dva-suparnamundaka-upanishadshvetashvatara-upanishadvedanta

𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌸𑍁𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌾

द्वा सुपर्णा in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ upanishad·📿 11× repetitions·🕐 Early morning (Brahma Muhurta) during meditation and Vedanta study·📜 Mundaka Upanishad, Verse 3.1.1 (also Shvetashvatara Upanishad 4.6)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Mundaka Upanishad, Verse 3.1.1 (also Shvetashvatara Upanishad 4.6) · Traditional (Upanishadic) · Vedic / Upanishadic

Opening the third Mundaka, the seer paints an unforgettable picture: two birds of golden plumage, close friends, perch on the same tree. One tastes the sweet and bitter fruit of the tree; the other, eating nothing, watches in calm splendour. The tree is the body and the world of experience; the bird that eats is the individual soul caught in joy and sorrow, and the bird that only looks on is the supreme Self. The Upanishad goes on to say that when the grieving soul beholds the other, the worshipful Lord, and knows His greatness, its sorrow passes away — making this image a doorway to liberation.

✦ As told in scripture

The Upanishad declares that the moment the soul, grieving in its bondage, turns and beholds the other bird — the Lord who is its own real Self — and rejoices in His glory, it crosses beyond all sorrow; so this single vision of the witnessing Self is said to set the soul free.

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The Mantra

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𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌸𑍁𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌾 𑌸𑌯𑍁𑌜𑌾 𑌸𑌖𑌾𑌯𑌾 𑌸𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌂 𑌵𑍃𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌂 𑌪𑌰𑌿𑌷𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌜𑌾𑌤𑍇 । 𑌤𑌯𑍋𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑌿𑌪𑍍𑌪𑌲𑌂 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌨𑌶𑍍𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌯𑍋 𑌅𑌭𑌿𑌚𑌾𑌕𑌶𑍀𑌤𑌿 ॥

dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā samānaṁ vṛkṣaṁ pariṣasvajāte tayoranyaḥ pippalaṁ svādvattyanaśnannanyo abhicākaśīti

Meaning:दो सुन्दर पंखों वाले पक्षी, सदा साथ रहने वाले मित्र, एक ही वृक्ष पर बैठे हैं। उनमें से एक उस वृक्ष के मीठे फल को स्वादपूर्वक खाता है, और दूसरा बिना खाए केवल देखता रहता है। (एक पक्षी जीवात्मा है जो कर्मफलों का भोग करता है; दूसरा परमात्मा है जो साक्षीमात्र होकर शान्त भाव से देखता है।)

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌸𑍁𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌾🔊dvā suparṇāTwo birds (of beautiful plumage)

𑌸𑌯𑍁𑌜𑌾🔊sayujāClosely united, always together, inseparable companions

𑌸𑌖𑌾𑌯𑌾🔊sakhāyāFriends, comrades

𑌸𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌂 𑌵𑍃𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌮𑍍🔊samānaṁ vṛkṣamThe same tree (the one body, or the tree of worldly life)

𑌪𑌰𑌿𑌷𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌜𑌾𑌤𑍇🔊pariṣasvajāteThey cling to, perch upon, embrace

𑌤𑌯𑍋𑌃 𑌅𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌃🔊tayoḥ anyaḥOf the two, one (the individual soul, jiva)

𑌪𑌿𑌪𑍍𑌪𑌲𑌮𑍍🔊pippalamThe sweet fruit (the fruits of action, pleasure and pain)

𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌦𑍁 𑌅𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌿🔊svādu attiEats with relish, tastes the sweet (and bitter) fruit

𑌅𑌨𑌶𑍍𑌨𑌨𑍍🔊anaśnanWithout eating, not partaking (the other bird does not eat)

𑌅𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌃🔊anyaḥThe other (the supreme Self, Ishvara, the witness)

𑌅𑌭𑌿𑌚𑌾𑌕𑌶𑍀𑌤𑌿🔊abhicākaśītiLooks on, simply witnesses, shines in serene observation

Benefits of Chanting द्वा सुपर्णा

✦

Presents the profound Vedantic image of the soul (jiva) and the supreme Self (Paramatman) as two birds on one tree.

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Teaches detachment — to step back from being the 'eater' caught in pleasure and pain and to abide as the serene witness.

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Used in meditation to shift identity from the experiencing ego to the silent, ever-watching Self.

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Brings peace and freedom from grief by revealing a witnessing awareness untouched by the fruits of action.

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Awakens the recognition that the individual self and the supreme Self are ultimately one, leading to liberation.

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A beloved verse for contemplation on the relationship between the soul, God and the world.

How to Chant द्वा सुपर्णा

Repetitions11times

Best TimeEarly morning (Brahma Muhurta) during meditation and Vedanta study

FaceEast or North

Recite 'Dva Suparna' slowly and picture the two birds on one tree. Notice in your own experience the 'eating bird' — the part of you immersed in pleasure, pain and the results of action — and then the 'witnessing bird', the calm awareness that simply observes it all without being affected. Rest your sense of self in that witness. The Upanishad teaches that as the soul turns from grief to behold this serene Lord, it attains supreme peace and freedom.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete द्वा सुपर्णा written in the Grantha 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.

Dva Suparna means 'two birds'. The verse describes two inseparable birds on the same tree: one eats the fruit while the other only watches. It symbolizes the individual soul (jiva) experiencing life's pleasures and pains, and the supreme Self (Paramatman) witnessing in serene detachment.

This verse appears in the Mundaka Upanishad (3.1.1) of the Atharva Veda and is also found in the Shvetashvatara Upanishad (4.6). It is one of the most celebrated metaphors in all of Vedanta.

The bird that eats the sweet and bitter fruit is the jiva, the individual soul absorbed in worldly experience and its results. The bird that does not eat but only looks on is the Paramatman, the supreme Self, the changeless witness. They dwell together as one's lower and higher nature.

The Mundaka continues that as long as the soul identifies as the 'eater' it grieves at its helplessness, but when it beholds the other bird — the adorable Lord and its own true Self — and recognizes His glory, it becomes free from sorrow. Thus the verse points to liberation through Self-knowledge.