SVU 3.19-3.21: The Paradoxical, Subtle and Immeasurable Self

Without sense organs of its own, the Self perceives everything; it is smaller than the smallest, greater than the greatest, and is known as the bodiless Lord.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Nils Jacob Liersch 03.02.2021

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.19

अपाणिपादो जवनो ग्रहीता पश्यत्यचक्षुः स शृणोत्यकर्णः |

apāṇi-pādo, javano grahītā; paśyaty acakṣuḥ, sa śṛṇoty akarṇaḥ | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

apāṇi bahuvrīhi-compund	apāṇi adjective	without hands
pādaḥ nominative singular	pāda substantive masculine	without hands and feet
javanaḥ nominative singular masculine	javana adjective	swift
grahītā nominative singular	grahītṛ substantive masculine	the grasper
paśyati 3rd person singular aktive present	dṛś verbal root	he sees
acakṣuḥ nominative singular masculine	acakṣus adjective	without eyes
saḥ nominative singular masculine	tad pronoun dem	he
śṛṇoti 3rd person singular aktive present	śru verbal root	he hears
akarṇaḥ nominative singular masculine	akarṇa adjective	without ears

स वेत्ति वेद्यं न च तस्यास्ति वेत्ता तमाहुरग्र्यं पुरुषं महान्तम् ||19||

sa vetti vedyaṃ, na ca tasyāsti vettā; tam āhur agryaṃ, puruṣaṃ mahāntam ||19|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

saḥ nominative singular masculine	tad pronoun dem	he
vetti 3rd person singular aktive present	vid verbal root	he knows
vedyam accusative singular neuter future participle passive	vid verbal root	what is to be known
na	na particle	not
ca	ca particle	and, but
tasya genitive singular masculine	tad pronoun dem	of him
asti 3rd person singular aktive present	as verbal root	exists
vettā nominative singular	vettṛ substantive masculine	a knower
tam accusative singular masculine	tad pronoun dem	him
āhuḥ 3rd person plural aktive perfekte	ah verbal root	they call
agryam accusative singular masculine	agrya adjective	the first, foremost
puruṣam accusative singular	puruṣa substantive masculine	the Puruṣa
mahāntam accusative singular masculine	mahat adjective	the great

Metre: Pāda 1: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending; Pāda 2: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending; Pāda 3: Triṣṭubh with Śālinī ending — 12 syllables; Pāda 4: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Without hands or feet he moves swiftly and grasps; without eyes he sees, without ears he hears. He knows everything knowable, yet no one knows him. He is called the primordial, great Puruṣa.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara describes the unconditioned Paramātman: without hands he grasps, without eyes he sees, and without ears he hears; without a thinking organ he knows everything. Because nothing else exists beside him, there is no second knower of him.

Śaṅkara's Bhāṣya on the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad

Śaṅkarānanda reads the organless knower as the Lord identical with the Jīva. His movement, grasping and knowing do not depend on bodily instruments. He is self-luminous, complete and prior to everything else as its cause.

Śaṅkarānanda's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Nārāyaṇa resolves the paradox of absent organs through omnipresence: one who is present everywhere reaches everything without feet and grasps everything without hands. He knows every knowable thing but himself remains without a higher knower.

Nārāyaṇa's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Vijñānabhagavat explains seeing and hearing as immediate self-presence in organ, function and object. A further knower behind self-luminous consciousness would generate an infinite regress. The Puruṣa is therefore the primordial witness and is not himself the object of another knowledge.

Vijñānabhagavat's Śvetāśvataropaniṣadvivaraṇa

Ohn’ Hände greift er, ohne Füße läuft er, Sieht ohne Augen und hört ohne Ohren, Er weiß, was wißbar, aber ihn weiß niemand, Er heißt der Erstlings-Purusha, der Große.<1>
<1: Das Subjekt des Erkennens allein ist, greifend, laufend, sehend, hörend, obgleich die betreffenden Organe gar nicht Subjekt sind; und dieses individuelle Subjekt ist das Ursubjekt, „das Große“ (mahat, buddhi) der Sāṅkhyalehre.>

Paul Deussen - 1921

Without foot or hand, he is swift and a seizer! He sees without eye; he hears without ear! He knows whate’er is to be known; him there is none who knows! Men call him the Great Primeval Person.

