Upanishads · Śvetāśvatara 5.6
॥
Devanāgarī
तद् वेदगुह्योपनिषत्सु गूढं तद् ब्रह्मा वेदते ब्रह्मयोनिं ।
ये पूर्वं देवा ऋषयश् च तद् विदुस् ते तन्मया अमृता वै बभूवुः
Transliteration (IAST)
tad vedaguhyopaniṣatsu gūḍhaṃ tad brahmā vedate brahmayoniṃ /
ye pūrvaṃ devā ṛṣayaś ca tad vidus te tanmayā amṛtā vai babhūvuḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तत्tatThat; it
वेदगुह्योपनिषत्सुvedaguhyopaniṣatsuin the secret upaniṣads of the Veda; in the hidden teachings of the Veda
गूढम्gūḍhamis concealed; is kept hidden
तत्tatThat; Him
ब्रह्माbrahmāBrahmā; the firstborn creator
वेदतेvedateknows; is aware of
ब्रह्मयोनिम्brahmayonimas the womb of Brahman; as the source of Brahman
ये पूर्वम्ye pūrvamthey who of old; those who in antiquity
देवाःdevāḥthe gods; the deities
ऋषयः चṛṣayaḥ caand the seers; and the ṛṣis
तत् विदुःtat viduḥknew That; came to know Him
ते तन्मयाःte tanmayāḥthey, made of Him; steeped in Him
अमृताः वै बभूवुःamṛtāḥ vai babhūvuḥtruly became immortal; were made imperishable
Translation
That is concealed in the secret upaniṣads of the Veda; That Brahmā knows as the womb of Brahman. The gods and seers of old, having known That, were made of Him and truly became immortal.
Version
ac287238bb3c · published Jul 28, 2026, 2:13:46 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The mantra says where this knowledge is kept: in the "secret upaniṣads of the Veda". The word upaniṣad stands here in its original sense — a hidden teaching handed to one who sits close by. Not in the hymns, which are sung by everyone, but in what is told to a few.
Then it is said that "Brahmā knows That". Even the firstborn creator knows Him not as his own property but as brahma-yoni — "the womb of Brahman", the source from which he himself proceeds and everything called Brahman in the world.
The third line introduces the chain of transmission: "the gods and seers of old, having known That...". This knowledge is not invented afresh by each generation; it has a history and forebears.
And the fruit is named by a remarkable word: tanmayāḥ — "made of Him", steeped in Him. Not "merged past distinction", but saturated: as iron heated in fire becomes fiery while remaining iron. This explains how the knowers became immortal: not of themselves, but by partaking of the Immortal.
The word is worth remembering — it describes what happens to the soul at liberation more precisely than many later formulas.