Upanishads · Mahā 5.70
॥
Devanāgarī
अयत्नोपतेष्वक्षिदृग्दृश्येषु यथा मनः नीरागमेव पतति तद्वत्कार्येषु धीरधीः
Transliteration (IAST)
ayatnopateṣvakṣidṛgdṛśyeṣu yathā manaḥ nīrāgameva patati tadvatkāryeṣu dhīradhīḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अयत्न-उपनतेषु अक्षिayatna-upanateṣu akṣion what has presented itself to the eye unsought; on what has come before the eye without effort
दृग्-दृश्येषु यथा मनःdṛg-dṛśyeṣu yathā manaḥon the seen by sight, as the mind; on the visible to the gaze, in what way consciousness
नीरागम् एव पततिnīrāgam eva patatifalls quite without passion; alights entirely without fondness
तद्वत् कार्येषु धीर-धीःtadvat kāryeṣu dhīra-dhīḥso the firm of reason — on his tasks; thus the steadfast in understanding — on his occupations
Translation
“As the mind falls without passion on what has presented itself to the eye unsought, so does the firm of reason fall upon his tasks.”
Version
cf8edf67f45a · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The comparison is taken from the most ordinary experience.
The glance falls on what has entered the field of vision. There is no choice in this and no passion: one saw — and saw.
Just so, says the verse, the knower takes up his tasks.
Note the word ayatna-upanata — “come unsought, without effort”. It is of the same family as prakṛta in 2.60 and 5.37: what has arrived of itself.
This answers the question whence such a man's occupations come, if he wants nothing. The answer: from the same place whence comes what we see.
Dhīra-dhī — “firm of reason”. The word dhīra means at once “steadfast”, “calm” and “wise”.