Upanishads · Kaivalya 18
॥
Devanāgarī
त्रिषु धामसु यद् भोग्यं भोक्ता भोगश् च यद् भवेत् तेभ्यो विलक्षणः साक्षी चिन्मात्रो ऽहं सदा शिवः
Transliteration (IAST)
triṣu dhāmasu yad bhogyaṃ bhoktā bhogaś ca yad bhavet tebhyo vilakṣaṇaḥ sākṣī cinmātro 'haṃ sadā śivaḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
त्रिषु धामसु यत् भोग्यम्triṣu dhāmasu yat bhogyamin the three abodes, what is enjoyed; in the three dwellings, that which is fare
भोक्ता भोगः च यत् भवेत्bhoktā bhogaḥ ca yat bhavetand the enjoyer, and the enjoying; and the taster, and the tasting itself
तेभ्यः विलक्षणः साक्षीtebhyaḥ vilakṣaṇaḥ sākṣīdistinct from them — the witness; other than they — the witness
चिन्मात्रः अहम् सदा शिवःcinmātraḥ aham sadā śivaḥI am pure consciousness, ever the auspicious; I am consciousness alone, eternally śiva
Translation
In the three abodes there is what is enjoyed, the enjoyer, and the enjoying itself; but the witness distinct from them, pure consciousness — that am I, ever the auspicious.
Version
a61becae7f5f · published Jul 29, 2026, 3:04:38 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The verse examines the three states once more and finds in them a triad: bhogya — the enjoyed, bhoktṛ — the enjoyer, bhoga — the enjoying itself.
The object, the one who uses it, and the use.
In every experience these three are present: the food, the eater and the eating. In dream likewise: the image, the seer and the seeing.
Then the fourth is named: tebhyo vilakṣaṇaḥ sākṣī — “the witness distinct from them”.
Vilakṣaṇa means “bearing other marks” — of another kind. Not a fourth member of the same triad, but something different in nature.
The witness enjoys nothing and is enjoyed by none: he sees.
And the last words: cinmātro 'haṃ sadā śivaḥ — “I am pure consciousness, ever the auspicious”.
Cin-mātra — “consciousness only”, without admixture. Sadā śivaḥ — “ever auspicious”; and in these two words set together one also hears the name Sadāśiva.
Note how the book is built. The seventh verse contemplated Śiva with Umā; the eighth said He is also Brahmā and Viṣṇu; here the contemplative speaks of himself in the same words.
This is the limit to which such reasoning leads; and the Vaiṣṇava Vedānta, accepting it, holds beside it the book's first verse — that one goes to the Puruṣa who is higher than the high.