The Brahmānandavallī (also called Ānandavallī) is the second Prapāṭhaka of the Taittiriya Upanishad of the Krishna Yajurveda. Where the Śikṣāvallī taught the outer disciplines of Vedic education, this chapter turns entirely inward — seeking Brahman not in ritual or phonetics but in the very structure of the self. Its two great contributions to Indian philosophy are the Pañcakosha doctrine — the teaching that the self is sheathed within five nested bodies — and the Ānandamīmāṃsā — a graduated measurement of bliss from the happiest human existence to Brahman itself, showing that the ātman at its deepest is identical with infinite, unconditioned bliss. The chapter opens and closes with radical identity statements about Brahman that have no equal in world philosophy.
Vedic svara marks: ॑ = udātta (raised pitch) | ॒ = anudātta (low pitch) | unmarked = svarita
Vedic svara marks: ॑ = udātta (raised pitch) | ॒ = anudātta (low pitch) | unmarked = svarita
9 Anuvakas · Prapāṭhaka II · Taittiriya Upanishad, Krishna Yajurveda · The Pañcakosha Doctrine & Ānandamīmāṃsā
1
Anuvaka 1 · The Opening Declaration
Brahmavid Āpnoti Param — The Knower of Brahman Attains the Highest
ब्रह्मविदाप्नोति परम्
ब्र॒ह्म॒वि॒दाप्नो॑ति प॒रम् ।
तदेषाऽभ्यु॑क्ता ।
तदेषाऽभ्यु॑क्ता ।
ಬ್ರ॒ಹ್ಮ॒ವಿ॒ದಾಪ್ನೋ॑ತಿ ಪ॒ರಮ್ ।
ತದೇಷಾऽಭ್ಯು॑ಕ್ತಾ ।
ತದೇಷಾऽಭ್ಯು॑ಕ್ತಾ ।
The knower of Brahman attains the Highest (param). Regarding this, the following verse has been composed:
स॒त्यं ज्ञान॒मनन्तं॑ ब्र॒ह्म ।
यो वेद॒ निहि॑तं गु॒हायां॒ परमे॑ व्यो॒मन् ।
सोऽश्नु॑ते स॒र्वान्का॒मान्स॒ह ।
ब्र॒ह्म॒णा वि॒पश्चि॑तेति ॥
यो वेद॒ निहि॑तं गु॒हायां॒ परमे॑ व्यो॒मन् ।
सोऽश्नु॑ते स॒र्वान्का॒मान्स॒ह ।
ब्र॒ह्म॒णा वि॒पश्चि॑तेति ॥
ಸ॒ತ್ಯಂ ಜ್ಞಾನ॒ಮನಂತಂ॑ ಬ್ರ॒ಹ್ಮ ।
ಯೋ ವೇದ॒ ನಿಹಿ॑ತಂ ಗು॒ಹಾಯಾಂ॒ ಪರಮೇ॑ ವ್ಯೋ॒ಮನ್ ।
ಸೋऽಶ್ನು॑ತೇ ಸ॒ರ್ವಾನ್ಕಾ॒ಮಾನ್ಸ॒ಹ ।
ಬ್ರ॒ಹ್ಮ॒ಣಾ ವಿ॒ಪಶ್ಚಿ॑ತೇತಿ ॥
ಯೋ ವೇದ॒ ನಿಹಿ॑ತಂ ಗು॒ಹಾಯಾಂ॒ ಪರಮೇ॑ ವ್ಯೋ॒ಮನ್ ।
ಸೋऽಶ್ನು॑ತೇ ಸ॒ರ್ವಾನ್ಕಾ॒ಮಾನ್ಸ॒ಹ ।
ಬ್ರ॒ಹ್ಮ॒ಣಾ ವಿ॒ಪಶ್ಚಿ॑ತೇತಿ ॥
Brahman is Truth (satyam), Knowledge (jñānam), Infinite (anantam). One who knows Brahman as hidden in the cave (guhā) of the heart, in the highest ākāśa — he, together with the omniscient Brahman, attains the fulfilment of all desires simultaneously.
Satyaṃ jñānamanantaṃ brahma — the threefold definition: This is one of the most philosophically precise statements in all of the Upanishads. Each word carries exact technical weight. Satyam (truth/reality) — Brahman is that which does not change across all three times (past, present, future); it is the one self-consistent reality. Jñānam (knowledge) — Brahman is not merely something known but pure self-luminous knowing itself; it is not the knower-known relationship but awareness as such. Anantam (infinite) — Brahman is bounded neither by space, time, nor any other object; if it were bounded by anything, that limit would be real and Brahman would not be the ultimate. These three together establish that Brahman is not a deity in space but the very ground of all existence, consciousness, and limitlessness. Guhāyām — hidden in the cave of the heart — locates this infinite not in a distant cosmos but in the intimate interior of every sentient being.
तस्माद्वा ए॑तस्मादा॒त्मन॒ आका॑शस्सम्भू॒तः ।
आका॑शाद्वा॒युः । वा॒योर॑ग्निः ।
अग्ने॑राप॒ः । अद्भ्यः॑ पृथि॒वी ।
पृथि॒व्या ओष॑धयः । ओष॑धीभ्योऽन्न॑म् ।
अन्ना॑त्पु॒रुषः ।
आका॑शाद्वा॒युः । वा॒योर॑ग्निः ।
अग्ने॑राप॒ः । अद्भ्यः॑ पृथि॒वी ।
पृथि॒व्या ओष॑धयः । ओष॑धीभ्योऽन्न॑म् ।
अन्ना॑त्पु॒रुषः ।
ತಸ್ಮಾದ್ವಾ ಏ॑ತಸ್ಮಾದಾ॒ತ್ಮನ॒ ಆಕಾ॑ಶಸ್ಸಂಭೂ॒ತಃ ।
ಆಕಾ॑ಶಾದ್ವಾ॒ಯುಃ । ವಾ॒ಯೋರ॑ಗ್ನಿಃ ।
ಅಗ್ನೇ॑ರಾಪ॒ಃ । ಅದ್ಭ್ಯಃ॑ ಪೃಥಿ॒ವೀ ।
ಪೃಥಿ॒ವ್ಯಾ ಓಷ॑ಧಯಃ । ಓಷ॑ಧೀಭ್ಯೋऽನ್ನ॑ಮ್ ।
ಅನ್ನಾ॑ತ್ಪು॒ರುಷಃ ।
ಆಕಾ॑ಶಾದ್ವಾ॒ಯುಃ । ವಾ॒ಯೋರ॑ಗ್ನಿಃ ।
ಅಗ್ನೇ॑ರಾಪ॒ಃ । ಅದ್ಭ್ಯಃ॑ ಪೃಥಿ॒ವೀ ।
ಪೃಥಿ॒ವ್ಯಾ ಓಷ॑ಧಯಃ । ಓಷ॑ಧೀಭ್ಯೋऽನ್ನ॑ಮ್ ।
ಅನ್ನಾ॑ತ್ಪು॒ರುಷಃ ।
From that Ātman arose ākāśa (space). From ākāśa, vāyu (air/wind). From vāyu, agni (fire). From agni, āpaḥ (water). From water, pṛthivī (earth). From earth, oṣadhis (plants and herbs). From plants, anna (food). From food, the puruṣa (person — the living human being).
