Verse 1
अथ पैप्पलादो भगवान्भो किमादौ किं जातमिति । सद्यो जातमिति किं भगव इति। अघोर इति । किं भगव इति। वामदेव इति । किं वा पुनरिमे भगव इति । तत्पुरुष इति । किं वा पुनरिमे भगव इति। सर्वेषां दिव्यानां प्रेरयिता ईशान इति । ईशानो भूतभव्यस्य सर्वेषां देवयोनिनाम्॥
atha paippalādo bhagavānbho kimādau kiṃ jātamiti । sadyo jātamiti kiṃ bhagava iti। aghora iti । kiṃ bhagava iti। vāmadeva iti । kiṃ vā punarime bhagava iti । tatpuruṣa iti । kiṃ vā punarime bhagava iti। sarveṣāṃ divyānāṃ prerayitā īśāna iti । īśāno bhūtabhavyasya sarveṣāṃ devayoninām॥
Then the revered Pippalāda asked: 'O Lord, what was first? What was born?' [The reply was:] 'Sadyojāta.' [Pippalāda asked:] 'And what next, O Lord?' [The reply was:] 'Aghora.' [Pippalāda asked:] 'And what next, O Lord?' [The reply was:] 'Vāmadeva.' [Pippalāda asked:] 'And what are these again, O Lord?' [The reply was:] 'Tatpuruṣa.' [Pippalāda asked:] 'And what are these again, O Lord?' [The reply was:] 'Īśāna, the inspirer of all divine beings.' Īśāna is the Lord of the past and the future, of all beings of divine origin.
Verse 2
कति वर्णाः । कति भेदाः । कति शक्तयः । यत्सर्वं ताद्गुह्यम्॥
kati varṇāḥ । kati bhedāḥ । kati śaktayaḥ । yatsarvaṃ tādguhyam॥
How many varṇas (categories/aspects)? How many divisions? How many powers? All that is a secret.
Verse 3
तस्मै नमो महादेवाय महारुद्राय॥
tasmai namo mahādevāya mahārudrāya॥
Salutations to him, to Mahadeva, to Mahārudra.
Verse 4
प्रोवाच तस्मै भगवान्महेशः॥
provāca tasmai bhagavānmaheśaḥ॥
The venerable Lord Mahesha spoke to him.
Verse 5
गोप्याद्गोप्यतरं लोके यद्यस्ति शृणु शाकल। सद्योजातं मही पूषा रमा ब्रह्मा त्रिवृत्स्वरः ॥
gopyādgopyataraṃ loke yadyasti śṛṇu śākala। sadyojātaṃ mahī pūṣā ramā brahmā trivṛtsvaraḥ ॥
O Śākala, listen, if there is anything in the world more secret than what is to be kept secret: Sadyojāta, the earth, Pūṣā, Ramā, Brahmā, and the three-fold sound.
Verse 6
ऋग्वेदो गार्हपत्यं च मन्त्राः सप्त स्वरास्तथा।वर्णं पोतं क्रिया शक्तिः सर्वाभीष्टफलप्रदम् ॥
ṛgvedo gārhapatyaṃ ca mantrāḥ sapta svarāstathā।varṇaṃ potaṃ kriyā śaktiḥ sarvābhīṣṭaphalapradam ॥
The Ṛgveda, the Gārhapatya fire, the mantras, and the seven notes (svaras); also the varṇas, the vessel, and the power of action (kriyā śakti) – [all this] bestows all desired fruits.
Verse 7
अघोरं सलिलं चन्द्र गौरी वेदद्वितीयकम्। नीरदाभं स्वरं सान्द्रं दक्षिणाग्निरुदाहृतम् ॥
aghoraṃ salilaṃ candra gaurī vedadvitīyakam। nīradābhaṃ svaraṃ sāndraṃ dakṣiṇāgnirudāhṛtam ॥
Aghora is identified with water, the moon, Gauri, and the second Veda (Yajurveda). It is cloud-colored, possesses a profound sound, and is declared to be the Dakshinagni (southern sacrificial fire).
Verse 8
पञ्चाशद्वर्णसंयुक्तं स्थितिरिच्छाक्रियान्वितम्। शक्तिरक्षणसंयुक्तं सर्वाघौघविनाशनम्॥
pañcāśadvarṇasaṃyuktaṃ sthitiricchākriyānvitam। śaktirakṣaṇasaṃyuktaṃ sarvāghaughavināśanam॥
It is united with fifty letters (varnas), endowed with stability, will, and action. It is endowed with power and protection, and is the destroyer of all multitudes of sins.
