Isha Upanishad 8

8

oṃ
īśā vāsyam idaṃ sarvaṃ yat kiñca jagatyāṃ jagat |
tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya sviddhanam ||

Introduction: The (Vedic) mantras (verses) beginning with Iśāvāsyam have not been utilised in karma (rituals etc.), for they serve to reveal the true nature of the Self, which is not an appendage to karma. The real nature of the Self consists in Its purity, sinlessness, oneness, eternity, incorporeity, omnipresence, etc., which will be indicated later on (Īś. 8). As that (nature) would conflict with karma, it is but natural that the verses are not applied to karma; for neither is the Self in Its real nature, as defined, a thing to be created, transformed, achieved, or purified, nor is It of the nature of an agent or enjoyer, whereby It could become a factor in karma. Moreover, all the Upaniṣads exhaust themselves simply by determining the true nature of the Self, and the Gītā and the scriptures dealing with mokṣa (the emancipation of the soul) have only this end in view. Accordingly all karmas have been enjoined by assuming such qualities for the Self as multiplicity, agentship, enjoyership, etc., and impurity, sinfulness, etc., which common sense takes for granted. For people who are versed in the science dealing with competence (of people treading this path) say that a man is qualified for karma when he hankers after the results of karma, be they of this world in the form of spiritual eminence etc., or of the hereafter in the form of heaven etc., and thinks of himself thus: "I am a twice-born man and am free from such defects as being one-eyed or hump-backed which stand in the way of one's competence for karma." Therefore these verses remove inherent ignorance through the revelation of the true nature of the Self, and thereby produce the knowledge of the oneness etc. of the Self, which is the means for the uprooting of sorrow, delusion, etc., incidental to mundane existence. We shall briefly explain these (Vedic) verses for which have thus been determined the competent students, the subject matter, the relation between the Vedic text and the subject matter and the purpose.footnote{One who wants emancipation is the competent student; the identity of the individual self and the absolute Self is the subject matter; the relation of the Vedic text and the subject matter consists in the former being the revealer of the latter; and the purpose is the removal of ignorance and the attainment of supreme Bliss.}