Janaswamy Page 1 1/10/2008

A Grammatical Exposition and Interpretation of T

(Mkyopaniad)

Ramakrishna Janaswamy

Introduction:
There are many works that deal with commentary and translations of the s
(Upaniads), see for example [2], [3], [5], and [10]]. A few of these works [2], [10]
provide a word for word meaning of these texts. However, to a student of Sanskrit
grammar, even these word for word translations are of limited use because (i) the word
forms appearing in the text of the Upanishad do not appear directly in a dictionary, and
(ii) these authors do not provide details of the various grammatical forms (i.e. declined
or conjugated forms, compound forms), which the student should be able to generate
systematically from grammar rules. To a student learning Sanskrit grammar as well as
to a general reader wanting to get to the core of the Upaniadic texts, nothing can be
more appealing than a word by word meaning of the texts together with an
explanation of the occurrence of various word forms. This will enable one to perform
the translation of the text by oneself without having to rely excessively on subjective
opinions found in the commentaries. The present work accomplishes to do so and it is
hoped that this work will serve as a study aid to the Sanskrit language learner. In this
context we are inspired by the work of Sargeant [9], who performs a similar exposition
of the Bhagavadgita. Concerning compound forms, one could always dissect it down to
the root forms. But this will be excessive and needlessly clutter the work. Instead, we
choose to dissect it down to the level where the consituent parts can be found in a
dictionary.

The T

(Mkyopaniad) is chosen in this work for several reasons.

Firstly, it is very concise consisting of only twelve verses so that the present task could
be taken up in a reasonable amount of time. Secondly, the spectrum of various
grammatical forms occuring in it is narrow enough that this work is still accessable to
begining students of Sanskrit. Lastly, it is very profound and direct in its philosophical
content. The T

(Mkyopaniad) belongs to the (Atharva

Veda) and is considered by many as one of the principal upanishads. One of the four
~s (mahvkhys, great sayings),

~ G (ayam tm brahma) occurs
in this (Upaniad).

The original Sanskrit text of the (Upaniad) appearing below is taken from [7].
To facilitate proper translation, the original Sanskrit text is broken as per the sandhi
rules and is given alongside. Readers not familiar with Devanaagari script may find the
transliterated text provided to be useful. Grammatical rules are consulted from [1], [4],
[6], and [11]. Translations of the stem and root forms are interpreted using the
exhaustive dictionary by Sir Monier Monier-Williams [8].
Janaswamy Page 2 1/10/2008

Mkyopaniad :

Verse-1 :
~ U7~ J F= 7

omityetadaxaramidaM sarvaM tasyopavyaakhyaanaM bhuutaM bhavadbhaviShaditi
sarvamo~Nkaara eva. yaccaanyattrikaalaatiitaM tadapyo~Nkaara eva ||1||
~ --

U 7~

*






F

sandhi vigraha--om iti etat axaram idam sarvam tasya upavyaakhyaanam bhuutam
bhavat bhaviShyat iti sarvam o~Nkara eva. yat ca anyat trikaalaatiitam tat api o~Nkaara
eva.

-- thus (ind.)

-- this (n, nom, sg. of pron. )

-- syllable, word, imperishable (n. nom. sg. of

)

-- this (n. nom. sg. of pron.

)

-- all (n. nom. sg. of

)
U -- of that (m. gen. sg. of pron. )
7~

-- interpretation or explanation (n. nom. sg. of 7~

)


-- past (n. nom. sg. of

)
*

-- future (n. nom. sg. of *

)

-- present (n. nom. sg. of

)
-- only, alone (ind.)

-- which (n. nom. sg. of pron. )
-- and (ind.)
F

-- other (n. nom. sg. of F

)

=

[three periods of time (n. nom. sg.)] +

[gone beyond (n. acc.
sg. of ppp. )] -- beyond the three periods of time, TP cpd.

-- that (n. nom. sg. of pron. )
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-- also (ind.)

Translation:
Thus all this is the (previously mentioned) syllable (or word) OM. An interpretation of
that is--all that is past, present, and future is thus OM only. That which is beyond the
three periods of time is also OM.

