Upanishads · Gopāla-tāpanī Uttara 79
॥
Devanāgarī
मथ्यते तु जगत् सर्वं ब्रह्मज्ञानेन येन वा ।
तत्सारभूतं यद्यस्यां मथुरा सा निगद्यते
Transliteration (IAST)
mathyate tu jagat sarvaṁ brahmajñānena yena vā |
tatsārabhūtaṁ yadyasyāṁ mathurā sā nigadyate
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
मथ्यते तु जगत् सर्वम्mathyate tu jagat sarvamthe whole world is churned; the entire universe is stirred
ब्रह्मज्ञानेन येन वाbrahmajñānena yena vāby that knowledge of Brahman; by a certain knowledge of the Highest
तत्सारभूतम् यत् यस्याम्tatsārabhūtam yat yasyāmthat which is its essence, in which; that which is her substance, in whom
मथुरा सा निगद्यतेmathurā sā nigadyateis called Mathurā; she is named Mathurā
Translation
By that knowledge of Brahman by which the whole world is churned — she in whom its essence lies is called Mathurā.
Version
355a49006477 · published Jul 28, 2026, 2:34:47 PM UTC
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An etymology of the city's name, built on the verb math — "to churn, to stir".
It is said thus: the world is "churned" by the knowledge of Brahman, as the ocean or curds are churned; and the place where the essence of that churning lies is called Mathurā.
The image of churning is constant in this tradition. The Śvetāśvatara describes contemplation by it: the body is the lower churning-stick, OṀ the upper, and "by constancy of churning let him behold God". Here the same word names the action of knowledge upon the whole world.
The sense that emerges is this: Mathurā is what remains when the world has been churned down to its essence — as butter remains after churning. Not a place among places, but the essence.
Note that the etymologies in this book always serve theology: so "Kṛṣṇa" was explained as "drawing away sins", "Govinda" through cows, earth and the Vedas, "Gopāla" through the taking-in of souls. Now the name of the abode is explained the same way.