SVU 5.12–5.14: Embodiment, Knowledge of God, and Liberation

The self assumes new forms in keeping with its dispositions; whoever knows the bodiless Creator who encompasses all is released from fetters and the body.

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.12

स्थूलानि सूक्ष्माणि बहूनि चैव रूपाणि देही स्वगुणैर्वृणोति |

sthūlāni, sūkṣmāṇi bahūni caiva; rūpāṇi dehī, sva-guṇair vṛṇoti | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

sthūlāni accusative plural neuter	sthūla adjective	gross
sūkṣmāṇi accusative plural neuter	sūkṣma adjective	subtle
bahūni accusative plural neuter	bahu adjective	many
ca	ca particle	and
eva	eva particle	indeed
rūpāṇi accusative plural	rūpa substantive neuter	forms
dehī nominative singular	dehin substantive masculine	the embodied self
sva karmadhāraya-compound	sva adjective	own
guṇaiḥ instrumental case plural	guṇa substantive masculine	through qualities
vṛṇoti 3rd person singular aktive present	vṛ verbal root	chooses

क्रियागुणैरात्मगुणैश्च तेषां संयोगहेतुरपरो ऽपि दृष्टः ||12||

kriyā-guṇair, ātma-guṇaiś ca teṣāṃ; saṃyoga-hetur, aparo 'pi dṛṣṭaḥ ||12|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

kriyā tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	kriyā substantive feminine	of actions
guṇaiḥ instrumental case plural	guṇa substantive masculine	through qualities
ātma tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	ātman substantive masculine	of the self
guṇaiḥ instrumental case plural	guṇa substantive masculine	through qualities
ca	ca particle	and
teṣām genitive plural neuter	tad pronoun dem	of these
saṃyoga tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	saṃyoga substantive masculine	of conjunction
hetuḥ nominative singular	hetu substantive masculine	cause
aparaḥ nominative singular masculine	apara adjective	another
api	api particle	also
dṛṣṭaḥ nominative singular masculine past participle passive	dṛś verbal root	seen

Metre: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

The embodied self takes on many gross and subtle forms in keeping with its own qualities. The patterns of its actions and inner disposition become the cause of renewed conjunction with these forms.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara names gross animal and subtle divine bodies. The Jīva does not choose them freely, but through dispositions formed by prescribed and forbidden experiences. Qualities of action and of the inner instrument establish each new bodily connection.

Śaṅkara's Bhāṣya on the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad

Śaṅkarānanda also understands gross and subtle forms as objects of the senses. Desires of the inner organ and the powers of knowledge and action connect the Jīva with them. Not only Īśvara but also the being itself, through its intention, becomes a cause of future encounters.

Śaṅkarānanda's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Nārāyaṇa assigns gross and subtle bodily forms to the guṇas, Dharma and Adharma, and dispositions of knowledge from former lives. Although the Jīva is distinct from bodies, these very qualities of its own occasion its renewed connection with them.

Nārāyaṇa's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Vijñānabhagavat grades the bodies according to their prevailing elements and worlds, but also offers the spectrum from elephant to insect. Avidyā, karma, and the subtle body select these forms. pūrvaprajñā, the disposition persisting from former experience, acts as a further ground of bondage.

Vijñānabhagavat's Śvetāśvataropaniṣadvivaraṇa

Als Seele wählt viel grobe und auch feine Gestalten er, entsprechend seiner Tugend; Und was ihn band; kraft seines Werks und Selbstes, In diese, bindet wieder ihn in andre.

Paul Deussen - 1921

Coarse and fine, many in number, The embodied one chooses forms according to his own qualities. [Each] subsequent cause of his union with them is seen to be Because of the quality of his acts and of himself.

Robert Hume - 1921

The individual soul accepts many (bodily) forms, gross and delicate, by its own qualities, by the qualities of its actions, and by the qualities of its thoughts; another cause, also, of their combination has been seen.

