Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 3,8.5
॥
Devanāgarī
सा ह उवाच नमस् ते अस्तु याज्ञवल्क्य यः मे एतं व्यवोचः अपरस्मै धारयस्व इति पृच्छ गार्गि इति
Transliteration (IAST)
sā ha uvāca namas te astu yājñavalkya yaḥ me etaṃ vyavocaḥ aparasmai dhārayasva iti pṛccha gārgi iti
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
साsāshe; that one
हhasurely; as is known
उवाचuvācahe said; he uttered
नमस्namashomage (namas); obeisance; obeisance
तेtethose; these
अस्तुastuvery well; may he be
याज्ञवल्क्यyājñavalkyaYājñavalkya; O Yājñavalkya
यःyaḥwho; the one who
मेmemyself; in my house
एतंetaṃof this; this
व्यवोचःvyavocaḥhe settled it (vi + √vac, aorist); he explained; he resolved
अपरस्मैaparasmaifor another; for the next one
धारयस्वdhārayasvamake ready (from √dhṛ, imperative middle — 'hold yourself'); hold fast; make ready
इतिitithus; how
पृच्छpṛcchaask; ask your question
गार्गिgārgiO Gārgī; Gārgī
इतिitithus; how
Translation
She said: "Homage to you, Yājñavalkya! You have resolved this for me. Make ready for the second." — "Ask, Gārgī."
Version
d8a87e91eeda · published Jul 27, 2026, 1:04:09 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Between the arrows, a bow: namas te 'stu yājñavalkya. Gārgī fights like a knight: an exact answer is honoured before the next stroke. In the brahmodya the opponents are not enemies: both serve the truth, and courtesy to a rival is courtesy to her.
"Make ready for the second" (aparasmai dhārayasva — "hold yourself for the other") is the warning of an archer drawing the string. The question that is about to sound will repeat the first word for word — and in that repetition will lie all its force.