Verse-2 :
G5G~ G ~ 9

sarva hyetadbrahmyamtm brahma so'yamtm catupt ||2||
~ --



G

~ G

~ 9

sandhi vigraha--sarvam hi etat brahma ayam tm brahma sa ayam tm
catupt.

-- all (n. nom. sg. of

)
-- indeed (ind.)

-- this (n, nom, sg. of pron. )
G -- Supreme reality (m. nom. sg. of G

)

-- this (m. nom. sg. of pron.

)
~ -- individual Self (m. nom. sg. of ~

)
-- that, he (m. nom. sg. of pron. )
9 =
[four (n. nom. sg.) ] + [parts (n. nom. sg., KD cpd.)] -- four parts, KD
cpd.

Translation:
All this indeed is Brahman. This individual Self is that Brahman. This Self consists of
four parts.

Verse3 :
7 8\
~ --

8\

jgaritasthno bahipraja saptga ekonaviatimukha
sthlabhugvaivnara prathama pda ||3||
sandhi vigraha--jgarita sthna bahis praja saptga eka na viati mukha
sthla bhuk vaivnara prathama pda.

Janaswamy Page 4 1/10/2008
= U [of waking (adj. m. gen. sg. of )] + [state (m. nom.
sg. of )] -- waking state (state of waking), TP cpd.
7 =

[outside (ind.)] + [knowing (m. nom. sg. of )] -- outer knowing,
TP cpd.
8\ = 8 [numeral 7, (n. nom. pl. of 8

)] + \ [parts, limbs (ind.)] -- seven limbs, Dvg
cpd.
-- numeral '19' (n. nom. sg.) = 20 deficient by 1
= [by one (n. instr. sg. of numeral '1')] + [deficient (adj. n. nom. sg. of )]
--deficient by one, TP cpd.
-- numeral 20 (adj. )
-- mouths, entrance (m. nom. sg. of )

= U [of gross (m. gen. sg. of --gross)] +
[(agent of root
--to
enjoy)] (UPP cpd. or TP cpd. )-- enjoyer of gross matter
-- Self, Supreme Being (m. nom. sg. of )
-- first (adj.)
-- (m. nom. sg. of )

Translation:
The first part is Vaishvaanara, the waking state, who is the enjoyer of gross matter,
who has seven limbs and nineteen mouths, whose knowing is turned outwards.

Verse-4 :
~H~ 8\ ** 3
svapnasthnoa'nta praja saptga ekonaviatimukha
praviviktabhuktaijaso dvitya pda ||4||
~ --~H ~ 8\ *
3
sandhi vigraha--svapna sthna antar praja saptga eka na viati mukha
pravivikta bhuk taijasa dvitya pda.

~H = ~HU [of dream, sleep (m. gen. sg. of ~H)] + [state (m. nom. sg. of
)] -- state of dreaming, KD cpd.
~ -- inside, inward (ind.)
8\ = 8 [numeral 7, (n. nom. pl. of 8

)] + \ [parts, limbs (ind.)] -- seven limbs, Dvg
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cpd.
-- numeral '19' (n. nom. sg.) = 20 deficient by 1
= [by one (n. instr. sg. of numeral '1')] + [deficient (adj. n. nom. sg. of )]
--deficient by one, TP cpd.
-- numeral 20 (adj. )
-- mouths, entrance (m. nom. sg. of )
*
= *U [ of subtle (m. gen. sg. of *--subtle)] +
[agent of root

--to enjoy)] ( UPP cpd. or TP cpd. ) -- enjoyer of subtle matter
-- bright, luminous (m. nom. sg. of )
3 -- second (adj. m. nom. sg. of 3 )
-- (m. nom. sg. of )

Translation:
The second state is Taijasa, the dream state, who is the enjoyer of subtle matter, whose
knowing is turned inwards.

