Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 1,3.9
॥
Devanāgarī
सा वा एषा देवता दूर् नाम दूरम् हि अस्याः मृत्युः दूरम् ह वा अस्मात् मृत्युः भवति यः एवम् वेद
Transliteration (IAST)
sā vā eṣā devatā dūr nāma dūram hi asyāḥ mṛtyuḥ dūram ha vā asmāt mṛtyuḥ bhavati yaḥ evam veda
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
साsāshe; that one
वाvātruly; surely
एषाeṣāthis; she
देवताdevatāthe deity (devatā); the deity; divine power
दूर्dūrDūr (dūr — 'the Far'); 'the Far One'; Dūr
नामnāmaby name; the name
दूरम्dūramis far away (dūram); far away; at a distance
हिhiindeed; truly
अस्याःasyāḥfrom her; it
मृत्युःmṛtyuḥdeath; dying
दूरम्dūramis far away (dūram); far away; at a distance
हhasurely; as is known
वाvātruly; surely
अस्मात्asmātfrom this; out of this
मृत्युःmṛtyuḥdeath; dying
भवतिbhavatibecomes; he presents himself
यःyaḥwho; the one who
एवम्evamthus; in this way
वेदvedaknows; realises
Translation
This deity is called Dūr: for death is far (dūram) from it. And death is far from him too who knows thus.
Version
57d53a320ee8 · published Jul 27, 2026, 12:39:35 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Another name of the prāṇa is Dūr, "the Far": death keeps "far" (dūram) from it. The name is a safe-conduct: the power upon which evil was shattered is out of death's reach as well; around a pure breath lies a zone into which death has no entry.
And the promise follows the usual formula: death is far from the knower too. Not "abolished" — far: the knower lives in the same mortal world, but between him and death a distance has been laid — the very distance that separates a breath serving all from self-interested senses. The measure of death's nearness to a man is the measure of his self-seeking; disinterestedness pushes it beyond the horizon.