The Pañcabhūta cosmogony: This passage presents the Taittiriya account of creation as a cascade of increasingly dense manifestations from the pure Brahman-Ātman. It is not a random ordering but a precise ontological sequence: from the subtlest (ākāśa/space — which has only the quality of sound) through increasingly dense elements (air adds touch, fire adds form, water adds taste, earth adds smell), ending in the gross physical body of the person, which is literally made from the food that earth produces. This sets up the central teaching of the chapter: if the person is constituted by food, what is constituted by life, mind, knowledge, and bliss? The answer unfolds through the five koshas.
2
Anuvaka 2 · The First Sheath
Annamaya Kosha — The Sheath of Food
अन्नमयकोशः
स वा॑ एष पु॒रुषोऽन्नर॑सम॒यः ।
तस्येद॑मेव शि॒रः । अ॒यं दक्षि॑णः प॒क्षः ।
अ॒यमु॑त्तरः॑ प॒क्षः । अ॒यमा॑त्मा ।
इ॒दं पु॒च्छं प्रति॑ष्ठा ॥
तदप्ये॑ष श्लोको॒ भव॑ति ।
अन्ना॒द्भूता॑नि जाय॒न्ते । जा॒तान्यन्ने॑न वर्ध॒न्ते ।
अद्यते॑ऽत्ति च॒ भूता॑नि । तस्मादन्नं॒ तद॑ुच्यत॒ इति ॥
तस्येद॑मेव शि॒रः । अ॒यं दक्षि॑णः प॒क्षः ।
अ॒यमु॑त्तरः॑ प॒क्षः । अ॒यमा॑त्मा ।
इ॒दं पु॒च्छं प्रति॑ष्ठा ॥
तदप्ये॑ष श्लोको॒ भव॑ति ।
अन्ना॒द्भूता॑नि जाय॒न्ते । जा॒तान्यन्ने॑न वर्ध॒न्ते ।
अद्यते॑ऽत्ति च॒ भूता॑नि । तस्मादन्नं॒ तद॑ुच्यत॒ इति ॥
ಸ ವಾ॑ ಏಷ ಪು॒ರುಷೋऽನ್ನರ॑ಸಮ॒ಯಃ ।
ತಸ್ಯೇದ॑ಮೇವ ಶಿ॒ರಃ । ಅ॒ಯಂ ದಕ್ಷಿ॑ಣಃ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ ।
ಅ॒ಯಮು॑ತ್ತರಃ॑ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ । ಅ॒ಯಮಾ॑ತ್ಮಾ ।
ಇ॒ದಂ ಪು॒ಚ್ಛಂ ಪ್ರತಿ॑ಷ್ಠಾ ॥
ಅನ್ನಾ॒ದ್ಭೂತಾ॑ನಿ ಜಾಯ॒ನ್ತೇ । ಜಾ॒ತಾನ್ಯನ್ನೇ॑ನ ವರ್ಧ॒ನ್ತೇ ।
ಅದ್ಯತೇ॑ऽತ್ತಿ ಚ॒ ಭೂತಾ॑ನಿ । ತಸ್ಮಾದನ್ನಂ॒ ತದ॑ುಚ್ಯತ॒ ಇತಿ ॥
ತಸ್ಯೇದ॑ಮೇವ ಶಿ॒ರಃ । ಅ॒ಯಂ ದಕ್ಷಿ॑ಣಃ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ ।
ಅ॒ಯಮು॑ತ್ತರಃ॑ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ । ಅ॒ಯಮಾ॑ತ್ಮಾ ।
ಇ॒ದಂ ಪು॒ಚ್ಛಂ ಪ್ರತಿ॑ಷ್ಠಾ ॥
ಅನ್ನಾ॒ದ್ಭೂತಾ॑ನಿ ಜಾಯ॒ನ್ತೇ । ಜಾ॒ತಾನ್ಯನ್ನೇ॑ನ ವರ್ಧ॒ನ್ತೇ ।
ಅದ್ಯತೇ॑ऽತ್ತಿ ಚ॒ ಭೂತಾ॑ನಿ । ತಸ್ಮಾದನ್ನಂ॒ ತದ॑ುಚ್ಯತ॒ ಇತಿ ॥
This person (puruṣa) is made of the essence of food (annarasa-maya). His head is this [the upward vital force]. His right wing (dakṣiṇa pakṣa) is this [the right side of the body]. His left wing (uttara pakṣa) is this. His trunk (ātmā) is this. His tail (puccha) — his foundation — is this. And there is this verse regarding it: "All beings are born from food; having been born they grow by food; food is eaten by beings and itself eats beings — therefore it is called anna (food)."
The bird-shaped kosha: Each of the five koshas is described using the same pakṣin (bird) metaphor: head, right wing, left wing, central body (ātmā), and tail (pratiṣṭhā = foundation/support). This consistent structure is not decorative — it is a systematic philosophical method. The annamaya (food-body) is the outermost and most visible layer of the self. The Upanishad's shocking claim is that what we ordinarily take to be "I" — the body — is actually the coarsest outer covering, no more the true self than a bird's outermost feathers are the bird's essence. Annarasa — the "essence/juice of food" — also implies that this body is not inert matter but is a living distillation of the living earth.
