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Upanishads · Muktikā 1.47
॥
Devanāgarī
इदमष्टोत्तरशतं न देयं यस्य कस्यचित् । नास्तिकाय कृतघ्नाय दुराचाररताय वै
Transliteration (IAST)
idamaṣṭottaraśataṃ na deyaṃ yasya kasyacit | nāstikāya kṛtaghnāya durācāraratāya vai
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
इदम् अष्ट-उत्तर-शतंidam aṣṭa-uttara-śataṃthese hundred and eight
न देयं यस्य कस्यचित्na deyaṃ yasya kasyacitmust not be given to just anyone
नास्तिकाय कृत-घ्नायnāstikāya kṛta-ghnāyato an unbeliever, to an ingrate
दुराचार-रताय वैdurācāra-ratāya vaito one devoted to evil conduct
Translation
«These hundred and eight must not be given to just anyone: not to an unbeliever, not to an ingrate, not to one devoted to evil conduct…»
Version
efa2e6ae48b7 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here is the contrast for the sake of which the previous verse was spoken: a kingdom and wealth may be given, but this list — may not. Worth appreciating what is done here. A kingdom is the highest a king can give; and it is declared a lighter gift than the hundred and eight books.
That is, the measure set is not what the thing is worth, but what it will do to the one who receives it: a kingdom, falling to an unworthy one, will ruin the kingdom; this — will ruin him himself. Add the list of those to whom it may not be given, for in it there is one surprise. Nāstika — «unbeliever», literally «one who says: it is not».
Kṛtaghna — «ingrate», literally «one who destroys what was done [for him]». Durācāra-rata — «one devoted to evil conduct». Worth noting that named second is the ingrate, not the ignorant or the wicked.
This position, I think, is exact and worth stating. Knowledge in this usage is transmitted as a gift; and hence the ingrate cannot receive it — not because he is unworthy, but because he does not know how to receive. Add what is worth saying of the verse itself (1.18), where durācāra-rata was promised sālokya for a single name, and here he is refused the list.
There is no contradiction here: the name is given to everyone, the teaching — not to everyone; and this distinction, I think, is the most reasonable division that can be arranged.