ईशोपनिषदध्ययनम् - प्रथम: मन्त्र: ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वम्

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नमो नम: 

ईशोपनिषदध्ययनम् - प्रथम: मन्त्र: ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वम्    

 Study by S. L. Abhyankar 

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Most interpretations, explanations and commentaries on ईशोपनिषत् have a Prefatory. That is so, because these commentaries are by learned persons, who have already studied it. For a novice or for a student the study should begin and proceed मन्त्र: by मन्त्र:. 

Why do I use the phrase “मन्त्र: by मन्त्र:” and not a more commonplace phrase as श्लोकः by श्लोकः ? One logic is that ईशोपनिषत् is not in the end-portion of शुक्लयजुर्वेदः. It is in the मन्त्र or संहिता portion, rather the fortieth चत्वारिंशत् अध्यायः of शुक्लयजुर्वेदः. 

Second logic is that every stanza of ईशोपनिषत् is a मन्त्र:. Definition of a मन्त्र: in शब्दकल्पद्रुमः is → 

मन्त्रः, पुं, (मन्त्र्यते गुप्तं परिभाष्यते इति । मत्रिँ गुप्तभाषणे + घञ् । यद्वा, मन्त्रयते गुप्तं भाषते इति । मत्रिँ गुप्तभाषणे + अच् ।) 

In ashtadhyayi.com मन्त्र् मत्रिँ गुप्तपरिभाषणे (to consult, to advise, to discuss privately) चुरादिः, १०.०१९९ आत्मनेपदी, सकर्मकः, सेट् 

So contains secret knowledge to be deliberated upon and absorbed. 

The First मन्त्र: and its पदच्छेदाः are → 

ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं  यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् । तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा  मा गृधः कस्य स्विद्धनम् ॥ १ ॥

ईशा वास्यम् or ईश-आवास्यम् इदम् सर्वम् यत् किम्  च जगत्यां जगत् । तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा: मा (अ)गृधः कस्य स्वित् धनम् ॥ १ ॥

(2) वाक्यांशशः विश्लेषणम् 

अनुक्र.	अव्यया:	अन्ये सुबन्ताः	कर्तृपदीयाः	कर्मपदीयाः	तिङन्ताः	कृदन्ताः
1-अ		जगत्याम्	यत् किम् (च)			जगत्
1-आ			ईशावास्यम् इदम् सर्वम्		(विद्यते)
2		तेन त्यक्तेन	(त्वम्)		भुञ्जीथाः
3			(त्वम्)		मा अगृधः
4	स्वित्	कस्य	धनम्		(विद्यते)

Note 

1. In यत् किम् च जगत्यां जगत् इदम् सर्वम् ईश-आवास्यम् (विद्यते)। 

1. जगत्याम् - जगती स्त्री. 7/1

2. In शब्दकल्पद्रुमः जगती, स्त्री, (गच्छति कार्य्यत्वात् नष्टा भवतीति । गम् + “वर्त्तमाने पृषद्बृहन्महज्जगच्छतृवच्च ।” उणां २ । ८४ । इति अतिप्रत्ययेन निपातनात् साधुः । ततः शतृतुल्यत्वात् “उगितश्च ।” ४ । १ । ६ । इति ङीप् ।) भुवनम् । So, जगती means world, universe, earth.

3. जगत् - जञ्ज्-धातोः शतृ-वि. जगत् अत्र नपुं. 1/1 

4. जञ्ज् जजिँ युद्धे (to fight, to kill) भ्वादिः, ०१.०२७६ परस्मैपदी, अकर्मकः, सेट् So जगत् has inclusive meaning, “everything, whatever struggles to survive.” 

5. ईशावास्यम् - ईशेन आवास्यम् or ईशा वास्यम् 

6. ईशेन - ईश पुं./नपुं. 3/1

7. ईश a. [ईश्-क] 1 Owning, possessing, sharing, master or lord of; see below. -2 One who is completely master of anything. -3 Capable of (with gen.) -4 Powerful, supreme. -शः 1 A lord, master; with gen. or in comp.; कथंचिदीशा मनसां बभूवुः Ku.3.34 with great difficulty controlled (were masters of) their minds; so वागीश, सुरेश &c.

8. ईशा - ईश् पुं. 3/1 Note ईश् m. A master, lord, the Supreme Spirit.