3
Anuvaka 3 · The Second Sheath
Prāṇamaya Kosha — The Sheath of Vital Breath
प्राणमयकोशः
तस्माद्वा ए॑तस्मा॒दन्नर॑सम॒यात् ।
अ॒न्योऽन्तर॑ आ॒त्मा प्राण॑म॒यः ।
तेना॑यमा॒त्मा पूर्णः॑ ।
स वा॑ एष पु॒रुषवि॒ध एव॑ ।
तस्य पु॒रुषवि॒धताम् अन्वयं॑ पु॒रुषवि॒धः ॥
प्राण॑ एव॒ अस्य॒ शिरः॑ । व्या॑नो दक्षि॒णः प॒क्षः ।
अ॒पान॑ उत्तरः॑ प॒क्षः । आका॑श आ॒त्मा ।
पृथि॒वी पु॒च्छं प्रति॑ष्ठा ॥
अ॒न्योऽन्तर॑ आ॒त्मा प्राण॑म॒यः ।
तेना॑यमा॒त्मा पूर्णः॑ ।
स वा॑ एष पु॒रुषवि॒ध एव॑ ।
तस्य पु॒रुषवि॒धताम् अन्वयं॑ पु॒रुषवि॒धः ॥
प्राण॑ एव॒ अस्य॒ शिरः॑ । व्या॑नो दक्षि॒णः प॒क्षः ।
अ॒पान॑ उत्तरः॑ प॒क्षः । आका॑श आ॒त्मा ।
पृथि॒वी पु॒च्छं प्रति॑ष्ठा ॥
ತಸ್ಮಾದ್ವಾ ಏ॑ತಸ್ಮಾ॒ದನ್ನರ॑ಸಮ॒ಯಾತ್ ।
ಅ॒ನ್ಯೋऽಂತರ॑ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ಪ್ರಾಣ॑ಮ॒ಯಃ ।
ತೇನಾ॑ಯಮಾ॒ತ್ಮಾ ಪೂರ್ಣಃ॑ ।
ಸ ವಾ॑ ಏಷ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧ ಏವ॑ ।
ತಸ್ಯ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧತಾಮ್ ಅನ್ವಯಂ॑ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧಃ ॥
ಪ್ರಾಣ॑ ಏವ॒ ಅಸ್ಯ॒ ಶಿರಃ॑ । ವ್ಯಾ॑ನೋ ದಕ್ಷಿ॒ಣಃ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ ।
ಅ॒ಪಾನ॑ ಉತ್ತರಃ॑ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ । ಆಕಾ॑ಶ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ।
ಪೃಥಿ॒ವೀ ಪು॒ಚ್ಛಂ ಪ್ರತಿ॑ಷ್ಠಾ ॥
ಅ॒ನ್ಯೋऽಂತರ॑ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ಪ್ರಾಣ॑ಮ॒ಯಃ ।
ತೇನಾ॑ಯಮಾ॒ತ್ಮಾ ಪೂರ್ಣಃ॑ ।
ಸ ವಾ॑ ಏಷ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧ ಏವ॑ ।
ತಸ್ಯ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧತಾಮ್ ಅನ್ವಯಂ॑ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧಃ ॥
ಪ್ರಾಣ॑ ಏವ॒ ಅಸ್ಯ॒ ಶಿರಃ॑ । ವ್ಯಾ॑ನೋ ದಕ್ಷಿ॒ಣಃ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ ।
ಅ॒ಪಾನ॑ ಉತ್ತರಃ॑ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ । ಆಕಾ॑ಶ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ।
ಪೃಥಿ॒ವೀ ಪು॒ಚ್ಛಂ ಪ್ರತಿ॑ಷ್ಠಾ ॥
Different from and inner to this annamaya self, there is another ātman — the prāṇamaya (the self made of vital breath). By this inner self, the outer food-body is pervaded and filled. It too has the form of a person. Corresponding to the person-form of the outer body, this inner one also has the form of a person. Prāṇa (the upward life-breath) is its head. Vyāna (the pervasive breath) its right wing. Apāna (the downward breath) its left wing. Ākāśa its trunk (ātmā). Earth its tail — its foundation.
The five prāṇas: The prāṇamaya kosha is the seat of the five vital forces (pañca-vāyus) that animate the physical body. Prāṇa — the inward and upward breath, governs inhalation and the functioning of the chest and heart. Apāna — the downward breath, governs elimination and the lower body. Vyāna — the pervading breath, circulates vitality throughout the body. Two more (samāna and udāna) complete the set in other texts. The Upanishad's key move here is to show that prāṇa underlies the food-body: the physical form exists only as long as the vital breath animates it. Therefore, the ātman cannot be merely the food-body — it must be at least the prāṇa-body. But is prāṇa the deepest self? The inquiry continues inward.
4
Anuvaka 4 · The Third Sheath
Manomaya Kosha — The Sheath of Mind
मनोमयकोशः
तस्माद्वा ए॑तस्मात्प्राणम॒यात् ।
अ॒न्योऽन्तर॑ आ॒त्मा मनोम॑यः ।
तेना॑यमा॒त्मा पूर्णः॑ ।
स वा॑ एष पु॒रुषवि॒ध एव॑ ।
तस्य पु॒रुषवि॒धताम् अन्वयं॑ पु॒रुषवि॒धः ॥
य॒जु॒र॒स्य॒ शिरः॑ । ऋग्दक्षि॑णः प॒क्षः ।
सा॒मोत्तरः॑ प॒क्षः । आदेश॑ आ॒त्मा ।
अथ॑र्वाङ्गिरसः पु॒च्छं प्रति॑ष्ठा ॥
अ॒न्योऽन्तर॑ आ॒त्मा मनोम॑यः ।
तेना॑यमा॒त्मा पूर्णः॑ ।
स वा॑ एष पु॒रुषवि॒ध एव॑ ।
तस्य पु॒रुषवि॒धताम् अन्वयं॑ पु॒रुषवि॒धः ॥
य॒जु॒र॒स्य॒ शिरः॑ । ऋग्दक्षि॑णः प॒क्षः ।
सा॒मोत्तरः॑ प॒क्षः । आदेश॑ आ॒त्मा ।
अथ॑र्वाङ्गिरसः पु॒च्छं प्रति॑ष्ठा ॥
ತಸ್ಮಾದ್ವಾ ಏ॑ತಸ್ಮಾತ್ಪ್ರಾಣಮ॒ಯಾತ್ ।
ಅ॒ನ್ಯೋऽಂತರ॑ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ಮನೋಮ॑ಯಃ ।
ತೇನಾ॑ಯಮಾ॒ತ್ಮಾ ಪೂರ್ಣಃ॑ ।
ಸ ವಾ॑ ಏಷ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧ ಏವ॑ ।
ತಸ್ಯ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧತಾಮ್ ಅನ್ವಯಂ॑ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧಃ ॥
ಯ॒ಜು॒ರ॒ಸ್ಯ॒ ಶಿರಃ॑ । ಋಗ್ದಕ್ಷಿ॑ಣಃ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ ।
ಸಾ॒ಮೋತ್ತರಃ॑ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ । ಆದೇಶ॑ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ।
ಅಥ॑ರ್ವಾಂಗಿರಸಃ ಪು॒ಚ್ಛಂ ಪ್ರತಿ॑ಷ್ಠಾ ॥
ಅ॒ನ್ಯೋऽಂತರ॑ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ಮನೋಮ॑ಯಃ ।
ತೇನಾ॑ಯಮಾ॒ತ್ಮಾ ಪೂರ್ಣಃ॑ ।
ಸ ವಾ॑ ಏಷ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧ ಏವ॑ ।
ತಸ್ಯ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧತಾಮ್ ಅನ್ವಯಂ॑ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧಃ ॥
ಯ॒ಜು॒ರ॒ಸ್ಯ॒ ಶಿರಃ॑ । ಋಗ್ದಕ್ಷಿ॑ಣಃ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ ।
ಸಾ॒ಮೋತ್ತರಃ॑ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ । ಆದೇಶ॑ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ।
ಅಥ॑ರ್ವಾಂಗಿರಸಃ ಪು॒ಚ್ಛಂ ಪ್ರತಿ॑ಷ್ಠಾ ॥
Different from and inner to the prāṇamaya self, there is another ātman — the manomaya (the self made of mind). By this, the prāṇa-body is pervaded and filled. It too has the form of a person, corresponding to the person-form of the outer body. The Yajurveda is its head. The Ṛgveda its right wing. The Sāmaveda its left wing. Teaching (ādeśa) its trunk. The Atharvāṅgirasas its tail — its foundation.
