108 Upanishads
Skanda Upanishad
Om ! May He protect us both together; may
He nourish us both together;
May we work conjointly with great energy,
May our study be vigorous and effective;
May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any).
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
1-5. (Skanda says): Great god ! Owing to an iota of your compassion I am
the lapseless being (not lapsing from the identity). I am a mass of
knowledge ! I am also the Good – what more (can I need) ?
Owing to the waxing of the Internal organ, what is not spiritual appears
as such; by its warning, this is nothing but pure knowledge or Hari. I
am knowledge alone, unborn – what more ? All that is other (than) It is
inert and perishes like a dream.
He who discerns the consciousness as distinct from the inert is the
unswerving mass of knowledge. Only he is Shiva, Hari, luminary of
luminaries, the supreme god, the Brahman – I am that Brahman surely.
6-7. Jiva is Shiva and Shiva is Jiva; when bound by husk it is paddy,
unbound of is rice. Thus the bound one is Jiva, released from karma he
is eternal Shiva. Bound by ropes, he is Jiva, unbound, Shiva.
8-9. (I bow) to Shiva of the form of Vishnu and Vishnu who is Shiva;
Vishnu is Shiva’s heart and Shiva, Vishnu’s. Just as Vishnu is full of
Shiva, so is Shiva full of Vishnu. As I see no difference, I am well all
my life.
10-15. The body is said to be the temple, the deity Shiva is Jiva; one
should throw away the flowers after worship and worship with the sense
of identity. Perception of non-difference is knowledge, meditation the
objectless mind. The bath is removal of mental impurity; cleanliness is
control of the senses. One should drink the nectar of Brahma, take alms
for sustenance, live by oneself devoid of duality. Such a person of
wisdom will get liberation.
I bow to the supreme, sacred seat of power, to secure well-being and
long life. They know themselves to be Brahman, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva,
beyond thought, unmanifest, endless, undecaying, by your grace, Nrisimha.
That high place of Vishnu the wise ones always behold like an eye
extended in heaven. The sages, praising and awake exalt that supreme
status of Vishnu.
This is the doctrine of liberation according to the Vedas.
Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together;
May we work conjointly with great energy,
May our study be vigorous and effective;
May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any).
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
Here ends the Skandopanishad belonging to the Krishna-Yajur-Veda. |