Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 6,2.6
॥
Devanāgarī
सः ह उवाच दैवेषु वै गौतम तद् वरेषु मानुषाणां ब्रूहि इति
Transliteration (IAST)
saḥ ha uvāca daiveṣu vai gautama tad vareṣu mānuṣāṇāṃ brūhi iti
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सःsaḥhe; that one
हhasurely; as is known
उवाचuvācahe said; he uttered
दैवेषुdaiveṣuamong the divine (daiva, loc. pl.); among the godly; among the divine
वैvaitruly; indeed
गौतमgautamaO Gautama; Gautama
तद्tadthat; this
वरेषुvareṣuof boons (vara, loc. pl.); of boons; of boons
मानुषाणांmānuṣāṇāṃof the human (mānuṣa, gen. pl.); of men's; of the human
ब्रूहिbrūhispeak; tell
इतिitithus; how
Translation
The king said: "That is among the divine boons, Gautama. Ask among the human ones."
Version
514b28c4285b · published Jul 27, 2026, 1:25:01 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
An attempt at buying off: "that is a divine boon (daiveṣu vareṣu) — ask a human one": the knowledge of the five fires is not on the price list of hospitality; take an estate — a mystery is not handed over on a note of courtesy.
The refusal is not stinginess but a test: so Naciketas was tried with chariots and maidens (KaU 1.23–25). A mystery must satisfy itself that the petitioner will not barter it away; and Gautama will now pass the test in the one way it can be passed.