Upanishads · Mahā 5.28
॥
Devanāgarī
शास्त्रसज्जनसम्पर्कवैराग्याभ्यासपूर्वकम् सदाचारप्रवृत्तिर्या प्रोच्यते सा विचारणा
Transliteration (IAST)
śāstrasajjanasamparkavairāgyābhyāsapūrvakam sadācārapravṛttiryā procyate sā vicāraṇā
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
शास्त्र-सत्-जन-सम्पर्कśāstra-sat-jana-samparkacontact with scripture and the good; intercourse with the writings and the worthy
वैराग्य-अभ्यास-पूर्वकम्vairāgya-abhyāsa-pūrvakampreceded by dispassion and practice; with detachment and application going before
सत्-आचार-प्रवृत्तिः याsat-ācāra-pravṛttiḥ yāthat inclination to right conduct; the said turning to good behaviour
प्रोच्यते सा विचारणाprocyate sā vicāraṇāis called inquiry; is named investigation
Translation
“The inclination to right conduct, preceded by contact with scripture and the good, by dispassion and practice — it is called inquiry.”
Version
0ee55fa8251c · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The second stage, and in its explication there is a surprise.
One would expect vicāraṇā to be reflection. But it is said: sad-ācāra-pravṛtti — “the inclination to right conduct”.
That is, the fruit of inquiry is not thoughts but deeds.
This agrees with 4.68, where the first condition of knowledge is named the leaving of evil deeds.
Note also the order: first intercourse with scripture and people, then dispassion and practice, and only then — conduct.
The sequence is true to life. A man does not change his habits by decision; he changes them after spending time among those whose habits are different.
The word ācāra — “conduct, way of living” — means precisely the everyday order of life, not feats.