prathamo ’dhyāyaḥ

kiṃkāraṇaṃ brahma kutaḥ sma jātā jīvāmaḥ kena kva ca saṃpratiṣṭhāḥ |
adhiṣṭhitāḥ kena sukhetareṣu vartāmahe brahmavido vyavasthām || 1.1 ||

kālaḥ svabhāvo niyatir yadṛcchā bhūtāni yoniḥ puruṣeti cintyam |
saṃyoga eṣāṃ na tv ātmabhāvād ātmā hy anīśaḥ sukhaduḥkhahetoḥ || 1.2 ||

te dhyānayogānugatā apaśyan devātmaśaktiṃ svaguṇair nigūḍhām |
yaḥ kāraṇāni nikhilāni tāni kālātmayuktāny adhitiṣṭhaty ekaḥ || 1.3 ||

tam ekanemiṃ trivṛtaṃ ṣoḍaśāntaṃ śatārdhāraṃ viṃśatipratyarābhiḥ |
aṣṭakaiḥ ṣaḍbhir viśvarūpaikapāśaṃ trimārgabhedaṃ dvinimittaikamoham || 1.4 ||

pañcasroto’mbuṃ pañcayonyugravaktrāṃ pañcaprāṇormiṃ pañcabuddhyādimūlāṃ |
pañcāvartāṃ pañcaduḥkhaughavegāṃ pañcāśadbhedāṃ pañcaparvām adhīmaḥ || 1.5 ||

sarvājīve sarvasaṃsthe bṛhante tasmin haṃso bhrāmyate brahmacakre |
pṛthag ātmānaṃ preritāraṃ ca matvā juṣṭas tatas tenāmṛtatvam eti || 1.6 ||

udgītam etat paramaṃ tu brahma tasmiṃs trayaṃ svapratiṣṭhākṣaraṃ ca |
atrāntaraṃ brahmavido viditvā līnā brahmaṇi tatparā yonimuktāḥ || 1.7 ||

saṃyuktam etat kṣaram akṣaraṃ ca vyaktāvyaktaṃ bharate viśvam īśaḥ |
anīśaś cātmā badhyate bhoktṛbhāvāj jñātvā devaṃ mucyate sarvapāśaiḥ || 1.8 ||

jñājñau dvāv ajāv īśanīśāv ajā hy ekā bhoktṛbhogārthayuktā |
anantaś cātmā viśvarūpo hy akartā trayaṃ yadā vindate brahmam etat || 1.9 ||

kṣaraṃ pradhānam amṛtākṣaraṃ haraḥ kṣarātmānāv īśate deva ekaḥ |
tasyābhidhyānād yojanāt tattvabhāvād bhūyaś cānte viśvamāyānivṛttiḥ || 1.10 ||

jñātvā devaṃ sarvapāśāpahāniḥ kṣīnaiḥ kleśair janmamṛtyuprahāṇiḥ |
tasyābhidhyānāt tṛtīyaṃ dehabhede viśvaiśvaryaṃ kevala āptakāmaḥ || 1.11 ||

etaj jñeyaṃ nityam evātmasaṃsthaṃ nātaḥ paraṃ veditavyaṃ hi kiṃcit |
bhoktā bhogyaṃ preritāraṃ ca matvā sarvaṃ proktaṃ trividhaṃ brahmam etat || 1.12 ||

vahner yathā yonigatasya mūrtir na dṛśyate naiva ca liṅganāśaḥ |
sa bhūya evendhanayonigṛhyas tadvobhayaṃ vai praṇavena dehe || 1.13 ||

svadeham araṇiṃ kṛtvā praṇavaṃ cottarāraṇiṃ |
dhyānanirmathanābhyāsād devaṃ paśyen nigūḍhavat || 1.14 ||

tileṣu tailaṃ dadhanīva sarpir āpaḥ srotaḥsv araṇīṣu cāgniḥ |
evam ātmā ātmani gṛhyate ’sau satyenainaṃ tapasā yo ’nupaśyati || 1.15 ||

sarvavyāpinam ātmānaṃ kṣīre sarpir ivārpitam |
ātmavidyātapomūlaṃ tad brahmopaniṣatparaṃ tad brahmopaniṣatparam || 1.16 ||