Robert Hume - 1921

Having no hands and feet, He can reach fast and can grasp; without eyes, He can see; without ears, He can hear, (without a mind) He knows what is to be known; there is no knower of His; (they) speak of Him as the First, Perfect and Mighty Being.

Siddhesvar Varma Shastri - 1916

Paul Deussen - 1897

Grasping without hands, hasting without feet, he sees without eyes, he hears without ears. He knows what can be known, but no one knows him; they call him the first, the great person (purusha).

F. Max Müller - 1884

Without hands and feet he speeds, he takes; without eye he sees, without ear he hears. He knows all that is to be known, yet none is there that knows him. They call him the supreme, great soul (Purusha).

Edward Röer - 1853

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.20

अणोरणीयान्महतो महीयानात्मा गुहायां निहितो ऽस्य जन्तोः |

aṇor aṇīyān, mahato mahīyān; ātmā guhāyāṃ, nihito 'sya jantoḥ | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

aṇoḥ genitive singular	aṇu substantive masculine	of the small
aṇīyān nominative singular masculine comperative	aṇīyas adjective	smaller
mahataḥ genitive singular neuter	mahat adjective	of the great
mahīyān nominative singular masculine comperative	mahīyas adjective	greater
ātmā nominative singular	ātman substantive masculine	the Self
guhāyām lokative singular	guhā substantive feminine	in the cave, heart-cave
nihitaḥ nominative singular masculine past participle passive	ni previx dhā verbal root	hidden
asya genitive singular masculine	idam pronoun dem	of this
jantoḥ genitive singular	jantu substantive masculine	of the creature

तमक्रतुं पश्यति वीतशोको धातुप्रसादान्महिमानमीशम् ||20||

tam akratuṃ, paśyati vīta-śoko; dhātu-prasādān, mahimānam īśam ||20|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tam accusative singular masculine	tad pronoun dem	him
akratum accusative singular masculine	akratu adjective	desireless
paśyati 3rd person singular aktive present	dṛś verbal root	he sees
vīta upapada-compound past participle passive	vi previx i verbal root	free from
śokaḥ nominative singular masculine	śoka substantive masculine	free from sorrow
dhātu tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	dhātu substantive masculine	of the constituent faculties
prasādāt ablative singular	prasāda substantive masculine	through clarity
mahimānam accusative singular	mahiman substantive masculine	greatness
īśam accusative singular	īśa substantive masculine	the Lord

Metre: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Smaller than the smallest and greater than the greatest, the Self rests in the heart-cave of every being. One who has become free from sorrow recognises, through inner clarity, the desireless Lord in his full greatness.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara gives two interpretations of dhātuprasāda: the grace of the creator through which true knowledge arises, or the clarity of the body-supporting senses after insight into the defects of objects has loosened their outward attachment.

Śaṅkara's Bhāṣya on the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad

Śaṅkarānanda understands the decisive prasāda either as the merciful glance of the creator of the world or as purity of the inner organ. Through it, the person free from Avidyā recognises the desireless Self in its greatness and as the independent Lord.

Śaṅkarānanda's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Nārāyaṇa relates grace variously to the Self, the creator or the Guru. In the compound reading dhātuprasāda, it means the tranquillity and Sattva-purity of the senses. Both paths explain how the sorrowless person knows the hidden Self.

Nārāyaṇa's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Vijñānabhagavat reads dhātuprasāda as the gathering of the senses: they are withdrawn from hard-to-control objects and the mind turns inward. The seeker thus knows the desireless inner Self as the non-dual Lord and becomes free from the sorrow of Saṃsāra.

