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Upanishads · Śāṭyāyanīya 21
॥
Devanāgarī
देवाग्न्यगारे तरुमूले गुहायां वसेदसङ्गोऽलक्षितशीलवृत्तः । अनिन्धनो ज्योतिरिवोपशान्तो न चोद्विजेदुद्विजेद्यत्र कुत्र
Transliteration (IAST)
devāgnyagāre tarumūle guhāyāṃ vasedasaṅgo'lakṣitaśīlavṛttaḥ | anindhano jyotirivopaśānto na codvijedudvijedyatra kutra
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
देव-अग्नि-अगारेdeva-agni-agārein the house of the divine fire
तरु-मूले गुहायांtaru-mūle guhāyāṃat the root of a tree, in a cave
वसेत् अ-सङ्गःvaset a-saṅgaḥlet him dwell, unattached
अ-लक्षित-शील-वृत्तःa-lakṣita-śīla-vṛttaḥwhose character and conduct are unnoticed
अन्-इन्धनः ज्योतिः इवan-indhanaḥ jyotiḥ ivalike a lamp without fuel
उपशान्तःupaśāntaḥstilled
न च उद्विजेत्na ca udvijetand let him not be disturbed
उद्विजेत् यत्र कुत्रudvijet yatra kutrawherever others are disturbed
Translation
"In the house of the divine fire, at the root of a tree, in a cave, let him dwell — unattached, whose character and conduct are unnoticed, stilled, like a lamp without fuel; and let him not be disturbed [by anything], wherever others are disturbed."
Version
85f5979f50a6 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
It is worth noting two expressions. The first — alakṣita-śīla-vṛttaḥ, "whose character and conduct are unnoticed." That is, he is enjoined to be inconspicuous: not to stand out by strictness, by laxity, or by anything at all.
This rule, to my mind, is remarkable and is rarely found stated so directly. It cuts off what is most dangerous in asceticism: austerity for display; and that the appropriation of the spiritual is called demonic was discussed when reading the Varāha (3.23). The Vaiṣṇava side holds this rule and has her own expression for it: avyakta-liṅga, "the unmanifest mark," of which the Bhāgavatam speaks, describing how the accomplished walk unrecognized.
Let us add that this does not contradict the ninth verse: there a manifest mark was required; here manifest self-importance is forbidden. The sign is visible, the austerity is hidden. The second expression — anindhano jyotir iva, "like a lamp without fuel."
The image is fine and worth examining. A lamp without fuel is one that is not fed: it shines, but the flame does not grow, for there is nothing to burn. That is, the person is described as burning evenly: neither flaring up nor going out, for he adds himself no pretexts.
Let us add how this image differs from the usual image of extinguishing. It says not "extinguished" but "without fuel"; that is, the light remains, but the fuel has run out. And the distinction between an extinguished lamp and one shining without fuel is, to my mind, precisely the distinction between emptiness and fullness discussed when reading the Varāha (3.6).