Upanishads · Gopāla-tāpanī Uttara 33
॥
Devanāgarī
स होवाचाब्जयोनिः—
अवताराणां मध्ये श्रेष्ठोऽवतारः को भवति
येन लोकास् तुष्टा देवास्तुष्टा भवन्ति
यं स्मृत्वा मुक्ता अस्मात् संसाराद्भवन्ति
Transliteration (IAST)
sa hovācābjayoniḥ—
avatārāṇāṁ madhye śreṣṭho'vatāraḥ ko bhavati
yena lokās tuṣṭā devāstuṣṭā bhavanti
yaṁ smṛtvā muktā asmāt saṁsārādbhavanti
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सः ह उवाच अब्जयोनिःsaḥ ha uvāca abjayoniḥand the Lotus-born said; the one born of the lotus spoke
अवताराणाम् मध्येavatārāṇām madhyeamong the descents; of the avatāras
श्रेष्ठः अवतारः कः भवतिśreṣṭhaḥ avatāraḥ kaḥ bhavatiwhich descent is the highest; which avatāra is the best
येन लोकाः तुष्टाःyena lokāḥ tuṣṭāḥby which the worlds are pleased; by whom the worlds are satisfied
देवाः तुष्टाः भवन्तिdevāḥ tuṣṭāḥ bhavantiand the gods are pleased; and the deities rejoice
यम् स्मृत्वाyam smṛtvāremembering whom; by calling whom to mind
मुक्ताः अस्मात् संसारात् भवन्तिmuktāḥ asmāt saṁsārāt bhavantithey are freed from this round; they are made free of saṁsāra
Translation
And the Lotus-born said: which of the descents is the highest — that by which the worlds and the gods are pleased, and by remembering which one is freed from this round?
Version
2462ad553201 · published Jul 28, 2026, 2:30:24 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Brahmā's question is the same as Gāndharvī's: which manifestation of the Lord is the highest? And it is asked with three marks by which it may be known.
The first: "by which the worlds and the gods are pleased". Not "which is the mightier" but which gives joy. The measure of greatness here is not power but the gladness it brings.
The second: "by remembering which one is freed". That is, the highest is that manifestation whose mere remembrance loosens the bonds. This refers back to mantra 7 of this same part, where transformations from a single remembrance were listed.
The third is hidden in the word avatāra — "descent". What is asked is not who is highest in the heavens but which of the comings down here, to earth, is the fullest.
Note that the creator's question repeats the cowherd woman's exactly. The book brings them together deliberately: what the highest of created persons asks, a village woman asks too, and both are answered alike.
The next mantra will add the hardest part of the question.