Self-knowledge refers to understanding one's nature and identity across spiritual traditions. Many traditions converge on the importance of introspection and self-awareness. They diverge in methods and interpretations, offering unique perspectives.
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The one God, hidden in all beings, all-pervading, the inner Self of all beings, the overseer of all works, dwelling in all beings, the witness, the pure consciousness, alone and beyond the qualities.
एको देवः सर्वभूतेषु गूढः सर्वव्यापी सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा। कर्माध्यक्षः सर्वभूताधिवासः साक्षी चेता केवलो निर्गुणश्च ॥ ११॥
When all the knots of the heart here are cut, then the mortal becomes immortal. This much is the teaching.
यदा सर्वे प्रभिद्यन्ते हृदयस्येह ग्रन्थयः । अथ मर्त्योऽमृतो भवत्येतावद्ध्यनुशासनम् ॥ १५॥
Two birds, companions bound together, cling to the same tree. One of them eats the sweet fruit; the other looks on without eating.
द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते । तयोरन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यनश्नन्नन्यो अभिचाकशीति ॥ १॥
Smaller than the small, greater than the great, the Self is set in the heart-cave of this creature. Free from desire and from sorrow, one beholds him, the majesty of the Lord, through the grace of the Creator.
अणोरणीयान् महतो महीया- नात्मा गुहायां निहितोऽस्य जन्तोः । तमक्रतुः पश्यति वीतशोको धातुः प्रसादान्महिमानमीशम् ॥ २०॥
Subtler than the subtle, greater than the great, the Self is set in the cave of the heart of this creature. One who is without craving sees it, freed from sorrow, and, by the grace of the Ordainer, beholds the greatness of the Self.
अणोरणीयान्महतो महीया- नात्माऽस्य जन्तोर्निहितो गुहायाम् । तमक्रतुः पश्यति वीतशोको धातुप्रसादान्महिमानमात्मनः ॥ २०॥
If the slayer thinks he slays, and if the slain thinks himself slain, both fail to understand: this one neither slays nor is slain.
हन्ता चेन्मन्यते हन्तुँ हतश्चेन्मन्यते हतम् । उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायँ हन्ति न हन्यते ॥ १९॥
The knowing Self is neither born nor dies; it did not come from anywhere, nor did it become anyone. Unborn, eternal, everlasting, ancient, it is not slain when the body is slain.
न जायते म्रियते वा विपश्चि- न्नायं कुतश्चिन्न बभूव कश्चित् । अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ॥ १८॥
The Person the size of a thumb, the inner Self, is always seated in the heart of people. One should draw him out from one's own body with firmness, like a reed stalk from its sheath. Know him as the bright one, the immortal; know him as the bright one, the immortal.
अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषोऽन्तरात्मा सदा जनानां हृदये संनिविष्टः । तं स्वाच्छरीरात्प्रवृहेन्मुञ्जादिवेषीकां धैर्येण । तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतं तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतमिति ॥ १७॥
The eternal among the transient, the conscious among the conscious, the one who grants the desires of the many—the wise who perceive him as seated within themselves, to them belongs eternal peace, and to no others.
नित्योऽनित्यानां चेतनश्चेतनानाम् एको बहूनां यो विदधाति कामान् । तमात्मस्थं येऽनुपश्यन्ति धीराः तेषां शान्तिः शाश्वती नेतरेषाम् ॥ १३॥
Know the Self as the rider in the chariot, and the body as the chariot itself; know the intellect as the charioteer, and the mind as the reins.
आत्मानँ रथिनं विद्धि शरीरँ रथमेव तु । बुद्धिं तु सारथिं विद्धि मनः प्रग्रहमेव च ॥ ३॥
What is invisible, ungraspable, without lineage, without color, without eye or ear, without hands or feet, eternal, all-pervading, everywhere, most subtle, undecaying—that the wise perceive as the source of all beings.
यत्तदद्रेश्यमग्राह्यमगोत्रमवर्ण- मचक्षुःश्रोत्रं तदपाणिपादम् । नित्यं विभुं सर्वगतं सुसूक्ष्मं तदव्ययं यद्भूतयोनिं परिपश्यन्ति धीराः ॥ ६॥
To him he said: 'Two kinds of knowledge are to be known—so say those who know Brahman: the higher and the lower.'
तस्मै स होवाच । द्वे विद्ये वेदितव्ये इति ह स्म यद्ब्रह्मविदो वदन्ति परा चैवापरा च ॥ ४॥
As the one sun illuminates this whole world, so the knower of the field illuminates the entire field, Bharata.
यथा प्रकाशयत्येकः कृत्स्नं लोकमिमं रविः | क्षेत्रं क्षेत्री तथा कृत्स्नं प्रकाशयति भारत ||१३-३४||
Know me also to be the knower of the field in all fields, Bharata. Knowledge of the field and its knower — that I consider to be true knowledge.
क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्वक्षेत्रेषु भारत | क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्ज्ञानं यत्तज्ज्ञानं मतं मम ||१३-३||
The Blessed Lord said: This body, son of Kunti, is called the field; and those who know this call the one who knows it the knower of the field.
श्रीभगवानुवाच | इदं शरीरं कौन्तेय क्षेत्रमित्यभिधीयते | एतद्यो वेत्ति तं प्राहुः क्षेत्रज्ञ इति तद्विदः ||१३-२||
No one has grasped him from above, or from across, or in the middle. There is no likeness of him whose name is great glory.
नैनमूर्ध्वं न तिर्यञ्चं न मध्ये न परिजग्रभत् । न तस्य प्रतिमा अस्ति यस्य नाम महद् यशः ॥ १९॥
Subtler than the subtle, like the cream that rises beyond the butter — knowing him as Śiva, hidden in all beings, the one encompasser of the universe, knowing God, one is freed from all bonds.
घृतात् परं मण्डमिवातिसूक्ष्मं ज्ञात्वा शिवं सर्वभूतेषु गूढम् । विश्वस्यैकं परिवेष्टितारं ज्ञात्वा देवं मुच्यते सर्वपाशैः ॥ १६॥
The all-pervading Self, set within like butter within milk, rooted in Self-knowledge and austerity — that is the supreme Brahman taught in the Upanishad.
सर्वव्यापिनमात्मानं क्षीरे सर्पिरिवार्पितम् । आत्मविद्यातपोमूलं तद्ब्रह्मोपनिषत् परम् ॥ १६॥
This Self is not attained by teaching, nor by intellect, nor by much learning. It is attained only by the one whom it chooses; to him this Self reveals its own form.
नायमात्मा प्रवचनेन लभ्यो न मेधया न बहुना श्रुतेन । यमेवैष वृणुते तेन लभ्यः तस्यैष आत्मा विवृणुते तनूꣳ स्वाम् ॥ २३॥
Having received this knowledge taught by Death, and the whole method of yoga, Nachiketas attained Brahman, became free of passion and free of death. So too does any other who thus knows the Self.
मृत्युप्रोक्तां नचिकेतोऽथ लब्ध्वा विद्यामेतां योगविधिं च कृत्स्नम् । ब्रह्मप्राप्तो विरजोऽभूद्विमृत्यु- रन्योऽप्येवं यो विदध्यात्ममेव ॥ १८॥