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Upanishads · Muktikā 2.37
॥
Devanāgarī
अस्य संसारवृक्षस्य मनोमूलमिदं स्थितम् । संकल्प एव तन्मन्ये संकल्पोपशमेन तत्
Transliteration (IAST)
asya saṃsāravṛkṣasya manomūlamidaṃ sthitam | saṃkalpa eva tanmanye saṃkalpopaśamena tat
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अस्य संसार-वृक्षस्यasya saṃsāra-vṛkṣasyaof this tree of the round of existence
मनः-मूलम् इदं स्थितम्manaḥ-mūlam idaṃ sthitammind stands as the root
संकल्पः एव तत् मन्येsaṃkalpaḥ eva tat manyeintention indeed, I think, it is
संकल्प-उपशमेन तत्saṃkalpa-upaśamena tatby the quieting of intention, it
Translation
«Of this tree of the round of existence, mind stands as the root; and I think it is nothing but intention. By the quieting of intention…»
Version
c5af472af9ce · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
A definition of mind is given, and it is basic in this school: saṅkalpa eva tan manye, «I think it is intention». Saṅkalpa means «intention, purpose, resolve»; and the mind is defined through it, not through the capacity to think. This definition, I think, is exact and worth stating.
The mind is not what knows, but what wants and resolves; and hence it is cured not by information but by a change of wanting. The same distinction was noted at Sarasvatī-rahasya (4.16), where saṅkalpa was read as «one's own plans». Add what the Vaishnava side adds to this and what makes the definition workable.
If the mind is intention, then «to destroy the mind» means to remain without plans of one's own; and this is exactly what the Gītā calls nimitta-mātraṃ bhava, «be a mere instrument» (11.33). That is, the matter is not about not thinking, but about not scheming for oneself. Read so, this whole chapter becomes acceptable and stops demanding the impossible.
Add what is worth noting in the course of the verse itself: it says manye, «I think». That is, Rāma speaks not as one declaring but as one reasoning; and this, in a book full of promises, is worth noting.