The Vedas as the structure of mind: The identification of the Vedas with the parts of the manomaya kosha is one of the Upanishad's most striking pedagogical moves. The Vedic seers understood mind not as a blank slate filled by experience but as a structured, inherently meaningful faculty. The four Vedas — each governing a different dimension of cosmic knowing (Ṛgveda = knowledge of forms and deities; Yajurveda = knowledge of action and ritual; Sāmaveda = knowledge of music and feeling; Atharvaveda = knowledge of healing and practical life) — represent the full compass of mental activity. Ādeśa — teaching, instruction, the guru's word — placed at the centre (ātmā) of the manomaya kosha suggests that the mind's deepest organising principle is not instinct or sensation but received wisdom, the transmission of knowing from teacher to student.
5
Anuvaka 5 · The Fourth Sheath
Vijñānamaya Kosha — The Sheath of Discernment
विज्ञानमयकोशः
तस्माद्वा ए॑तस्मान्मनोम॒यात् ।
अ॒न्योऽन्तर॑ आ॒त्मा वि॒ज्ञानम॑यः ।
तेना॑यमा॒त्मा पूर्णः॑ ।
स वा॑ एष पु॒रुषवि॒ध एव॑ ।
तस्य पु॒रुषवि॒धताम् अन्वयं॑ पु॒रुषवि॒धः ॥
श्र॒द्धा शि॒रः । ऋ॒तं दक्षि॑णः प॒क्षः ।
स॒त्यमु॑त्तरः प॒क्षः । यो॒गः आ॒त्मा ।
म॒हः पु॒च्छं प्रति॑ष्ठा ॥
तदप्ये॑ष श्लोको॒ भव॑ति ।
विज्ञा॒नं यज्ञं॑ तनुते । कर्मा॑णि तनु॒ते ऽपि॑ च ।
विज्ञा॒नं देवाः॑ सर्वे॑ ब्र॒ह्म ज्ये॑ष्ठमु॒पास॑ते ॥
अ॒न्योऽन्तर॑ आ॒त्मा वि॒ज्ञानम॑यः ।
तेना॑यमा॒त्मा पूर्णः॑ ।
स वा॑ एष पु॒रुषवि॒ध एव॑ ।
तस्य पु॒रुषवि॒धताम् अन्वयं॑ पु॒रुषवि॒धः ॥
श्र॒द्धा शि॒रः । ऋ॒तं दक्षि॑णः प॒क्षः ।
स॒त्यमु॑त्तरः प॒क्षः । यो॒गः आ॒त्मा ।
म॒हः पु॒च्छं प्रति॑ष्ठा ॥
तदप्ये॑ष श्लोको॒ भव॑ति ।
विज्ञा॒नं यज्ञं॑ तनुते । कर्मा॑णि तनु॒ते ऽपि॑ च ।
विज्ञा॒नं देवाः॑ सर्वे॑ ब्र॒ह्म ज्ये॑ष्ठमु॒पास॑ते ॥
ತಸ್ಮಾದ್ವಾ ಏ॑ತಸ್ಮಾನ್ಮನೋಮ॒ಯಾತ್ ।
ಅ॒ನ್ಯೋऽಂತರ॑ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ವಿ॒ಜ್ಞಾನಮ॑ಯಃ ।
ತೇನಾ॑ಯಮಾ॒ತ್ಮಾ ಪೂರ್ಣಃ॑ ।
ಸ ವಾ॑ ಏಷ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧ ಏವ॑ ।
ತಸ್ಯ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧತಾಮ್ ಅನ್ವಯಂ॑ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧಃ ॥
ಶ್ರ॒ದ್ಧಾ ಶಿ॒ರಃ । ಋ॒ತಂ ದಕ್ಷಿ॑ಣಃ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ ।
ಸ॒ತ್ಯಮು॑ತ್ತರಃ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ । ಯೋ॒ಗಃ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ।
ಮ॒ಹಃ ಪು॒ಚ್ಛಂ ಪ್ರತಿ॑ಷ್ಠಾ ॥
ವಿಜ್ಞಾ॒ನಂ ಯಜ್ಞಂ॑ ತನುತೇ । ಕರ್ಮಾ॑ಣಿ ತನು॒ತೇ ऽಪಿ॑ ಚ ।
ವಿಜ್ಞಾ॒ನಂ ದೇವಾಃ॑ ಸರ್ವೇ॑ ಬ್ರ॒ಹ್ಮ ಜ್ಯೇ॑ಷ್ಠಮು॒ಪಾಸ॑ತೇ ॥
ಅ॒ನ್ಯೋऽಂತರ॑ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ವಿ॒ಜ್ಞಾನಮ॑ಯಃ ।
ತೇನಾ॑ಯಮಾ॒ತ್ಮಾ ಪೂರ್ಣಃ॑ ।
ಸ ವಾ॑ ಏಷ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧ ಏವ॑ ।
ತಸ್ಯ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧತಾಮ್ ಅನ್ವಯಂ॑ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧಃ ॥
ಶ್ರ॒ದ್ಧಾ ಶಿ॒ರಃ । ಋ॒ತಂ ದಕ್ಷಿ॑ಣಃ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ ।
ಸ॒ತ್ಯಮು॑ತ್ತರಃ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ । ಯೋ॒ಗಃ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ।
ಮ॒ಹಃ ಪು॒ಚ್ಛಂ ಪ್ರತಿ॑ಷ್ಠಾ ॥
ವಿಜ್ಞಾ॒ನಂ ಯಜ್ಞಂ॑ ತನುತೇ । ಕರ್ಮಾ॑ಣಿ ತನು॒ತೇ ऽಪಿ॑ ಚ ।
ವಿಜ್ಞಾ॒ನಂ ದೇವಾಃ॑ ಸರ್ವೇ॑ ಬ್ರ॒ಹ್ಮ ಜ್ಯೇ॑ಷ್ಠಮು॒ಪಾಸ॑ತೇ ॥
Different from and inner to the manomaya self, there is another ātman — the vijñānamaya (the self made of discernment/wisdom). By this, the mind-body is pervaded and filled. It too has the form of a person. Śraddhā (faith, trust, conviction) is its head. Ṛta (cosmic order, right action) its right wing. Satya (truth, honesty) its left wing. Yoga (meditative union) its trunk. Mahas (greatness, Brahman) its tail — its foundation. And there is this verse: "Vijñāna conducts the sacrifice. It conducts all the works. All the gods revere vijñāna as Brahman, the foremost."
