Upanishads · Mahā 3.36
॥
Devanāgarī
दैन्यदोषमयी दीर्घा वर्धते वार्धके स्पृहा सर्वापदामेकसखी हृदि दाहप्रदायिनी
Transliteration (IAST)
dainyadoṣamayī dīrghā vardhate vārdhake spṛhā sarvāpadāmekasakhī hṛdi dāhapradāyinī
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
दैन्य-दोष-मयी दीर्घाdainya-doṣa-mayī dīrghāfull of wretchedness, long; woven of the vice of abjectness, protracted
वर्धते वार्धके स्पृहाvardhate vārdhake spṛhāgreed grows in old age; in decrepitude desire increases
सर्व-आपदाम् एक-सखीsarva-āpadām eka-sakhīthe one companion of all calamities; the inseparable friend of every misfortune
हृदि दाह-प्रदायिनीhṛdi dāha-pradāyinīgiving a burning in the heart; lodging a fever in the heart
Translation
“In old age grows a long greed, full of wretchedness — the one companion of all calamities, that lodges a burning in the heart.”
Version
1aaf6b95cd9d · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
And here is the most unpleasant observation about old age: desires do not weaken but grow.
The word spṛhā — “longing, wanting”. It is called dīrghā, “long”, that is, dragging on, and dainya-doṣa-mayī — “woven of wretchedness”.
Dainya means “abjectness, abasement”. An old man's desire is pitiable not in that it exists, but in that it can no longer be fulfilled — and so it turns into a continuous grievance.
The conclusion from this is simple and practical: to count on the passions leaving of themselves with time is a mistake. The strength will leave; the passions will remain.
Vaiṣṇava teachers repeat this as an argument for beginning now. Not “in old age I will take up the spiritual” — in old age there will be the same, only without strength and with bitterness.
The last words — dāha-pradāyinī, “giving a burning”. Not pain, but precisely a heat that is not quenched.