Ishavasyam Idam Sarvam

Sanskrit

ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत् ।
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्य स्विद्धनम् ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

īśāvāsyam idaṃ sarvaṃ yat kiñca jagatyāṃ jagat |
tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam ||

Meaning

Whatever exists in this ever-moving world is to be lived in and covered by the Lord. So take only what is yours to use, with a spirit of giving up, and do not covet anyone’s wealth.

Source / Textual Reference

Isha Upanishad, verse 1

The Isha Upanishad has 17 or 18 verses, depending on the recension (Madhyandina or Kanva). Text compared with Vedabase (transliteration) and another online edition (Devanagari and transliteration).

Traditional Significance

This is the first verse of the Isha Upanishad, which is named after its opening word “īśā” (by the Lord). The Upanishad is the last part of the Shukla Yajurveda.

Teachers read the verse in two well-known ways. In the Advaita reading of Shankara, the Lord is the self within all, and the verse asks us to see all things as filled by him and to let go of grasping. In other readings, the verse is mainly about sharing and not hoarding: everything belongs to God, so we should use only our share.

The last words, “do not covet anyone’s wealth”, can also be read as a question: “whose wealth is it, anyway?” The word translated “covered” (āvāsya) is also read as “pervaded” or “lived in”.

Traditional Practice

The verse is read, studied and reflected on. No fixed time or number of repetitions is prescribed.

Related Content

• Purnamadah Purnamidam, the peace invocation of the Isha Upanishad
• Asato Ma Sadgamaya
• Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma, all this is Brahman
• Tat Tvam Asi, a saying of the Upanishads on the self
• Mata Bhumih Putro Aham Prithivyah, a verse in praise of the Earth

More mantras and shlokas

• Asato Ma Sadgamaya
• Uttishthata Jagrata (Katha Upanishad 1.3.14)
• Om Ityetad Aksharam (Mandukya Upanishad 1)
• Satyameva Jayate
• All mantras & shlokas