Verse-5 :
8 ~H ~8
~8
G
~
yatra supto na kacana kma kmayate na kacana svapna payati
tatsuuptam| tatsuuptasthna ekbhta prajnaghana ev''nandamayo
hynandabhuk cetomukha prjasttya pda ||5||

~ -- 8 ~H

8


8


sandhi vigraha--yatra supta na kacana kma kmayate na kacana
svapna payati tat suuptam| tat suuptasthna ekbhta prajnaghana eva
nandamaya hi nandabhuk cetomukha prja ttya pda.

-- where (ind.)
8 -- slept, fallen asleep, (m. nom. sg. of ppp. 8 )

-- no, not (ind.)
= m. acc. sg.

of pronoun

+ (ind.)-- any or some or certain
Janaswamy Page 6 1/10/2008

-- object of desire (m. acc. sg. of )
-- he/it desires (3p. sg. pr. indic. of causative form of root

, 10 A)
~H

-- dream (m. acc. sg. of ~H )
-- he/it sees, (3p. sg. pr. indic. of root I

, 1P )
8
-- deep sleep (f. acc. sg. of 8 )
8 = F [of deep sleep (f. gen. sg. of 8 )] + [state (m. nom. sg. of )]
--state of deep sleep, KD cpd.
= ( [one] + [become (m. nom. sg. of ppp. of root , 1P)] AV cpd.--having
become one, undivided
= U [of consciousness (n. gen. sg. of

)] + -- [mass (adj.)], TP cpd. --
mass of concisouness
-- blissful, supreme spirit (m, nom, sg. of )

= U [of bliss, (m. gen. sg. of )] +
[(agent of root
, 7U), UPP
cpd.]-- enjoyer of bliss
= [knowledge (m. nom. sg. of )] [entrance (m. nom. sg. of )]
U -- one whose entrance is knowledge (m. nom, sg.), BV cpd.
-- intellectual (m. nom. sg. of )
-- Intelligence (f. nom. sg. of )
-- third (adj. m. nom. sg.of )
-- (m. nom. sg. of )

Translation:
The third state is , where the slept does not desire any objects nor does he see any
dreams. That is Susuptam, the deep sleep. One becomes undivided, a mass of
conscisouness, who is blissful, who is the enjoyer of bliss, who is the entrance to
knowledge.

Verse-6 :
~F U 7


ea sarvevara ea sarvaja eo'ntarymyea yoni sarvasya prabhavpyayau hi
bhtnm ||6||
~ -- ~ U 7


Janaswamy Page 7 1/10/2008
sandhi vigraha--ea sarvevara ea sarvaja ea antarym yea yoni
sarvasya prabhava apyayau hi bhtnm|

-- he, this (m. nom. sg. of )
= U [of all (n. gen. sg. of

)] + [Lord (m. nom. sg. of )] TP
cpd.--Lord of all
= U [of all (n. gen. sg. of

)] + [knower (m. nom. sg. of )] TP cpd.--knower
of all
~ = ~ [inside (ind.)] + [(m. nom. sg. of

)] TP cpd.--internal check,
indweller, Self
-- origin (f. nom. sg. of )
7 = [source (m. nom. sg. of )] + 7 [destruction (m. nom. dl. of
7)] DV cpd. -- source and destruction


-- of creatures (n. gen. pl. of

)

Translation:
He (referring to 8
) is the Lord of all, knower of all; he is the origin; he is the
indweller of all. Indeed he is the source and destruction of all creatures.
He (referring to suuptam) is the Lord of all, knower of all; he is the origin; he is the
indweller of all. Indeed he is the source and destruction of all creatures.

Verse-7 :
~ 7


I97GT~7~~ ~ 3 F~
~
nntar praja na bahipraja nobhayata praja na prajnaghana na
praja nprajam|
adamavyavahryamagrhyamalakaamacintyamavyapadeyamektmapraty
ayasra prapacopaama nta ivamadvaita caturtha manyante sa
tma sa vijeya ||7||
~ -- ~

I9

7

G

T

~

7

~ ~ ~ 3
F~ ~
sandhi vigraha--na anta prajam na bahi prajam na ubhayata prajam na
prajnaghanam na prajam na aprajam| adam avyavahryam agrhyam
Janaswamy Page 8 1/10/2008
alakaam acintyam avyapadeyam ektma pratyayasra prapacopaama
nta iva advaita caturtha manyante sa tma sa vijeya.