Vijñāna vs. manas — the distinction of the fourth kosha: The distinction between the third (manomaya) and fourth (vijñānamaya) koshas corresponds broadly to the philosophical distinction between manas (the reactive, sensory, and doubting mind) and buddhi (the resolving, discriminating, wisdom-intelligence). Manas receives and processes sensory input; vijñāna (buddhi) evaluates, discerns, and decides with confidence and conviction. The placement of śraddhā (faith — not blind belief but the deepest trust born of direct experience and testimony) as the head of this kosha indicates that the highest function of the intellect is not scepticism but the capacity for ultimate conviction — knowing what is permanently real. Mahas (greatness, sometimes identified with the cosmic Hiraṇyagarbha or Brahman in its cosmic aspect) as the tail/foundation of vijñāna shows that even the highest human intellect rests on a foundation that transcends it.
6
Anuvaka 6 · The Fifth and Innermost Sheath
Ānandamaya Kosha — The Sheath of Bliss
आनन्दमयकोशः
तस्माद्वा ए॑तस्माद्वि॒ज्ञानम॒यात् ।
अ॒न्योऽन्तर॑ आ॒त्मा आनन्दम॑यः ।
तेना॑यमा॒त्मा पूर्णः॑ ।
स वा॑ एष पु॒रुषवि॒ध एव॑ ।
तस्य पु॒रुषवि॒धताम् अन्वयं॑ पु॒रुषवि॒धः ॥
प्रि॒यमेव॑ शि॒रः । मो॒दो दक्षि॑णः प॒क्षः ।
प्र॒मोद॑ उत्तरः प॒क्षः । आनन्द॑ आ॒त्मा ।
ब्र॒ह्म पु॒च्छं प्रति॑ष्ठा ॥
अ॒न्योऽन्तर॑ आ॒त्मा आनन्दम॑यः ।
तेना॑यमा॒त्मा पूर्णः॑ ।
स वा॑ एष पु॒रुषवि॒ध एव॑ ।
तस्य पु॒रुषवि॒धताम् अन्वयं॑ पु॒रुषवि॒धः ॥
प्रि॒यमेव॑ शि॒रः । मो॒दो दक्षि॑णः प॒क्षः ।
प्र॒मोद॑ उत्तरः प॒क्षः । आनन्द॑ आ॒त्मा ।
ब्र॒ह्म पु॒च्छं प्रति॑ष्ठा ॥
ತಸ್ಮಾದ್ವಾ ಏ॑ತಸ್ಮಾದ್ವಿ॒ಜ್ಞಾನಮ॒ಯಾತ್ ।
ಅ॒ನ್ಯೋऽಂತರ॑ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ಆನಂದಮ॑ಯಃ ।
ತೇನಾ॑ಯಮಾ॒ತ್ಮಾ ಪೂರ್ಣಃ॑ ।
ಸ ವಾ॑ ಏಷ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧ ಏವ॑ ।
ತಸ್ಯ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧತಾಮ್ ಅನ್ವಯಂ॑ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧಃ ॥
ಪ್ರಿ॒ಯಮೇವ॑ ಶಿ॒ರಃ । ಮೋ॒ದೋ ದಕ್ಷಿ॑ಣಃ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ ।
ಪ್ರ॒ಮೋದ॑ ಉತ್ತರಃ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ । ಆನಂದ॑ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ।
ಬ್ರ॒ಹ್ಮ ಪು॒ಚ್ಛಂ ಪ್ರತಿ॑ಷ್ಠಾ ॥
ಅ॒ನ್ಯೋऽಂತರ॑ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ಆನಂದಮ॑ಯಃ ।
ತೇನಾ॑ಯಮಾ॒ತ್ಮಾ ಪೂರ್ಣಃ॑ ।
ಸ ವಾ॑ ಏಷ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧ ಏವ॑ ।
ತಸ್ಯ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧತಾಮ್ ಅನ್ವಯಂ॑ ಪು॒ರುಷವಿ॒ಧಃ ॥
ಪ್ರಿ॒ಯಮೇವ॑ ಶಿ॒ರಃ । ಮೋ॒ದೋ ದಕ್ಷಿ॑ಣಃ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ ।
ಪ್ರ॒ಮೋದ॑ ಉತ್ತರಃ ಪ॒ಕ್ಷಃ । ಆನಂದ॑ ಆ॒ತ್ಮಾ ।
ಬ್ರ॒ಹ್ಮ ಪು॒ಚ್ಛಂ ಪ್ರತಿ॑ಷ್ಠಾ ॥
Different from and inner to the vijñānamaya self, there is another ātman — the ānandamaya (the self made of bliss). By this, the wisdom-body is pervaded and filled. It too has the form of a person. Priya (dearness, love, the quiet joy of intimate contact) is its head. Moda (active delight, joyous response to what is dear) its right wing. Pramoda (supreme delight, the exuberance of total fulfilment) its left wing. Ānanda (bliss — the pure, unconditioned state of joy without object) its trunk. Brahman itself is its tail — its foundation and support.
