Upanishads · Gopāla-tāpanī Uttara 86
॥
Devanāgarī
आद्या विद्या गदा वेद्या सर्वदा मे करे स्थिता
Transliteration (IAST)
ādyā vidyā gadā vedyā sarvadā me kare sthitā
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
आद्या विद्याādyā vidyāprimal knowledge; the first vidyā
गदा वेद्याgadā vedyāis to be understood as the mace; is to be known as the gadā
सर्वदा मे करे स्थिताsarvadā me kare sthitāalways resting in My hand; constantly found in My palm
Translation
"Primal knowledge is what is to be understood by the mace, always resting in My hand."
Version
65c82af3bb18 · published Jul 28, 2026, 2:34:47 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The mace is knowledge. Of all the adornments it is precisely the weapon that crushes which is called ādyā vidyā, "primal knowledge".
The image is exact: knowledge is more than once called a weapon in the śāstras — "the sharpened axe of vidyā", as the smṛti says. It cuts, rather than adorns.
It matters too that the mace "always rests in My hand", sarvadā: knowledge is not conferred on Him by anyone and is not acquired; it is with Him constantly.
Hence a conclusion for us, drawn by this whole book: knowledge is received from His hand. In the Pūrva-tāpanī He handed Brahmā the mantra; in mantra 23 one is bidden to take refuge in Him as "the illuminer of the soul's understanding"; here knowledge is named what He holds.
The following mantras will finish reading the adornments: the armlets, the necklace, the crown and the earrings.