Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 1,4.13
॥
Devanāgarī
सः न एव व्यभवत् सः शौद्रम् वर्णम् असृजत पूषणम् इयम् वै पूषा इयम् हि इदम् सर्वम् पुष्यति यद् इदम् किञ्च
Transliteration (IAST)
saḥ na eva vyabhavat saḥ śaudram varṇam asṛjata pūṣaṇam iyam vai pūṣā iyam hi idam sarvam puṣyati yad idam kiñca
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सःsaḥhe; that one
नnanot; no
एवevaindeed; only
व्यभवत्vyabhavatit developed; it became full enough
सःsaḥhe; that one
शौद्रम्śaudramthe śūdra (śaudra); the śūdra's; the śūdra
वर्णम्varṇamthe varṇa (varṇa); the estate; the varṇa
असृजतasṛjatacreated; brought forth
पूषणम्pūṣaṇamPūṣan (pūṣan, acc. — the nourishing god); Pūṣan; Pūṣan
इयम्iyamthis; this very one
वैvaitruly; indeed
पूषाpūṣāPūṣan; the nourisher
इयम्iyamthis; this very one
हिhiindeed; truly
इदम्idamthis; this world
सर्वम्sarvamall; the whole
पुष्यतिpuṣyatihe nourishes (from √puṣ); he feeds; he feeds
यद्yadwhen; that which
इदम्idamthis; this world
किञ्चkiñcaanything; all that
Translation
Still he did not unfold. He created the śūdra varṇa: Pūṣan. And Pūṣan is this earth, for she nourishes (puṣyati) all that is.
Version
61fab93e4f71 · published Jul 27, 2026, 12:43:58 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The fourth outpouring is the śūdra, and its heavenly image is astonishing: Pūṣan, the nourishing god, identified with the earth herself, "for she nourishes everything that is". To the varṇa of service the most maternal of deities is given: the earth, the nurse. There is no stigma here but an etymology of glory: śūdra is traced to √puṣ, "to nourish"; service is the nourishing foundation of the world, as the earth is of all who stand upon her.
The four outpourings make up the body of society, in which every member is of divine origin: word, power, plenty, service. A top without a bottom is here as unthinkable as a sky without an earth; and note that the earthly, "lowest" member is the only one named after a nourishing god: he who feeds everyone stands nearest to the image of the earth on which both priest and king are standing.