~--inward (ind.)
-- Intelligence (f. acc. sg. of )

-- outside (ind.)
-- both sides (ind.)
= U [of consciousness (n. gen. sg. of

)] + -- [mass (adj.)], TP cpd. --
mass of concisouness
-- non-intelligence (f. acc. sg. of with negative particle )
I9 -- not seen (m. nom. sg. of ppp. I9 )
7 -- not related, not of wordly disposition (m. acc. sg. of 7 )
G -- incomprehensible (m. acc. sg. of G )
-- not inferrable (m. acc. sg. of )
~ -- not to be thought (m. acc. sg. of gdv. of root ~

, 10U )
7 -- undescribable, m. acc. sg. of 7 )
~~ = B [of one self (m. gen sg. of ~

)] + ~ [by experience (m.
instr. sg. of ~)]+

[essence (m. acc. sg. of )] TP cpd. -- the essence of one self
by experience
= U [ of material world (m. gen. sg. of )] + [cessation (m. acc. sg.
of )] TP cpd. = cessation of world
~ -- peacful (m. acc. sg. of ~ )
-- blissful (m. acc. sg. of )
3 -- non-dual (m. acc. sg. of 3 )
-- fourth (m. acc. sg. of )
F~ -- they think (3rd pl. pr. indic. of root

, 4A )
~ -- Self (m. nom. sg. of ~

)
-- to be acsertained or to be observed (m. nom. sg. of gdv.of root , 9U )

Janaswamy Page 9 1/10/2008
Translation:
It is not the inner knowing, nor the outer knowing, nor that which is both. It is not a
mass of consciousness nor that which is simply consciousness nor is it unconscious. It is
not that can be seen, that can be related, not comprehensible, not inferrable, not
thinkable, not describable, but which is the essence of one self (gotten) by experience,
is cessation of all material world, peaceful, blissful, non-dual. This they (the seers) think
is the fourth state. This is to be ascertained as the Self.

Verse-8 :
~7
so'yamtm'dhyakaramokro'dhimtra pd mtr mtrcapd akra
ukra makra iti ||8||
~ --

~





sandhi vigraha--sa ayam tm adhi akaram okra adhimtram pd
mtr mtr ca pd akra ukra makra iti.

-- that, he (m. nom. sg. of )

-- this (m. nom. sg. of

)
~ -- Self (m. nom. sg. of ~

)
-- parts, (m. nom. pl. of )
-- with regard to, prefix

-- with regard to measures, (m. obj. sg. of )
7

-- with regard to a word or syllable, (m. obj. sg. of 7 )
-- measures (f. nom. pl. of )
-- the letter
-- the letter
-- the letter

Translation:
This Self is that OM with regard to measure and with regard to syllable. The parts are
measures and the measures are parts--, ,

Verse-9 :
Janaswamy Page 10 1/10/2008
8~3H ~
jgaritasthno vaivnaro'kra pratham mtr''pterdimatvdv''pnoti ha vai
sarvnkmnadica bhavati ya eva veda ||9||
~ -- 8 ~

H

sandhi vigraha--jgarita sthna vaivnara akra pratham mtr pte
dimatvt v pnoti ha vai sarvn kmn di ca bhavati ya evam veda.

= U [of waking (adj. m. gen. sg. of )] + [state (m. nom.
sg. of )] -- waking state, TP cpd.
-- Self, Supreme Being (m. nom. sg. of )
-- the letter
-- first (f. nom. sg. of )
-- measure (f. nom. sg. of )
8 -- reaching (f. abl. sg. of ppp. 8 )
~

-- state of being first (n. abl. sg. of ~ )
-- or (ind.)
H -- he/it gets (3rd sg. pr. indic. of root

, 5P)
-- indeed (ind.)
-- indeed, truly, verily, (ind.)


