Upanishads · Mahā 2.42
॥
Devanāgarī
तपः प्रभृतिना यस्मै हेतुनैव विना पुनः भोगा इह न रोचन्ते स जीवन्मुक्त उच्यते
Transliteration (IAST)
tapaḥ prabhṛtinā yasmai hetunaiva vinā punaḥ bhogā iha na rocante sa jīvanmukta ucyate
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तपः-प्रभृतिना यस्मैtapaḥ-prabhṛtinā yasmaifor whom by austerity and the rest; in whom through penance and the like
हेतुना एव विना पुनःhetunā eva vinā punaḥand quite without any cause besides; and indeed without any reason at all
भोगाः इह न रोचन्तेbhogāḥ iha na rocantethe enjoyments here have no savour; the world's pleasures do not attract
सः जीवन्मुक्तः उच्यतेsaḥ jīvanmuktaḥ ucyatehe is called liberated while living; he is named free while yet alive
Translation
“He to whom the enjoyments of this world are not dear — without austerity, and indeed without any cause at all — he is called liberated while living.”
Version
c2e57f53ccd1 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The train of twenty-one marks begins, and the first of them removes the chief misunderstanding.
The liberated man is indifferent to enjoyments not because he strove, fasted and curbed himself. Nor because he was burnt. Nor because he is old. Hetunaiva vinā — “quite without cause”.
There is a cause, of course, but it is not in repulsion. It is in this: the man is already well.
The distinction is essential and very practical. Renunciation for a cause is an effort, and every effort tires. Renunciation without cause is no effort at all.
To test oneself here is simple. Ask what your abstinence costs you. If it costs anything — you are still striving.