Upanishads · Mahā 3.23
॥
Devanāgarī
पदं करोत्यलङ्घ्येऽपि तृप्ता विफलमीहते चिरं तिष्ठति नैकत्र तृष्णा चपलमर्कटी
Transliteration (IAST)
padaṃ karotyalaṅghye'pi tṛptā viphalamīhate ciraṃ tiṣṭhati naikatra tṛṣṇā capalamarkaṭī
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
पदम् करोति अलङ्घ्ये अपिpadam karoti alaṅghye apisets foot even on the impassable; makes a step even where there is no crossing
तृप्ता विफलम् ईहतेtṛptā viphalam īhatesated, strives in vain; satisfied, undertakes to no purpose
चिरम् तिष्ठति न एकत्रciram tiṣṭhati na ekatrastays long in no one place; nowhere does it remain for long
तृष्णा चपल-मर्कटीtṛṣṇā capala-markaṭīcraving — a fidgety she-monkey; thirst is a restless monkey
Translation
“It steps even where there is no passing; sated, it strives in vain; it stays long in no place — craving, the fidgety monkey.”
Version
8146ec730850 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The second image of craving — the monkey, and three of its habits are taken.
It climbs where there is no passing: craving does not reckon with the possible. It wants the impossible with the same ease as the attainable.
It strives even when sated: the word tṛptā, “satisfied”, is placed deliberately. Satisfied craving does not rest — it at once seeks the new.
And it does not sit still.
Note that all three traits are about the senselessness of the movement, not the strength of the desire. The monkey is not hungry; it is restless.
This distinguishes craving from need. Need is satisfied and falls silent. Greed is not satisfied, because it wants not food but motion.