Brahman as the tail (puccha/pratiṣṭhā) of the ānandamaya kosha: This is a structurally pivotal statement. In each of the first four koshas, the "tail" (foundation) was some element from the manifest world: earth, prāṇa, Atharvaveda, Mahas. Here, for the innermost kosha, the foundation is Brahman itself. This signals the end of the inward journey — there is nothing further inside the ānandamaya. But a critical question arises: is the ānandamaya kosha itself Brahman? The Advaita tradition (Śaṅkara) answers no — even bliss, when conditioned by subject-object relationship, is still a limiting adjunct (upādhi) upon the pure Self. The ānandamaya is the last veil. Brahman as its "tail" means Brahman supports it but is not exhausted by it. Rāmānuja's Viśiṣṭādvaita, however, identifies the ānandamaya more closely with the jīvātman in its deepest mode, with Brahman as the antaryāmin (inner controller) dwelling within even this subtlest layer. The three pairs of the ānandamaya (priya/moda/pramoda) map the phenomenology of joy: from the first recognition of what one loves, through active delight, to total suffusion in it.
The Complete Pañcakosha Structure
1. AnnamayaFood-body — head, wings, trunk, tail = parts of the physical organism sustained by anna (food)
2. PrāṇamayaVital-body — prāṇa, vyāna, apāna, samāna, udāna — animates the food-body from within
3. ManomayaMind-body — built of the four Vedas and ādeśa (teaching) — processes sense-data and generates desire
4. VijñānamayaWisdom-body — śraddhā, ṛta, satya, yoga, mahas — the discriminating intelligence that knows Brahman
5. ĀnandamayaBliss-body — priya, moda, pramoda, ānanda — the innermost experiential self; rests on Brahman as its puccha
7
Anuvaka 7 · The Ground of Bliss
Ko hy evānyāt — Who Would Live If Bliss Were Not?
को ह्येवान्यात् कः प्राण्यात्
को ह्येवा॑न्यात् कः॒ प्राण्या॒त् ।
यदेष॒ आका॑श आनन्दो॑ न स्यात् ।
एष ह्येवा॑नन्दय॒ति ।
यदा॑ ह्येवैष एत॒स्मि॒न्नदृ॑श्येऽनात्म्ये॑ऽनिरु॒क्तेऽनि॑लयने॒ऽभयं॑ प्रति॒ष्ठां वि॑न्दते ।
अथ॑ सोऽभ॑यं ग॑च्छति ।
यदा॑ ह्येव॒ एत॒स्मि॒न्नु॒दरमन्त॑रं कु॒रुते ।
अथ॑ तस्य॒ भयं॑ भवति ॥
यदेष॒ आका॑श आनन्दो॑ न स्यात् ।
एष ह्येवा॑नन्दय॒ति ।
यदा॑ ह्येवैष एत॒स्मि॒न्नदृ॑श्येऽनात्म्ये॑ऽनिरु॒क्तेऽनि॑लयने॒ऽभयं॑ प्रति॒ष्ठां वि॑न्दते ।
अथ॑ सोऽभ॑यं ग॑च्छति ।
यदा॑ ह्येव॒ एत॒स्मि॒न्नु॒दरमन्त॑रं कु॒रुते ।
अथ॑ तस्य॒ भयं॑ भवति ॥
ಕೋ ಹ್ಯೇವಾ॑ನ್ಯಾತ್ ಕಃ॒ ಪ್ರಾಣ್ಯಾ॒ತ್ ।
ಯದೇಷ॒ ಆಕಾ॑ಶ ಆನಂದೋ॑ ನ ಸ್ಯಾತ್ ।
ಏಷ ಹ್ಯೇವಾ॑ನಂದಯ॒ತಿ ।
ಯದಾ॑ ಹ್ಯೇವೈಷ ಏತ॒ಸ್ಮಿ॒ನ್ನದೃ॑ಶ್ಯೇऽನಾತ್ಮ್ಯೇ॑ऽನಿರು॒ಕ್ತೇऽನಿ॑ಲಯನೇ॒ ऽಭಯಂ॑ ಪ್ರತಿ॒ಷ್ಠಾಂ ವಿ॑ಂದತೇ ।
ಅಥ॑ ಸೋऽಭ॑ಯಂ ಗ॑ಚ್ಛತಿ ।
ಯದಾ॑ ಹ್ಯೇವ॒ ಏತ॒ಸ್ಮಿ॒ನ್ನು॒ದರಮಂತ॑ರಂ ಕು॒ರುತೇ ।
ಅಥ॑ ತಸ್ಯ॒ ಭಯಂ॑ ಭವತಿ ॥
ಯದೇಷ॒ ಆಕಾ॑ಶ ಆನಂದೋ॑ ನ ಸ್ಯಾತ್ ।
ಏಷ ಹ್ಯೇವಾ॑ನಂದಯ॒ತಿ ।
ಯದಾ॑ ಹ್ಯೇವೈಷ ಏತ॒ಸ್ಮಿ॒ನ್ನದೃ॑ಶ್ಯೇऽನಾತ್ಮ್ಯೇ॑ऽನಿರು॒ಕ್ತೇऽನಿ॑ಲಯನೇ॒ ऽಭಯಂ॑ ಪ್ರತಿ॒ಷ್ಠಾಂ ವಿ॑ಂದತೇ ।
ಅಥ॑ ಸೋऽಭ॑ಯಂ ಗ॑ಚ್ಛತಿ ।
ಯದಾ॑ ಹ್ಯೇವ॒ ಏತ॒ಸ್ಮಿ॒ನ್ನು॒ದರಮಂತ॑ರಂ ಕು॒ರುತೇ ।
ಅಥ॑ ತಸ್ಯ॒ ಭಯಂ॑ ಭವತಿ ॥
Who indeed would breathe (inhale), who would live, if this bliss (ānanda) were not present in the space (ākāśa) of the heart? This alone — this bliss — brings joy to all beings. When one finds fearlessness (abhaya) and firm ground (pratiṣṭhā) in this Brahman which is invisible, without body (anātmya), unutterable (anirukta), without any fixed abode (anilayane) — then one attains fearlessness. But when one makes even the slightest gap (udara, fissure) within this Brahman — believing "I am here, Brahman is there" — then fear arises.
