Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 17-18: Remembrance at Death

Breath and body return to their elements; the mind is called to remember, and Agni is to lead the dying person along the good path.

Dr. Ronald Steiner 17.07.2023

Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 17

वायुरनिलममृतमथेदं भस्मान्तं शरीरम् |

vāyur anilam amṛtam; athedaṃ bhasmāntaṃ śarīram | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

vāyuḥ nominative singular	vāyu substantive masculine	breath, wind
anilam accusative singular	anila substantive masculine	wind, air
amṛtam accusative singular masculine	amṛta adjective	immortal
atha	atha particle	now
idam nominative singular neuter	idam pronoun dem	this
bhasmāntam nominative singular neuter	bhasmānta adjective	ending in ash
śarīram nominative singular	śarīra substantive neuter	body

ॐ क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर क्रतो स्मर कृतं स्मर ||17||

oṃ; krato smara kṛtaṃ smara; krato smara kṛtaṃ smara ||17|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

om	om particle	Om
krato vokative singular	kratu substantive masculine	will, mind
smara 2nd person singular aktive imperative	smṛ verbal root	remember
kṛtam accusative singular neuter past participle passive	kṛ verbal root	what has been done, deed
smara 2nd person singular aktive imperative	smṛ verbal root	remember
krato vokative singular	kratu substantive masculine	will, mind
smara 2nd person singular aktive imperative	smṛ verbal root	remember
kṛtam accusative singular neuter past participle passive	kṛ verbal root	what has been done, deed
smara 2nd person singular aktive imperative	smṛ verbal root	remember

Metre: Anuṣṭubh; Oṃ extrametrical

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

The breath enters the immortal wind; this body becomes ash. Om. Mind, remember what has been done; remember. Mind, remember what has been done; remember.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Śaṅkara reads this verse as the request of the dying one. The individual prāṇa (life-breath) is to leave its limitation and reach the immortal cosmic Anila/Sūtrātman (wind, cosmic life-principle); the body ends as ash. Kratu (the inner resolve capable of willing and remembering) is now to remember the long-practiced upāsanā (worship, meditation) and the completed actions.

Īśā-Upaniṣad Śaṅkara-Bhāṣya

[My] breath (vāyu) to the immortal wind (anila)!<1>This body then ends in ashes! Om!
O Purpose (kratu<2>), remember! The deed (kṛta) remember!
O Purpose, remember! The deed remember!

<1:This formula recurs at Bṛih. 5. 15. The idea that at death the several parts of microcosmic man revert to the corresponding elements of the macrocosm is expressed several times in Sanskrit literature. With the specific mention here, compare ‘his spirit (ātman) to the wind (vāta)’ in the Cremation Hymn, RV. 10. 16. 3a; ‘with his breath (prāna) to wind (vāyu),’ Śat Br. 10. 3. 3. 8; ‘his breath (prāna) to wind (vāta), Bṛih. 3. 2. 13; and even of the sacrificial animal, ‘its breath (prāna) to wind (vāta), Ait. Br. 2. 6.>

<2: Compare the statement in Chānd. 3. 14. 1, ‘Now, verily, a person consists of purpose (kratu-maya).’>

Robert Hume - 1921

Nun werde, Hauch, zum Winde, dem unsterblichen,
und dieser Leib mag endigen in Asche!
Om! O Geist, gedenk! des Werks gedenk!
O Geist, gedenk! des Werks gedenk!

Paul Deussen - 1897

Breath<4> to air, and to the immortal! Then this my body ends in ashes. Om! Mind, remember! Remember thy deeds<5>! Mind, remember! Remember thy deeds!

