 
                       
            śivam             -advaitaṃ
It is     Deity              beyond duality.
 
caturthaṃ
(This is) the fourth foundation (of the higher self.)
 
manyante         ātmā                       vijn͂eyaḥ
It is said            the higher      should be known consciously,
that                    self                   without clinging to it.
 
ātmāya                     adhi                -mātraṃ      
moving towards     simply           transcendent
higher self               
 
adhyakṣaram                      aum       -kāra             
the sacred sound                aum         reciting
8)   Reciting the sacred sound ॐ aum takes us towards the higher self.  It is simply transcendent;
 
ca        mātrā                        pādā
and     the whole                 foundation
 
 aaa  kāra uuu  kāro mmm kāra
reciting ‘aaa’,  reciting ‘uuu’, reciting ‘mmm’. 
and reciting ‘aaa’,  reciting ‘uuu’, reciting ‘mmm’  is the whole foundation to ॐ aum   mantra meditation.    
 


5.  Acknowledgement.
 
I am indebted to Stephanie Simoes  who provided the Sanskrit of  māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad,   in word-for-word translation,  when she was a graduate student of Brock University.
 
She is at –
https://brocku.academia.edu/StephanieSimoes
 
Her word-for-word translation of māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad,   is at –
https://www.academia.edu/27386976/Mandukya_Upanishad_Word_for_Word_Translation_with_Transliteration_and_Grammatical_Notes
 
I looked up the meaning of most words in the māṇḑūkya  upaniṣad  in the following online dictionary –
https://sanskritdictionary.com    This remarkable resource for the Dharma gives listings from six different dictionaries.  You type your entry using the International Agreement for Sanskrit Transliteration,  which I use for all scripture quotes on this website.  As does Stephanie.    Please read my webpage “Pronouncing the Sanskrit.” 

 
If you do not have the IAST spelling,  you can use another online dictionary that will offer several different spellings,  and you take your pick.  This is
https://www.learnsanskrit.cc  This will give the Devanagari,  which you can enter into https://sanskritdictionary.com    

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6.  A Clear and Comprehensible Translation

of Upanishad.

Please remember that the Upanishads were composed in an earlier era,  and their Sanskrit is archaic.  Whereas dictionary translations tend to be classical Sanskrit of a later epoch in Indian history.  When the latter are used to translate Upanishad like māṇḑūkya upaniṣad,  all sorts of strange interpretations arise.  By tradition, the religion presents the Upanishads in obscure language that can confuse more than clarify.   To the point of being (almost) incomprehensible.
 
This gives a misleading impression that the Upanishads are obscure, esoteric, and only the elite can understand them.  Indeed,  for very many centuries the Upanishads were reserved only for the Brahman priestly caste, who felt the need to be in charge of the religion.  New scriptures were developed  in more recent millennia for the common people.   These are   Purana, which uses the ancient tradition of story telling,  where Names for Deity become the names of people in stories that are often imaginative and magical. 
 
This is a great loss,  for the Upanishads express important spiritual insights that arise from deep meditation.  The Upanishads were not composed to be obscured with confusing obfuscations.  The Upanishads can be easy to use and understand,  if priority is given to a translation that is sensible, comprehensible and helpful.  To achieve this,  the translator needs to extrapolate considerably from the dictionary translation,  or rely on other info sources, and adjust word sequence and grammar.    This I have done. 

 


 
The works of religious scholars are the starting point, not the final word in my interpretation of sacred scripture and mantra.  I adapt Hindu themes out of their origins in prescribed belief and doctrine,  and into a form that works for me.  I hope it works for you too.
 
Best wishes from Mike B.



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For more scriptures in word-for-word translation,
go to the menu at the page top, click onto  +  (if they give this to you)
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Discussion on this webpage is ©Copyright by Mike Browning, 2021.  The Sanskrit comes from ancient tradition, belongs to no one person,  and therefore is in the Public Domain.  This also applies to its translation into English. 
 
You are permitted and encouraged to copy text from this webpage and use as you see fit,  provided it is not harmful to mantra-translate. 


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