Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 4,3.3
॥
Devanāgarī
अस्तमिते आदित्ये याज्ञवल्क्य किंज्योतिः एव अयं पुरुषः इति चन्द्रमा एव अस्य ज्योतिर् भवति इति चन्द्रमसा एव अयं ज्योतिषास्ते पल्ययते कर्म कुरुते विपल्येति इति एवम् एव एतद् याज्ञवल्क्य
Transliteration (IAST)
astamite āditye yājñavalkya kiṃjyotiḥ eva ayaṃ puruṣaḥ iti candramā eva asya jyotir bhavati iti candramasā eva ayaṃ jyotiṣāste palyayate karma kurute vipalyeti iti evam eva etad yājñavalkya
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अस्तमितेastamitewhen it has set (astam-ita, loc.); after the setting; when it has set
आदित्येādityethe sun; with the sun
याज्ञवल्क्यyājñavalkyaYājñavalkya; O Yājñavalkya
किंज्योतिःkiṃjyotiḥwhat light; having what for his light
एवevaindeed; only
अयंayaṃthis; this man
पुरुषःpuruṣaḥthe puruṣa; the person; the indweller
इतिitithus; how
चन्द्रमाcandramāthe moon (candramas); the lunar orb; the moon
एवevaindeed; only
अस्यasyait; of this
ज्योतिर्jyotirthe light; the radiance
भवतिbhavatibecomes; he presents himself
इतिitithus; how
चन्द्रमसाcandramasāby the moon; by the light of the moon
एवevaindeed; only
अयंayaṃthis; this man
ज्योतिषास्तेjyotiṣāstehe abides by that light; he sits with that for illumination
पल्ययतेpalyayatemoves; he walks about
कर्मkarmawork; action
कुरुतेkurutemakes; he performs
विपल्येतिvipalyetihe returns; he comes back
इतिitithus; how
एवम्evamthus; in this way
एवevaindeed; only
एतद्etadthis; the present
याज्ञवल्क्यyājñavalkyaYājñavalkya; O Yājñavalkya
Translation
"And when the sun has set, Yājñavalkya, by what light does this man live?" — "The moon becomes his light: by the light of the moon he sits, goes out, works and returns." — "Just so, Yājñavalkya."
Version
f45852d45ebd · published Jul 27, 2026, 1:11:14 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The first light is out: the sun has set. The man has not stopped — he lives by the moon: night cancels neither his work nor his journeys, only the light has become borrowed at second hand (the moon shines on loan itself).
The ladder of lights is also a ladder of diminishing dependence: each next light is weaker and nearer. Janaka puts them out methodically, like a servant snuffing the lamps in a hall, checking: when will it be dark at last? The Upaniṣad invites the reader to put them out along with him — and to watch the one who sees all the while.