This is a personal translation of the Nirvana Upanishad,a very layman’s approach to the subject which I am putting on the net for the benefit of those who do not know about it .

I know the translation of an upanishad does not really belong on a blog hosting site .But this was a simple  way to get it across and so I did it.What to do? Forgive me.

My apologies to the pundits,scholars,and writers who have studied this work in great detail and   find faults with the translation.This is a personal translation…more what I think it means rather than a scholarly work.

My apologies  to the unknown writer who wrote this work   hundreds of years ago and  in whose work I have taken so many liberties.

The Nirvana Upanishad is still very much alive and relevant for all those who believe in quietly being heroic ,in their personal lives , by setting a high standard of principles for themselves - as advocated in this Upanishad -for the purpose of   spiritual growth and well being and ending with Nirvana.

May all human beings attain Nirvana(be free from suffering) at the earliest.

This is my fervent prayer.

May I speak what I  think.

May I think what I  speak.

May what is hidden be  revealed.

May the Scriptures   be  understood.

May the  Truth be ever present in  me.

May I seek and dedicate,

To put into practice  what I learn .

May I speak in the right  manner.

May I speak the truth.

May I be protected.

May the Speaker within be  protected.

May the Teacher  be  protected.

OM   SHANTI.  SHANTI.  SHANTI

May there be Peace… More Peace….and yet More Peace.

The Introductory Sutras

Sutra  1.

Nowthen , here is the exposition of   the Nirvana

Upanishad .

 Sutra 2.

When one reaches a totally egoless state which merges  in the Divine, it is a state of enlightenment.

 Sutra 3.

All  Seekers are just one stage short of this state of enlightenment.

 Sutra 4.

The battlefield (to reach the state of enlightenment) is in the mind, so  always   be   alert/aware.

 Sutra 5.

Let your principles be like the sky (high)(pure).

 Sutra 6.

Let positive energy   flow from you in waves, like a river.

 Sutra 7.

Let this energy (spirit) within you, be imperishable and free from falsehood.

 Sutra 8.

Be without doubts, like the sages of old.                        

(Doubt can weaken your energy  field).

The Enlightenment Sutras

 Sutra 9.

Seeking enlightenment is like seeking God.

 Sutra 10.

Progress WILL  be made if focus is not lost (in worldly matters).

 Sutra 11.

Do not stop practice until you reach enlightenment.

 Sutra 12.

Allow the gathered   energy to rise upwards (to the highest chakra).

 Sutra 13.

Do not take the help of other support (of visualisations, chants, trances, etc).

 Sutra 14.

Becoming one with the Divine is the initiation.

 Sutra 15.

The   way to do this is to become detached.

 Sutra 16.

The sages of old have all been initiated in this manner.

The Solitary Sutra

 Sutra 17.

Meditate deeply and be like the sun in your own universe .  

Develop the Divine

Sutra 18

If you have the ability to discriminate between right and wrong,(right actions

and wrong actions)(right thoughts and wrong thoughts)(right knowledge and wrong

knowledge)(right perspective of reality/illusion  and wrong perspective of

reality/illusion) then you will always be protected.

 Sutra 19.

Make compassion a joy.

 Sutra 20.

Make joy your garland.(Always be joyful)

 Sutra 21.

Alone, in a solitary spot, sit comfortably, and peacefully meditate .

 Sutra 22.

Unimagined are the blessings you will recieve.

 Sutra 23.

In your conduct, try and be Divine .

 Sutra 24.

All beings have the Divine within themselves. They have to learn to  develop this Divineness so that it manifests itself. 

 Learn to develop certain qualities. 

Sutra 25.

Cover yourself with patience (Self Control).

Learn to be   neutral (indifferent) amidst the extremeties you face in  life.

Learn to reason with intelligence. 

Meditate on the Divine constantly.

Learn to look at your wellbeing as your protective shield.

Look at other people’s needs with graciousness.

Keep your Kundalini energy under control.

Be free of the habit of speaking ill of others and be liberated.

Be in tune with the Divine even in your sleep.

Be constantly aware of mind, breath and posture.

If you follow the above, then you will always be joyful.

 Sutra 26.

Try and be free from the forces of the three energy fields.

 Sutra 27 .

The ability to make the right decisions always and to always speak the right things should be developed.

 Sutra 28.

Transitory is the world, just like clouds.

One who is born here, lives in a dreamworld  filled with change, confusion, delusions and other such emotions.

