Upanishads
Bṛhadāraṇyaka UpaniṣadBṛhadāraṇyaka 3,9.11
1222 / 5341
Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 3,9.11
Devanāgarī

कामः एव यस्य आयतनम् हृदयम् लोकः मनः ज्योतिः यः वै तं पुरुषम् विद्यात् सर्वस्यात्मनः परायणम् सः वै वेदिता स्यात् याज्ञवल्क्य वेद वा अहं तं पुरुषम् सर्वस्यात्मनः परायणम् यम् आत्थ यः एव अयम् काममयः पुरुषः सः एषः वदैव शाकल्य तस्य का देवता इति स्त्रियः इति ह उवाच

Transliteration (IAST)

kāmaḥ eva yasya āyatanam hṛdayam lokaḥ manaḥ jyotiḥ yaḥ vai taṃ puruṣam vidyāt sarvasyātmanaḥ parāyaṇam saḥ vai veditā syāt yājñavalkya veda vā ahaṃ taṃ puruṣam sarvasyātmanaḥ parāyaṇam yam āttha yaḥ eva ayam kāmamayaḥ puruṣaḥ saḥ eṣaḥ vadaiva śākalya tasya kā devatā iti striyaḥ iti ha uvāca

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
कामःkāmaḥdesire; amorous longing
एवevaindeed; only
यस्यyasyawhose; in whose case
आयतनम्āyatanamthe support; the support; place of abiding
हृदयम्hṛdayamthe heart; the core
लोकःlokaḥthe world; dwelling
मनःmanaḥthe mind; thinking
ज्योतिःjyotiḥthe light; the radiance
यःyaḥwho; the one who
वैvaitruly; indeed
तंtaṃthat one; it
पुरुषम्puruṣamthe man; the person
विद्यात्vidyāthe would know; he would realise
सर्वस्यात्मनःsarvasyātmanaḥof the whole self; of the self of all
परायणम्parāyaṇamthe highest resort; the final goal
सःsaḥhe; that one
वैvaitruly; indeed
वेदिताveditāknowing; the one who knows
स्यात्syātvery well; becomes
याज्ञवल्क्यyājñavalkyaYājñavalkya; O Yājñavalkya
वेदvedaknows; realises
वाtruly; surely
अहंahaṃI; I myself
तंtaṃthat one; it
पुरुषम्puruṣamthe man; the person
सर्वस्यात्मनःsarvasyātmanaḥof the whole self; of the self of all
परायणम्parāyaṇamthe highest resort; the final goal
यम्yamyam; the syllable yam
आत्थātthayou said; you maintain
यःyaḥwho; the one who
एवevaindeed; only
अयम्ayamthis; he
काममयःkāmamayaḥconsisting of desire; desire-natured
पुरुषःpuruṣaḥthe puruṣa; the person; the indweller
सःsaḥhe; that one
एषःeṣaḥthis; he
वदैवvadaivatell me then; speak plainly
शाकल्यśākalyaO Śākalya; Śākalya
तस्यtasyait; his
काwhat; who
देवताdevatāthe deity; divine power
इतिitithus; how
स्त्रियःstriyaḥof the woman; the feminine principle
इतिitithus; how
hasurely; as is known
उवाचuvācahe said; he uttered
Translation

"He who knows that person whose dwelling is desire, whose world is the heart, whose light is the mind, the final resort of every self — he is truly a knower, Yājñavalkya!" — "I know that person of whom you speak: he is the person made of desire. Speak on, Śākalya: who is his deity?" And he named his deity.

Version

33e89c55eb3f · published Jul 27, 2026, 1:06:37 AM UTC

Available inRUEN

Page between verses with