Upanishads · Chāndogya 8,2.9
॥
Devanāgarī
अथ यदि स्त्रीलोककामः भवति संकल्पात् एव अस्य स्त्रियः समुत्तिष्ठन्ति तेन स्त्रीलोकेन संपन्नः महीयते
Transliteration (IAST)
atha yadi strīlokakāmaḥ bhavati saṃkalpāt eva asya striyaḥ samuttiṣṭhanti tena strīlokena saṃpannaḥ mahīyate
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अथathathereupon; then
यदिyadiif; but if
स्त्रीलोककामःstrīlokakāmaḥdesiring the world of women (strī-loka-kāma); having wished for the world of women; longing for the world of wives
भवतिbhavatirevered lady; madam
संकल्पात्saṃkalpātthan intention; from intention
एवevaindeed; surely
अस्यasyaof this; it
स्त्रियःstriyaḥthe women (strī, plural); of the woman; the wives
समुत्तिष्ठन्तिsamuttiṣṭhantithey climb; arise
तेनtenawith that; by means of this
स्त्रीलोकेनstrīlokenaby the world of women; by the women's region
संपन्नःsaṃpannaḥharnessed; having attained
महीयतेmahīyateis glorified; is magnified
Translation
If he desires the world of women, then by his mere resolve women arise; united with that world, he is exalted.
Version
40191cfc528c · published Jul 26, 2026, 11:49:49 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The ninth picture is women. The Upaniṣad fearlessly carries its catalogue to the end: the joy of love too belongs among true desires. The Veda knows no puritan dread of eros — it knows only the difference between its false form, mired in the mortal, and its true form, cleansed of falsehood.
Gauḍīya Vedānta will see here a distant prototype of the highest mystery: the strongest of earthly attachments is the image of the strongest of eternal rasas; mādhurya, the love of the beloved, is the summit of the soul's relations with the Lord. Earthly love is a rough draft; the catalogue of 8.2 promises a fair copy to everyone who finds the ātman and purifies desire into truth.