9. आवास्यम् or वास्यम् - वास् is प्रयोजकम् of वस्, वास्य is ण्यत्-वि. Here नपुं. 1/1 

10. Note वस् वसँ निवासे (to dwell, to live, to stay) भ्वादिः, ०१.११६० परस्मैपदी, अकर्मकः, अनिट् 

1. वस् वसँ आच्छादने (to cover, to wear, to pull, to dress) अदादिः, ०२.००१३ आत्मनेपदी, सकर्मकः, सेट् 

2. वस् वसुँ स्तम्भे (to be firm to be fixed, to be straight) दिवादिः, ०४.०१११ परस्मैपदी, अकर्मकः, सेट् 

3. वस् वसँ स्नेहच्छेदापहरणेषु (to love, to cut, to destroy, to kidnap, to desire) चुरादिः, १०.०२७३ उभयपदी, सकर्मकः, सेट् 

11. Overall meaning of यत् किम् च जगत्यां जगत् इदम् सर्वम् ईश-आवास्यम् (विद्यते) = Whatever in this world strives to survive is abode to the Supreme and/or is pervaded by the Supreme. 

2. तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा: 

1. तेन - with that, by that, hence 

2. त्यक्तेन - by renunciation Note त्यक्त is क्त-वि. of त्यज् त्यजँ हानौ (to abandon, to leave, to quit, to let go, to renounce) भ्वादिः, ०१.११४१ परस्मैपदी, सकर्मकः, अनिट्  

3. भुञ्जीथा: - विधिलिङ्लकारः (आत्मनेपदम्) मध्यमपुरुषः एकवचनम् of भुज् भुजँ पालनाभ्यवहारयोः (to protect, to preserve, to eat, to consume) रुधादिः, ०७.००१७ उभयपदी, सकर्मकः, अनिट्  

4. Overall meaning of तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा: “Hence (whatever you get to consume and enjoy), take it with (the thought of) renunciation, i.e. not for storing, not for getting involved in it.”  

3. मा (अ)गृधः 

1. अगृधः - लुङ्लकारः (परस्मैपदम्) मध्यमपुरुषः एकवचनम् of गृध् गृधुँ अभिकाङ्क्षायाम् (to desire, to long) दिवादिः, ०४.०१६१ परस्मैपदी, सकर्मकः, सेट् 

2. Note अ of अगृधः gets dropped, when accompanied by मा. The meaning also changes to imperative mood लोट्-लकारः 

3. Overall meaning of मा अगृधः = do not hanker for anything.   

4. कस्य स्वित् धनम् 

1. कस्य - किम् सर्व. अत्र पुं. 6/1 

2. स्वित् - ind. a particle implying doubt, 'or perhaps', or 'may ... may it be' &c. (corr. of किम्)

3. स्विद् - ind. A particle of interrogation or inquiry, often implying 'doubt', or 'surprise', and translatable by 'what,' 'hey', 'hallo', 'can it be that'. It is added to interrogative pronouns in this sense or to give an indefinite sense

4. धनम् - [धन्-अच्] 1 Property, wealth, riches, treasure, money (gold, chattels &c.); धनं तावदसुलभम् H. 1; (fig. also) as in तपोधन, विद्याधन, &c. -2 (a) Any valued possession, an object of affection or endearment, dearest treasure; कष्टं जनः कुलधनैरनुरञ्जनीयः U.1.14; गुरोरपीदं धनमाहिताग्नेः R.2.44; मानधन, अभिमान˚ &c. (b) A valuable article; Ms.8.201,202. -3 Capital (opp. वृद्धि or interest). -4 A booty, prey, spoil. -5 The reward given to a victor in a combat, the prize won in a game. -6 A contest for prizes, a match. -7 The lunar mansion called धनिष्ठा -8 Surplus, residue. -9 (In math.) The affirmative quantity or plus (opp. ऋण). -10 A sound. 

5. Overall meaning of कस्य स्वित् धनम् = does anybody really own anything ? 

स्वाध्यायाः Notes of self-study 

(१) The most interesting, rather, practically challenging phrase, a lot intriguing also is तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा: “Consume and renounce also” But how can one consume or enjoy something by also renouncing it ? Have the cake and eat it too ? 

Come to mind a very good श्लोकः - 

हरिर्दाता हरिर्भोक्ता हरिरन्नं प्रजापतिः |

हरिर्विप्रः शरीरे तु भुङ्क्ते भोजयते हरिः ||

The meaning is → the provider दाता is हरिः, the consumer भोक्ता is हरिः, all consumables अन्नम् are हरिः, He is प्रजापतिः the creator of all creation ! हरिः is the विप्रः all-knowing omniscient and all energetic omnipotent शरीरे all across the body. It is like हरिः feeds Himself. 

