Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 1,5.5
॥
Devanāgarī
त्रयः वेदाः एते एव वाक् एव ऋग्वेदः मनः यजुर्वेदः प्राणः सामवेदः
Transliteration (IAST)
trayaḥ vedāḥ ete eva vāk eva ṛgvedaḥ manaḥ yajurvedaḥ prāṇaḥ sāmavedaḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
त्रयःtrayaḥthree; a trio of
वेदाःvedāḥthe Vedas (veda, pl.); the Vedas; the Vedas
एतेetethese; the following
एवevaindeed; only
वाक्vākspeech; the voice
एवevaindeed; only
ऋग्वेदःṛgvedaḥthe Ṛg-veda (ṛg-veda); the Ṛg-veda; the Ṛg-veda
मनःmanaḥthe mind; thinking
यजुर्वेदःyajurvedaḥthe Yajur-veda (yajur-veda); the Yajur-veda; the Yajur-veda
प्राणःprāṇaḥthe prāṇa; the vital breath
सामवेदःsāmavedaḥthe Sāma-veda (sāma-veda); the Sāma-veda; the Sāma-veda
Translation
They are also the three Vedas: speech is the Ṛg-veda, the mind the Yajur-veda, the breath the Sāma-veda.
Version
de90d6224d54 · published Jul 27, 2026, 12:45:47 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The second measure is the three Vedas: speech is the Ṛg-veda (the hymns that are spoken), the mind the Yajur-veda (the formulas that guide the silent action of the rite), the breath the Sāma-veda (the chant that lives by the breath). All sacred knowledge is already laid out within the man himself: he is a walking three-Veda.
Hence the dignity of the constitution: to speak, to think and to breathe is to carry the syllables of the three Vedas within. To defile speech, mind or breath is to defile scripture; to purify them is to learn it by heart with one's body.