Upanishads · Śvetāśvatara 1.11
॥
Devanāgarī
ज्ञात्वा देवं सर्वपाशापहानिः क्षीनैः क्लेशैर् जन्ममृत्युप्रहाणिः ।
तस्याभिध्यानात् तृतीयं देहभेदे विश्वैश्वर्यं केवल आप्तकामः
Transliteration (IAST)
jñātvā devaṃ sarvapāśāpahāniḥ kṣīnaiḥ kleśair janmamṛtyuprahāṇiḥ /
tasyābhidhyānāt tṛtīyaṃ dehabhede viśvaiśvaryaṃ kevala āptakāmaḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ज्ञात्वाjñātvāhaving known; having recognised
देवम्devamGod; the Deity
सर्वपाशापहानिःsarvapāśāpahāniḥthe falling away of all fetters; the loss of every bond
क्षीणैःkṣīṇaiḥwith exhausted; when they are exhausted
क्लेशैःkleśaiḥkleśas; afflictions, the root defects
जन्ममृत्युप्रहाणिःjanmamṛtyuprahāṇiḥthe ending of birth and death; the end of births and deaths
तस्य अभिध्यानात्tasya abhidhyānātfrom contemplating Him; through remembrance of Him
तृतीयम्tṛtīyama third; a third state
देहभेदेdehabhedeat the falling of the body; when the body dissolves
विश्वैश्वर्यम्viśvaiśvaryamuniversal lordship; power over all
केवलःkevalaḥalone; self-sufficient, needing nothing
आप्तकामःāptakāmaḥfulfilled in desire; one whose desires have come to pass
Translation
On knowing God — the falling away of all fetters; with the exhausting of the kleśas — the end of birth and death. From contemplating Him, at the falling of the body, comes a third: universal lordship; he is alone and fulfilled in all desire.
Version
da507169de20 · published Jul 28, 2026, 2:13:46 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The mantra lists the fruits in order, and the order is worth following, for three different things are distinguished in it.
The first is "the falling away of all fetters" upon knowing God. This happens here, during life: the knots tied by the claim to the owner's role are untied at the very moment the true Owner is recognised.
The second is the ending of birth and death, and it is linked to the exhausting of the kleśas. The kleśas are the root defects of consciousness, those same five that at 1.5 were called "the flood of sorrows": ignorance, egoity, attraction, aversion, clinging to life. While they are alive they will themselves seek out a new body. Note: it is not said "destroyed" but "exhausted" — they burn out gradually.
The third is called simply "a third", tṛtīyam, and it is the fruit after the falling of the body. A third — because it is over and above the two known posthumous paths, the lunar (for the performers of rites) and the brahmic; it is another abode. It is precisely on this line that Baladeva leans in the Govinda-bhāṣya, showing that the knower has his own, particular departure.
This fruit is described by two words. Viśvaiśvarya, "universal lordship": the liberated one shares the power and majesty of God. And immediately: kevala and āpta-kāma, "alone" and "fulfilled in desire", that is, desiring nothing further, since there is nothing left to desire. It is remarkable that lordship and peace stand side by side: the power obtained breeds no new claims, because it is given to one who already lacks nothing.
The last qualification will be made by the fourth adhyāya of the Vedānta-sūtra: this power is "everything except the governing of the universe"; the helm stays with the Lord, and this is no loss to the liberated one, for he did not come to rule.