Upanishads · Rāma-tāpanī Pūrva 4.3
॥
Devanāgarī
यथा नामी वाचकेन नाम्ना योऽभिमुखो भवेत् । तथा बीजात्मको मन्त्रो मन्त्रिणोऽभिमुखो भवेत्
Transliteration (IAST)
yathā nāmī vācakena nāmnā yo'bhimukho bhavet | tathā bījātmako mantro mantriṇo'bhimukho bhavet
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यथा नामी वाचकेन नाम्नाyathā nāmī vācakena nāmnāas the bearer of a name — through the signifying name; as the named one — by means of the name
यः अभिमुखः भवेत्yaḥ abhimukhaḥ bhavetturns his face; turns toward
तथा बीजात्मकः मन्त्रःtathā bījātmakaḥ mantraḥso the mantra made of the seed; so likewise the bīja-mantra
मन्त्रिणः अभिमुखः भवेत्mantriṇaḥ abhimukhaḥ bhavetturns its face to its possessor; turns its face to the mantrin
Translation
As the bearer of a name turns his face to the caller through the name that signifies him, so the seed-mantra turns its face to him who possesses it.
Version
4764aad89bcc · published Jul 29, 2026, 5:15:19 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The comparison is simple and therefore convincing: a man is called by name, and he turns round.
The word abhimukha means “with face turned toward”. It is repeated twice — and in that is the whole verse. Called — he turned. So too, it is said, the mantra “turns its face” to the one who holds it.
Mark the subject: it is not the Deity that turns, but the mantra. This is more precise than it seems. The previous verse said that the name and the Bearer are not divided; so the mantra that has turned is Rāma who has turned.
Here too is the answer to the usual perplexity about repetition: why say one thing over and over? For the same reason one calls by name. A call conveys no information — it establishes turnedness.
And further: one turns at one's own name, not at any word. That is why the first Upaniṣad spent six verses showing that “Rāma” is a proper name of the Highest, not an honorific title.