प्रश्नोपनिषद्Prashna Upanishad

About this scripture

The Prashna Upanishad, belonging to the Atharvaveda, is cast as six questions (prashnas) put by six pupils — Kabandhi Katyayana, Bhargava Vaidarbhi, Kausalya Ashvalayana, Sauryayani Gargya, Shaibya Satyakama, and Sukesha Bharadvaja — to the sage Pippalada, who answers each in turn. The questions move from the origin of creatures (the pair Rayi and Prana) and the supremacy of the vital breath, through the five pranas and the channels of the body and the states of waking, dream, and deep sleep, to meditation on Om and finally the Purusha of sixteen parts. The Devanagari is given with strict IAST and a researched per-section meaning gloss in English and Hindi.