Upanishads · Brahma 4.2
॥
Devanāgarī
शिखा ज्ञानमयी यस्य उपवीतं च तन्मयम् । ब्राह्मण्यं सकलं तस्य इति ब्रह्मविदो विदुः
Transliteration (IAST)
śikhā jñānamayī yasya upavītaṃ ca tanmayam | brāhmaṇyaṃ sakalaṃ tasya iti brahmavido viduḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
शिखा ज्ञानमयी यस्यśikhā jñānamayī yasyawhose tuft is made of knowledge; he whose śikhā is woven of knowing
उपवीतम् च तन्मयम्upavītam ca tanmayamand whose thread is of the same; and whose cord is of the same stuff
ब्राह्मण्यम् सकलम् तस्यbrāhmaṇyam sakalam tasyahis brāhmaṇa-hood is complete; his brāhmaṇa-hood is perfect
इति ब्रह्मविदः विदुःiti brahmavidaḥ viduḥso know the knowers of Brahman; so the knowers of Brahman understand
Translation
He whose tuft is made of knowledge, and whose thread is of the same — his brāhmaṇa-hood is complete: so know the knowers of Brahman.
Version
651b6e25b215 · published Jul 29, 2026, 3:09:07 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
A return to what the third chapter said, but now without dispute and without edge.
The word for which the verse was written: brāhmaṇyam sakalam, “his brāhmaṇa-hood is complete”.
Sakala means “with all its parts, whole, unimpaired”. Not, that is, “he too is a brāhmaṇa”, but “his brāhmaṇa-hood lacks nothing”.
Compare the end of the third chapter, where the others were called “wearers of hair”. The tone has changed: there something was taken away, here something is given.
And it is added on whose authority: brahmavido viduḥ — “so know the knowers of Brahman”.
This is an appeal to testimony, not to reasoning. The book does not prove — it says that so hold those who know.
Note that both parts of the sign are named here together: the tuft and the thread. In the third chapter they went separately.
The next verse will draw all to one point and name the wearer the sacrifice itself.