Siddhesvar Varma Shastri - 1916

Als Seele wählt viel grobe und auch feine Gestalten er, entsprechend seiner Tugend; Und was ihn band; kraft seines Werks und Selbstes, In diese, bindet wieder ihn in andre.

Paul Deussen - 1897

That incarnate Self, according to his own qualities, chooses (assumes) many shapes, coarse or subtile, and having himself caused his union with them, he is seen as another and another<2>, through the qualities of his acts, and through the qualities of his body.
<2: Instead of aparo, B. reads avaro, but explains aparo.>

F. Max Müller - 1884

The individual soul choses (assumes) by its qualities, (by the impressions remaining from its former actions) manifold, gross, or subtile forms. By the qualities of its actions, and by the qualities of its body it appears, although it is without any difference, the cause of union with those forms.

Edward Röer - 1853

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.13

अनाद्यनन्तं कलिलस्य मध्ये विश्वस्य स्रष्टारमनेकरूपम् |

anādy anantaṃ, kalilasya madhye; viśvasya, sraṣṭāram aneka-rūpam | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

anādi accusative singular masculine	anādi adjective	beginningless
anantam accusative singular masculine	ananta adjective	endless
kalilasya genitive singular	kalila substantive neuter	of the confused mass
madhye lokative singular	madhya substantive neuter	in the midst
viśvasya genitive singular neuter	viśva pronoun quant	of the universe
sraṣṭāram accusative singular	sraṣṭṛ substantive masculine	creator
aneka bahuvrīhi-compund	aneka adjective	many
rūpam accusative singular masculine bahuvrīhi-compund	rūpa substantive neuter	having forms

विश्वस्यैकं परिवेष्टितारं ज्ञात्वा देवं मुच्यते सर्वपाशैः ||13||

viśvasyaikaṃ, pariveṣṭitāraṃ; jñātvā devaṃ, mucyate sarva-pāśaiḥ ||13|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

viśvasya genitive singular neuter	viśva pronoun quant	of the universe
ekam accusative singular masculine	eka numeral	the one
pariveṣṭitāram accusative singular	pariveṣṭitṛ substantive masculine	enveloper
jñātvā absolutus	jñā verbal root	having known
devam accusative singular	deva substantive masculine	deity
mucyate 3rd person singular passive present	muc verbal root	is released
sarva karmadhāraya-compound	sarva pronoun quant	all
pāśaiḥ instrumental case plural	pāśa substantive masculine	from fetters

Metre: Pāda 1: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending; Pāda 2: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending; Pāda 3: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending — 10 syllables; Pāda 4: Triṣṭubh with Śālinī ending

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Whoever recognises the beginningless and endless God—the many-formed creator within the impenetrable confusion of the world, the One who encompasses all—is released from every fetter.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara depicts the Jīva beneath the weight of Avidyā, desire, and karma like a burdened fruit sinking in water. Worship of the Lord, discrimination, and inner discipline purify it. When it recognises the beginningless and endless Creator who encompasses all as the Self, every fetter falls away.

Śaṅkara's Bhāṣya on the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad

For the repeated verse on liberation, Śaṅkarānanda refers to his explanation of 4.14. He also interprets kalila as the foam-like embryonic phase after the fifth offering of the Pañcāgni teaching, in which the Jīva remains with residual karma. The grammatical relation is meant to preserve its distinction from the highest Lord.

Śaṅkarānanda's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Nārāyaṇa glosses kalila as Māyā: whoever knows the beginningless and endless God present within it is released from every bond. The edition mistakenly closes the gloss with ||63||; its position between 5.12 and 5.14 and the cited lemma identify it unambiguously as 5.13.

Nārāyaṇa's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Vijñānabhagavat presents the beginningless and endless Lord as witness in the midst of Saṃsāra. He appears in many bodies like fire in pieces of iron of different shapes and encompasses the world within and without. Direct knowledge of the Self renders powerless every fetter arising from Avidyā, desire, and karma.

