Upanishads · Mahā 4.57
॥
Devanāgarī
चित्ताकाशं चिदाकाशमाकाशं च तृतीयकम् द्वाभ्यां शून्यतरं विद्धि चिदाकाशं महामुने
Transliteration (IAST)
cittākāśaṃ cidākāśamākāśaṃ ca tṛtīyakam dvābhyāṃ śūnyataraṃ viddhi cidākāśaṃ mahāmune
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
चित्त-आकाशम् चित्-आकाशम्citta-ākāśam cit-ākāśamthe space of the mind, the space of consciousness; the expanse of thought, the expanse of pure awareness
आकाशम् च तृतीयकम्ākāśam ca tṛtīyakamand the third — space itself; and the third, the expanse as such
द्वाभ्याम् शून्यतरम् विद्धिdvābhyām śūnyataram viddhiknow: subtler than the two; understand: emptier than the other two
चित्-आकाशम् महा-मुनेcit-ākāśam mahā-muneis the space of consciousness, O great sage; is the expanse of awareness, O great silent one
Translation
“The space of the mind, the space of consciousness, and third — space itself; know, O great sage, that the space of consciousness is subtler than the other two.”
Version
c12a63c174ac · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Three spaces, and they are worth distinguishing, for the distinction will be needed.
Ākāśa is ordinary space, that in which things stand.
Citta-ākāśa is “the space of the mind”: that in which thoughts, memories, images pass. It too has an extension of its own kind: it can be cramped or roomy.
Cid-ākāśa is “the space of consciousness”: that in which both the first and the second appear.
And it is said: the third is śūnyatara — “emptier” than the other two.
The word is chosen with intent. Not “greater” and not “higher”, but “emptier”: it has still less content than empty space.
This agrees with 2.3: the Ātman is subtler than space. And it explains why it is not to be found by searching: one always searches among contents.