Upanishads · Mahā 4.123
॥
Devanāgarī
नाहं ब्रह्मेति संकल्पात्सुदृढाद्बध्यते मनः सर्वं ब्रह्मेति संकल्पात्सुदृढान्मुच्यते मनः
Transliteration (IAST)
nāhaṃ brahmeti saṃkalpātsudṛḍhādbadhyate manaḥ sarvaṃ brahmeti saṃkalpātsudṛḍhānmucyate manaḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
न अहम् ब्रह्म इति सङ्कल्पात्na aham brahma iti saṅkalpātby the design “I am not Brahman”; from the intent “I am not Brahman”
सु-दृढात् बध्यते मनःsu-dṛḍhāt badhyate manaḥwhen very firm, the mind is bound; when deep-rooted, consciousness is fettered
सर्वम् ब्रह्म इति सङ्कल्पात्sarvam brahma iti saṅkalpātby the design “all is Brahman”; from the intent “everything is Brahman”
सु-दृढात् मुच्यते मनःsu-dṛḍhāt mucyate manaḥwhen very firm, the mind is freed; when deep-rooted, consciousness is delivered
Translation
“By the firm design ‘I am not Brahman’ the mind is bound; by the firm design ‘all is Brahman’ the mind is freed.”
Version
71ddb5ad2df6 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here is the explanation of the previous verse, and it is simple to the point of surprise.
One and the same instrument — saṅkalpa, firm design — binds and unbinds. Everything depends on the content.
The design “I am not Brahman” — that is, “I am this body, this station, this lot” — holds. And holds the tighter, the firmer it is; su-dṛḍha is said of both.
The design “all is Brahman” frees.
Note the arrangement. What binds is the thought about oneself: “I am not”. What frees is the thought about everything: “all is”. That is, the way out lies not in proclaiming oneself Brahman, but in seeing Him in everything.
This agrees with 4.75, where the true knower is he who sees all by its connection with consciousness.
And last: if a design frees, then the non-designing of 4.90 must be understood exactly — as the ceasing of self-willed constructions, not of all thought whatever.