Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 6,1.5
॥
Devanāgarī
यः ह वा आयतनं वेदायतनं स्वानां भवति आयतनं जनानाम् मनो वा आयतनम् आयतनं स्वानां भवति आयतनं जनानाम् यः एवम् वेद
Transliteration (IAST)
yaḥ ha vā āyatanaṃ vedāyatanaṃ svānāṃ bhavati āyatanaṃ janānām mano vā āyatanam āyatanaṃ svānāṃ bhavati āyatanaṃ janānām yaḥ evam veda
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यःyaḥwho; the one who
हhasurely; as is known
वाvātruly; surely
आयतनंāyatanaṃan abode (āyatana); the dwelling place; dwelling
वेदायतनंvedāyatanaṃhe knows the abode; he grasps the foundation
स्वानांsvānāṃamong his own; for his own
भवतिbhavatibecomes; he presents himself
आयतनंāyatanaṃan abode (āyatana); the dwelling place; dwelling
जनानाम्janānāmof men (jana, gen. pl.); of the folk; of men
मनोmanothe mind (manas); the intellect; the mind
वाvātruly; surely
आयतनम्āyatanamdwelling; the abode
आयतनंāyatanaṃan abode (āyatana); the dwelling place; dwelling
स्वानांsvānāṃamong his own; for his own
भवतिbhavatibecomes; he presents himself
आयतनंāyatanaṃan abode (āyatana); the dwelling place; dwelling
जनानाम्janānāmof men (jana, gen. pl.); of the folk; of men
यःyaḥwho; the one who
एवम्evamthus; in this way
वेदvedaknows; realises
Translation
He who knows the dwelling becomes a dwelling for his own people and a dwelling for people at large. The mind is the dwelling. He who knows this becomes a dwelling for his own and a dwelling for people at large.
Version
d9e97c905c4f · published Jul 27, 2026, 1:24:18 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The mind's title is āyatana, dwelling: in the mind all perceptions and all the beings we think about are lodged as guests; a man with a well-kept mind is a house for many.
The Bṛhadāraṇyaka widens the Chāndogya formula: not "his own" only but "people" in general — the knower becomes a shelter for humankind: to a roomy mind people come for counsel, judgment and consolation, as travellers to a caravanserai.