Upanishads · Mahā 5.121
॥
Devanāgarī
देशकालक्रियाशक्तिर्न यस्याः सम्प्रकर्षणे स्वस्वभावं विदित्वोच्चैरप्यनन्तपदे स्थिता
Transliteration (IAST)
deśakālakriyāśaktirna yasyāḥ samprakarṣaṇe svasvabhāvaṃ viditvoccairapyanantapade sthitā
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
देश-काल-क्रिया-शक्तिःdeśa-kāla-kriyā-śaktiḥthe power of place, time and action; the might of space, of time and of deed
न यस्याः सम्प्रकर्षणेna yasyāḥ samprakarṣaṇehas no strength to drag her along; is unable to carry her away
स्व-स्वभावम् विदित्वा उच्चैःsva-svabhāvam viditvā uccaiḥhaving known her own nature, on high; having understood her proper essence, aloft
अपि अनन्त-पदे स्थिताapi ananta-pade sthitāshe stands established in the endless state; she is settled in the boundless station
Translation
“The power of place, time and action cannot drag her along; having known her own nature, she stands established on high in the endless state.”
Version
06072ead1ff0 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Of the same Goddess-power: the world's three great forces do not take her.
Deśa, kāla, kriyā — “place, time, action”. These are the three frames in which everything we know is laid (cf. 4.41).
They cannot samprakarṣaṇa her — “drag her off”. Understandably: she is older than they; they are from her.
The second half is unexpected: sva-svabhāvaṃ viditvā — “having known her own nature”.
The power knows herself. She is no blind force.
This matters for the right reading of all that follows. Next comes the account of how mind, senses and elements unfold out of consciousness; and the book says in advance that what acts in this is not blind.
Ananta-pada — “the endless state”. In it she is sthitā — “established”; that is, even while unfolding the world, she remains there.