To the wise ṛṣis, knowers of the Vedas, who first manifested the supreme knowledge of Brahman through their ardent spiritual practice, to them, by whose grace we have received this wisdom, to them I offer my reverent salutation.

This first verse establishes the reverential tone of the entire Upaniṣad. The ṛṣis were not mere theoretical philosophers, but beings who attained direct realization of Brahman through intense tapas, disciplined spiritual practice. The word rasāyana suggests that this knowledge is like a rejuvenating elixir for the soul. In our yoga practice, we recognize that we are not inventing anything new, but drinking from an ancestral source of wisdom that requires dedication and surrender to be understood in its depth.