-- all (m. acc. pl. of pron. )

-- desires (m. acc. pl. of )
-- first (m. nom. sg. of )
-- and (ind.)
-- he/it becomes (3rd sg. pr. indic. of root , 1P)
-- he who (m. nom. sg. of pron. )

-- thus, so (ind.)
-- he/it knows (3rd sg. pr. indic. of root , 2U)
Janaswamy Page 11 1/10/2008

Translation:
Vaisanavara, the waking state, is the first syllable `A', on account of being the first and
the state of being the first. He who knows thus verily obtains all desires and becomes
the prime.



Verse-10 :
~H~ 3 ~ ]~3~ UG~

svapnasthnastaijasa ukro dvity mtrotkardubhayatvdvotkarati ha vai
jnasatati samnaca bhavati nsybrahmavitkule bhavati ya eva veda
||10||
~ --~H 3 ~

~

~


U G


sandhi vigraha--svapnasthna taijasa ukra dvity mtr utkart
ubhayatvt v utkarati ha vai jnasatatim samna ca bhavati na asya
abrahmavid kule bhavati ya evam veda.

~H = ~HU [of dream, sleep (m. gen. sg. of ~H)] + [state (m. nom. sg. of
)] -- dreaming state, TP cpd.
-- bright, luminous (m. nom. sg. of )
-- the letter
3 -- second (f. nom. sg. of 3 )
-- measure (f. nom. sg. of )
~

-- out of being superior (m. abl. sg. of ~ )
-~

-- out of being intermediate (m. abl. sg. of )
-- or (ind.)
~ -- he/it rises (3rd. sg. of root ~

, 1P)
-- indeed (ind.)
-- indeed, truly, verily, (ind.)
= U of knowledge (m. gen. sg. of ) +

continuity (f. acc. sg. of
Janaswamy Page 12 1/10/2008
), TP cpd.-- continuity of knowledge
-- balanced or equal (adj. m. nom. sg. of )
-- and (ind.)
-- he/it becomes (3rd sg. pr. indic. of root , 1P)
-- not (Ind.)
U -- his (m. gen. sg. of pron.

)
G = G (not Brahman) + root (2U, to know) -- not knowing Brahman
-- in family (n. loc. sg. of

)
-- he who (m. nom. sg. of pron. )

Translation:
Taijasa, the dream state, is the second syllable `U', on account of being superior and
intermediate. He who knows thus exhalts the continuous flow of knowledge and
becomes balanced; there is none ignorant of Brahman in his family.

Verse-11 :
8 ~


suuptasthna prjo makrastty miterapterv minoti ha v ida
sarvamaptica bhavati ya evam veda ||11||
~ -- 8





sandhi vigarha--suuptasthna prja mkara tty mtr mite apte v
minoti ha vai ida sarvam apti ca bhavati ya evam veda.

8 = F [of deep sleep (f. gen. sg. of 8 )] + [state (m. nom. sg. of
)] --state of deep sleep, TP cpd.
-- intellectual (m. nom. sg. of )
-- letter

-- this (n. nom. sg of pron.

)


-- all (n. nom. sg. of pron. )
-- third, f. nom. sg.
Janaswamy Page 13 1/10/2008
-- from measure (f. abl. sg. of )
-- enter into (f. abl. sg. of )
-- or (ind.)
-- he/it measures (3rd. sg. pr. indic. of root , 7P)
-- indeed (ind.)
-- indeed, truly, verily, (ind.)
-- enter (f. nom. sg. of )
-- and (ind.)
-- he/it becomes (3rd sg. pr. indic. of root , 1P)
-- he who (m. nom. sg. of pron. )

-- thus, so (ind.)
-- he/it knows (3rd sg. pr. indic. of root , 2U)

Translation:
Praajna, the deep sleep state, is the third sound 'M', on account of being measurable
and wherein all enter into. He who knows thus becomes all this and all measurable.