Vijñānabhagavat's Śvetāśvataropaniṣadvivaraṇa

Wer ihn, anfanglos, endlos, in dem Gemenge Als Weltenschöpfer vielfach sich gestaltend, Den Einen, der das Weltall hält umschlossen, Als Gott kennt, wird befreit von allen Banden (1,8. 2,15. 4,16. 6,13).<1>
<1: Vgl. 4,14 und Anmerkung.>

Paul Deussen - 1921

Him who is without beginning and without end, in the midst of confusion, The Creator of all, of manifold form, The One embracer of the universe<5>—By knowing God (deva) one is released from all fetters.<6>
<5: This third line = 3. 7 c; 4. 14 c; 4. 16 c.>
<6: The fourth line of this stanza = 1. 8 d; 2. 15 d; 4. 16 d; 6. 13 d.>

Robert Hume - 1921

This verse has already been translated and annotated in VI. 14, except that, instead of “minuter than the minute,” translate “without beginning and without end.”<1>

[Redaktionell erschlossene Lesefassung nach IV. 14 mit der von SVS1916 verlangten Ersetzung:]
One attains the highest peace, having known that Blissful Being, who, being One, pervades the Universe, who (assumes) many forms, who is the Creator of the world; (who is present) in the midst of this dense, confused mass (of worldly phenomena), and who is without beginning and without end.
<1: Quellenanmerkung: Die gedruckte Überschrift lautet wörtlich „MANTRA V. 18.“; der zugehörige Sanskrittext schließt jedoch mit „॥१३॥“ und steht zwischen V. 12 und V. 14, weshalb der Abschnitt redaktionell SVU 5.13 zugeordnet wird. Der unmittelbar darunter gedruckte Verweis „VI. 14“ ist sachlich unmöglich, da SVU 6.14 den Lichtvers übersetzt. Wegen der vollständigen Textparallele und der ausdrücklich verlangten Ersetzung von “minuter than the minute” ist eindeutig die Übersetzung zu IV. 14 gemeint; die vorstehende Lesefassung löst den Verweis entsprechend auf, ohne die beiden gedruckten Formen still zu emendieren.>

Siddhesvar Varma Shastri - 1916

Paul Deussen - 1897

<3>He who knows him who has no beginning and no end, in the midst of chaos, creating all things, having many forms, alone enveloping everything, is freed from all fetters.
<3: Cf. III, 7; IV, 14, 16.>

F. Max Müller - 1884

Whoever knows the God who is without commencement, without end, who within this impervious (world) is the creator of the universe, who is of an infinite form, the one penetrator of the universe, becomes liberated from all bonds.<1>
<1: Vide 4, 14.>

Edward Röer - 1853

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 5.14

भावग्राह्यमनीडाख्यं भावाभावकरं शिवम् |

bhāva-grāhyam anīḍākhyaṃ; bhāvābhāva-karaṃ śivam | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

bhāva tatpuruṣa-compound instrumental case	bhāva substantive masculine	through inner realisation
grāhyam accusative singular masculine future participle passive	grah verbal root	to be apprehended
anīḍa upapada-compound	a previx nīḍa substantive neuter	bodiless
ākhyam accusative singular masculine	ākhya adjective	called
bhāva dvandva-compound	bhāva substantive masculine	existence
abhāva upapada-compound	abhāva substantive masculine	non-existence
karam accusative singular masculine	kara adjective	producing
śivam accusative singular masculine	śiva adjective	auspicious

कलासर्गकरं देवं ये विदुस्ते जहुस्तनुम् ||14||

kalā-sarga-karaṃ devaṃ; ye vidus te jahus tanum ||14|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

kalā tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	kalā substantive feminine	of the parts
sarga upapada-compound	sarga substantive masculine	creation
karam accusative singular masculine	kara adjective	producing
devam accusative singular	deva substantive masculine	deity
ye nominative plural masculine	yad pronoun rel	those who
viduḥ 3rd person plural aktive perfekte	vid verbal root	knew
te nominative plural masculine	tad pronoun dem	they
jahuḥ 3rd person plural aktive perfekte	hā verbal root	left
tanum accusative singular	tanū substantive feminine	the body

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

This auspicious God is apprehended through inner realisation. Bodiless, he brings about existence and non-existence and gives rise to the powers and parts of creation. Those who know him leave attachment to the body behind.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara has the bodiless Śiva apprehended through a purified Buddhi. He is free from Avidyā and its effects and brings forth the sixteen Kalās from vital breath to name. Whoever knows him in the form ‘I am he’ lays aside the body for good.

