Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 1,5.6
॥
Devanāgarī
देवाः पितरः मनुष्याः एते एव वाक् एव देवाः मनः पितरः प्राणः मानुष्याः
Transliteration (IAST)
devāḥ pitaraḥ manuṣyāḥ ete eva vāk eva devāḥ manaḥ pitaraḥ prāṇaḥ mānuṣyāḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
देवाःdevāḥthe gods (deva, pl.); the gods; the gods
पितरःpitaraḥthe fathers (pitṛ, pl.); the fathers; the forefathers
मनुष्याःmanuṣyāḥmen (manuṣya, pl.); human beings; people
एतेetethese; the following
एवevaindeed; only
वाक्vākspeech; the voice
एवevaindeed; only
देवाःdevāḥthe gods (deva, pl.); the gods; the gods
मनःmanaḥthe mind; thinking
पितरःpitaraḥthe fathers (pitṛ, pl.); the fathers; the forefathers
प्राणःprāṇaḥthe prāṇa; the vital breath
मानुष्याःmānuṣyāḥpeople; human beings
Translation
They are also the gods, the fathers and men: speech is the gods, the mind the fathers, the breath men.
Version
3fccfda449cc · published Jul 27, 2026, 12:45:47 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The third measure is the three kinds of beings: the gods live in speech (invoked by the word of sacrifice), the fathers in the mind (in memory and remembrance), men in the breath (in living presence). All three estates of the universe are gathered in one man's constitution.
The middle term is beautifully exact: the fathers are the mind; the departed live where memory is. Commemoration is not a custom but the dwelling-place of a whole order of beings: a forgetful man deprives the fathers of their world; one who remembers gives them a roof in his own mind.