Isn’t this a sublime thought of which we should remind ourselves when consuming and enjoying anything ?

This same thought is advised in two verses in गीता - 

ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् ।

ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥ ४-२४॥

The ब्रह्मन् who offers ब्रह्मन् to ब्रह्मन्, in the ब्रह्मन्-hearth, which is aflame with ब्रह्मन्, such ब्रह्मन् who is so engrossed in ब्रह्मकर्म (and nothing else) will certainly reach and intermingle with ब्रह्मन् only, where else ? 

यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत् ।

यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम् ॥ ९-२७॥

Whatever you do, whatever you consume and enjoy, whatever you forsake or decline, whatever you give, whatever regulations and penance you observe, submit all that unto Me. 

(२) Another style of interpreting तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा: is “Consume and enjoy, satisfy yourself, even suffer and experience भुञ्जीथा: with whatever has been left by Him तेन त्यक्तेन for you, given to you by Him, has been put to your lot by Him. 

Here भुञ्जीथा: has the general meaning as ‘experience’, partake of the lot, good or bad. 

But at the root of this thought is the question, “Is it He who decides our lot ?” or “Isn’t our lot decided by our own actions ?” The proverbial wisdom says, “As we sow, so we reap !”. 

Even in गीता - 

नादत्ते कस्यचित्पापं न चैव सुकृतं विभुः ।

अज्ञानेनावृतं ज्ञानं तेन मुह्यन्ति जन्तवः ॥ ५-१५॥

The Almighty विभुः takes neither sin nor goodness of anyone.  

Also see  

तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदेहिकम् ।

यतते च ततो भूयः संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन ॥ ६-४३॥

The effects of actions बुद्धिसंयोगं in the previous life पौर्वदेहिकम् are carried forward in the next. By this also “As we sow, so we reap !” continues from one life to another also. 

(३) The simple advocacy to avoid indulgence in bad actions is not to hanker मा अगृधः by one’s own aspirations also not to hanker out of envy of attainments of others or envy of what is obtained to others. 

(४) The simple logic of why not to hanker is to ask oneself “What of my worldly acquisitions धनम् shall I be carrying with me, at the point of death ?” What I shall carry is really my स्वित् धनम्, right ? And that स्वित् धनम् cannot be anything material. The irony is that most of human endeavour, struggle, जगत् is for material prosperity ! 

(५) When reading 

अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ॥ २-२८॥

 I took a pause and deliberated on the word निधन meaning death. Isn't the etymology of निधन directly related to धन ? Interestingly three shades of meaning of the word धन are given above - (1) wealth (2) sound (3) positivity. But at the point of death, at निधन 

1. Whatever wealth, material prosperity we struggled for and acquired becomes meaningless, becomes of zero value, it becomes निधन.  

2. The heartbeat, the sound of life becomes zero. It becomes निधन. 

3. All positivity of our worldly existence “Yes, I am” becomes zero. It becomes निधन.  

(६) For the word जगत् “whatever strives to survive” also there is another angle of study. It has three letters ज, ग, त्. See 

1. The letter ज in compound words such as अण्डज (अण्डे जायते) the letter ज connotes जायते  

2. The letter ग in compound words such as खग (खं गच्छति) the letter ग connotes गच्छति. 

3. In Sanskrit grammar a stand alone vowel is given a name with a suffix त्, as defined by the सूत्रम् (१-१-७०) तपरस्तत्कालस्य For example अत् connotes अ only. So त् connotes ‘only’, ‘that’s all’ इत्येव. 

4. So जगत् means जायते गच्छति इत्येव. जगत् = “is born”, “goes”, “that’s all” ! How true !!

(७) By these studies of the words निधन and जगत् it comes to mind that for निधन to be the word to mean death and जगत् to be the word to mean whatever struggles to survive or जगत् to mean where every creation struggles to survive, these words may not be borne out of human intelligence. Rightly it is hence said संस्कृतम् नाम दैवी वाक् meaning संस्कृतम् is a divine language !

(८) Anyway, this मन्त्र: 

ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं 

यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् ।

तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा 

मा गृधः कस्य स्विद्धनम् ॥ १ ॥

is a grand advice about how to live life. 

शुभमस्तु !

-o-O-o-