Verse 9
सर्वदुष्टप्रशमनं सर्वेश्वर्यफलप्रदम्॥
sarvaduṣṭapraśamanaṃ sarveśvaryaphalapradam॥
It calms all evil and bestows the fruit of all prosperity.
Verse 10
वामदेवं महाबोधदायकं पावकात्मकम् । विद्यालोकसमायुक्तं भानुकोटिसमप्रभम् ॥
vāmadevaṃ mahābodhadāyakaṃ pāvakātmakam । vidyālokasamāyuktaṃ bhānukoṭisamaprabham ॥
Vamadeva, the bestower of great enlightenment, whose nature is fire, endowed with the light of knowledge, resplendent like a crore of suns.
Verse 11
प्रसन्नं सामवेदाख्यं गानाष्टकसमन्वितम्। धीरस्वरमधीनं चाहवनीयमनुत्तमम् ॥
prasannaṃ sāmavedākhyaṃ gānāṣṭakasamanvitam। dhīrasvaramadhīnaṃ cāhavanīyamanuttamam ॥
It is serene, named Sāmaveda, endowed with the eight classes of chants, possessing a deep and steady tone, and it is the unsurpassed Āhavanīya fire.
Verse 12
ज्ञानसंहारसंयुक्तं शक्तिद्वयसमन्वितम्। वर्णं शुक्लं तमोमिश्र पूर्णबोधकरं स्वयम्॥
jñānasaṃhārasaṃyuktaṃ śaktidvayasamanvitam। varṇaṃ śuklaṃ tamomiśra pūrṇabodhakaraṃ svayam॥
It is united with knowledge and dissolution, endowed with two powers. It is the white aspect mixed with darkness, itself causing complete enlightenment.
Verse 13
धामत्रयनियन्तारं धामत्रयसमन्वितम्। सर्वसौभाग्यदं नृणां सर्वकर्मफलप्रदम् ॥
dhāmatrayaniyantāraṃ dhāmatrayasamanvitam। sarvasaubhāgyadaṃ nṛṇāṃ sarvakarmaphalapradam ॥
The controller of the three abodes (or states of consciousness), who is Himself encompassed by the three abodes; the bestower of all good fortune to people, and the giver of the fruits of all actions.
Verse 14
अष्टाक्षरसमायुक्तमष्टपत्रान्तरस्थितम् ॥
aṣṭākṣarasamāyuktamaṣṭapatrāntarasthitam ॥
Endowed with eight syllables, situated within an eight-petalled (lotus).
Verse 15
यत्तत्तत्पुरुषं प्रोक्तं वायुमण्डलसंवृतम्। पञ्चाग्निना समायुक्तं मन्त्रशक्तिनियामकम् ॥
yattattatpuruṣaṃ proktaṃ vāyumaṇḍalasaṃvṛtam। pañcāgninā samāyuktaṃ mantraśaktiniyāmakam ॥
That which is declared as Tatpuruṣa is enveloped by the sphere of air, associated with the five fires, and is the regulator of mantra-power.
Verse 16
पञ्चाशत्स्वरवर्णाख्यमथर्ववेदस्वरूपकम्।कोटिकोटिगणाध्यक्षं ब्रह्माण्डाखण्डविग्रहम् ॥
pañcāśatsvaravarṇākhyamatharvavedasvarūpakam।koṭikoṭigaṇādhyakṣaṃ brahmāṇḍākhaṇḍavigraham ॥
He who is known as the fifty vowels and consonants, whose form is the Atharvaveda, who is the lord of millions upon millions of gaṇas, and whose body is the undivided universe.
Verse 17
वर्णं रक्तं कामदं च सर्वाधिव्याधिभेषजम्। सृष्टिस्थितिलयादीनां कारणं सर्वशक्तिधृक् ॥
varṇaṃ raktaṃ kāmadaṃ ca sarvādhivyādhibheṣajam। sṛṣṭisthitilayādīnāṃ kāraṇaṃ sarvaśaktidhṛk ॥
Red in color, granting desires, and a remedy for all mental and physical ailments; the cause of creation, preservation, destruction, and so forth, and the holder of all power.
