Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 5,4.1
॥
Devanāgarī
तद् वै तत् एतद् एव तत् आस सत्यम् एव सः यः ह एतम् महद् यक्षम् प्रथमजं वेद सत्यम् ब्रह्म इति जयति इमान् लोकान् जितः असौ असत् यः एवम् एतत् महद् यक्षम् प्रथमजं वेद सत्यम् ब्रह्म इति सत्यम् हि एव ब्रह्म
Transliteration (IAST)
tad vai tat etad eva tat āsa satyam eva saḥ yaḥ ha etam mahad yakṣam prathamajaṃ veda satyam brahma iti jayati imān lokān jitaḥ asau asat yaḥ evam etat mahad yakṣam prathamajaṃ veda satyam brahma iti satyam hi eva brahma
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तद्tadthat; this
वैvaitruly; indeed
तत्tatthat; this
एतद्etadthis; the present
एवevaindeed; only
तत्tatthat; this
आसāsawas; existed
सत्यम्satyamtruth (satya); verity; truth
एवevaindeed; only
सःsaḥhe; that one
यःyaḥwho; the one who
हhasurely; as is known
एतम्etamof this; it
महद्mahadthe great (mahat); the great; the great
यक्षम्yakṣamthe wondrous being (yakṣa — 'a marvel-mystery'); the wondrous being; the marvellous
प्रथमजंprathamajaṃthe First-born (prathama-ja); the first-born; the First-born
वेदvedaknows; realises
सत्यम्satyamtruth (satya); verity; truth
ब्रह्मbrahmaBrahman; the sacred reality
इतिitithus; how
जयतिjayatihe conquers (from √ji); he conquers; he wins
इमान्imānthese; of these
लोकान्lokānworlds; realms
जितःjitaḥis conquered; is won
असौasauthat one; he
असत्asatuntruth; the unreal
यःyaḥwho; the one who
एवम्evamthus; in this way
एतत्etatthis; the present
महद्mahadthe great (mahat); the great; the great
यक्षम्yakṣamthe wondrous being (yakṣa — 'a marvel-mystery'); the wondrous being; the marvellous
प्रथमजंprathamajaṃthe First-born (prathama-ja); the first-born; the First-born
वेदvedaknows; realises
सत्यम्satyamtruth (satya); verity; truth
ब्रह्मbrahmaBrahman; the sacred reality
इतिitithus; how
सत्यम्satyamtruth (satya); verity; truth
हिhiindeed; truly
एवevaindeed; only
ब्रह्मbrahmaBrahman; the sacred reality
Translation
That indeed was this — the truth. He who knows this great wondrous First-born as truth-Brahman conquers these worlds; and may that [enemy] be conquered — he who knows this great wondrous First-born as truth-Brahman: for Brahman is truth.
Version
9d461c619422 · published Jul 27, 2026, 1:20:31 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The vidyā of the First-born: the mahad yakṣam prathamajam — "the great wondrous (yakṣa — a marvel-being, a venerable mystery) First-born" — is to be known as satyaṁ brahma, truth-Brahman. The knower "conquers the worlds" and overcomes his enemy: truth is a weapon that wins before the blow.
The word yakṣa is precious: by that same word the Kena Upaniṣad will name the incomprehensible Mystery that appeared to the gods (KeU 3.1). The firstborn of being is neither a thing nor a principle: a Wondrous One, worthy of awe; and there is one approach to Him: truth — satyaṁ hy eva brahma. The verse prepares the next vidyā, in which the very structure of the word satyam will turn out to be a map of the universe.