Prashnopanishad - Question 1 - Samskritam

प्रश्नोपनिषद् 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 तपस्, ब्रह्मचर्य, and श्रद्धा 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.

प्रथमः प्रश्नः

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

ॐ नमः परमात्मने । हरिः ओम् ॥

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

सुकेशा च भारद्वाजः शैब्यश्च सत्यकामः सौर्यायणी च गार्ग्यः कौसल्यश्चाश्वलायनो भार्गवो वैदर्भिः कबन्धी कात्यायनस्ते हैते ब्रह्मपरा ब्रह्मनिष्ठाः परं ब्रह्मान्वेषमाणाः एष ह वै तत्सर्वं वक्ष्यतीति ते ह समित्पाणयो भगवन्तं पिप्पलादमुपसन्नाः ॥1॥

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

तान् ह स ऋषिरुवाच भूय एव तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण श्रद्धया संवत्सरं संवत्स्यथ यथाकामं प्रश्नान् पृच्छत यदि विज्ञास्यामः सर्वं ह वो वक्षाम इति ॥2॥

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

अथ कबन्धी कात्यायन उपेत्य पप्रच्छ भगवन् कुतो ह वा इमाः प्रजाः प्रजायन्त इति ॥3॥

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

तस्मै स होवाच-
प्रजाकामो वै प्रजापतिः स तपोऽतप्यत स तपस्तप्त्वा स मिथुनमुत्पादयते।
रयिं च प्राणञ्चेति एतौ मे बहुधा प्रजाः करिष्यत इति ॥4॥

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

आदित्यो ह वै प्राणो रयिरेव चन्द्रमाः रयिर्वा एतत् सर्वं यन्मूर्तं चामूर्तं च तस्मान्मूर्तिरेव रयिः ॥5॥

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

अथादित्य उदयन् यत् प्राचीं दिशं प्रविशति तेन प्राच्यान् प्राणान् रश्मिषु सन्निधत्ते।
यद्दक्षिणां यत् प्रतीचीं यदुदीचीं यदधो यदूर्ध्वं यदन्तरा दिशो यत्सर्वं प्रकाशयति तेन सर्वान् प्राणान् रश्मिषु सन्निधत्ते ॥6॥

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

स एष वैश्वानरो विश्वरुपः प्राणोऽग्निरुदयते।
तदेतद् ऋचाऽभ्युक्तम् ॥7॥

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

विश्वरूपं हरिणं जातवेदसं परायणं ज्योतिरेकं तपन्तम्।
सहस्ररश्मिः शतधा वर्तमानः प्राणः प्रजानामुदयत्येष सूर्यः ॥8॥

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

संवत्सरो वै प्रजापतिः स्तस्यायने दक्षिणञ्चोत्तरं च।
तद्ये ह वै तदिष्टापूर्ते कृतमित्युपासते ते चान्द्रमसमेव लोकमभिजयन्ते त एव पुनरावर्तन्ते।
तस्मादेत ऋषयः प्रजाकामा दक्षिणं प्रतिपद्यन्ते। एष ह वै रयिर्यः पितृयाणः ॥9॥

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

अथोत्तरेण तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण श्रद्धया विद्ययात्मानमन्विष्यादित्यमभिजयन्ते।
एतद्वै प्राणानामायतनमेतदमृतमभयमेतत् परायणमेतस्मान्न पुनरावर्तन्त इत्येष निरोधः। तदेष श्लोकः ॥10॥

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

पञ्चपादं पितरं द्वादशाकृतिं दिव आहुः परे अर्धे पुरीषिणम्।
अथेमे अन्य उ परे विचक्षणं सप्तचक्रे षडर आहुरर्पितमिति ॥11॥

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

मासो वै प्रजापतिस्तस्य कृष्णपक्श एव रयिः शुक्लः प्रणस्तस्मादेत ऋषयः शुक्ल इष्टं कुर्वन्तीतर इतरस्मिन् ॥12॥

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

अहोरात्रो वै प्रजापतिस्तस्याहरेव प्राणो रात्रिरेव रयिः।
प्राणं वा एते प्रस्कन्दन्ति ये दिवा रत्या संयुज्यन्ते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तद्यद्रात्रौ रत्या संयुज्यन्ते ॥13॥

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

अन्नं वै प्रजापतिस्ततो ह वै तद्रेतस्तस्मादिमाः प्रजाः प्रजायन्त इति ॥14॥

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

तद्ये ह वै तत्प्रजापतिव्रतं चरन्ति ते मिथुनमुत्पादयन्ते।
तेषामेवैष ब्रह्मलोको येषां तपो ब्रह्मचर्यं येषु सत्यं प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥15॥

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

तेषामसौ विरजो ब्रह्मलोको न येषु जिह्ममनृतं न माया चेति ॥16॥

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

Browse Related Categories: