Talk:Commentary on Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad: Prayer for the Departed Yogī and All Humanity
By Vishal Agarwal
Context
The final mantra of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad envisions Brahman as the Light of the universe, replete with spiritual treasures, wisdom, and bliss. It is a prayer addressed to the Lord as the Cosmic Fire and Light, the knower of all actions and intentions, beseeching Him to grant mokṣa.
अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान् विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान् । युयोध्यस्मज्जुहुराणमेनो भूयिष्ठां ते नमउक्तिं विधेम ॥ १८ ॥
O Agni, lead us along the auspicious path to spiritual wealth. O Deva, You who know all deeds and intentions, remove from within us all crooked evils completely. To You we offer our salutations again and again. Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad 18
This mantra is numbered as verse 16 in the Mādhyandina recension.
Purport
At the time of death, the yogī is no longer capable of performing elaborate ritual worship due to physical weakness. Nevertheless, his vision expands beyond himself, and he prays for the welfare of all beings. Addressing the Divine as Agni, the Light and Consciousness that pervades the universe and knows all actions, he seeks the removal of evil tendencies from all and the bestowal of the supreme treasure of spiritual wisdom. His prayer is not limited to personal liberation but extends to the liberation of all humanity, asking the Lord to guide everyone upon the path leading to mokṣa.
Notes
This mantra occurs in several other Vedic contexts, including the Ṛgveda, where the word raye denotes material wealth and Agni refers to the sacrificial fire in the yajña altar. In the context of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad, however, both terms are elevated in meaning. Raye signifies spiritual wealth or liberating wisdom, while Agni represents Brahman itself as the illuminating principle of consciousness.
A brief discussion of the differing sequence and wording of the concluding mantras in the Kāṇva and Mādhyandina recensions is necessary here. In the Mādhyandina Yajurveda tradition, the concluding section consists of three mantras, numbered 15 to 17. In this recension, the dying yogī first fixes his mind on Om and prays for liberation in mantra 15. He then prays for the welfare of all beings and for liberation in mantra 16. Finally, in mantra 17, he relinquishes all attachments and merges his identity with the infinite Brahman through meditation on Om. The movement here proceeds from the external world toward the innermost realization, and the only divinity addressed is Brahman, manifested as Agni.
In the Kāṇva recension, the concluding section consists of four mantras, numbered 15 to 18. Brahman is not named explicitly, although Om is invoked, and various epithets of Sūrya such as Pūṣan and Yama appear, which function as distinct deities in other Vedic contexts. The progression in this recension moves from the yogī’s inner realization outward toward cosmic manifestation, offering a more detailed description of the stages of death and liberation. The fifteenth mantra is a self reflection of the sage, urging concentration upon Brahman without distraction. The sixteenth mantra describes the yogī’s immediate ascent toward Truth after death. The seventeenth mantra corresponds to the stage of life review, in which the dying yogī severs all remaining attachments and aligns himself with Om. The final, eighteenth mantra is a prayer offered at cremation for the welfare of all humanity, urging all beings to orient themselves toward Brahman as the yogī has done.
These four mantras of the Kāṇva recension also occur in बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् 5.15.1 to 5.15.4. In the Mādhyandina Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 14.8.3, the three concluding mantras of the Mādhyandina version of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad appear verbatim. Together, these traditions present a comprehensive and profound account of the death and final ascent of the jīvanmukta yogī into complete mokṣa.
Illustrations
The narratives that follow illustrate how enlightened individuals desire the welfare of all beings, without regard to birth, social status, gender, or moral history. Their outlook mirrors the universal prayer of the Ṛṣi expressed in the final mantra of the Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad.
King Vipaścit Forsakes Heaven for the Sake of the Fallen
King Vipaścit was a just and capable ruler who regarded all his subjects as his own children. He ensured that his kingdom was free from thieves, murderers, and deceivers, and that virtuous people lived without fear or harassment. Through his righteous governance and personal virtue, he accumulated great merit.
Upon his death, King Vipaścit attained heaven as a result of his meritorious actions. However, according to Hindu tradition, kings are also accountable for the misdeeds committed by their subjects, at least to some degree. For this reason, Indra, the ruler of heaven, requested King Vipaścit to accompany him briefly to hell in order to witness the consequences borne by those who had committed grave wrongs.
