Upanishads · Rāma-tāpanī Pūrva 5.4
॥
Devanāgarī
मध्ये क्रमादर्कविध्वग्नितेजांस्युपर्युपर्यादिमैरर्चितानि । रजः सत्वं तम एतानि वृत्तत्रयं बीजाढ्यं क्रमाद्भावयेच्च
Transliteration (IAST)
madhye kramādarkavidhvagnitejāṃsyuparyuparyādimairarcitāni | rajaḥ satvaṃ tama etāni vṛttatrayaṃ bījāḍhyaṃ kramādbhāvayecca
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
मध्ये क्रमात्madhye kramātin the middle, in order; at the centre in sequence
अर्क विधु अग्नि तेजांसिarka vidhu agni tejāṃsithe lights of sun, moon, fire; the radiances of sun, moon and fire
उपरि उपरि आदिमैः अर्चितानिupari upari ādimaiḥ arcitānione above another, honoured by the former; layer upon layer, revered with the preceding
रजः सत्वम् तमः एतानिrajaḥ satvam tamaḥ etānipassion, clarity, darkness — these; rajas, sattva, tamas — these three
वृत्तत्रयम् बीजाढ्यम्vṛttatrayam bījāḍhyamthe three circles rich with seeds; the triple round with the bījas
क्रमात् भावयेत् चkramāt bhāvayet calet him contemplate in order; let him bring to mind in sequence
Translation
In the middle, one above another, the lights of sun, moon and fire, honoured by the former; and the three circles — passion, clarity, darkness — furnished with seeds, let him contemplate in order.
Version
9e647c353eb1 · published Jul 29, 2026, 5:15:19 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
In the middle of the diagram the three lights are laid out: sun, moon and fire — and moreover “one above another”, in layers.
This is the charting of the seat common to all such offices: the Lord's seat is conceived as three-layered, and its layers are the three lights.
Then the same three are identified with the guṇas: rajas, sattva, tamas — passion, clarity, darkness.
The correspondence is usual: fire — passion, the moon — clarity; the sun in this count is taken variously. And together they make up that of which the whole material world is made.
Here is what is said in substance: He sits upon the three guṇas.
Not within them and not made of them — upon them, as on a mat. The sixty-fourth verse of the previous Upaniṣad named Him guṇānta, “the bound of qualities”, and at once saguṇa, “endowed with qualities”; here the same position is expressed by the diagram.
The three guṇas are not enemies and not a glamour to be dispelled. They are the footstool. And therefore the contemplator does not drive them out of himself, but lays them beneath Him.
The word bhāvayet — “let him contemplate, let him make be” — is from the root bhū: not “imagine”, but “bring to being”.