This ancient sanskrit mantra is trying to tell the impossible. Life is naturally full and has always been so. No matter what we think about life or how we live it has always been the same – complete.
Om purnamadah purnamidam
purnat purnamudachyate
purnasya purnamadaya
purnamevavashishyate
I translate the sanskrit word purnam with full or fullness. A synonym is perfect indicating that it cannot be compared to anything else, it stands alone just as it is - complete.
My personal interpretation (there are so many):
“This (that you are) is perfect (beyond the idea of perfect and imperfect).
That (which you experience) is also perfect.
From This (inner) perfect springs That—the (outer) perfect.
Take (that outer) perfect from (this inner) perfect and only the (complete) perfect remains.”
Manifestation did not really happen, it only appeared to do it and nothing has thus changed—it always remained the same, perfect.
The author is trying to reduce our ideas to the essence, that which cannot be put in words or described. She/he is trying to say that Reality has always been complete, whole, and full by negating all that can be thought or reasoned about it.
Pur means son and nam means name. I think nam comes from Satnam ( the greatest name) therefore Purnam means his son (that follows, his successor).
If I translate Purnam with that follows( his successor) then your translation looks like this;
This is Purnam (that follows, his successor)
That is also Purnam (that follows, his successor)
From this springs that
Take the other only the Purnam remains.
(Even if you take either one only the Purnam remains!)
Thank you Afshin. There are innumerable ways to interpret this beautiful verse. Still greater is to live it! Words fall short before the face of the Beloved. We are left in awe, overflowing with Love.