As they traversed hell, the king and Indra heard the anguished cries of beings undergoing severe torments as a result of their past actions. When they were about to depart, a voice called out to King Vipaścit from within a blazing fire. The suffering being said that while alive in the king’s realm, he had experienced nothing but kindness and protection. Though he acknowledged his own wrongdoing, he begged the king not to leave, explaining that the mere presence of the compassionate ruler made his torment slightly more bearable. Another voice echoed from elsewhere, declaring that although the king might not remember him, his presence eased the pain inflicted upon his body.
Deeply moved, King Vipaścit turned to Indra and declared that his residence in heaven was meaningless if he could not alleviate the suffering of his former subjects. He affirmed that compassion and love surpassed all heavenly pleasures and expressed his willingness to remain in hell if his presence could reduce the agony of even a single being.
Indra objected, explaining that each being must inevitably experience the results of his or her own actions. Since the residents of hell had committed evil deeds, they were destined to suffer there, whereas King Vipaścit, by virtue of his righteous conduct, deserved to remain in heaven.
The king replied that he had never performed virtuous actions with the intention of attaining heaven. He questioned the value of good karma if it failed to cultivate compassion within the heart. He declared his wish to donate the entire fruit of his good karma to the suffering beings in hell, so that they might be reborn on earth and receive another opportunity to pursue righteous living, or at least experience a reduction in their suffering.
Indra responded that the act of charity itself constituted additional good karma, which would further entitle the king to prolonged residence in heaven. Undeterred, King Vipaścit declared that he wished to relinquish not only the merit he had accumulated in the past but also any merit he might acquire in the future. He affirmed that he had no desire for heaven at all and sought only the happiness of all beings.
At that moment, Bhagavān Viṣṇu appeared before them, seated upon Garuḍa. Addressing the king, He declared that one who is entirely free from desire for the fruits of action, even the attainment of heaven, becomes worthy of mokṣa. He then granted King Vipaścit everlasting liberation, drawing him into His divine presence.
As a result of this divine grace, King Vipaścit attained mokṣa and resided eternally in the company of Bhagavān Viṣṇu. The merit generated by his virtuous deeds was distributed among the suffering beings in hell, thereby shortening their period of torment and enabling their rebirth upon the earth.
Rāmānujācārya Risks Hell for the Sake of Others
Śrī Rāmānujācārya was a great Hindu saint who lived in South India between 1017 and 1137 CE. On one occasion, he learned that a revered teacher named Goṣṭhipūrṇa possessed the knowledge of a powerful sacred mantra, the recitation of which could truly please Bhagavān Viṣṇu and grant liberation.
Śrī Rāmānuja approached the teacher with humility and requested instruction in this mantra. Goṣṭhipūrṇa agreed, but only on the strict condition that the mantra must be kept secret and never revealed to others. Śrī Rāmānuja accepted this condition without hesitation.
The teacher then initiated him into the sacred Vaiṣṇava mantra Om Namo Nārāyaṇāya. However, after reflecting deeply, Rāmānuja concluded that a mantra capable of granting liberation should not be withheld from humanity. Ascending to the upper level of the temple at Tirukkoṭṭiyūr in present day Tamil Nadu, he gathered the assembled devotees and proclaimed the mantra openly so that all might benefit from it.
When Goṣṭhipūrṇa learned of this act, he was greatly angered and reprimanded Rāmānuja for violating his explicit instruction. He warned him that such disobedience would surely result in his condemnation to hell. Rāmānuja responded calmly that if his own descent into hell could secure liberation for countless others, he would willingly accept that fate.
These words profoundly moved his teacher. Goṣṭhipūrṇa was brought to tears, embraced Rāmānuja, and declared that his disciple alone had truly grasped the inner meaning and compassionate intent of the sacred mantra.
Compassion in the Lineage of Śrī Rāmānuja
In the spiritual lineage established by Śrī Rāmānuja, another eminent saint named Piḷḷai Lokācārya was born approximately a century later, between 1205 and 1311 CE. Such was his compassion and spiritual attainment that Bhagavān Viṣṇu is said to have blessed him with the assurance that all who associated with him would attain liberation along with him.
Piḷḷai Lokācārya’s compassion extended to all living beings without exception. It is said that he would gently touch even ants with loving awareness and gaze upon plants for long periods, believing that such contact and attention might aid even these forms of life in progressing toward Bhagavān Viṣṇu. His life stands as a testament to the ideal of universal compassion and selfless concern for the spiritual welfare of all beings.