Upanishads · Śvetāśvatara 4.12
॥
Devanāgarī
यो देवानां प्रभवश् चोद्भवश् च विश्वाधिको रुद्रो महर्षिः ।
हिरण्यगर्भं पश्यत जायमानं स नो बुद्ध्या शुभया संयुनक्तु
Transliteration (IAST)
yo devānāṃ prabhavaś codbhavaś ca viśvādhiko rudro maharṣiḥ /
hiraṇyagarbhaṃ paśyata jāyamānaṃ sa no buddhyā śubhayā saṃyunaktu
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यः देवानाम्yaḥ devānāmwho for the gods; He who to the gods
प्रभवःprabhavaḥis the source; is the origin
च उद्भवः चca udbhavaḥ caand the rising; and the coming forth
विश्वाधिकःviśvādhikaḥsurpassing the universe; standing above everything
रुद्रःrudraḥRudra; He who wrings a cry from evil
महर्षिःmaharṣiḥthe great seer; first among the ṛṣis
हिरण्यगर्भम्hiraṇyagarbhamHiraṇyagarbha; the Golden Germ, the firstborn Brahmā
पश्यतpaśyatabehold; see how He beheld
जायमानम्jāyamānambeing born; in the hour of his birth
सः नःsaḥ naḥHe us; may He us
बुद्ध्या शुभयाbuddhyā śubhayāwith a good understanding; with luminous discernment
संयुनक्तुsaṃyunaktumay He join; let Him unite
Translation
He who is the source and the rising of the gods, surpassing the universe, Rudra, the great seer — behold: He saw Hiraṇyagarbha in the hour of his birth. May He join us with a good understanding.
Version
2559f516dbcf · published Jul 28, 2026, 2:13:46 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The mantra repeats 3.4 almost word for word, and the repetition is deliberate: the Upaniṣad sets one and the same seal before and after the discussion of māyā.
One word, however, is changed: instead of viśvādhipa, "lord of the universe", it says viśvādhika — "surpassing the universe". After the mantras on māyā as nature this qualification is needed, so that no one should think the Lord is used up in the world He unfolded.
The second line is changed too. Where before it was "begot Hiraṇyagarbha in the beginning", here stands paśyata jāyamānam. It is read two ways: "behold Him who sees Hiraṇyagarbha being born" and "see how He beheld the birth of Hiraṇyagarbha". Both readings say one thing: the firstborn Brahmā was born before His eyes and under His gaze.
The significance of this for the whole Upaniṣad is great. Hiraṇyagarbha is the summit of the created, the maker of forms, the one whom many schools took for the highest principle. Twice it is repeated that he too was born; above him is the One prayed to here.
And the petition is repeated — for a good understanding. After all that has been said about māyā and about those shut in by her, the request sounds new: without His gift the mind will not tell the Wielder from what is wielded.