Mahavakya Upanishad

Shiva Blessing Devotees

|| Advaya Taraka|| The Atharvasikha|| The Atharvasiras|| Brihad Jabala|| The Importance of Breath in Yoga Practice || Morals From the s || Dakshinamurthy || Untitled 2 || Hayagriva || Jabala Darsana|| Jabali || Krishna|| Kshurika || Mahavakya|| Narayana || Nrisimha Poorva and Uttara Tapaniya|| The Paingala|| Pancha Brahma || Pasupata Brahmana|| The Pranagnihotra|| Rama Rahasya|| Rama Poorva and Uttara Tapaniya|| Sarabha|| Trisikhi Brahmana || Vasudeva|| Yoga Chudamani || Yoga Sikha ||

by P.R.Ramachander

Introduction by Jayaram V

Maha-Vakyopanishad belongs to the Atharva-Veda. It is an exposition of the mahavakya, "Hamsa Soham" by Lord Brahma. It is a Saiva Upanishad, which teaches how to concentrate our minds on this great truth by practicing pranayama, pooraka and rechaka. The outcome of this practice is said to be neither samadhi nor siddhis (powers) but union with Brahman Himself and attaining the deathless state. The reading of this Upanishad has the same beneficial effect as the study of the Vedas.The following is an original translation of the Mahavakya Upanishad by P.R. Ramachander. Hope it will help you to understand the meaning and significance of the Upanishad.

Translation

Om ! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious;
May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship !
May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas,
Praising them with our body and limbs steady !
May the glorious Indra bless us !
May the all-knowing Sun bless us !
May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us !
May Brihaspati grant us well-being !
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 !

God Brahma said:

I would explain this Upanishad based on inside experience. The personal knowledge “that this Sun is Brahman” is got by chanting Ajabha Gayatri viz., “Hamsa Soham.” The ever joyous Paramatma would set in if, after controlling Prana and Apana by Pranayama, and attaining it (pranayama) by constant and long practice of Pooraka and Rechaka (macro, micro as well as together) and making the mind concentrate on the same Brahman in three stages. It would shine like one thousand suns and would be complete like the shoreless sea. That experience is neither Samadhi nor Yoga Sidhi and nor mixing of the mind. That is merging with Brahman as Brahman is always single.

The sages who experience this tell as follows: I know that Purusha with the shining light who is beyond darkness, who makes shapes, who names them, who provides for them and who is the brave Purushottama. The one who finds out that Purusha, who was announced as Para Brahman by Brahma in the primitive times and who was found out by Indra in all the four directions, attains the deathless state in this birth itself. There is no other method for salvation.

I am that sun who is the ethereal light. I am that Siva who is that sun of Knowledge. I am the very clean light of Atma. I am all the light that we know. Om.

Whoever reads this Upanishad of Atharva-Veda gets the same holy effect as reading the complete Vedas. He would definitely attain the place of Maha Vishnu.

Om ! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious;
May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship !
May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas,
Praising them with our body and limbs steady !
May the glorious Indra bless us !
May the all-knowing Sun bless us !
May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us !
May Brihaspati grant us well-being !
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 !

Here ends the Maha-Vakyopanishad, as contained in the Atharva-Veda.

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