Verse 18
अवस्थात्रितयातीतं तुरीयं ब्रह्मसंज्ञितम्। ब्रह्मविष्ण्वादिभिः सेव्यं सर्वेषां जनकं परम्॥
avasthātritayātītaṃ turīyaṃ brahmasaṃjñitam। brahmaviṣṇvādibhiḥ sevyaṃ sarveṣāṃ janakaṃ param॥
That which is beyond the three states (of consciousness), the Fourth (Turiya), known as Brahman, is worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu, and others, and is the supreme generator of all.
Verse 19
ईशानं परमं विद्यात्प्रेरकं बुद्धिसाक्षिणम्। आकाशात्मकमव्यक्तमोंकारस्वरभूषितम्॥
īśānaṃ paramaṃ vidyātprerakaṃ buddhisākṣiṇam। ākāśātmakamavyaktamoṃkārasvarabhūṣitam॥
One should know Īśāna as the Supreme, the inspirer, the witness of intellect, of the nature of space, the unmanifest, adorned with the sound of Om.
Verse 20
सर्वदेवमयं शान्तं शान्त्यतीतं स्वराद्वहिः। अकारादिस्वराध्यक्षमाकाशमयविग्रहम्॥
sarvadevamayaṃ śāntaṃ śāntyatītaṃ svarādvahiḥ। akārādisvarādhyakṣamākāśamayavigraham॥
It embodies all deities, is peaceful, transcends (even) peace, and is beyond (manifested) sound; it is the presiding lord of all sounds beginning with 'A', and its form is made of ether (space).
Verse 21
पञ्चकृत्यनियन्तारं पञ्चब्रह्मात्मकं बृहत् ॥
pañcakṛtyaniyantāraṃ pañcabrahmātmakaṃ bṛhat ॥
The great [Brahman], the controller of the five actions, and having the nature of the five Brahmans.
Verse 22
पञ्चब्रह्मोपसंहारं कृत्वा स्वात्मनि संस्थितः। स्वमायावैभवान्सर्वान्संहृत्य स्वात्मनि स्थितः ॥ २२
pañcabrahmopasaṃhāraṃ kṛtvā svātmani saṃsthitaḥ। svamāyāvaibhavānsarvānsaṃhṛtya svātmani sthitaḥ ॥ 22
Having withdrawn (or dissolved) the five Brahmans, one remains established in one's own Self. Having gathered back all the manifestations of one's own Māyā, one abides in one's own Self.
Verse 23
पञ्चब्रह्मात्म कातीतो भासते स्वस्वते-जसा। आदावन्ते च मध्ये च भासते नान्यहेतुना॥
pañcabrahmātma kātīto bhāsate svasvate-jasā। ādāvante ca madhye ca bhāsate nānyahetunā॥
That which transcends the nature of the five Brahmas shines by its own effulgence. It shines in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end, not due to any other cause.
Verse 24
मायया मोहिताः शंभोर्महादेवं जगद्गुरुम्। न जानन्ति सुराः सर्वे सर्वकारणकारणम्। न संदृशे तिष्ठति रूपमस्य परात्परं पुरुषं विश्वधाम॥
māyayā mohitāḥ śaṃbhormahādevaṃ jagadgurum। na jānanti surāḥ sarve sarvakāraṇakāraṇam। na saṃdṛśe tiṣṭhati rūpamasya parātparaṃ puruṣaṃ viśvadhāma॥
Bewildered by Māyā, all the gods do not know Shiva, the Great God, the world-teacher, who is the cause of all causes. His form is not visible to the eye; He is the Purusha, higher than the highest, the abode of the universe.
Verse 25
येन प्रकाशते विश्वं यत्रैव प्रविलीयते। तद्ब्रह्म परमं शान्तं तद्ब्रह्मास्मि परं पदम्॥
yena prakāśate viśvaṃ yatraiva pravilīyate। tadbrahma paramaṃ śāntaṃ tadbrahmāsmi paraṃ padam॥
By which the universe shines forth and into which it dissolves, that is the supreme, tranquil Brahman. That Brahman, the supreme state, I am.
Verse 26
पञ्चब्रह्ममिदं विद्यात्सद्योजातादिपूर्वकम्। दृश्यते श्रूयते यच्च पञ्चब्रह्मात्मकं स्वयम्॥
pañcabrahmamidaṃ vidyātsadyojātādipūrvakam। dṛśyate śrūyate yacca pañcabrahmātmakaṃ svayam॥
One should understand this [universe] as the Pañcabrahman, beginning with Sadyojāta and the other [four aspects]. And whatever is seen or heard is itself of the nature of the Pañcabrahman.
