Maa Kali dressed with lights, flowers, and the scythe of the shrine.

Sacred Learning

Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 1 (Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā, eighteen-mantra numbering)

Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 1 (Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā, eighteen-mantra numbering)

Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 1 (Vājasaneyi Saṃhitā, eighteen-mantra numbering)

Canonical source text

ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् । तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्य स्विद्धनम् ॥

IAST transliteration

īśā vāsyam idaṃ sarvaṃ yat kiñca jagatyāṃ jagat | tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam ||

Close translation

By the Lord is all this to be dwelt in, whatever moves in this moving world. Enjoy it by letting go; do not covet anyone’s wealth.

Reader-friendly meaning

The first word īśā sets the whole Upanishad: the world is the Lord’s dwelling, and enjoyment is joined to renunciation.

Meenananda editorial explanation

This Ashram hears the verse as a courtesy toward the world: take what is given, leave the grabbing. That courtesy is already a puja.

Word meanings

  • ईशा — by the Lord
  • वास्यम् — to be dwelt in / covered
  • भुञ्जीथाः — you should enjoy

Īśāvāsya 1, Vājasaneyi numbering of eighteen mantras; public-domain Devanagari. Sanskrit: public domain. Foundation translations: CC BY-SA 4.0.