Prashnopanishad - Question 6 - Hindi

The sixth question of प्रश्नोपनिषद् asks about the purusha with sixteen parts. Pippalada answers that this purusha is within the body and that the sixteen parts arise from him and return to him, just as rivers lose name and form upon reaching the ocean.

This final question brings the Upanishad to completion. After teachings on creation, prana, the vital functions, sleep, and ॐ, the sage now points to the inner purusha as the source and resting place of all differentiated powers. The sixteen parts include prana, faith, space, air, fire, water, earth, senses, mind, food, vigor, austerity, mantras, action, worlds, and name.

षष्ठः प्रश्नः

Translation (भावार्थ):
This title announces the sixth question of the Prashna Upanishad.

अथ हैनं सुकेशा भारद्वाजः पप्रच्छ -
भगवन् हिरण्यनाभः कौसल्यो राजपुत्रो मामुपेत्यैतं प्रश्नमपृच्छत -
षोडशकलं भारद्वाज पुरुषं वेत्थ। तमहं कुमारंब्रुवं नाहमिमं वेद यध्यहमिममवेदिषं कथं ते नावक्ष्यमिति ।
समूलो वा एष परिशुष्यति योऽनृतमभिवदति। तस्मान्नार्हम्यनृतं वक्तुम्। स तूष्णीं रथमारुह्य प्रवव्राज। तं त्वा पृच्छामि क्वासौ पुरुष इति ॥1॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
Sukesha truthfully says he did not know the sixteen-part purusha when asked by prince Hiranyanabha, because falsehood dries a person up at the root.

तस्मै स होवाच ।
इहैवांतःशरीरे सोभ्य स पुरुषो यस्मिन्नताः षोडशकलाः प्रभवंतीति ॥2॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
Pippalada answers that the purusha from whom the sixteen parts arise is right here within the body.

स ईक्षांचक्रे। कस्मिन्नहमुत्क्रांत उत्क्रांतो भविष्यामि कस्मिन् वा प्रतिष्ठिते प्रतिष्टस्यामीति ॥3॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
The purusha reflected: by whose departure shall I depart, and by whose establishment shall I remain established.

स प्राणमसृजत। प्राणाच्छ्रद्धां खं वायुर्ज्योतिरापः पृथिवींद्रियं मनोऽन्नमन्नाद्वीर्यं तपो मंत्राः कर्मलोका लोकेषु च नाम च ॥4॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
He created prana, faith, space, air, fire, water, earth, senses, mind, food, vigor, tapas, mantras, actions, worlds, and names.

स यथेमा नध्यः स्यंदमानाः समुद्रायणाः समुद्रं प्राप्यास्तं गच्छंति भिध्येते तासां नामरुपे समुद्र इत्येवं प्रोच्यते।
एवमेवास्य परिद्रष्टुरिमाः षोडशकलाः पुरुषायणाः पुरुषं प्राप्यास्तं गच्छंति भिध्येते चासां नामरुपे पुरुष इत्येवं प्रोच्यते स एषोऽकलोऽमृतो भवति तदेष श्लोकः ॥5॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
As rivers flowing to the ocean lose name and form and are known as ocean alone, the sixteen parts return to the purusha and become known as purusha alone; he becomes partless and immortal.

अरा इव रथनाभौ कला यस्मिन् प्रतिष्ठिताः।
तं वेध्यं पुरुषं वेद यथा मा वो मृत्युः परिव्यथा इति ॥6॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
The verse says that the parts are fixed in the purusha like spokes in the hub of a wheel; know that purusha so death may not trouble you.

तान् होवाचैतावदेवाहमेतत् परं ब्रह्म वेद। नातः परमस्तीति ॥7॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
Pippalada concludes that this is all he knows of the supreme Brahman and that there is nothing higher.

ते तमर्चयंतस्त्वं हि नः पिता योऽस्माकमविध्यायाः परं पारं तारयसीति।
नमः परमृषिभ्यो नमः परमृषिभ्यः ॥8॥

Translation (भावार्थ):
The students worship him as father because he carried them beyond ignorance, and they bow to the supreme seers.

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