Upanishads · Śvetāśvatara 4.9
॥
Devanāgarī
छन्दांसि यज्ञाः क्रतवो व्रतानि भूतं भव्यं यच् च वेदा वदन्ति ।
अस्मान् मायी सृजते विश्वम् एतत् तस्मिंश् चान्यो मायया संनिरुद्धः
Transliteration (IAST)
chandāṃsi yajñāḥ kratavo vratāni bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ yac ca vedā vadanti /
asmān māyī sṛjate viśvam etat tasmiṃś cānyo māyayā saṃniruddhaḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
छन्दांसिchandāṃsithe metres; the metres of the Veda
यज्ञाःyajñāḥthe sacrifices; the offerings
क्रतवःkratavaḥthe rites; the ordered ceremonies
व्रतानिvratānithe vows; the observances
भूतम्bhūtamwhat has been; the past
भव्यम्bhavyamwhat is to be; the future
यत् च वेदाः वदन्तिyat ca vedāḥ vadantiand what the Vedas declare; all that the Vedas proclaim
अस्मात्asmātout of this; from this
मायीmāyīthe Wielder of māyā; the possessor of the magic power
सृजतेsṛjatecreates; brings forth
विश्वम् एतत्viśvam etatall this universe; this whole world
तस्मिन्tasminin it; within it
च अन्यःca anyaḥand the other; while another
माययाmāyayāby māyā; by that same power
संनिरुद्धःsaṃniruddhaḥis shut in; is held captive
Translation
The metres, the sacrifices, the rites, the vows, the past and the future and all that the Vedas declare — out of this the Wielder of māyā creates this whole universe; and the other is shut up in it by that same māyā.
Version
dd8a6a5268d6 · published Jul 28, 2026, 2:13:46 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The mantra names two and with one word parts them for ever: māyī — "the Wielder of māyā" — and anyaḥ — "the other", who is "shut in" by her.
One and the same power is in His hands and on us as fetters. Hence a simple but, for all Vedānta, decisive distinction: God and the soul differ not because they are made of different stuff but in how they stand toward māyā. He wields her; we are held in her.
Remarkable is what He creates out of: the metres of the Veda, sacrifices, rites, vows, past and future. The world, then, is woven not of matter alone but of institutions: of time, of the order of rites, of what has been said in words. Everything by which we measure and build our life is part of the creation — and therefore cannot be a foothold outside it.
The word saṁniruddha, "shut in, held fast", leaves no illusions about our present freedom. But it also promises: one who is shut in is not annihilated; he is whole and can be let out.
The next mantra will state outright what māyā is and who her Wielder is; and it will be one of the most quoted passages of the whole Upaniṣad.