Taittiriya Upanishad (Brahmānanda Valli, Chapter 2, Verse 5)

Sanskrit (Transliteration)

“vijñānaṁ yajñaṁ tanute | karmāṇi tanute’pi ca |

vijñānaṁ devāḥ sarve | brahma jyeṣṭhamupāsate |

vijñānaṁ brahma cedveda | tasmācce na pramādyati |

śarīre pāpmanō hṛtvā | sarvānkāmān samaśnute iti |

tasya eṣa eva śārīra ātmā | yaḥ pūrvasya |

tasmādvā etasmādvijñānamayāt | anyo’ntara ātmā ānandamayḥ |

tenaiṣa pūrṇaḥ | sa vā eṣa puruṣavidh eva |

tasya puruṣavidhatām | anvayaṁ puruṣavidhḥ |

tasya priyameva śiraḥ | modo dakṣiṇaḥ pakṣaḥ |

pramoda uttaraḥ pakṣaḥ | ānanda ātmā | brahma pucchaṁ pratiṣṭhā |

tadapy eṣa ślokaḥ bhavati | 1 | iti pañcamo’nuvākaḥ |”

Word-by-word Transcription and English Translation

• vijñānam – Knowledge

• yajñam – Sacrifice

• tanute – He performs (or sustains)

• karmāṇi – Actions

• tanute – He performs (or sustains)

• api – Also

• ca – And

• vijñānam – Knowledge

• devāḥ – The gods

• sarve – All

• brahma – Brahman (the Supreme Reality)

• jyeṣṭham – The eldest (most supreme)

• upāsate – Worship

• vijñānam – Knowledge

• brahma – Brahman

• cedveda – If one knows

• tasmāt – Therefore

• ce – Not

• na – He

• pramādyati – Becomes careless, negligent

• śarīre – In the body

• pāpmanāḥ – Sin, impurity

• hṛtvā – Having removed

• sarvānkāmān – All desires

• samaśnute – Enjoys, attains

• iti – Thus

• tasya – Of it (the soul)

• eṣaḥ – This

• eva – Indeed

• śārīra – Of the body

• ātman – The soul

• yaḥ – Which

• pūrvasya – Of the previous (before)

• tasmāt – Therefore

• etasmāt – From this (knowledge-made)

• vijñānamayāt – Made of knowledge

• anyo’ntara – Another, internal

• ātman – Soul

• ānandamayḥ – Made of bliss

• tena – By that

• eṣaḥ – This

• pūrṇaḥ – Full (complete)

• saḥ – He (the person)

• vā – Indeed

• eṣaḥ – This

• puruṣavidh – Form of the person

• eva – Indeed

• tasya – His

• puruṣavidhatām – Form of the person

• anvayaṁ – Sequence, connection

• puruṣavidhḥ – Form of the person

• tasya – His

• priyam – Love, dearness

• eva – Indeed

• śiraḥ – Head

• modo – Bliss

• dakṣiṇaḥ – Right wing

• pakṣaḥ – Wing

• pramodaḥ – Delight

• uttaraḥ – Left (northern)

• pakṣaḥ – Wing

• ānanda – Bliss

• ātman – Soul

• brahma – Brahman

• pucchaṁ – Tail

• pratiṣṭhā – Foundation

• tadapy – Even that

• eṣaḥ – This

• ślokaḥ – Verse

• bhavati – Becomes

• 1 – (Verse number)

• iti – Thus

• pañcamo’nuvākaḥ – Fifth section

Translation of the Verse

“Knowledge is sacrifice, and it sustains all actions. The gods, indeed, all worship knowledge, which is the supreme Brahman. If one knows Brahman through knowledge, he never becomes negligent or careless. Having removed all sins from the body, he enjoys all desires. This is the soul within the body, which existed before. From this knowledge-made soul, another internal soul, made of bliss, arises. By that, this soul is full. This soul follows the form of the person: the head is love, the right wing is bliss, the left wing is delight, the soul is bliss, and the tail is Brahman. This is symbolized in this verse. Thus, this is the fifth section.”

This verse highlights the role of knowledge in connecting us to Brahman, guiding actions and sustaining life. It describes how knowledge and bliss interplay, symbolized in the Vedic structure of the human body, ultimately leading to blissful union with the Supreme.