Upanishads · Mahā 5.33
॥
Devanāgarī
परप्रयुक्तेन चिरं प्रयत्नेनावबोधनम् पदार्थभावना नाम षष्ठी भवति भूमिका
Transliteration (IAST)
paraprayuktena ciraṃ prayatnenāvabodhanam padārthabhāvanā nāma ṣaṣṭhī bhavati bhūmikā
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
पर-प्रयुक्तेन चिरम्para-prayuktena ciramby another's prompting, long; by outside urging, at length
प्रयत्नेन अवबोधनम्prayatnena avabodhanamand by effort — an awakening; and through exertion — a rousing
पदार्थ-भावना नामpadārtha-bhāvanā nāma“the contemplating of things” by name; styled “the discernment of objects”
षष्ठी भवति भूमिकाṣaṣṭhī bhavati bhūmikāis the sixth stage; proves to be the sixth step
Translation
“…an awakening that comes only by another's prompting and long effort — this is the sixth stage, named the contemplating of things.”
Version
860a5345c7d4 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The sixth stage is described through a strange detail, and it is the main point.
A man at this stage is roused — that is, returns to affairs and things — only para-prayuktena, “by another's prompting”, and ciraṃ prayatnena, “by long effort”.
That is, he no longer goes out into affairs himself. He must be called, and more than once.
The picture is familiar: the ascetic sunk in himself who must be shaken by the shoulder so that he eat.
The stage's name — padārtha-bhāvanā — is thereby explained from its opposite: things have ceased to be objects for him, and outside intervention is needed for him to distinguish them again.
Note that the book does not count this the highest. There is a seventh beyond.