Upanishads · Rāma-tāpanī Pūrva 4.49
॥
Devanāgarī
वर्मास्त्रनतिसंयुक्तं दलेषु द्वादशाक्षरम् । तत्सन्धिष्विरजादीनां मन्त्रान्मन्त्री समालिखेत्
Transliteration (IAST)
varmāstranatisaṃyuktaṃ daleṣu dvādaśākṣaram | tatsandhiṣvirajādīnāṃ mantrānmantrī samālikhet
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
वर्मास्त्रनतिसंयुक्तम्varmāstranatisaṃyuktamjoined with “varma”, “astra” and the bow; furnished with the kavaca, the astra and namaḥ
दलेषु द्वादशाक्षरम्daleṣu dvādaśākṣaramon the petals — the twelve-syllabled; on the petals the mantra of twelve syllables
तत्सन्धिषु इरजादीनाम्tatsandhiṣu irajādīnāmin their joints — of Virajā and the others; in the gaps those of Virajā and the rest
मन्त्रान् मन्त्री समालिखेत्mantrān mantrī samālikhetlet the mantrin write the mantras; let the mantra-holder inscribe the mantras
Translation
The twelve-syllable mantra, joined with “varma”, “astra” and the bow — on the petals; and in the joints between them let the mantrin write the mantras of Virajā and the others.
Version
c340ac8d0c34 · published Jul 29, 2026, 5:15:19 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The twelve-syllable mantra is written once more, but now with additions: varma — “armour”, astra — “weapon”, nati — “bow”.
These are parts of the six aṅga-mantras of which the forty-third verse spoke; with them in the rite the utterer is “dressed”. Armour and weapon are telling words: the mantra is conceived as harness.
In the joints between the petals — “the mantras of Virajā and the others”. Virajā means “dustless, unstained”; so is also called the heavenly river dividing this world from the other.
The diagram, then, marks a boundary too: beyond it begins what is unstained.
Note that this whole part of the book is addressed to the mantrin — “the possessor of the mantra”. The word repeats here constantly and should be remembered: not to the reader in general, but to him to whom the mantra has been entrusted.
To one reading from outside — and such are nearly all of us — these verses will remain the description of another's craft. The book itself knows this and will say it outright in the sixty-seventh verse.
The next verses will name more syllables — now without explanations, in a bare list.