Verse 27
पञ्चधा वर्तमानं तं ब्रह्मकार्यमिति स्मृतम्। ब्रह्मकार्यमिति ज्ञात्वा ईशानं प्रतिपद्यते ॥
pañcadhā vartamānaṃ taṃ brahmakāryamiti smṛtam। brahmakāryamiti jñātvā īśānaṃ pratipadyate ॥
That which manifests in five ways is declared to be the work of Brahman. Having known this as the work of Brahman, one attains Īśāna.
Verse 28
पञ्चब्रह्मात्मकं सर्वं स्वात्मनि प्रविलाप्य च । सोऽहमस्मीति जानीयाद्विद्वान्ब्रह्मामृतो भवेत्॥
pañcabrahmātmakaṃ sarvaṃ svātmani pravilāpya ca । so'hamasmīti jānīyādvidvānbrahmāmṛto bhavet॥
Having dissolved all that is composed of the five Brahmas into one's own self, and realizing 'I am That (He)', the wise person becomes the immortal Brahman.
Verse 29
इत्येतद्ब्रह्म जानीयाद्यः स मुक्तो न संशयः ॥
ityetadbrahma jānīyādyaḥ sa mukto na saṃśayaḥ ॥
He who thus knows this Brahman is liberated; there is no doubt.
Verse 30
पञ्चाक्षरमयं शम्भु परब्रह्मस्वरूपिणम्। नकारादियकारान्तं ज्ञात्वा पञ्चाक्षरं जपेत्॥
pañcākṣaramayaṃ śambhu parabrahmasvarūpiṇam। nakārādiyakārāntaṃ jñātvā pañcākṣaraṃ japet॥
One should chant the five-syllable mantra (Pañcākṣara), realizing Shiva, who is composed of the five syllables and is the very form of the Supreme Brahman, (the mantra itself) extending from 'na' to 'ya'.
Verse 31
सर्वं पशात्मकं विद्यात्पञ्चब्रह्मात्मतत्त्वत: ॥
sarvaṃ paśātmakaṃ vidyātpañcabrahmātmatattvata: ॥
One should know all things as having the nature of the individual soul (paśu), from the truth of the Self which is the Five Brahmas.
Verse 32
पञ्चब्रह्मात्मिकीं विद्यां योऽधीते भक्तिभावितः । स पश्चात्मकतामेत्य भासते पञ्चधा स्वयम्॥
pañcabrahmātmikīṃ vidyāṃ yo'dhīte bhaktibhāvitaḥ । sa paścātmakatāmetya bhāsate pañcadhā svayam॥
He who, imbued with devotion, studies this knowledge pertaining to the Five-Brahman-Self, he himself, having attained the five-fold nature, shines forth in five ways.
Verse 33
एवमुक्त्वा महादेवो गालवस्य महात्मनः। कृपां चकार तत्रैव स्वान्तर्धिमगमत्स्वयम्॥
evamuktvā mahādevo gālavasya mahātmanaḥ। kṛpāṃ cakāra tatraiva svāntardhimagamatsvayam॥
Having thus spoken, Mahadeva bestowed grace upon the great-souled Gālava right there, and Himself vanished.
Verse 34
यस्य श्रवणमात्रेणाश्रुतमेव श्रुतं भवेत्। अमतं च मतं ज्ञातमविज्ञातं च शाकल ॥
yasya śravaṇamātreṇāśrutameva śrutaṃ bhavet। amataṃ ca mataṃ jñātamavijñātaṃ ca śākala ॥
By merely hearing which, the unheard becomes heard, the unthought becomes thought, and the unknown becomes known, O Shakalya.
Verse 35
एकेनैव तु पिण्डेन मृत्तिकायाश्च गौतम । विज्ञातं मृण्मयं सर्वं मृदभिन्नं हि कार्यकम्॥
ekenaiva tu piṇḍena mṛttikāyāśca gautama । vijñātaṃ mṛṇmayaṃ sarvaṃ mṛdabhinnaṃ hi kāryakam॥
But, O Gautama, by (understanding) just one lump of clay, all things made of clay are known, for the product is indeed non-different from the clay.
