Upanishads · Brahma 3.2
॥
Devanāgarī
हृदि चैतन्ये तिष्ठति यज्ञोपवीतं परमं पवित्रं प्रजापतेर्यत्सहजं पुरस्तात् । आयुष्यमग्र्यं प्रतिमुञ्च शुभ्रं यज्ञोपवीतं बलमस्तु तेजः
Transliteration (IAST)
hṛdi caitanye tiṣṭhati yajñopavītaṃ paramaṃ pavitraṃ prajāpateryatsahajaṃ purastāt | āyuṣyamagryaṃ pratimuñca śubhraṃ yajñopavītaṃ balamastu tejaḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
हृदि चैतन्ये तिष्ठतिhṛdi caitanye tiṣṭhatiin the heart, in consciousness, it stands; it abides in the heart, in awareness
यज्ञोपवीतम् परमम् पवित्रम्yajñopavītam paramam pavitramthe sacred thread, the supreme purifier; the yajñopavīta, the highest purity
प्रजापतेः यत् सहजम् पुरस्तात्prajāpateḥ yat sahajam purastātborn together with Prajāpati, from of old; innate to Prajāpati, primeval
आयुष्यम् अग्र्यम् प्रतिमुञ्च शुभ्रम्āyuṣyam agryam pratimuñca śubhramlife-giving, foremost — put on the bright one; conferring long life, first — don the white one
बलम् अस्तु तेजःbalam astu tejaḥlet there be strength and fire; may there be vigour and radiance
Translation
In the heart, in consciousness, stands the sacred thread, the supreme purifier, born together with Prajāpati from of old. “Put on the bright thread, life-giving and foremost — may strength and fire be yours.”
Version
7ee42db675c4 · published Jul 29, 2026, 3:09:07 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The verse takes the mantra spoken at the donning of the thread and sets it in a new frame.
The words “put on the bright thread, life-giving and foremost, may strength and fire be yours” are the customary formula of the upanayana rite; they are said to the boy to this day.
But before them stands something else: this thread is “in the heart, in consciousness”.
And further: prajāpater yat sahajaṃ purastāt — “born together with Prajāpati from of old”. The thread, that is, was not invented by custom; it is older than custom, being born with the creator.
Here the design of the chapter opens out. Had the book simply abolished the thread, a quarrel with the rite would have followed. It does otherwise: it declares that the real thread is more ancient, and that the one worn on the shoulder only points to it.
Note the word caitanya — “consciousness, sentience”. It does not say merely “in the heart”: it says “in the heart, in consciousness”.
The next verse will say outright that the outer thread may be laid aside.