Upanishads · Gopāla-tāpanī Uttara 118
॥
Devanāgarī
ब्रह्मणो ब्रह्मपुत्रेभ्यो
नारदाच्च श्रुतम् यथा ।
तथा प्रोक्तं तु गान्धर्वि
गच्छ त्वं स्वालयान्तिकं
Transliteration (IAST)
brahmaṇo brahmaputrebhyo
nāradācca śrutam yathā |
tathā proktaṁ tu gāndharvi
gaccha tvaṁ svālayāntikaṁ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ब्रह्मणःbrahmaṇaḥfrom Brahmā; from the creator
ब्रह्मपुत्रेभ्यःbrahmaputrebhyaḥfrom the sons of Brahmā; from those born of him
नारदात् चnāradāt caand from Nārada; and also from Nārada
श्रुतम् यथाśrutam yathāas it was heard; as it was heard
तथा प्रोक्तम् तुtathā proktam tuso it has been told; just so it has been declared
गान्धर्विgāndharviO Gāndharvī; Gāndharvī
गच्छ त्वम्gaccha tvamgo now; depart
स्वालयान्तिकम्svālayāntikamto thine own dwelling; to the bounds of thine own home
Translation
"As it was heard from Brahmā, from the sons of Brahmā and from Nārada, so it has been told to thee, O Gāndharvī. Now go to thine own dwelling."
Version
f9e1f37df25c · published Jul 28, 2026, 2:36:50 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The last mantra of the book, and it is remarkable for its everydayness.
First the chain of transmission is named: from Brahmā — to his sons — to Nārada — and so to Gāndharvī. Knowledge is not derived by argument and not received in a flash of insight: it is heard and passed on. The book's first part began the same way, with Brahmā telling the sages what he himself had received.
Then comes the word of dismissal: "go to thine own dwelling", gaccha tvaṁ svālayāntikam. No solemn conclusion, no parting promise.
And in this is the whole cast of the Uttara-tāpanī. It began with the cowherd women asking one morning to whom to take the food; it passes through the argument about the enjoyer and the non-enjoyer, through the account of the world's beginning, through the description of the abode and the litany of obeisances — and it ends with a woman being sent home.
The highest knowledge in this book nowhere leads out of life. It is received in passing, on the way across a river, and one returns home with it. So ends the Gopāla-tāpanī.