Vijñānabhagavat's Śvetāśvataropaniṣadvivaraṇa

dhātuprasādān LV1958 ] dhātuḥ prasādān ASS1927; dhātuḥ prasādāt LV1958-app

Critical Apparatus

Des Kleinen Kleinstes und des Großen Größtes, Wohnt er als Selbst im Herzen dem Geschöpf hier; Den willensfreien schaut man, fern von Kummer, Durch Gottes Gnade als den Herrn, als Größe.<1>
<1: Vgl. über diesen Vers die Anmerkungen zu Mahānār. 10,1. Kāṭh. 2,20 (oben S. 247. 274).>

Paul Deussen - 1921

More minute than the minute, greater than the great, Is the Soul (Ātman) that is set in the heart of a creature here. One beholds Him as being without the active will, and becomes freed from sorrow—When through the grace (prasāda) of the Creator he sees the Lord (īś) and his greatness.<1>
<1: This stanza = TA. 10. 10. 1 (= Mahānār. 10. 1, or in the Atharva Recension 8. 3), and also, with slight variation, Kaṭha 2. 20.>

Robert Hume - 1921

Minuter than the minute, and greater than the great, the Soul is situated in the heart of this creature. By the grace of the Creator one can see that Mighty Controller who is free from appetites, and is redeemed from sorrow.

Siddhesvar Varma Shastri - 1916

Paul Deussen - 1897

The Self, smaller than small, greater than great, is hidden in the heart of the creature. A man who has left all grief behind, sees the majesty, the Lord, the passionless, by the grace of the creator (the Lord).<1>
<1: Cf. Taitt. Ār. X, 12 (10), p. 800; Kaṭh. Up. II, 20; above, p. 11. The translation had to be slightly altered, because the Śvetāśvataras, as Taittirīyas, read akratum for akratuḥ, and īśam for ātmanaḥ.>

F. Max Müller - 1884

He is more subtle than what is subtle, greater than what is great, the soul, dwelling in the cavity (of the heart) of this creature.<1> He who sees by the grace of the creator the glorious ruler as devoid of action, becomes free from grief.<2>
<1: Of all animate beings.>
<2: This is a view of the Sānkhya. The whole verse is taken from the Kāṭhaka U. (2,20), where, however kratu is read instead of kraturo, and ātmanaḥ instead of īśam.>

Edward Röer - 1853

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.21

वेदाहमेतमजरं पुराणं सर्वात्मानं सर्वगतं विभुत्वात् |

vedāham etam, ajaraṃ purāṇaṃ; sarvātmānaṃ, sarva-gataṃ vibhutvāt | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

veda 1st person singular aktive present	vid verbal root	I know
aham nominative singular	asmad pronoun pers 1p	I
etam accusative singular masculine	etad pronoun dem	this
ajaram accusative singular masculine	ajara adjective	the ageless
purāṇam accusative singular masculine	purāṇa adjective	the ancient
sarva karmadhāraya-compound	sarva pronoun quant	all
ātmānam accusative singular	ātman substantive masculine	the Self of all
sarva karmadhāraya-compound	sarva pronoun quant	everywhere
gatam accusative singular masculine past participle passive	gam verbal root	omnipresent
vibhutvāt ablative singular	vibhutva substantive neuter	through all-pervasiveness

जन्मनिरोधं प्रवदन्ति यस्य ब्रह्मवादिनो हि प्रवदन्ति नित्यम् ||21||

janma-nirodhaṃ, pravadanti yasya; brahma-vādino, hi pravadanti nityam ||21|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

janma tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	janman substantive neuter	of birth
nirodham accusative singular	nirodha substantive masculine	cessation
pravadanti 3rd person plural aktive present	pra previx vad verbal root	they proclaim
yasya genitive singular masculine	yad pronoun rel	of whom
brahma upapada-compound	brahman substantive neuter	Brahman
vādinaḥ nominative plural	vādin substantive masculine	the expounders of Brahman
hi	hi particle	for
pravadanti 3rd person plural aktive present	pra previx vad verbal root	they proclaim
nityam	nityam adverb	always

Metre: Pāda 1: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending; Pāda 2: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending; Pāda 3: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending; Pāda 4: Triṣṭubh with Vajrā ending — 12 syllables

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

I have known this ageless, ancient Self, present in everything and pervading all. Those who know Brahman declare that it is no longer subject to birth and remains eternal.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The Bhāṣya attributed to Śaṅkara understands the verse as the confirming experience of the seer of the mantra. He knows the immutable, ancient and all-pervading Self. The Brahmavādins teach its birthlessness and thus its timeless permanence.

