Upanishads · Mahā 5.29
॥
Devanāgarī
विचारणाशुभेच्छाभ्यामिन्द्रियार्थेषु रक्तता यत्र सा तनुतामेति प्रोच्यते तनुमानसी
Transliteration (IAST)
vicāraṇāśubhecchābhyāmindriyārtheṣu raktatā yatra sā tanutāmeti procyate tanumānasī
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
विचारणा-शुभ-इच्छाभ्याम्vicāraṇā-śubha-icchābhyāmby inquiry and good desire; through investigation and fair wishing
इन्द्रिय-अर्थेषु रक्तताindriya-artheṣu raktatāthe attachment to sense-objects; the fondness for the objects of the senses
यत्र सा तनुताम् एतिyatra sā tanutām etiwherein it grows thin; in which it is made tenuous
प्रोच्यते तनु-मानसीprocyate tanu-mānasīis called the thinning of the mind; is named the refinement of consciousness
Translation
“When, by inquiry and good desire, the attachment to the objects of sense grows thin — that is called the thinning of the mind.”
Version
d956123e8345 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The third stage, and it is the consequence of the first two, not a separate effort.
Note the verb: raktatā tanutām eti — “the attachment becomes thin”. Not “is destroyed”, not “is conquered”.
This is the third time the book describes liberation with the word “thinning” (cf. 2.41, 4.116).
The constancy of this image is not accidental. It removes the false expectation of a breakthrough. He who waits for the day when attachment drops off will wait long; he who notices that it has grown thinner is walking rightly.
And further: the stage's name is tanu-mānasī, “thin-mindedness”. It is the mind that is called thin, while it is the attachment that thins. They are one and the same: the mind is attachment (4.101).
The first three stages, then, are one movement: he wanted — he examined — he grew lighter.