Verse 36
एकेन लोहमणिना सर्वं लोहमयं यथा । विज्ञातं स्यादथैकेन नखानां कृन्तनेन च ॥
ekena lohamaṇinā sarvaṃ lohamayaṃ yathā । vijñātaṃ syādathaikena nakhānāṃ kṛntanena ca ॥
Just as by one piece of iron, all that is made of iron becomes known, so also by one paring of nails.
Verse 37
सर्वं कार्ष्णायसं ज्ञातं तदभिन्नं स्वभावतः । कारणाभिन्नरूपेण कार्यकारणमेव हि ।।
sarvaṃ kārṣṇāyasaṃ jñātaṃ tadabhinnaṃ svabhāvataḥ । kāraṇābhinnarūpeṇa kāryakāraṇameva hi ।।
All black iron is known to be, by its nature, non-different from its (material) cause. Indeed, the effect and its cause are truly one, existing in a form non-different from the cause.
Verse 38
तद्रूपेण सदा सत्यं भेदेनोक्तिर्मृषा खलु । तच्च कारणमेकं हि न भिन्नं नोभयात्मकम् ॥
tadrūpeṇa sadā satyaṃ bhedenoktirmṛṣā khalu । tacca kāraṇamekaṃ hi na bhinnaṃ nobhayātmakam ॥
In its true form, it is always real; indeed, any statement asserting difference is false. And that cause is truly one, not distinct, nor of a dual nature.
Verse 39
भेदः सर्वत्र मिथ्यैव धर्मादेरनिरूपणात्। अतश्च कारणं नित्यमेकमेवाद्वयं खलु। अत्र कारणमद्वैतं शुद्धचैतन्यमेव हि ॥
bhedaḥ sarvatra mithyaiva dharmāderanirūpaṇāt। ataśca kāraṇaṃ nityamekamevādvayaṃ khalu। atra kāraṇamadvaitaṃ śuddhacaitanyameva hi ॥
All distinctions are indeed illusory, as qualities and such cannot be truly ascertained. Therefore, the cause is certainly eternal, one, and non-dual. Here, this non-dual cause is verily pure consciousness itself.
Verse 40
अस्मिन्ब्रह्मपुरे वेश्म दहरं यदिदं मुने। पुण्डरीकं तु तन्मध्ये आकाशो दहरोऽस्ति तत् ।स शिवः सच्चिदानन्दः सोऽन्वेव्यो मुमुक्षुभिः ॥
asminbrahmapure veśma daharaṃ yadidaṃ mune। puṇḍarīkaṃ tu tanmadhye ākāśo daharo'sti tat ।sa śivaḥ saccidānandaḥ so'nvevyo mumukṣubhiḥ ॥
O sage, in this city of Brahman, there is a subtle abode, which is a lotus. And in its midst, there is a subtle space. That is Shiva, Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, and He is to be sought by those desiring liberation.
Verse 41
अयं हृदि स्थितः साक्षी सर्वेषामविशेषतः। तेनायं हृदयं प्रोक्तः शिवः संसारमोचकः । इत्युपनिषत् ॥
ayaṃ hṛdi sthitaḥ sākṣī sarveṣāmaviśeṣataḥ। tenāyaṃ hṛdayaṃ proktaḥ śivaḥ saṃsāramocakaḥ । ityupaniṣat ॥
This impartial witness resides in the heart of all beings. Therefore, this one is declared Hṛdayam (the heart/self), Shiva (the Auspicious One), the liberator from the cycle of transmigration. Thus (concludes) the Upanishad.
Key Takeaways & AI Summary
This chapter explores the profound teachings of Panchabrahma Upanishad. It includes 41 verses detailing core themes like "atha paippalādo bhagavānbho kimādau kiṃ jātamiti । sadyo jātamiti kiṃ bhagava iti। aghora iti । kiṃ bhagava iti। vāmadeva iti । kiṃ vā punarime bhagava iti । tatpuruṣa iti । kiṃ vā punarime bhagava iti। sarveṣāṃ divyānāṃ prerayitā īśāna iti । īśāno bhūtabhavyasya sarveṣāṃ devayoninām॥", "kati varṇāḥ । kati bhedāḥ । kati śaktayaḥ । yatsarvaṃ tādguhyam॥", "tasmai namo mahādevāya mahārudrāya॥".The crown jewels of Vedic philosophy — a collection of 108+ texts exploring the nature of Brahman, Atman, and ultimate reality.