उपनिषद् · Prāṇāgnihotra 1.17
॥
देवनागरी
प्राणो अग्निः परमात्मा पञ्चवायुभिरावृतः । अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो न मे भीतिः कदाचन
लिप्यंतरण (IAST)
prāṇo agniḥ paramātmā pañcavāyubhirāvṛtaḥ | abhayaṃ sarvabhūtebhyo na me bhītiḥ kadācana
शब्दशः अर्थ
संस्कृतIASTअर्थ
प्राणः अग्निः परम-आत्माprāṇaḥ agniḥ parama-ātmābreath — fire, the highest self
पञ्च-वायुभिः आवृतःpañca-vāyubhiḥ āvṛtaḥsurrounded by the five winds
अ-भयं सर्व-भूतेभ्यःa-bhayaṃ sarva-bhūtebhyaḥsafety from all beings
न मे भीतिः कदाचनna me bhītiḥ kadācanathere is no fear in me, ever
अनुवाद
Breath is fire, the highest self, surrounded by the five winds. Safety from all beings; there is no fear in me, ever.
संस्करण
62ee386464af · प्रकाशित 12 अग॰ 2026, 5:00:00 am UTC
उपलब्ध भाषाएँRUENश्लोक बदलें इन कुंजियों से
The first part ends, and it ends with the word abhayam, "safety, fearlessness." Let us examine how it is constructed here, for the construction is unexpected. It says abhayaṃ sarva-bhūtebhyaḥ, "safety from all beings"; and right after, na me bhītiḥ kadācana, "there is no fear in me, ever."
That is, both sides are proclaimed: I fear no one, and no one need fear me. The second, it must be said, is the chief point; and it is an ancient formula of renunciation. One taking sannyāsa recites: abhayaṃ sarva-bhūtebhyo mattaḥ svāhā, "from me, safety to all beings"; and it was discussed when reading the Kaṭharudra.
The Vaiṣṇava side holds this vow and places it among the marks of a devotee. The Bhāgavatam, listing his twenty-six qualities, names second akṛta-droha, "harmful to no one" (3.25.21). Let us add what follows from joining the two halves and deserves stating.
The connection between them is not accidental: one who is not feared does not fear. A person who harms no one expects no vengeance either; and so his fearlessness is not courage, but the absence of debts. This consideration, to my mind, also explains why fearlessness in these books always stands beside harmlessness, not beside strength. The strong man fears, for he has something to lose and someone to take revenge; the harmless man does not fear, for he has nothing to expect.