Upanishads · Chāndogya 7,3.2
॥
Devanāgarī
सः यः मनः ब्रह्म इति उपास्ते यावत् मनसः गतम् तत्र अस्य यथाकामचारः भवति यः मनः ब्रह्म इति उपास्ते अस्ति भगवः मनसः भूयः इति मनसः वाव भूयः अस्ति इति तत् मे भगवान् ब्रवीतु इति
Transliteration (IAST)
saḥ yaḥ manaḥ brahma iti upāste yāvat manasaḥ gatam tatra asya yathākāmacāraḥ bhavati yaḥ manaḥ brahma iti upāste asti bhagavaḥ manasaḥ bhūyaḥ iti manasaḥ vāva bhūyaḥ asti iti tat me bhagavān bravītu iti
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सःsaḥhe; that one
यःyaḥwho; the one who
मनःmanaḥthe mind; thinking
ब्रह्मbrahmaBrahman; sacred knowledge
इतिitithus; how
उपास्तेupāstehe venerates; beholds
यावत्yāvatas long as; as far as
मनसःmanasaḥof the mind (manas, genitive); in the mind; than the mind
गतम्gatamwhat is attained; the region
तत्रtatrathere; in this
अस्यasyaof this; it
यथाकामचारःyathākāmacāraḥfree movement at will; access at will
भवतिbhavatirevered lady; madam
यःyaḥwho; the one who
मनःmanaḥthe mind; thinking
ब्रह्मbrahmaBrahman; sacred knowledge
इतिitithus; how
उपास्तेupāstehe venerates; beholds
अस्तिastiam; exists
भगवःbhagavaḥvenerable one; sir
मनसःmanasaḥof the mind (manas, genitive); in the mind; than the mind
भूयःbhūyaḥgreater; the highest
इतिitithus; how
मनसःmanasaḥof the mind (manas, genitive); in the mind; than the mind
वावvāvatruly; indeed
भूयःbhūyaḥgreater; the highest
अस्तिastiam; exists
इतिitithus; how
तत्tatthat; this
मेmemyself; for me
भगवान्bhagavānvenerable one; esteemed one
ब्रवीतुbravītulet him tell; let him instruct
इतिitithus; how
Translation
He who venerates the mind as Brahman is free to move as he wishes everywhere that the mind reaches." — "Sir, is there anything greater than the mind?" — "There is something greater than the mind." — "Tell it to me, sir."
Version
bd106f1fc1b2 · published Jul 26, 2026, 11:44:07 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Freedom in the realm of the mind is sovereignty over everything thinkable: imagination, plan, calculation. A vast kingdom — and again with a border: the mind moves where it is sent, and who is the sender?
Nārada does not linger here either. In his tireless "is there anything greater?" there is a lesson for all practitioners of the inner life: neither clarity of thought nor mastery of the imagination is yet a harbour. He who halts at the mind has taken up residence in the vestibule.