Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 2,4.8
॥
Devanāgarī
सः यथा शङ्खस्य ध्मायमानस्य न बाह्यान् शब्दान् शक्नुयात् ग्रहणाय शङ्खस्य तु ग्रहणेन शङ्खध्मस्य वा शब्दः गृहीतः
Transliteration (IAST)
saḥ yathā śaṅkhasya dhmāyamānasya na bāhyān śabdān śaknuyāt grahaṇāya śaṅkhasya tu grahaṇena śaṅkhadhmasya vā śabdaḥ gṛhītaḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सःsaḥhe; that one
यथाyathāhow; as far as
शङ्खस्यśaṅkhasyaof a conch (śaṅkha, gen.); of the śaṅkha; of the conch
ध्मायमानस्यdhmāyamānasyawhen it is blown (passive participle of √dhmā); being blown; when it is blown
नnanot; no
बाह्यान्bāhyānthe outward; the external
शब्दान्śabdānof speech; sounds
शक्नुयात्śaknuyāthe would be able; he would be capable
ग्रहणायgrahaṇāyafor the grasping; for the perceiving
शङ्खस्यśaṅkhasyaof a conch (śaṅkha, gen.); of the śaṅkha; of the conch
तुtusurely; but
ग्रहणेनgrahaṇenaby grasping; by taking hold
शङ्खध्मस्यśaṅkhadhmasyaof the blower (śaṅkha-dhma, gen.); of the trumpeter; of the conch-blower
वाvātruly; surely
शब्दःśabdaḥsound; the sounding
गृहीतःgṛhītaḥis grasped; is caught
Translation
as, when a conch is blown, one cannot catch the outward sounds one by one, but by catching the conch, or the blower of the conch, the sound too is caught; —
Version
b3c873bf889f · published Jul 27, 2026, 12:54:37 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The second parable is the conch: its call floats everywhere and nowhere gives itself into the hand; take the conch itself, or the trumpeter's lips, and the whole call is yours.
In the tradition the conch is the voice of a sacred summons (the śaṅkha calls to prayer and to battle: Kṛṣṇa blows it at the opening of the Gītā). The sense is the same, with a tinge of tidings: do not chase the echoes of truth about the world — touch the Mouth that blows. Every teaching is grasped in the teacher, every message in the Messenger.