na-tatra-suryo-bhatikatha-upanishadmundaka-upanishadshvetashvatara-upanishad

න තත්ර සූර්යෝ භාති

Na Tatra Suryo Bhati (There the Sun Does Not Shine) in Sinhala · සිංහල

🕉️ upanishad·📿 11× repetitions·🕐 Early morning or at dusk (lamp-lighting time), during meditation·📜 Katha Upanishad, Verse 2.2.15 (also Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.10 and Shvetashvatara Upanishad 6.14)

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Englishසිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Katha Upanishad, Verse 2.2.15 (also Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.10 and Shvetashvatara Upanishad 6.14) · Traditional (Upanishadic) · Vedic / Upanishadic

In the Katha Upanishad, after Yama unfolds to Nachiketa the nature of the immortal Self, he describes the supreme abode of Brahman with this radiant verse: there no sun, moon, star, lightning or fire shines, for that one Reality, shining of itself, lends its light to all. The same verse is echoed in the Mundaka and Shvetashvatara Upanishads, so cherished is its vision of Brahman as the self-luminous Light of lights, by whose radiance alone the entire universe is seen.

✦ As told in scripture

The seers declare that the one who realizes this inner Light crosses beyond all darkness — for having found the self-effulgent Self that even the sun cannot illumine, no shadow of ignorance or death can touch him, and he shines, as the Upanishad says, with the light of Brahman itself.

0all time

The Mantra

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

න තත්ර සූර්යෝ භාති න චන්ද්රතාරකං නේමා විද්යුතෝ භාන්ති කුතෝ(අ)යමග්නිඃ . තමේව භාන්තමනුභාති සර්වං තස්ය භාසා සර්වමිදං විභාති ..

na tatra sūryo bhāti na candratārakaṁ nemā vidyuto bhānti kuto'yam agniḥ tam eva bhāntam anubhāti sarvaṁ tasya bhāsā sarvam idaṁ vibhāti

Meaning:There the sun does not shine, nor the moon and stars, nor do these lightnings shine — how then this fire? It is when That alone shines that everything shines after It; by Its light all this is illumined.

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

න තත්ර🔊na tatraNot there (in that supreme abode of Brahman)

සූර්යඃ භාති🔊sūryaḥ bhātiDoes the sun shine

න චන්ද්රතාරකම්🔊na candratārakamNor the moon and stars

න ඉමාඃ විද්යුතඃ භාන්ති🔊na imāḥ vidyutaḥ bhāntiNor do these lightnings shine

කුතඃ අයම් අග්නිඃ🔊kutaḥ ayam agniḥHow then this fire? (much less this earthly fire)

තම් ඒව භාන්තම්🔊tam eva bhāntamThat alone shining (Brahman, the one self-luminous Reality)

අනුභාති සර්වම්🔊anubhāti sarvamEverything shines after It; all shine by reflecting Its light

තස්ය භාසා🔊tasya bhāsāBy Its light, by Its radiance

සර්වම් ඉදම් විභාති🔊sarvam idaṁ vibhātiAll this is illumined, the whole universe shines

Benefits of Chanting Na Tatra Suryo Bhati (There the Sun Does Not Shine)

✦

Reveals Brahman as the self-luminous Light of lights, the source of all light and awareness.

✦

Teaches that consciousness, not the sun or any outer light, is the true illuminator of all experience.

✦

Used in meditation to turn within toward the inner Light by which the mind and senses themselves shine.

✦

Inspires awe and devotion before the transcendent Reality beyond all created luminaries.

✦

Brings deep peace by anchoring the seeker in the changeless inner Light rather than fleeting outer lights.

✦

A cherished verse for contemplation on the nature of the Self as pure consciousness.

How to Chant Na Tatra Suryo Bhati (There the Sun Does Not Shine)

Repetitions11times

Best TimeEarly morning or at dusk (lamp-lighting time), during meditation

FaceEast or North

Recite 'Na Tatra Suryo Bhati' and reflect that even the sun, moon and fire are objects you perceive — and that the awareness in which they appear is itself the inner Light that needs no other light to be known. Turn the attention from outer lights to this self-luminous consciousness, recognizing it as Brahman, the Light of all lights. It is a beautiful verse to contemplate while gazing at a flame or at dawn.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Na Tatra Suryo Bhati (There the Sun Does Not Shine) written in the Sinhala script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It means 'There the sun does not shine, nor the moon and stars, nor lightning, nor fire'. In the supreme Reality of Brahman, no external light is needed, for Brahman is self-luminous; everything else shines only by Its light.

This verse appears in three major Upanishads: the Katha Upanishad (2.2.15), the Mundaka Upanishad (2.2.10), and the Shvetashvatara Upanishad (6.14). Its recurrence shows how central this image of Brahman as the Light of lights is to Vedanta.

It speaks of the light of consciousness, not physical light. The sun and fire reveal objects, but they themselves are revealed by awareness. Brahman is that awareness — the Light that illumines even the sun, the changeless consciousness behind all knowing.

It is often chanted during the waving of the lamp (arati) and at lamp-lighting, recognizing that the outer flame is but a symbol of the inner self-luminous Brahman. It is also a favourite verse for meditation on the Self as pure light.