Upanishads · Gopāla-tāpanī Uttara 85
॥
Devanāgarī
चालस्वरूपमत्यन्तं मनश्चक्रं निगद्यते ।
आद्या माया भवेच्छार्ङ्गंपद्मं विश्वं करे स्थितं
Transliteration (IAST)
cālasvarūpamatyantaṁ manaścakraṁ nigadyate |
ādyā māyā bhavecchārṅgaṁpadmaṁ viśvaṁ kare sthitaṁ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
चालस्वरूपम् अत्यन्तम्cālasvarūpam atyantamutterly restless by nature; extremely unsteady
मनःmanaḥthe mind; manas
चक्रम् निगद्यतेcakram nigadyateis called the discus; is named the cakra
आद्या माया भवेत् शार्ङ्गम्ādyā māyā bhavet śārṅgamthe primal māyā is the bow; primal matter becomes the Śārṅga
पद्मम् विश्वम् करे स्थितम्padmam viśvam kare sthitamthe lotus in His hand is the universe; the padma is the world resting in His palm
Translation
The mind, utterly restless by nature, is called the discus; the primal māyā is the bow Śārṅga; and the lotus in His hand is the universe.
Version
6d8dc6fecca7 · published Jul 28, 2026, 2:34:47 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Three objects receive their interpretation, and each fits exactly.
The discus is the mind: cāla-svarūpa, "restless by nature", and moreover "utterly" so. A weapon that spins and returns to the hand is called an image of the mind. Anyone who has tried to concentrate will recognise this wheel.
The bow Śārṅga is the primal māyā, that is, primal matter: that by which He acts at a distance, without touching.
The lotus is the universe in His hand. A flower that is held, not one growing on its own.
There is a comfort in this reading. The mind, the most unruly thing we know, turns out to be a weapon in His hand — and so it is governed, only not by us.
Note that the book's first part described Kṛṣṇa two-armed, with the sign of knowledge; here the four-armed form with weapons is described. Both pictures are given in one book and do not interfere with each other.