Upanishads · Śvetāśvatara 2.4
॥
Devanāgarī
युञ्जते मन उत युञ्जते धियो विप्रा विप्रस्य बृहतो विपश्चितः ।
वि होत्रा दधे वयुनाविद् एक इन् मही देवस्य सवितुः परिष्टुतिः
Transliteration (IAST)
yuñjate mana uta yuñjate dhiyo viprā viprasya bṛhato vipaścitaḥ /
vi hotrā dadhe vayunāvid eka in mahī devasya savituḥ pariṣṭutiḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
युञ्जतेyuñjatethey yoke; they harness
मनःmanaḥthe mind; manas
उतutaand also; and
युञ्जतेyuñjatethey yoke; they harness
धियःdhiyaḥthe thoughts; the understandings
विप्राःviprāḥthe inspired ones; the seer-sages
विप्रस्यviprasyaof the Inspired One; of Him who inspires
बृहतःbṛhataḥof the great; of the immense
विपश्चितःvipaścitaḥof the all-knowing; of the far-seeing
वि होत्रा दधेvi hotrā dadhehas distributed the offices; has laid out the sacrificial duties
वयुनावित्vayunāvitknowing the ordinances; who knows the arrangement
एकःekaḥone; He alone
इत्itprecisely; only
महीmahīgreat; mighty
देवस्यdevasyaof God; of the Deity
सवितुःsavituḥof Savitṛ; of the Impeller
परिष्टुतिःpariṣṭutiḥthe praise; the laud
Translation
The inspired yoke their mind, they yoke their thoughts — servants of the Inspired One, the great, the all-knowing. He alone, knowing the ordinances, has distributed the offices. Great is the praise of God Savitṛ.
Version
638c55fa8bc2 · published Jul 28, 2026, 2:13:46 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The mantra plays on a single word: viprāḥ, "the inspired", is said both of the priests and of Him whom they serve, vipraḥ. The servants are inspired because He is inspired; their far-sightedness is a reflection of His.
The middle of the line speaks of the structure of the rite: "He alone, knowing the ordinances, has distributed the offices". In a great sacrifice there are several priests, each with his share: one recites, one chants, one acts; and this order was not invented by men. The word vayunāvit means "knowing the arrangement": He alone holds the whole ordinance in mind, while each man gets his portion.
Hence a thought that matters outside ritual too: the division of services does not humiliate the servant. Each has his own share not because he is small, but because the work is great and only One knows it entire. Vedānta will later unfold the same logic in explaining why different souls have different paths and different moods of service.
The end of the mantra is not an argument but an exclamation: "great is the praise of God Savitṛ". The first four mantras described technique; here technique is interrupted for the first time by praise. In the next, an address to all who hear will sound as well.