Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 5,7.1
॥
Devanāgarī
विद्युत् ब्रह्म इति आहुः विदानात् विद्युत् विद्यति एनम् पाप्मनो यः एवम् वेद विद्युत् ब्रह्म इति विद्युत् हि एव ब्रह्म
Transliteration (IAST)
vidyut brahma iti āhuḥ vidānāt vidyut vidyati enam pāpmano yaḥ evam veda vidyut brahma iti vidyut hi eva brahma
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
विद्युत्vidyutlightning (vidyut); lightning; lightning
ब्रह्मbrahmaBrahman; the sacred reality
इतिitithus; how
आहुःāhuḥthey say; they declare
विदानात्vidānātfrom cutting (vidāna, abl.); from being cut; from severing
विद्युत्vidyutlightning (vidyut); lightning; lightning
विद्यतिvidyatihe cuts (from √vyadh/do); he severs; he cuts
एनम्enamit; of this
पाप्मनोpāpmanofrom evil (pāpman, abl.); from defilement; from evil
यःyaḥwho; the one who
एवम्evamthus; in this way
वेदvedaknows; realises
विद्युत्vidyutlightning (vidyut); lightning; lightning
ब्रह्मbrahmaBrahman; the sacred reality
इतिitithus; how
विद्युत्vidyutlightning (vidyut); lightning; lightning
हिhiindeed; truly
एवevaindeed; only
ब्रह्मbrahmaBrahman; the sacred reality
Translation
"Lightning is Brahman," they say: from cleaving (vidāna) it is lightning (vidyut). It cleaves evil away from one who knows: "lightning is Brahman"; for lightning is indeed Brahman.
Version
27d543fb208d · published Jul 27, 2026, 1:21:57 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The vidyā of lightning, with an etymology like a sword: vidyut from vi-√dā/√do, "to cleave": lightning is the Cleaver, a flash that splits the darkness in two. And the power of the name is transferred to the knower: it "cleaves away evil" from the one who venerates it as Brahman.
Lightning is an image that runs through the book: the light of revelation (2.3.6), the last stage of the path (ChU 4.15.5), the glory of truth "as if just flashed". Here it is given a rank: not an image of Brahman but Brahman (in the aspect of a sudden light that comes all at once). The knower is promised its property: his severance from evil is no long sawing but a discharge.