Upanishads · Mahā 2.9
॥
Devanāgarī
विज्ञानमानन्दं ब्रह्म रातेर्दातुः परायणम् सर्वसंकल्पसंन्यासश्चेतसा यत्परिग्रहः
Transliteration (IAST)
vijñānamānandaṃ brahma rāterdātuḥ parāyaṇam sarvasaṃkalpasaṃnyāsaścetasā yatparigrahaḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
विज्ञानम् आनन्दम् ब्रह्मvijñānam ānandam brahmaBrahman is knowledge and bliss; Brahman is knowing and delight
रातेः दातुः परायणम्rāteḥ dātuḥ parāyaṇamthe highest refuge of the giver of gifts; the final goal of the one who brings the gift
सर्व-सङ्कल्प-संन्यासःsarva-saṅkalpa-saṃnyāsaḥthe renunciation of all designs; the giving up of every intention
चेतसा यत् परिग्रहःcetasā yat parigrahaḥis that by which the mind takes hold of him; that by which he is embraced in consciousness
Translation
“Brahman is knowledge and bliss, the highest goal of him who brings the gift.” Renunciation of all designs — that is how the mind embraces Him.
Version
86ba51b358c7 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The first line is a direct citation from the Bṛhadāraṇyaka (3.9.28), and it is brought not for ornament.
There it is the answer to the question where a man is rooted after death. Here the same verse sums up the whole preceding analysis: after all the “neither this nor that” it is named what He nonetheless is — vijñānam ānandam, knowing and delight.
Note the citation's second half: “the highest goal of the giver of gifts”. The talk of Brahman unexpectedly proves to be talk of the sacrificer. This is no chance detail: he who gives rather than takes moves in the same direction as the knower.
And the verse's second half answers the question “how?”. The answer: sarva-saṅkalpa-saṁnyāsa — renunciation of all designs.
Not an effort of the mind, but the ceasing of its building. The mind does not take Brahman by grip; it takes Him by unclenching its fingers. This will be the chief theme of the whole adhyāya.