<4: These lines are supposed to be uttered by a man in the hour of death.>
<5: The Vâgasaneyi-samhitâ reads: Om, krato smara, klibe smara, kritam smara. Uvata holds that Agni, fire, who has been worshipped in youth and manhood, is here invoked in the form of mind, or that kratu is meant for sacrifice. 'Agni, remember me! Think of the world! Remember my deeds!'>

Max Müller - 1879

Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 18

अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान्विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान् |

agne naya, supathā rāye asmān; viśvāni deva vayunāni vidvān | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

agne vokative singular	agni substantive masculine	Agni
naya 2nd person singular aktive imperative	nī verbal root	lead
supathā instrumental case singular	supath substantive masculine	by a good path
rāye dative singular	rayi substantive masculine	to well-being, prosperity
asmān accusative plural	asmad pronoun pers 1p	us
viśvāni accusative plural neuter	viśva adjective	all
deva vokative singular	deva substantive masculine	god
vayunāni accusative plural	vayuna substantive neuter	ways, courses, insights
vidvān nominative singular masculine past participle active	vid verbal root	knowing

युयोधि अस्मज्जुहुराणमेनो भूयिष्ठां ते नमौक्तिं विधेम ||18||

yuyodhi* asmaj juhurāṇam eno; bhūyiṣṭhāṃ te, nama-uktiṃ vidhema ||18|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

yuyodhi 2nd person singular aktive imperative	yu verbal root	keep away, separate
asmat ablative plural	asmad pronoun pers 1p	from us
juhurāṇam accusative singular neuter past partiziple medial	hvar verbal root	crooked, acting falsely
enas accusative singular	enas substantive neuter	sin, guilt
bhūyiṣṭhām accusative singular feminine superlative	bhūyiṣṭha adjective	most abundant, fullest
te dative singular	yuṣmad pronoun pers 2p	to you
namas tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	namas substantive neuter	of reverence, of homage
uktim accusative singular	ukti substantive feminine	utterance, word of praise
vidhema 1st person plural aktive optative	vi previx dhā verbal root	may we offer, perform

Metre: Pāda 1: Śālinī; pāda 2: Indravajrā; pāda 3: Upendravajrā; pāda 4: Śālinī

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Agni, lead us by the good path to well-being, you god who knows all ways. Keep crooked guilt away from us; to you we offer our fullest word of reverence.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Śaṅkara understands supathā (good path) as the path that avoids the southern way of return. Agni (the fire god) is to lead the worshipper to the karmically deserved goal and remove crooked enas (fault, guilt). At the end Śaṅkara again defends his reading: in verses 9-14, vidyā (knowledge) means upāsanā (worship, meditation), not highest Self-knowledge, because Paramātman-knowledge (knowledge of the highest Self) cannot be joined with karma (action).

Īśā-Upaniṣad Śaṅkara-Bhāṣya

yuyodhi* asmaj conj. ed. ] yuyodhy asmaj GRETIL2018, LV1958

Critical Apparatus

O Agni, by a goodly path to prosperity (rai) lead us,
Thou god who knowest all the ways!
Keep far from us crooked-going sin (enas)!<3>
Most ample expression of adoration to thee would we render!<4>

<3: Other prayers for freedom from sin (enas, compare also āgas) are at RV. 1. 24. 9 d; 3. 7. 10 d; 7. 86. 3 a, 4 d; 7. 88. 6 c; 7. 89. 5 c, d; 7. 93. 7 c, d; 8. 67 (56). 17; 10. 35. 3 a, c; 10. 37. 12; AV. 6 97. 2 d; 6. 115. 1, 2, 3; 6. 116. 2, 3; 6. 117; 6. 118; 6. 119; 6. 120.>

<4: This stanza is identical with RV. 1. 189. 1, and the second line also with AV. 4. 39. 10 b.>

Robert Hume - 1921

O Agni, führe uns auf ebenen Stegen,
Du pfadekundiger Gott, hin zum Gelingen!
Halt fern uns von der Sünde krummen Wegen!
Und höchste Ehre wollen wir dir bringen.

Paul Deussen - 1897

Agni, lead us on to wealth (beatitude) by a good path, thou, O God, who knowest all things!
Keep far from us crooked evil, and we shall offer thee the fullest praise! (Rv. I, 189, 1.).

Max Müller - 1879

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Dr. Ronald Steiner

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The "Yoga Doc" - Dr. Ronald Steiner is the founder of the AYI method. This method links traditional Ashtanga Yoga with innovative Yogatherapy and living Philosophy. This forms a practice that is personal for each and... more ›

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