Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 1,5.8
॥
Devanāgarī
विज्ञातम् विजिज्ञास्यम् अविज्ञातम् एते एव यत् किञ्च विज्ञातम् वाचः तद् रूपम् वाक् हि विज्ञाता वाक् एनम् तद् भूत्वा अवति
Transliteration (IAST)
vijñātam vijijñāsyam avijñātam ete eva yat kiñca vijñātam vācaḥ tad rūpam vāk hi vijñātā vāk enam tad bhūtvā avati
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
विज्ञातम्vijñātamthe known (vijñāta); known; comprehended
विजिज्ञास्यम्vijijñāsyamthe to-be-known (vijijñāsya — 'what is to be known'); what knowledge seeks; the knowable
अविज्ञातम्avijñātamthe unknown (a-vijñāta); the unknown; the unknown
एतेetethese; the following
एवevaindeed; only
यत्yatthat which; that which
किञ्चkiñcaanything; all that
विज्ञातम्vijñātamthe known (vijñāta); known; comprehended
वाचःvācaḥof speech; of speech
तद्tadthat; this
रूपम्rūpamthe form; a shape
वाक्vākspeech; the voice
हिhiindeed; truly
विज्ञाताvijñātāthe knower (vijñātṛ); the knowing one; the one who has known
वाक्vākspeech; the voice
एनम्enamit; of this
तद्tadthat; this
भूत्वाbhūtvāhaving become; having turned into
अवतिavatiit protects (from √av); it protects; she protects
Translation
They are also the known, the to-be-known and the unknown. Whatever is known is a form of speech, for speech is the knower; having become that, it protects [the knower].
Version
e3b417d71145 · published Jul 27, 2026, 12:48:21 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The fifth measure is the three provinces of knowledge, and the first is given to speech: everything known is "a form of speech", for knowledge that has become a word is the shape in which what is known is stored and handed on. Speech is the treasurer of everything mankind has already understood.
And there is a remarkable addition: "having become that, it protects". Knowledge spoken out is a protection: the word guards the one who understood as walls guard a dweller. That is why the tradition prizes the exact formula, the mantra, the confession of faith so highly: truth clothed in the right speech shelters the one who bears it.