Abhaya — the teaching of fearlessness: This passage is one of the most psychologically penetrating in all of Vedic literature. Fear, the Upanishad declares, is not caused by external threats but by the perception of duality — the moment one experiences oneself as separate from the ground of all existence, fear arises automatically. This is because separateness implies vulnerability: if "I" am a bounded entity and Brahman is "other," then I can be diminished, threatened, lost. But when one realises that there is no gap — that the ātman and Brahman are not two things between which a distance could arise — then fearlessness is the natural result. The four negative epithets of Brahman here — adṛśya (invisible), anātmya (without body), anirukta (beyond speech), anilayane (without fixed abode) — are not denials but apophatic (neti-neti) pointers toward the unconditioned nature of Brahman that transcends all categories through which fear could take hold.
8
Anuvaka 8 · The Calculus of Bliss
Ānandamīmāṃsā — The Graduated Measure of Bliss
आनन्दमीमांसा
युवा स्यात् साधुयुवा॒ऽधीयान॒ः ।
आशिष्ठो दृढिष्ठो बलि॒ष्ठः ।
तस्येयं पृथि॒वी सर्वा॑ वित्त॒स्य पूर्णा स्यात् ।
स॒ एको मानुष॒ आनन्दः॑ ॥
ते ये॒ शतं॒ मानु॑षा आनन्दाः
स एको मनुष्यगन्धर्वाणामानन्दः॑ ।
श्रोत्रि॑यस्य चाकामहतस्य ॥
आशिष्ठो दृढिष्ठो बलि॒ष्ठः ।
तस्येयं पृथि॒वी सर्वा॑ वित्त॒स्य पूर्णा स्यात् ।
स॒ एको मानुष॒ आनन्दः॑ ॥
ते ये॒ शतं॒ मानु॑षा आनन्दाः
स एको मनुष्यगन्धर्वाणामानन्दः॑ ।
श्रोत्रि॑यस्य चाकामहतस्य ॥
ಯುವಾ ಸ್ಯಾತ್ ಸಾಧುಯುವಾ॒ऽಧೀಯಾನ॒ಃ ।
ಆಶಿಷ್ಠೋ ದೃಢಿಷ್ಠೋ ಬಲಿ॒ಷ್ಠಃ ।
ತಸ್ಯೇಯಂ ಪೃಥಿ॒ವೀ ಸರ್ವಾ॑ ವಿತ್ತ॒ಸ್ಯ ಪೂರ್ಣಾ ಸ್ಯಾತ್ ।
ಸ॒ ಏಕೋ ಮಾನುಷ॒ ಆನಂದಃ॑ ॥
ತೇ ಯೇ॒ ಶತಂ॒ ಮಾನು॑ಷಾ ಆನಂದಾಃ
ಸ ಏಕೋ ಮನುಷ್ಯಗಂಧರ್ವಾಣಾಮಾನಂದಃ॑ ।
ಶ್ರೋತ್ರಿ॑ಯಸ್ಯ ಚಾಕಾಮಹತಸ್ಯ ॥
ಆಶಿಷ್ಠೋ ದೃಢಿಷ್ಠೋ ಬಲಿ॒ಷ್ಠಃ ।
ತಸ್ಯೇಯಂ ಪೃಥಿ॒ವೀ ಸರ್ವಾ॑ ವಿತ್ತ॒ಸ್ಯ ಪೂರ್ಣಾ ಸ್ಯಾತ್ ।
ಸ॒ ಏಕೋ ಮಾನುಷ॒ ಆನಂದಃ॑ ॥
ತೇ ಯೇ॒ ಶತಂ॒ ಮಾನು॑ಷಾ ಆನಂದಾಃ
ಸ ಏಕೋ ಮನುಷ್ಯಗಂಧರ್ವಾಣಾಮಾನಂದಃ॑ ।
ಶ್ರೋತ್ರಿ॑ಯಸ್ಯ ಚಾಕಾಮಹತಸ್ಯ ॥
Let there be a young man — a good youth, well-trained in the Vedas — the most swift (āśiṣṭha), most firm (dṛḍhiṣṭha), most vigorous (baliṣṭha) of all persons. Let this entire earth be full of wealth (vitta) for him alone. That is one unit of human bliss (mānuṣa ānanda). One hundred such units of human bliss equal one unit of bliss of the Manuṣya-gandharvas (human celestial musicians). This scale holds equally for the knower of the Vedas (śrotriya) who is free from all craving (akāmahata).
The radical qualifier — śrotriyasya cākāmahatasya: The most subversive element of the Ānandamīmāṃsā is not the graduated scale itself but this repeated qualifier: "this applies equally to the śrotriya (Veda-knower) who is free from desire." This means that at every level of the scale, the jñāni who is liberated from craving already possesses the same bliss as the celestial being at that level — without needing to die, ascend, or acquire anything. The entire cosmological scale is simultaneously a map of external cosmic hierarchy and a description of the depths of bliss available to the liberated sage right here.
| Level | Being | Bliss (×100 of previous) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mānuṣa (the ideal human being — all of earth's wealth) | 1 unit = baseline |
| 2 | Manuṣya-gandharva (human celestial musicians) | 100 × human |
| 3 | Deva-gandharva (divine celestial musicians) | 100 × level 2 |
| 4 | Pitṛ (ancestors in their eternal world) | 100 × level 3 |
| 5 | Ājānaja-deva (those born as gods by virtue) | 100 × level 4 |
| 6 | Karma-deva (those who become gods by sacrificial merit) | 100 × level 5 |
| 7 | Deva (the great gods) | 100 × level 6 |
| 8 | Indra (king of the gods) | 100 × level 7 |
| 9 | Bṛhaspati (preceptor of the gods) | 100 × level 8 |
| 10 | Prajāpati / Hiraṇyagarbha (cosmic creator) | 100 × level 9 |
| ∞ | Brahman (the Absolute) — and the desireless jñāni | Infinite — beyond measure |
Why this scale matters: The Ānandamīmāṃsā is not a cosmological travelogue but a philosophical argument by analogy. If bliss increases by a factor of 100 at each level, and there are 10 levels, then Brahman's bliss is 1020 times human bliss — effectively infinite compared to any finite reference. The point is not the arithmetic but the direction: every being, from the most wretched to the most cosmic, is in pursuit of ānanda (bliss). The entire cosmos is a vast movement toward Brahman-bliss. And since Brahman is already the innermost self of every being, the entire journey of samsāra is ultimately a long, circuitous route back to what was never lost — the infinite bliss of one's own deepest nature.
