Upanishads · Mahā 4.63
॥
Devanāgarī
मत्त ऐरावतो बद्धः सर्षपीकोणकोटरे मशकेन कृतं युद्धं सिंहौघैरेणुकोटरे
Transliteration (IAST)
matta airāvato baddhaḥ sarṣapīkoṇakoṭare maśakena kṛtaṃ yuddhaṃ siṃhaughaireṇukoṭare
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
मत्तः ऐरावतः बद्धःmattaḥ airāvataḥ baddhaḥthe frenzied Airāvata is tied; the raging Airāvata is tethered
सर्षपी-कोण-कोटरेsarṣapī-koṇa-koṭarein the hollow of a corner of a mustard seed; in the socket of a mustard grain's corner
मशकेन कृतम् युद्धम्maśakena kṛtam yuddhamby a mosquito a battle is waged; by a gnat a combat is contrived
सिंह-ओघैः रेणु-कोटरेsiṃha-oghaiḥ reṇu-koṭarewith hosts of lions in the hollow of a mote; with prides of lions in the socket of a dust-grain
Translation
“The frenzied elephant Airāvata is tied up in the hollow of a corner of a mustard seed; a mosquito has waged battle with hosts of lions inside a mote of dust.”
Version
3eafdb918b72 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
A series of absurdities begins, and they are not here for amusement.
Airāvata is Indra's elephant, huge and white. He is tied “in the hollow of a corner of a mustard seed” — in the smallest thing that can be named.
A mosquito wars with hosts of lions, and wars inside a dust-mote.
The device is familiar in Sanskrit letters: to describe the impossible as calmly as one describes the everyday.
Why — verse 4.64 will say. For now note the construction of both pictures: in both, the enormous is placed inside the negligible.
This, by the way, is exactly what was said in earnest in 2.4: within a particle of consciousness universes drift like dust. Then it was of the Highest; now the same device depicts the world.