Upanishads · Mahā 5.84
॥
Devanāgarī
विवेकं परमाश्रित्य बुद्ध्या सत्यमवेक्ष्य च इन्द्रियारीनलं छित्त्वा तीर्णो भव भवार्णवात्
Transliteration (IAST)
vivekaṃ paramāśritya buddhyā satyamavekṣya ca indriyārīnalaṃ chittvā tīrṇo bhava bhavārṇavāt
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
विवेकम् परम् आश्रित्यvivekam param āśrityaresorting to supreme discernment; having taken refuge in the highest discrimination
बुद्ध्या सत्यम् अवेक्ष्य चbuddhyā satyam avekṣya caand beholding truth with the reason; and with the understanding having viewed the real
इन्द्रिय-अरीन् अलम् छित्त्वाindriya-arīn alam chittvāhaving thoroughly cut down the enemy senses; having well hewn the adversary senses
तीर्णः भव भव-अर्णवात्tīrṇaḥ bhava bhava-arṇavātcross over the ocean of becoming; be one who has crossed the sea of existence
Translation
“Resorting to supreme discernment, beholding truth with the reason, cutting down the enemy senses — cross over the ocean of becoming.”
Version
ad558e703a6a · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The verse gathers together all that has been discussed: discernment, reason, the senses, the crossing.
Note the first word: āśritya — “resorting, having found refuge”. The same as in 4.14 and 5.36.
Three times, at its most important points, the book sets precisely this verb. Not “having applied” and not “having used”: having resorted.
Tīrṇo bhava bhava-arṇavāt — “cross the ocean of becoming”. The word tīrṇa, as noted at 5.41, is of the same root as tīrtha, “ford”.
And once more: chittvā — “having hewn”. The martial language, as in 5.75–5.77.
The verse is, in essence, the whole path in brief: discern, look with the reason, curb the senses, cross.