Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 6,4.25
॥
Devanāgarī
अथ अस्य दक्षिणं कर्णम् अभिनिधाय वाक् वाक् इति त्रिः अथ दधि मधु घृतं संनीय अनन्तर्हितेन जातरूपेण प्राशयति भूः ते दधामि भुवः ते दधामि स्वः ते दधामि भूः भुवः स्वः सर्वं त्वयि दधामि इति
Transliteration (IAST)
atha asya dakṣiṇaṃ karṇam abhinidhāya vāk vāk iti triḥ atha dadhi madhu ghṛtaṃ saṃnīya anantarhitena jātarūpeṇa prāśayati bhūḥ te dadhāmi bhuvaḥ te dadhāmi svaḥ te dadhāmi bhūḥ bhuvaḥ svaḥ sarvaṃ tvayi dadhāmi iti
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अथathathereupon; further
अस्यasyait; of this
दक्षिणंdakṣiṇaṃthe right; the southern
कर्णम्karṇamto the ear (karṇa, acc.); into the ear; to the ear
अभिनिधायabhinidhāyabending down (abhi-ni + √dhā); having approached; stooping
वाक्vākspeech; the voice
वाक्vākspeech; the voice
इतिitithus; how
त्रिःtriḥthree times; thrice
अथathathereupon; further
दधिdadhicurds (dadhi); the curds; the curds
मधुmadhuhoney (madhu); honey; honey
घृतंghṛtaṃbutter (ghṛta); ghee; butter
संनीयsaṃnīyahaving mixed it; having mixed
अनन्तर्हितेनanantarhitenaunset in anything (an-antarhita — 'pure'); without a setting; pure
जातरूपेणjātarūpeṇawith gold (jātarūpa, instr.); with native gold; with gold
प्राशयतिprāśayatihe feeds him (pra + √aś, causative); he gives him to taste; it feeds
भूःbhūḥbhūḥ; the earthly utterance
तेteto you; your
दधामिdadhāmiI place; I put in
भुवःbhuvaḥbhuvaḥ; the middle utterance
तेteto you; your
दधामिdadhāmiI place; I put in
स्वःsvaḥsvaḥ; the heavenly call
तेteto you; your
दधामिdadhāmiI place; I put in
भूःbhūḥbhūḥ; the earthly utterance
भुवःbhuvaḥbhuvaḥ; the middle utterance
स्वःsvaḥsvaḥ; the heavenly call
सर्वंsarvaṃall; the fullness
त्वयिtvayiin you; to you
दधामिdadhāmiI place; I put in
इतिitithus; how
Translation
Then, bending to his right ear, he [whispers] three times: "Speech! Speech!" Then, mixing curds, honey and butter, he feeds him with unset gold: "Bhūs I lay in you, bhuvas I lay in you, svar I lay in you — bhūr bhuvaḥ svar, all of it I lay in you!"
Version
b17968a4274f · published Jul 27, 2026, 1:30:39 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The newborn's first gifts: into the right ear three times, vāg vāg — "Speech! Speech!": the first human word laid into a child is the name of the word itself; the son is initiated into the speaking before he learns to suckle. Then a tasting from gold (the honeyed mixture is given with a golden object without a setting — pure metal): the first taste of life is honey from gold!
And the three vyāhṛtis with an "all": "bhūs, bhuvas, svar — all of it I lay in you": the father lays into the infant the three worlds and their fullness. The rite of jātakarma is alive in India to this day — honey and gold greet every newborn; the Upaniṣad shows its source: from the first hour a child is the heir of speech, of sweetness and of the three worlds.