जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्त्यादिप्रपञ्चं यत्प्रकाशते ।
तद्ब्रह्माहमिति ज्ञात्वा सर्वबन्धैः प्रमुच्यते ॥ १७॥
तद्ब्रह्माहमिति ज्ञात्वा सर्वबन्धैः प्रमुच्यते ॥ १७॥
jāgratsvapnasuṣuptyādiprapañcaṃ yatprakāśate .
tadbrahmāhamiti jñātvā sarvabandhaiḥ pramucyate .. 17..
tadbrahmāhamiti jñātvā sarvabandhaiḥ pramucyate .. 17..
17. That which illumines the world of relative experiences lived in the waking, dream and deep sleep conditions, that Brahman am I – and realising thus, one is liberated from all shackles.
Word Meaning
जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्त्यादिप्रपञ्चं – the worlds of waking, dream and deep sleep; यत् – which; प्रकाशते – illumines; तत् – that; ब्रह्म – Brahman; अहम् – I; इति – thus; ज्ञात्वा – realising, by knowing; सर्वबन्धैः – from all shackles; प्रमुच्यते – is released or liberated
Kaivalya Upanishad Introduction
Kaivalya Upanishad Invocation
Kaivalya-1
Kaivalya-2
Kaivalya-3
Kaivalya-4
Kaivalya-5
Kaivalya-6
Kaivalya-7
Kaivalya-8
Kaivalya-9
Kaivalya-10
Kaivalya-11
Kaivalya-12
Kaivalya-13
Kaivalya-14
Kaivalya-15
Kaivalya-16
Kaivalya-17
Kaivalya-18
Kaivalya-19
Kaivalya-20
Kaivalya-21
Kaivalya-22
Kaivalya-23-and-24
Kaivalya-PS1
Kaivalya-PS2
Kaivalya Upanishad – Verse 17 – Kaivalya Upanishad 17 – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Meaning, Audio and Commentary – Kaivalya-17
That Absolute Alone Exists. Without this Absolute Consciousness there could not be this dream state. Without this Absolute Consciousness there could not be the conscious experience of these different states.
“I am that Absolute”
This is the most basic of logical statements but it is still difficult for the mind to encompass. After coming to terms with the reality of Existence being a unity of all things then Consciousness itself becomes Non-Dual then Absolutely all beings must see themselves as “I am that”.
“Realizing thus one is liberated from all bonds”
When through proper discrimination the Absolute is perceived and Realised as the One substratum upon which all apparent states or dreams are manifest then one can drive a wedge between the real and the unreal and gain liberation from desire, the unreal will no longer form any desires or bonds.
There are two fundamental truths which need to be realised from this verse. One is that all apparent changes of consciousness are not real. There is only One Consciousness and that is unchanging, unmoving and Absolute. The apparent experience of birth sleeping or waking and so forth are just that, simply the conscious experience of the knowledge of such change, nothing actually happens or changes. The second fundamental truth here is that you are “That” or “This” consciousness. This Solitary Consciousness of Absolute Knowledge is Existence Itself. This material life that you are experiencing is taking place because you desire to flourish within this unreal experience. Until you Alone Realise this and wake up from this desire into the Truth and Bliss of Absolute Consciousness you will continue to experience the Consciousness of your desires, the changing states of a worldly life.