Upanishads · Mahā 5.49
॥
Devanāgarī
देशाद्देशं गते चित्ते मध्ये यच्चेतसो वओउः अजाड्यसंविन्मननं तन्मयो भव सर्वदा
Transliteration (IAST)
deśāddeśaṃ gate citte madhye yaccetaso vaouḥ ajāḍyasaṃvinmananaṃ tanmayo bhava sarvadā
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
देशात् देशम् गते चित्तेdeśāt deśam gate cittewhen the mind has gone from place to place; upon consciousness passing from one place to another
मध्ये यत् चेतसः वपुःmadhye yat cetasaḥ vapuḥthe substance of awareness in the middle; whatever essence of awareness lies between
अजाड्य-संवित्-मननम्ajāḍya-saṃvit-mananamun-inert cognition and musing; unbenumbed knowing and reflection
तन्मयः भव सर्वदाtanmayaḥ bhava sarvadābe made of that always; abide as it perpetually
Translation
“When the mind passes from place to place, the substance of awareness that lies in the middle is un-inert cognition; be made of it always.”
Version
adecd109bc71 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
For the third time the book points to the interval (cf. 4.58, 5.5), and this time — as a constant occupation.
Tanmayo bhava sarvadā — “be made of it always”.
This refrain will repeat through three verses in a row, 5.49–5.51. It is the chapter's chief practical instruction.
Note the word ajāḍya — “un-inert”, met before (2.48, 5.7). Every time it speaks of the interval, the book stipulates that it is no blank.
And beside it stands mananam — “musing”. Strange: it was just said that in the interval there is no musing.
There is, I think, no contradiction: here manana means not work upon an object, but the very capacity of being aware, taken alive.
Most important of all is the word sarvadā — “always”. What happens many times an hour is proposed to be made constant.