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Upanishads · Dattātreya 1.16
॥
Devanāgarī
आनुष्टुभोऽयं मयाधीतः । अब्रह्मजन्मदोषाश्च प्रणश्यन्ति । सर्वोपकारी मोक्षी भवति । य एवं वेदेत्युपनिषत्
Transliteration (IAST)
ānuṣṭubho'yaṃ mayādhītaḥ | abrahmajanmadoṣāśca praṇaśyanti | sarvopakārī mokṣī bhavati | ya evaṃ vedetyupaniṣat
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
आनुष्टुभः अयं मया अधीतःānuṣṭubhaḥ ayaṃ mayā adhītaḥthis anuṣṭubh has been read by me
अ-ब्रह्म-जन्म-दोषाः च प्रणश्यन्तिa-brahma-janma-doṣāḥ ca praṇaśyantiand the flaws of non-brāhmaṇa birth perish
सर्व-उपकारी मोक्षी भवतिsarva-upakārī mokṣī bhavatibecomes helpful to all and free
यः एवं वेद इति उपनिषत्yaḥ evaṃ veda iti upaniṣatwhoever knows thus; such is the upaniṣad
Translation
«This [verse] in the anuṣṭubh meter has been read by me; and the flaws of non-brāhmaṇa birth perish. [The reader] becomes helpful to all and free — whoever knows thus. Such is the upaniṣad».
Version
d3aa1cc61157 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The first chapter ends, and in its last passage stands a claim that must be stated plainly, for it matters. It says: abrahma-janma-doṣāś ca praṇaśyanti, “the flaws of non-brāhmaṇa birth perish.” That is, reading this verse removes the disadvantage of birth.
This claim occurs in such literature, and deserves noting with approval: it means the mantra is not for brāhmaṇas alone, and that birth is not a final barrier. Let us add, however, what remains unpleasant in it. Non-brāhmaṇa birth is still called a doṣa, “flaw”; that is, the barrier is removed, but it is itself acknowledged as just.
The Vaiṣṇava side holds otherwise, and holds it firmly; its argument was cited reading the Vajrasūcikā, and let us repeat it briefly. A brāhmaṇa is defined not by birth, but by qualities; and the Bhāgavatam (7.11.35) says directly: if the marks prescribed for a brāhmaṇa are found in a śūdra, he must be considered the brāhmaṇa, not one lacking them. Let us add what is good in this passage: sarvopakārī mokṣī bhavati, “becomes helpful to all and free.”
Note the order: first helpful to others, then free. That is, the fruit is named twofold, and its first half faces outward; and this, to my mind, is the soundest measure of any attainment, discussed reading the Śāṭyāyanīya (31): the one who arrives is called not a passenger, but a ferryman.