Pūrṇam Adaḥ Pūrṇam Idam: The Fullness Invocation
Written and reviewed by The Kriya Yogi · Updated 19 September 2026
oṃ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṃ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate / pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate
That is full; this is full; from the full, the full arises. Take the full from the full, and the full still remains.
- Source
- Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.1.1; also the Isha Upanishad invocation
- Tradition
- Upanishadic
- Traditional use
- A peace invocation, often opening or closing study of the Upanishads.
- Repetition
- Recited once, usually with the triple śānti.
In short
- Found at Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.1.1 and as the invocation to the Isha Upanishad.
- *Pūrṇa* means full, complete, whole; 'infinite' is an interpretive choice, not the literal word.
- The verse makes an arithmetic point: removing the whole from the whole leaves the whole.
- It is an invocation rather than a japa mantra — recited once, not counted.
Where it comes from
This verse appears at Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.1.1 and is used as the invocation to the Isha Upanishad. It is one of the most frequently recited śānti mantras.
The word that carries it
Pūrṇa means full, filled, complete. Many popular translations substitute "infinite", which imports a mathematical idea the word does not contain. The literal reading is plainer and, we think, stronger: that is full, this is full, fullness comes out of fullness, and taking fullness from fullness leaves fullness.
How it is used
Recited once at the start or end of study, usually followed by oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ. There is no counted practice attached to it and no initiation required.
It also works as a plain instruction about attitude: practice is not a transaction in which you spend something to gain something.
Questions & answers
+ Is purnam adah about infinity?
+ Where does this mantra come from?
Mantra recitation is a contemplative practice, not a treatment for any condition. Nothing here should be read as medical advice.