9
Anuvaka 9 · The Mystic Self-Declaration
Aham Annam — I Am Food, I Am the Eater of Food
अहमन्नम् अहमन्नादः
अहम॑न्नमहम॑न्नमहम॑न्नम् ।
अहम॑न्नादोऽहम॑न्नादोऽहम॑न्नादः ।
अहं शलोककृदहं शलोककृदहं शलोककृत् ।
अहम॑स्मि प्रथमजा ऋ॒तास्य॑ ।
पूर्वं देवे॑भ्योऽमृ॒तस्य॑ नाभा॒यि ।
यो मा॑ दद॒ाति स इदेव॒ माऽवा॑ः ।
अहमन्नमन्न॑मदन्त॒माद्मि॑ ।
अहं विश्वं भुव॑नमभ्य॑भवाम् ।
सुव॑र्ण ज्योतीः॑ य एव॑ं वे॒द ।
इत्युपनि॑षत् ॥
अहम॑न्नादोऽहम॑न्नादोऽहम॑न्नादः ।
अहं शलोककृदहं शलोककृदहं शलोककृत् ।
अहम॑स्मि प्रथमजा ऋ॒तास्य॑ ।
पूर्वं देवे॑भ्योऽमृ॒तस्य॑ नाभा॒यि ।
यो मा॑ दद॒ाति स इदेव॒ माऽवा॑ः ।
अहमन्नमन्न॑मदन्त॒माद्मि॑ ।
अहं विश्वं भुव॑नमभ्य॑भवाम् ।
सुव॑र्ण ज्योतीः॑ य एव॑ं वे॒द ।
इत्युपनि॑षत् ॥
ಅಹಮ॑ನ್ನಮಹಮ॑ನ್ನಮಹಮ॑ನ್ನಮ್ ।
ಅಹಮ॑ನ್ನಾದೋऽಹಮ॑ನ್ನಾದೋऽಹಮ॑ನ್ನಾದಃ ।
ಅಹಂ ಶಲೋಕಕೃದಹಂ ಶಲೋಕಕೃದಹಂ ಶಲೋಕಕೃತ್ ।
ಅಹಮ॑ಸ್ಮಿ ಪ್ರಥಮಜಾ ಋ॒ತಾಸ್ಯ॑ ।
ಪೂರ್ವಂ ದೇವೇ॑ಭ್ಯೋऽಮೃ॒ತಸ್ಯ॑ ನಾಭಾ॒ಯಿ ।
ಯೋ ಮಾ॑ ದದ॒ಾತಿ ಸ ಇದೇವ॒ ಮಾऽವಾ॑ಃ ।
ಅಹಮನ್ನಮನ್ನ॑ಮದನ್ತ॒ಮಾದ್ಮಿ॑ ।
ಅಹಂ ವಿಶ್ವಂ ಭುವ॑ನಮಭ್ಯ॑ಭವಾಮ್ ।
ಸುವ॑ರ್ಣ ಜ್ಯೋತೀಃ॑ ಯ ಏವ॑ಂ ವೇ॒ದ ।
ಇತ್ಯುಪನಿ॑ಷತ್ ॥
ಅಹಮ॑ನ್ನಾದೋऽಹಮ॑ನ್ನಾದೋऽಹಮ॑ನ್ನಾದಃ ।
ಅಹಂ ಶಲೋಕಕೃದಹಂ ಶಲೋಕಕೃದಹಂ ಶಲೋಕಕೃತ್ ।
ಅಹಮ॑ಸ್ಮಿ ಪ್ರಥಮಜಾ ಋ॒ತಾಸ್ಯ॑ ।
ಪೂರ್ವಂ ದೇವೇ॑ಭ್ಯೋऽಮೃ॒ತಸ್ಯ॑ ನಾಭಾ॒ಯಿ ।
ಯೋ ಮಾ॑ ದದ॒ಾತಿ ಸ ಇದೇವ॒ ಮಾऽವಾ॑ಃ ।
ಅಹಮನ್ನಮನ್ನ॑ಮದನ್ತ॒ಮಾದ್ಮಿ॑ ।
ಅಹಂ ವಿಶ್ವಂ ಭುವ॑ನಮಭ್ಯ॑ಭವಾಮ್ ।
ಸುವ॑ರ್ಣ ಜ್ಯೋತೀಃ॑ ಯ ಏವ॑ಂ ವೇ॒ದ ।
ಇತ್ಯುಪನಿ॑ಷತ್ ॥
I am food — I am food — I am food! I am the eater of food — I am the eater of food — I am the eater of food! I am the maker of verses (the creator of the world-song) — I am the maker — I am the maker! I am the firstborn of the cosmic order (ṛta). Before the gods, I was born at the navel of immortality. Whoever offers me (food — this reality) truly protects me (and is protected by me). I eat the one who eats food without offering — I consume the consumer. I have pervaded this entire world of beings. Golden, luminous — one who knows thus (iti). This is the secret teaching (iti upaniṣat).
Aham annam — the identity of knower and known: This closing declaration is among the most electrifying passages in world philosophical literature. The realised sage, speaking from the standpoint of Brahman-consciousness, declares identity with both the food (annam — the object of all consumption, all existence) and the eater (annāda — the subject of all consumption). This transcends the duality of eater and eaten, subject and object, enjoyer and enjoyed — all of which are conventional distinctions that collapse in Brahman-realisation. The triple repetition (aham annam aham annam aham annam) is not mere emphasis but a Vedic technique of complete absorption: the declaration is repeated until the meditator fully inhabits it, not as a proposition about reality but as a direct disclosure of it. Śalokakṛt — "maker of verses" or "maker of the world-song" — declares that Brahman is not merely the substrate of the cosmos but its creative principle. The word itī upaniṣat — "thus is the Upanishad" (the secret teaching) — signals that the entire Brahmānandavallī has been building to precisely this: the collapse of the meditator into the reality being meditated upon.