The body, along with its desires, and its submission to the three energy fields,traps you into its web and you start living in your own imaginary world of illusions.

 Sutra 29.

So its important to possess knowledge about the outer as well as the inner world.

 Sutra 30.

Restrained Discipline( in your meditation) is the way to knowledge.

 Sutra 31.

The path of  Shoonya (the Great Void) has no sign posts along the way.

 Sutra 32.

Inspite of no sign posts, you must find your way as  God truly Exists.(Never doubt This)

 Sutra 33.

Truth can be tasted by following the principles of Yoga Philosophy religiously.

 Sutra 34.

Then you will be on the path of “That” which is also your self nature.

 Sutra 35.

“That” is the Divine. It can become a part of your consciousness if you recognize it as such.

Sutras of the Joyful Mind

 Sutra 36.

Use prayers constantly to calm the mind.

Transform yourself with this discipline.

 Sutra 37.

Let mind control be your protective shield in life.

 Sutra 38.

With this discipline, your eternal joyful self nature will be revealed to you.

 Sutra 39.

Accept this joy as His Blessing.

 Sutra 40.

In this vast cemetry of life, live as if in a garden of bliss.

 Sutra 41.

In solitude, make joy  your monastery.

 Sutra 42.

Be always in the right state of mind  which can be attained with right effort.

 Sutra 43.

This effort for being in the right state of mind  has to be done with great urgency.

 Sutra 44.

Maintain the purity of the body and you will not need other support.

 Sutra 45.

Let positive energy flow in waves so that all activity is joyful.

 The Divine taste of Oneness. 

Sutra 46.

Fill your inner sky with the Divine.

 Sutra 47.

Calmness, self  restraint, and other divine qualities are to be practiced.

Sincerity, and being worthy of being a human being are the other qualities.

Be aware of the power of the Opposites (right and wrong)(good and evil)(knowledge

and ignorance)(virtue and vice).

Protect yourself with this awareness.

 Sutra 48.

The non dual way of thinking will lead you to the divine (eternal bliss)

 Sutra 49.

Impose a strict code of conduct on yourself (if you wish to reach the Divine.)

Sutra 50

All craving, anger, grief and fear have to be renounced.

Renunciation itself has to be renounced as all  has to happen naturally from within.

 Sutra 51.

All opposites (mentioned earlier) have to be resolved into the divine taste of

Oneness.

 Sutra 52.

A sense of non-doership (becoming just a witness) will give you

strength.

 May the forces within  be united. 

Sutra 53.

By self illumination and knowledge of the Divine, the forces of Shiva(yin)(male) and Shakti (yang)(female) which are split within you , must be united . 

Scattered elements of awareness must be grouped together.

Both feelings and non feelings must be burnt.

 Sutra 54.

Be without external support, like the sky( a reservoir of space.)

 Sutra 55.

Make the fourth state of awareness your ultimate goal of sacredness, by activating  the highest chakra.

Sutra 56

Use the Supreme Spirit (of pure intelligence) as a guide in life and use constant awareness as its most essential component.

Sutra 57

Karmas which are constantly getting entwined around you , have to be uprooted.

Attachments, illusions and your ego, all have to be burnt to uproot karmas.

 Sutra 58.

Once all these are burnt, then death cannot harm you .(Because you have become the Integrated One.)

 Sutra 59.

Free yourself from the three forces of nature and your self nature will be revealed to you.

Before that all delusions/confusions must be destroyed.

All   desires and other mental disturbances must be burnt.

The task is difficult but be firm and determined.

Learn to live with the minimum.

In cosmic harmony, recite your prayers/ mantras.

Meditation must be practiced always and with sincerity.

Purity must be inculcated in conduct as well as your nature to liberate you in this universe.

 Sutra 60.

Always bring out the best in you.

Abstinence  and peace of mind are interconnected.

When you reach the final stage of your inner journey, you will automatically drop

everything  else.

 Sutra 61.

This   then, is just  a glimpse of the divine Nirvana.

This must be passed on only to disciples and to those seriously interested in Nirvana.

 Sutra 62.

Here the Nirvana Upanishad ends.

Om    Shanti…….Shanti……Shanti….

May there be peace  ….more peace…and yet more peace.

In Gratitude……

To my Parents…my Family….my Guru Osho, other Teachers, and to other friends and seekers on the way, who have helped  to make the journey more interesting.