Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 4,4.20
॥
Devanāgarī
एकधैव अनुद्रष्टव्यम् एतद् अप्रमयं ध्रुवम् विरजः परः आकाशात् अजः आत्मा महान् ध्रुवः
Transliteration (IAST)
ekadhaiva anudraṣṭavyam etad apramayaṃ dhruvam virajaḥ paraḥ ākāśāt ajaḥ ātmā mahān dhruvaḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एकधैवekadhaivaas one alone (ekadhā eva); in one way only; as one
अनुद्रष्टव्यम्anudraṣṭavyamone should contemplate; it is to be seen
एतद्etadthis; the present
अप्रमयंapramayaṃimmeasurable (a-prameya); not to be measured; immeasurable
ध्रुवम्dhruvamconstant (dhruva); unshakable; steady
विरजःvirajaḥfree from dust (vi-rajas); dustless; unstained
परःparaḥhigher (para); above; higher
आकाशात्ākāśātthan space (ākāśa, abl.); than the ākāśa; of space
अजःajaḥunborn (a-ja); unborn; unborn
आत्माātmāthe self; the ātman
महान्mahānthe great (mahat); great; great
ध्रुवःdhruvaḥthe steady; unchanging
Translation
As one it is to be beheld — this immeasurable, steadfast one; unstained, higher than space, unborn is the ātman, great, steadfast.
Version
37d9796fdaf1 · published Jul 27, 2026, 1:17:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The charge about seeing continues and turns into praise: ekadhaivānudraṣṭavyam — "as one it is to be beheld"; and then the titles: aprameya — immeasurable (no yardstick of the mind takes Him), dhruva — steadfast (twice! like the pole star, dhruva), virajaḥ — unstained, para ākāśāt — "higher than space" (that very space on which everything is woven — 3.8.11!), ajaḥ — unborn, mahān — great.
Six titles, six denials of the world's power over Him: neither measure nor wavering nor stain nor extension nor birth can reach Him. The Gītā will gather them into its great verses about the unborn one (aja, BG 2.20–21). To behold Him "as one" is to see all six at once: unity is the very immeasurability, purity and steadfastness of the Unborn.