Prashnopanishad - Question 1 - English

praśnōpaniṣad belongs to the Atharva Veda and is arranged as six questions asked by disciplined students to the sage Pippalada. The first question asks about the origin of beings and receives a teaching on Prajapati, prana and rayi, the year, the sun, the moon, food, and disciplined household life.

The Upanishad's method is important: the students do not demand instant answers. Pippalada asks them to live with tapas, brahmacharya, and śraddhā for a year, showing that subtle knowledge requires preparation. The first question then explains creation as the interplay of life-force and matter, energy and form.

prathamaḥ praśnaḥ

Translation (bhāvārtha):
This title announces the first question of the Prashna Upanishad.

ōṃ namaḥ paramātmanē । hariḥ ōm ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The recitation opens with salutations to the supreme Self and the invocation of Hari and Om.

sukēśā cha bhāradvājaḥ śaibyaścha satyakāmaḥ sauryāyaṇī cha gārgyaḥ kausalyaśchāśvalāyanō bhārgavō vaidarbhiḥ kabandhī kātyāyanastē haitē brahmaparā brahmaniṣṭhāḥ paraṃ brahmānvēṣamāṇāḥ ēṣa ha vai tatsarvaṃ vakṣyatīti tē ha samitpāṇayō bhagavantaṃ pippalādamupasannāḥ ॥1॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Six seekers approach Pippalada with fuel in hand, dedicated to Brahman and seeking knowledge of the supreme reality.

tān ha sa ṛṣiruvācha bhūya ēva tapasā brahmacharyēṇa śraddhayā saṃvatsaraṃ saṃvatsyatha yathākāmaṃ praśnān pṛchChata yadi vijñāsyāmaḥ sarvaṃ ha vō vakṣāma iti ॥2॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Pippalada asks them to live for a year with austerity, celibacy, and faith before asking their questions.

atha kabandhī kātyāyana upētya paprachCha bhagavan kutō ha vā imāḥ prajāḥ prajāyanta iti ॥3॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Kabandhi asks from where all beings are born.

tasmai sa hōvācha-
prajākāmō vai prajāpatiḥ sa tapō'tapyata sa tapastaptvā sa mithunamutpādayatē।
rayiṃ cha prāṇañchēti ētau mē bahudhā prajāḥ kariṣyata iti ॥4॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Pippalada answers that Prajapati desired progeny and created prana and rayi, expecting them to produce beings.

ādityō ha vai prāṇō rayirēva chandramāḥ rayirvā ētat sarvaṃ yanmūrtaṃ chāmūrtaṃ cha tasmānmūrtirēva rayiḥ ॥5॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The sun is prana and the moon is rayi; all formed and formless existence is included in rayi as the field of manifestation.

athāditya udayan yat prāchīṃ diśaṃ praviśati tēna prāchyān prāṇān raśmiṣu sannidhattē।
yaddakṣiṇāṃ yat pratīchīṃ yadudīchīṃ yadadhō yadūrdhvaṃ yadantarā diśō yatsarvaṃ prakāśayati tēna sarvān prāṇān raśmiṣu sannidhattē ॥6॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The rising sun enters the directions with its rays and gathers life into itself.

sa ēṣa vaiśvānarō viśvarupaḥ prāṇō'gnirudayatē।
tadētad ṛchā'bhyuktam ॥7॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The sun is described as the all-formed Vaishvanara, the cosmic fire and prana rising for beings.

viśvarūpaṃ hariṇaṃ jātavēdasaṃ parāyaṇaṃ jyōtirēkaṃ tapantam।
sahasraraśmiḥ śatadhā vartamānaḥ prāṇaḥ prajānāmudayatyēṣa sūryaḥ ॥8॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The solar prana is praised as the many-rayed, all-seeing, single light and refuge of beings.

saṃvatsarō vai prajāpatiḥ stasyāyanē dakṣiṇañchōttaraṃ cha।
tadyē ha vai tadiṣṭāpūrtē kṛtamityupāsatē tē chāndramasamēva lōkamabhijayantē ta ēva punarāvartantē।
tasmādēta ṛṣayaḥ prajākāmā dakṣiṇaṃ pratipadyantē। ēṣa ha vai rayiryaḥ pitṛyāṇaḥ ॥9॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The year is Prajapati, with southern and northern paths corresponding to ritual-merit and knowledge-directed life.

athōttarēṇa tapasā brahmacharyēṇa śraddhayā vidyayātmānamanviṣyādityamabhijayantē।
ētadvai prāṇānāmāyatanamētadamṛtamabhayamētat parāyaṇamētasmānna punarāvartanta ityēṣa nirōdhaḥ। tadēṣa ślōkaḥ ॥10॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Those who pursue austerity, celibacy, faith, and knowledge through the northern path reach the sun, the fearless support from which there is no return.

pañchapādaṃ pitaraṃ dvādaśākṛtiṃ diva āhuḥ parē ardhē purīṣiṇam।
athēmē anya u parē vichakṣaṇaṃ saptachakrē ṣaḍara āhurarpitamiti ॥11॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The sun is praised as having five feet, twelve forms, seven wheels, and six spokes, the father and giver of rain.

māsō vai prajāpatistasya kṛṣṇapakśa ēva rayiḥ śuklaḥ praṇastasmādēta ṛṣayaḥ śukla iṣṭaṃ kurvantītara itarasmin ॥12॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The month is Prajapati: the dark half is rayi and the bright half is prana, and ritual action follows this distinction.

ahōrātrō vai prajāpatistasyāharēva prāṇō rātrirēva rayiḥ।
prāṇaṃ vā ētē praskandanti yē divā ratyā saṃyujyantē brahmacharyamēva tadyadrātrau ratyā saṃyujyantē ॥13॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Day and night are Prajapati; day is prana and night is rayi, so conduct and union must be governed by sacred order.

annaṃ vai prajāpatistatō ha vai tadrētastasmādimāḥ prajāḥ prajāyanta iti ॥14॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Food is Prajapati; from food comes seed and from seed beings are born.

tadyē ha vai tatprajāpativrataṃ charanti tē mithunamutpādayantē।
tēṣāmēvaiṣa brahmalōkō yēṣāṃ tapō brahmacharyaṃ yēṣu satyaṃ pratiṣṭhitam ॥15॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Those who keep Prajapati's vow produce offspring, and the Brahma-world belongs to those in whom austerity, celibacy, and truth are established.

tēṣāmasau virajō brahmalōkō na yēṣu jihmamanṛtaṃ na māyā chēti ॥16॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The pure Brahma-world belongs to those without crookedness, falsehood, or deceit.

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