Upanishads · Gopāla-tāpanī Uttara 87
॥
Devanāgarī
धर्मार्थकामकेयूरैर्दिव्यैर्नित्यमवारितैः
Transliteration (IAST)
dharmārthakāmakeyūrairdivyairnityamavāritaiḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
धर्मार्थकामdharmārthakāmadharma, wealth and desire; duty, gain and pleasure
केयूरैःkeyūraiḥby the armlets; by the bracelets
दिव्यैः नित्यम् अवारितैःdivyaiḥ nityam avāritaiḥdivine, forever unimpeded; heavenly, hindered by nothing
Translation
"...by the divine armlets — dharma, wealth and desire — forever unimpeded."
Version
59784d1e1de2 · published Jul 28, 2026, 2:34:47 PM UTC
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The armlets are interpreted as three of the four goals of human life: dharma — duty, artha — wealth, kāma — desire. The fourth, mokṣa, is not named here: it is not an ornament but the fruit.
The description avārita, "unimpeded", means that in Him these three do not quarrel. In us they usually crowd one another: duty hinders wealth, desire hinders duty. In Him they are "forever unimpeded".
This is an important remark on the nature of His pastimes. Everything that in human life demands choice and sacrifice is joined in Him without loss; and therefore His acts are not subject to our measure.
Note that the ornaments on the arms are named precisely as the goals of life — that toward which hands reach. The image is not chosen at random.