Upanishads · Gopāla-tāpanī Uttara 69
॥
Devanāgarī
रोहिणीतनयो राम अकाराक्षर सम्भवः ।
तैजसात्मकः प्रद्युम्न उकाराक्षरसम्भवः ।
प्राज्ञात्मकोऽनिरुद्धो वै मकाराक्षरसम्भवः ।
अर्धमात्रात्मकः कृष्णो यस्मिन् विश्वं प्रतिष्ठितं
Transliteration (IAST)
rohiṇītanayo rāma akārākṣara sambhavaḥ |
taijasātmakaḥ pradyumna ukārākṣarasambhavaḥ |
prājñātmako'niruddho vai makārākṣarasambhavaḥ |
ardhamātrātmakaḥ kṛṣṇo yasmin viśvaṁ pratiṣṭhitaṁ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
रोहिणीतनयः रामःrohiṇītanayaḥ rāmaḥRāma, the son of Rohiṇī; Balarāma, son of Rohiṇī
अकाराक्षर सम्भवःakārākṣara sambhavaḥarises from the syllable "a"; proceeding from the letter a
तैजसात्मकः प्रद्युम्नःtaijasātmakaḥ pradyumnaḥPradyumna, whose essence is the luminous; Pradyumna, consisting of the luminous principle
उकाराक्षरसम्भवःukārākṣarasambhavaḥarises from the syllable "u"; proceeding from the letter u
प्राज्ञात्मकः अनिरुद्धःprājñātmakaḥ aniruddhaḥAniruddha, whose essence is the knowing; Aniruddha, consisting of the cognising principle
मकाराक्षरसम्भवःmakārākṣarasambhavaḥarises from the syllable "m"; proceeding from the letter m
अर्धमात्रात्मकः कृष्णःardhamātrātmakaḥ kṛṣṇaḥKṛṣṇa, whose essence is the half-measure; Kṛṣṇa, consisting of the half-syllable
यस्मिन् विश्वम् प्रतिष्ठितम्yasmin viśvam pratiṣṭhitamin whom the universe is established; on whom the whole world rests
Translation
Balarāma, the son of Rohiṇī, arises from the syllable "a"; Pradyumna, whose essence is the luminous principle, from "u"; Aniruddha, whose essence is the knowing principle, from "m"; and Kṛṣṇa, whose essence is the half-measure, is He in whom the universe is established.
Version
4696566aca39 · published Jul 28, 2026, 2:34:47 PM UTC
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The quaternity is broken down by the parts of the syllable OṀ, and the breakdown follows the pattern of the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad, where a, u, m and the "half-measure" correspond to the four states of consciousness.
The correspondences are these: Balarāma — "a"; Pradyumna — "u" and taijasa, the luminous principle (the dream state); Aniruddha — "m" and prājña, the knowing principle (deep sleep). And Kṛṣṇa — ardha-mātrā, "the half-measure": that immeasurable trailing sound with which the syllable dies away, corresponding in the Māṇḍūkya to the "fourth", turīya.
Thereby the chief thing is said: Kṛṣṇa is not one of the four in the series but that by which the series is completed and held. And of Him alone it is added: "in whom the universe is established".
Note that Balarāma is named by his mother — "son of Rohiṇī": a family, household name set beside the abstract "taijasa" and "prājña". Here too the book holds both languages together.