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Upanishads · Muktikā 2.62
॥
Devanāgarī
अज्ञानसुघनाकारा घनाहंकारशालिनी । पुनर्जन्मकरी प्रोक्ता मलिना वासना बुधैः । पुनर्जन्माङ्कुरं त्यक्त्वा स्थितिः संभृष्टबीजवत्
Transliteration (IAST)
ajñānasughanākārā ghanāhaṃkāraśālinī | punarjanmakarī proktā malinā vāsanā budhaiḥ | punarjanmāṅkuraṃ tyaktvā sthitiḥ saṃbhṛṣṭabījavat
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अ-ज्ञान-सु-घन-आकाराa-jñāna-su-ghana-ākārāof a form dense from ignorance
घन-अहंकार-शालिनीghana-ahaṃkāra-śālinīabounding in dense egoism
पुनः-जन्म-करी प्रोक्ताpunaḥ-janma-karī proktāsaid to bring about new birth
मलिना वासना बुधैःmalinā vāsanā budhaiḥthe soiled habit, by the wise
पुनः-जन्म-अङ्कुरं त्यक्त्वाpunaḥ-janma-aṅkuraṃ tyaktvāhaving left the sprout of new birth
स्थितिः संभृष्ट-बीज-वत्sthitiḥ saṃbhṛṣṭa-bīja-vatstanding — like a roasted seed
Translation
«The soiled habit, dense in form from ignorance and abounding in dense egoism, is called by the wise that which brings about new birth. [The pure], however, stands having left the sprout of new birth — like a roasted seed».
Version
0679cc922323 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
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The comparison sambhṛṣṭa-bīja, «a roasted seed», is given, and it is constant in Indian literature; worth examining it. A seed roasted over fire looks the same: the same shape, the same color, one can hold it in one's palm. But it will not sprout: the power of germination in it has been killed.
That is, the pure habit is described as preserved but powerless: it exists, it does its work, and gives no new birth. This comparison, I think, is the most exact of all we have read on the fruits of a good habit, and here is why. It does not require that the good vanish: it remains, and a person continues to do good by habit.
It only removes from it its seed-power — that is, its capacity to bind. The Vaishnava side holds precisely this, and its own expression was cited at Varāha (4.25) and Muktikā (2.31): the chain is abandoned, not the occupation. Add that this comparison stands too in Patañjali (2.4) and in the Gītā: jñānāgniḥ sarva-karmāṇi bhasma-sāt kurute (4.37), «the fire of knowledge turns all deeds to ash».
Worth noting the difference: there deeds burn away entirely, here the seed remains whole, but does not sprout. And the second, I think, more truly describes the life of one who has attained: his deeds are with him, and he does them — and they do not grow.