Verse-12 :
l7 3 ~ ~~~




amtracaturtho'vyavahrya prapacopaama ivo'dvaita evamokra
tmaiva saviatytman''tmna ya evam veda ya evam veda ||12||
~ -- 7 3

~ ~
~






sandhi vigraha--amtra caturtha avyahrya prapacopaama iva advaita
evam okra tm eva saviati tman tmnam ya evam veda ya evam
veda |

-- immeasurable (m. nom. sg. of )
-- fourth (m. nom. sg. of )
7 -- not related, not of wordly disposition, transcendental (m. nom. sg. of
Janaswamy Page 14 1/10/2008
7 )
= U [ of material world (m. gen. sg. of )] + [cessation (m. nom.
sg. of )] TP cpd. = cessation of world
-- blissful (m. nom. sg. of )
3 -- non-dual (m. nom. sg. of 3 )
~ -- Self (m. nom. sg. of ~

)
-- only, just (ind.)
-- he/it merges (3rd, sg. pr. indic. of root

, 6P)
~ -- with Self (m. inst. sg. of ~

)
~

-- Self (m. acc. sg. of ~

)
-- he who (m. nom. sg. of pron. )

-- thus, so (ind.)
-- he/it knows (3rd sg. pr. indic. of root , 2U)

Translation:
The fourth state, , is thus immeasurable, transcendental, destitute of all
manifestation, bliss, and non-dual. He who understands thus merges the Self into the
impersonal Self, by the (help of this) Self.

Acknowledgements:
The author wishes to express his thanks to Omkarananda Ashram, Himalayas for
making available their Itranslator 2003 software to generate the devanaagari text.

Glossary:
A, Aatmanepada verb
AB cpd., Avyayiibhaava compound
abl., ablative
absol., absolutive
acc., accusative
adj., adjective
adv., adverb
BV cpd.,bahuvriihi compound
caus., causative
DV cpd., Dvandva compound
Dvg cpd., Dvigu compound
dat., dative
Janaswamy Page 15 1/10/2008
des., desiderative
dl., dual
esp., especially
f., feminine
abl., ablative
fut., future tense
gen., genetive
gdv., gerundive or potential past participle
imp., imperative mood
imperf., imperfect tense
ind., indeclinable
indic., indicative
inf., infinitive
instr., instrumental
interrog., interrogative
irreg., irregular
KD cpd., Karmadharaya compound
lit., literally
loc., locative
m., masculine
n., neuter
nom., nominative
P., Parasmaipada verb
p. past tense
pap., past active participle
ppp., past passive participle
pl., plural
pot., potential mood
pr., present
pron. pronoun
sg., singular
TP cpd., Tatpurusha compound
U, ubhayapada
UPP cpd., Upapada compound
voc., vocative

REFERENCES

[1] R. Antoine, A Sanskrit Manual for High Schools, Pts. I and II, Calcutta, India: Xavier
Publications, 1992.

[2] Swami Chinmayananda, Mandukya Upanishad, Bombay, India: Central Chinmaya
Mission Trust, 1984.

[3] P. Deussen, Sixty Upanisads of the Veda, Vol. II, Translated from German by by V. M.
Bedekar and G. B. Palsule, Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1980.
Janaswamy Page 16 1/10/2008

[4] R. P. Goldman and S. J. Sutherland, (Devavpraveik): An
Introduction to Sanskrit Language, Berkeley: Univ. California Press, 1987.

[5] Swami Krishnananda, The Mandukya Upanishad, Hrishikesh, India: Divine Life
Society, Internet Edition, www.swami-krishnanada.org.

[6] A. A. Macdonnell, A Vedic Grammar for Students, Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass
Publishers, 1916.

[7] H 9

(Mantrapupam), Ramakrishna Mutt, Khar, Mumbai, 2003.

[8] Sir Monier Monier-Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Delhi, India: Motilal
Banarsidass Publishers, 1899.

[9] W. Sargeant, The Bhagavad Gita, Albany: SUNY Press, 1994.

[10] Swami Sivananda, The Principal Upanishads, Tehri-Garhwal, UP, India:
Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy Press, 1998.

[11] W. D. Whitney, Sanskrit Grammar, Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers,
1924.