Śaṅkara's Bhāṣya on the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad

Śaṅkarānanda strikingly reads anilākhya, the one called vital breath, and explains him as the ‘breath of breath’. Inner insight awakened by the word destroys Avidyā and its effects. The creator of the sixteen Kalās is recognised; the body, together with ignorance, is abandoned without being assumed again.

Śaṅkarānanda's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Nārāyaṇa explains bhāvagrāhya as accessible through Bhakti and anīḍa as one who has no nest, body, or external support. The auspicious God creates and dissolves the world and forms the sixteen-part subtle body. Knowledge of him ends embodiment.

Nārāyaṇa's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Vijñānabhagavat calls the Lord apprehensible through a purified inner organ, while he himself is bodiless and placeless. His Kalā can mean Māyā as creative power, the sixteen parts, or the Vedas and sciences. Whoever directly knows him as one's own Self sees the body as a phenomenon of nature and leaves it behind.

Vijñānabhagavat's Śvetāśvataropaniṣadvivaraṇa

Wer im Herzen den nestlosen (leiblosen), Sein und Nichtsein bewirkenden, Die [sechzehn] Teile<2> bindenden Sel’gen Gott sucht, verläßt den Leib.
<2: Vgl. hierüber die Einleitung zu Praśna 6.>

Paul Deussen - 1921

Him who is to be apprehended in existence, who is called ‘incorporeal,’ The maker of existence (bhāva) and non-existence, the kindly one (śiva), God (deva), the maker of the creation and its parts—They who know Him, have left the body behind.

Robert Hume - 1921

Those abandon the body (for ever), who know the Luminous Being, who is attainable by (a pure) heart, who is spoken of as “Bodiless,” who brings about Creation and Destruction, who is Siva, the untainted, and the Creator of powers.

Siddhesvar Varma Shastri - 1916

Wer im Herzen den nestlosen (leiblosen), Sein und Nichtsein bewirkenden, Die [sechzehn] Teile<2> bindenden Sel’gen Gott sucht, verläßt den Leib.
<2: Vgl. hierüber die Einleitung zu Praśna 6.>

Paul Deussen - 1897

Those who know him who is to be grasped by the mind, who is not to be called the nest (the body<4>), who makes existence and non-existence, the happy one (Śiva), who also creates the elements<1>, they have left the body.
<4: Niḍa is explained as the body, but Śaṅkarānanda reads anilākhyam, who is called the wind, as being prāṇasya prāṇam, the breath of the breath.>
<1: Śaṅkara explains kalāsargakaram by he who creates the sixteen kalās, mentioned by the Atharvaṇikas, beginning with prāṇa, and ending with nāman; see Praśna Up. VI, 4. Vijñānātman suggests two other explanations, ‘he who creates by means of the kalā, i.e. his inherent power;’ or ‘he who creates the Vedas and other sciences.’ The sixteen kalās are, according to Śaṅkarānanda, prāṇa, śraddhā, kha, vāyu, jyotis, ap, pṛthivī, indriya, manaḥ, anna, vīrya, tapaḥ, mantra, karman, kalā (?), nāman. See also before, I, 4.>

F. Max Müller - 1884

Those who know the God, who is to be comprehended by thought (purified intellect), who is incorporeal (immaterial), who is the cause of existence and non-existence, who is all-blessed, and the cause of the origin of the (sixteen) parts, relinquish their bodies.

Edward Röer - 1853

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SVU 5.12–5.14: Embodiment, Knowledge of God, and Liberation

SVU 5.12–5.14: Embodiment, Knowledge of God, and Liberation

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