Śaṅkara's Bhāṣya on the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad

Śaṅkarānanda mentally supplies the ignorant as the subject of the first clause: they ascribe birth and destruction to the Self. The Brahmavādins, by contrast, have known reality and unequivocally teach it as birthless, deathless and eternal.

Śaṅkarānanda's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Nārāyaṇa either considers the reading “they proclaim no birth” meaningful or understands the transmitted form in stages: the deluded speak in ignorance of birth and death, whereas those versed in the Veda recognise the eternity attested in many Vedic statements.

Nārāyaṇa's Śvetāśvataropaniṣaddīpikā

Vijñānabhagavat offers two interpretations of janmanirodha. Either world-creation and world-dissolution are actions of the Lord, or the cessation of further individual birth is intended. In both cases the seer confirms the same ageless, omnipresent Paramātman.

Vijñānabhagavat's Śvetāśvataropaniṣadvivaraṇa

Ich weiß ihn, jenen alterlosen Alten, In allem, es durchdringend, gegenwärtig, Als Selbst in allem, dem Entstehn absprechen Die Brahmanwisser, das sie ewig nennen.

Paul Deussen - 1921

I know this undecaying, primeval Soul of all, present in everything through immanence, Of whose exemption from birth they speak—For the expounders of Brahma (brahma-vādin) speak of Him as eternal.

Robert Hume - 1921

I know that Being, unchangeable, ever-fresh though old, the Self of all, Omnipresent owing to his immanence, whose absence of birth the expounders of Brahm (as is well-known) always declare.

Siddhesvar Varma Shastri - 1916

Ich weiß ihn, jenen alterlosen Alten, In allem, es durchdringend, gegenwärtig, Als Selbst in allem, dem Entstehn absprechen Die Brahmanwisser, das sie ewig nennen.

Paul Deussen - 1897

I know this undecaying, ancient one, the self of all things, being infinite and omnipresent. They declare that in him all birth is stopped, for the Brahma-students proclaim him to be eternal.<1><2><3>
<1: Cf. Taitt. Ār. III, 13, 1; III, 12, 7.>
<2: A. reads vedārūḍham, not B.>
<3: A. and B. read brahmavādino hi pravadanti.>

F. Max Müller - 1884

I know him, the undecaying, ancient, the soul of all, omnipresent by his pervading nature, whom the knowers of Bramha call unborn, whom the knowers of Bramha call everlasting.

Edward Röer - 1853

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Dr. Ronald Steiner

From Ulm

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 ›

Nils Jacob Liersch

Meine Begeisterung für Yoga, indische Philosophie und Sanskrit führte mich zum Studium der Indologie und Religionswissenschaft an der Universität Heidelberg. Seit 2004 befinde ich mich auf meinem persönlichen Yogaweg... more ›

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17.09.2021

Zum gemeinsamen Rezitieren: https://youtu.be/l8I2UpavjjE
Wie greift der Ewige, der in mir wohnt, behende ohne Füße und Hände? Durch meine Füße und Hände.
Wie sieht ER ohne Augen, hört ohne Ohren? Durch meine Augen und Ohren.
Begreiflich? Ist wohl zu nah und zu inwendig, um vor Augen zu sein.

21.09.2021

Wau. Vielen Dank fürs Teilen.
Ich bin so inspiriert von Deinen Inspirationen.

SVU 3.19-3.21: The Paradoxical, Subtle and Immeasurable Self

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