🪷 प्रश्नोपनिषद् · Praśnopaniṣad

For the 4 Vedic seed-mantras (mahā-vākyas), see /mahavakyas. For the index of all 10 Mukhya Upaniṣads, see /upanishads.
🪷 अनुक्रमणिका · Contents · 4 sections
  1. Central Teaching
  2. Key Śloka
  3. Krishna-Tattva Connection
  4. Bhagavad Gītā Cross-References

Upaniṣad #4 of 10 Mukhya · The Praśna Upaniṣad — Six Questions · Atharva-Veda · 67 mantras · 6 questions answered by Pippalāda

Central Teaching

Six earnest seekers come to the ṛṣi Pippalāda with six questions: (1) Whence are creatures born? (2) What devatās illumine the body? (3) What is prāṇa? (4) What is sleep and dream? (5) What is OM-meditation? (6) Who is the puruṣa with 16 kalās? Pippalāda answers each progressively, building the framework of jīva-yoga from creation through liberation. The Praśna is especially valued for its precise prāṇa-vidyā teachings.

Key Śloka

प्राणो वा एष यो हि सूर्योऽहरहर्जायते सर्वस्य भूतस्य लोचनरूपिः।

prāṇo vā eṣa yo hi sūryo 'haraharjāyate sarvasya bhūtasya locana-rūpiḥ

"This Sun that arises each day is verily Prāṇa, the eye-form of all beings."

— Praśna Upaniṣad 1.8

🪷 Krishna-Tattva Connection

Krishna declares Himself the Prāṇa (BG 7.9 "jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu") and the digestive-fire (BG 15.14 "vaiśvānaro bhūtvā"). The Praśna's prāṇa-vidyā is the Upaniṣadic-foundation upon which Krishna builds His chart-anchored teaching.

Bhagavad Gītā Cross-References

This Upaniṣad echoes through the Bhagavad-Gītā at:

📖 References

  1. Vedic Ṛṣis · transmitted through Vyāsa Maharṣi. Praśnopaniṣad Upaniṣad (प्रश्नोपनिषद्), Praśna Upaniṣad 1.8. Belongs to the Atharva-Veda · 67 mantras · 6 questions answered by Pippalāda · part of the 10 Mukhya Upaniṣads commented on by Ādi Śaṅkara · Primary śruti source for this page.
  2. Ādi Śaṅkarācārya (~8th century CE). Śāṅkara-Bhāṣya on Praśnopaniṣad Upaniṣad (शाङ्कर-भाष्य). The Advaita-Vedānta authoritative commentary · Primary doctrinal interpretation for the Upaniṣad cited here.
  3. Vyāsa Maharṣi. Bhagavad-Gītā (भगवद्गीता). Mahābhārata Bhīṣma-parva 23-40 · multiple recensions in continuous use ~5,150 years · 700 verses · 18 chapters · the core dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna · www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q179572.
  4. Bhagavad-Gītā cross-references, BG 15.13 gām āviśya · BG 4.27 ātma-saṁyama-yoga-agnau · BG 8.10 prāṇam āveśya · BG verses that echo this Upaniṣad's teaching.
← 3. Kaṭhopaniṣad↑ All 10 Mukhya Upaniṣads5. Muṇḍakopaniṣad →

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📚 See Also

📖 References

  1. Praśnopaniṣad · Atharva-Veda — Primary śruti source · 67 mantras · 6 questions answered by Pippalāda
  2. Śaṅkara-Bhāṣya · Ādi Śaṅkara's commentary (~8th c. CE) — The Advaita Vedānta authoritative commentary on this Upaniṣad
  3. Praśna Upaniṣad 1.8 — The key-śloka of this Upaniṣad · the verse that crystallizes its teaching
Categories: Mukhya Upaniṣads · Vedānta · Śruti · Prasthāna-Trayī · Atharva-Veda