Mantra 5

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Īśa-upaniṣad mantra 5:

तदेजति तन्नैजति तद्दूरे तद्वन्तिके ।
तदन्तरस्य सर्वस्य तदु सर्वस्यास्य बाह्यतः ॥ ५ ॥

tadejati tannaijati taddūre tadvantike |
tadantarasya sarvasya tadu sarvasyāsya bāhyataḥ || 5 ||

tat—from Him (the word ‘tad’ is an indeclinable here=tasmāt); ejati—trembles in awe; tat—He Himself; na—not; ejati—trembles, fears; tat—He; Because all-pervading—He is; dūre—far off; tadu—so also; antike—near; tat—He; antar—within; asya—of this; sarvasya—of all; tat u sarvasyaḥ—that verily of all; asya—of this; bāhyataḥ—outside.

5. All tremble from fear of Him, but He is afraid of none (and since He is All-pervading) He is far off as well as near, He is without as well as within.

Commentary: The Bhāṣya of Madhva (Madhvācārya):

(English translation of Madhva’s 13th-century commentary called the Īśāvāsyopaniṣadbhāṣya or Īśopaniṣadbhāṣya)

The words ‘tad ejat’ mean that “the others tremble from fear of Him.” But He Himself is afraid of none and so does not tremble. As we find in the Tattva Saṃhitā:—“All even are afraid of Him, but Hari is afraid of no one. As He is all-pervading, He is said to be far off as well as near: to be outside of all as well as inside of all.”

Note.—The words “tad ejat” do not mean either that Brahman is agitated or active Himself; or that He is afraid. In fack the word ‘tad’ is an indeclinable here, and means ‘from him’ or ‘on account of Him.’ The indeclinable has the force of the ablative case. The word ‘anyat,’ “others” is understood here and is the agent to the verb ejat. This verse cannot be consistently explained on the theory that Brahman is actionless.