Upanishads · Praśna 1.15
॥
Devanāgarī
तद् ये ह वै तत्प्रजापतिव्रतं चरन्ति ।
ते मिथुनम् उत्पादयन्ते ।
तेषामेवैष ब्रह्मलोकः ।
येषां तपो ब्रह्मचर्यं ।
येषु सत्यं प्रतिष्ठितम्
Transliteration (IAST)
tad ye ha vai tatprajāpativrataṃ caranti |
te mithunam utpādayante |
teṣāmevaiṣa brahmalokaḥ |
yeṣāṃ tapo brahmacaryaṃ |
yeṣu satyaṃ pratiṣṭhitam
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तत् ये ह वैtat ye ha vaithose who; therefore those
तत् प्रजापतिव्रतम्tat prajāpativratamthis vow of Prajāpati; the way of the lord of creatures
चरन्तिcarantithey observe, they walk in (from √car — 'to go'); they perform; they follow
ते मिथुनम्te mithunamthey, a pair; they, wedded offspring
उत्पादयन्तेutpādayantethey beget; they bring forth
तेषाम् एवteṣām evatheirs indeed; for them
एषः ब्रह्मलोकःeṣaḥ brahmalokaḥthe world of Brahman (brahma-loka); the abode of Brahman; Brahma-loka
येषाम्yeṣāmin whom; for whom
तपःtapaḥasceticism; spiritual heat
ब्रह्मचर्यम्brahmacaryambrahmacarya; the discipline of chastity
येषुyeṣuin which; in whose case
सत्यम्satyamtruth; truthfulness
प्रतिष्ठितम्pratiṣṭhitamis established (prati-√ṣṭhā); stands firm; is rooted
Translation
"Those who observe this vow of Prajāpati beget a pair [— a son and a daughter]. But this world of Brahman is [open] only to those in whom there is austerity and continence, in whom truth is established."
Version
68f073327a10 · published Jul 26, 2026, 8:35:21 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The summing-up of the ladder of creation — a distinction between two dignities. tad ye ha vai tat prajāpati-vrataṁ caranti — "those who walk in that vow of Prajāpati" — in the discipline of the householder who honours the rhythms of time (verse 13) — te mithunam utpādayante — "beget a pair": their fruit is worthy offspring, the continuation of creation. This is blessed — and it is not everything.
teṣām evaiṣa brahmalokaḥ — "but to those alone is this world of Brahman": yeṣāṁ tapo brahmacaryaṁ yeṣu satyaṁ pratiṣṭhitam — "in whom there is austerity, continence, in whom truth is established". Not "instead of" the family dharma but over and above it: the begetting of children continues the world — to Brahman one is led by the heat of a gathered life, by purity and by a truth grown into the man (pratiṣṭhitam — "established", like a column upon a footing).
The Upaniṣad holds both scales carefully: it has just hallowed marriage and offspring (verses 13–14) — and immediately forbids them to become a ceiling. The dharma of continuing the line is service to time; the thirst for Brahman is service to the Eternal; the first is honourable, the second is the goal. The question's last verse will add to austerity and truth one decisive stroke — straightness without a bend.