Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 6,3.9
॥
Devanāgarī
एतम् उ ह एव मधुकः पैङ्ग्यः चूलाय भागवित्तये अन्तेवासिने उक्त्वा उवाच अपि यः एनम् शुष्के स्थाणौ निषिञ्चेत् जायेरञ् छाखाः प्ररोहेयुः पलाशानि इति
Transliteration (IAST)
etam u ha eva madhukaḥ paiṅgyaḥ cūlāya bhāgavittaye antevāsine uktvā uvāca api yaḥ enam śuṣke sthāṇau niṣiñcet jāyerañ chākhāḥ praroheyuḥ palāśāni iti
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एतम्etamof this; it
उusurely; indeed
हhasurely; as is known
एवevaindeed; only
मधुकःmadhukaḥMadhuka; the name of a teacher in the line of transmission
पैङ्ग्यःpaiṅgyaḥPaiṅgya; the name of a teacher in the line of transmission
चूलायcūlāyato Cūla; the name of a teacher in the line of transmission
भागवित्तयेbhāgavittayeto Bhāgavitti; the name of a teacher in the line of transmission
अन्तेवासिनेantevāsineto his pupil; the name of a teacher in the line of transmission
उक्त्वाuktvāso saying; having uttered
उवाचuvācahe said; he uttered
अपिapieven; if
यःyaḥwho; the one who
एनम्enamthis; it
शुष्केśuṣkeupon a dry; on a dry
स्थाणौsthāṇaustump; trunk
निषिञ्चेत्niṣiñcethe would pour out; he would sprinkle
जायेरञ्jāyerañthere would be born; there would appear
छाखाःchākhāḥbranches; shoots
प्ररोहेयुःpraroheyuḥthey would sprout; they would grow
पलाशानिpalāśānithe leaves; foliage
इतिitithus; how
Translation
This same [mantha] Madhuka Paiṅgya told to his pupil Cūla Bhāgavitti, and said: "Even if one poured it on a dry stump, branches would be born and leaves would sprout."
Version
ea46c6f33093 · published Jul 27, 2026, 1:27:19 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The third link: Madhuka to Cūla. The formula of the dry stump is repeated at every link like a password: the one who hands it on testifies that the power of the vidyā has not gone stale in his hands.
Link by link the formula of the dry stump is repeated: the power of the vidyā is tested at every handing-on, as fire is at every kindling. The vine grows as long as that "leaves will sprout" is alive.