Upanishads · Mahā 4.96
॥
Devanāgarī
कल्पान्तपवना वान्तु यान्तु चैकत्वमर्णवाः तपन्तु द्वादशादित्या नास्ति निर्मनसः क्षतिः
Transliteration (IAST)
kalpāntapavanā vāntu yāntu caikatvamarṇavāḥ tapantu dvādaśādityā nāsti nirmanasaḥ kṣatiḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
कल्प-अन्त-पवनाः वान्तुkalpa-anta-pavanāḥ vāntulet the winds of the kalpa's end blow; may the gales of the aeon's close rage
यान्तु च एकत्वम् अर्णवाःyāntu ca ekatvam arṇavāḥand let the oceans merge into one; and may the seas run together into one
तपन्तु द्वादश-आदित्याःtapantu dvādaśa-ādityāḥlet the twelve suns blaze; may the twelve suns scorch
न अस्ति निर्मनसः क्षतिःna asti nirmanasaḥ kṣatiḥfor the mindless there is no loss; for him who is without mind there is no harm
Translation
“Let the winds of the kalpa's end blow, let the oceans merge into one, let the twelve suns blaze — for him who has no mind there is no loss.”
Version
3c4a32daa9d2 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Three portents of the world's end, and all three are taken from the accounts of pralaya.
The winds that sweep away everything. The oceans overflowing their shores and merging into one. And the twelve suns — by tradition, at the kalpa's end the sun appears twelvefold and burns out the worlds.
And the conclusion: nāsti nirmanasaḥ kṣatiḥ — “for the mindless there is no loss”.
The word nirmanas — “without mind” in the sense defined in 4.51 and 4.94.
Why is there no loss for him? Because loss is a relation: there must be that which is lost and one who loses. Both rest on “mine” (4.71).
The verse is bold, and its boldness is easily tested. The destruction of the world is the utmost case imaginable; if even it does not touch, nothing touches.
Note also the imperative mood: “let them blow, let them blaze”. This is no description but a challenge.