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शब्द समीपदेशार्थक ।ब्रह्मण्यध्यस्तमायासमीपदेशक तत्पदार्थप्रतिबिम्बितमविद्योपाधिकचैतन्य जीवशब्दवान् यमुपशब्दार्थ लक्षणया प्रतिपाद्यते ।नि शब्द षद् इति पदस्यविशेषणम् ।सत् इति पद सदनगत्यवसादनेषु भवति ।तथा च उपशब्दवाच्यो जीव अविद्या निहत्य त्यक्त्वाब्रह्मस्वरूपेण निषीदति वर्तत इति उपनिषदित्येकोऽर्थः ।जीव ब्रह्म स्वरूपत्वेन निगच्छति जानातीत्यन्योऽर्थः ।जीव ब्रह्मस्वरूपेण अवसीदति परिसमाप्नोतीति तृतीयोऽर्थः ।एवमुपनिषच्छब्दस्य ब्रह्मविद्यावाचकत्वेन प्रसिद्धस्य तद्वाचकवेदभागे लक्षणवत्त्वेऽप्युपनिषन्छब्दवाच्यो भवति ।तथाच ह्रींकार एव वेद तस्य उपानषत्प्रधानभूता ब्रह्मविद्येत्यर्थः ।ॐ ह्रींकारवेदोपनिषदे नमः ॥ह्रींकाराध्वरदक्षिणा ।ह्रींकार एव अध्वर यज्ञदक्षिणा समापिसाधनम् , दक्षिणाया दत्ताया यज्ञसमाप्तिदर्शनात् ।ह्रींकारस्यापि जप यजनात्मकतया अध्वान राति गच्छतीत्यध्वर मार्गसाधक इत्यर्थ ।दक्षिणापदफलबाचि ऋत्विग्व्यापाराणा दक्षिणाफलत्वदर्शनात् ।ह्रींकाराध्वरस्य हींकारजपयज्ञस्य दक्षिणा फलसाधनीभूतपुरुषार्थरूपा ।अथवा ह्रींकाराध्वरस्य दक्षिणा पत्नी,मखस्य
In plain words
The word points to proximity. The individual consciousness, caught in ignorance yet reflecting the supreme reality, is secondarily revealed through the prefix 'upa'. The word 'Upanishad' is formed from 'ni', 'shad', and the root 'sat', which means to abide, to reach, and to dissolve. Thus, the soul destroys ignorance, lets go of it, and rests securely in its true identity as Brahman—this is one meaning of the Upanishad. Another is that the soul fully realizes its identity with Brahman by knowing it. A third is that the soul dissolves completely into Brahman. Therefore, the term Upanishad, though renowned as the science of Brahman, retains its true significance in the sacred texts. The syllable Hrīṃ itself is the Veda, and its supreme essence is this very knowledge of Brahman. Salutation to the Upanishad embodied as the Hrīṃ Veda. 'Hrīṃkārādhvaradakṣiṇā': The syllable Hrīṃ is itself the sacred fee that completes the sacrifice, for a sacrifice is deemed complete only when the fee is rendered. Because the chanting of Hrīṃ is an act of worship, it guides one across the worldly path; thus it is the pathfinder. Since the word 'dakṣiṇā' denotes the fruit of priestly labor, the fee of the Hrīṃ sacrifice—the inner repetition of Hrīṃ—is nothing less than the supreme human liberation realized as the ultimate fruit. Alternatively, dakṣiṇā is the consort of the sacrifice.
Close to the Sanskrit
The word implies proximity. The consciousness conditioned by ignorance, reflected in the meaning of that (tat) and bearing the designation of soul (jīva), is indicated secondarily through the prefix upa. The term upaniṣad is derived from ni, śabda, and sad. Sat is used in the senses of abiding, reaching, and perishing. Thus, the soul denoted by upa destroys ignorance, abandons it, and abides or exists in the form of brahman—this is one meaning of upaniṣad. Another meaning is that the soul fully attains brahman as its own nature, knowing it. A third meaning is that the soul dissolves or culminates in the nature of brahman. Thus, the word upaniṣad, though famous as denoting the knowledge of brahman, becomes applicable even when having a secondary indicative mark in the Vedic section expressing that. Likewise, the hrīṃkāra itself is the Veda, and its primary essence is the knowledge of brahman. Salutation to the upaniṣad in the form of the hrīṃkāra veda. Hrīṃkārādhvaradakṣiṇā: The hrīṃkāra alone is the sacrificial fee (dakṣiṇā) of the sacrifice, being the means of completion, because the completion of a sacrifice is seen when the fee is given. Since the repetition of hrīṃkāra has the nature of worship, it leads away or destroys the path of saṃsāra, thus acting as a pathfinder—such is the meaning. Because the word dakṣiṇā denotes a result, and ritual actions by priests are seen to bear dakṣiṇā as their fruit, the dakṣiṇā of the hrīṃkāra sacrifice—namely, of the sacrifice of repeating hrīṃkāra—is the supreme human goal acting as the means to the fruit. Alternatively, dakṣiṇā is the wife of the hrīṃkāra sacrifice.