Sacred Learning

Pūrṇamadaḥ

Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 5.1.1 śānti (also Īśāvāsya śānti in some recitations).

Canonical source text

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पूर्णमुदच्यते । पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः

IAST transliteration

oṃ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṃ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate | pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate || oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

Close translation

That is full; this is full. From fullness, fullness rises. Taking fullness from fullness, fullness itself remains. Oṃ peace, peace, peace.

Reader-friendly meaning

A peace-verse on Brahman as fullness that is not lessened by giving.

Meenananda editorial explanation

Before the Īśā or a quiet sitting, this line reminds the house that the Holy is not a store that empties. Seva does not impoverish the giver’s source.

Practice context

A śānti at the opening or close of Upanishad study.

Word meanings

पूर्णम् — full, complete
अदः — that
इदम् — this

Bṛhadāraṇyaka 5.1.1 śānti; public-domain. Sanskrit: public domain. Foundation translations: CC BY-SA 4.0.