Upanishads · Mahā 5.127
॥
Devanāgarī
एवं जीवो हि संकल्पवासनारज्जुवेष्टितः दुःखजालपरीतात्मा क्रमादायाति नीचताम्
Transliteration (IAST)
evaṃ jīvo hi saṃkalpavāsanārajjuveṣṭitaḥ duḥkhajālaparītātmā kramādāyāti nīcatām
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एवम् जीवः हि सङ्कल्पevam jīvaḥ hi saṅkalpathus the jīva, by design; so the soul, through intent
वासना-रज्जु-वेष्टितःvāsanā-rajju-veṣṭitaḥwound about with the rope of vāsanās; wrapped round with the cord of inclinations
दुःख-जाल-परीत-आत्माduḥkha-jāla-parīta-ātmāits essence encompassed by the net of sufferings; its nature enmeshed in the toils of torments
क्रमात् आयाति नीचताम्kramāt āyāti nīcatāmby degrees comes to lowness; little by little arrives at abasement
Translation
“Thus the jīva, wound about with the rope of designs and inclinations, encompassed by the net of sufferings, comes by degrees to lowness.”
Version
1b6e89c23ce9 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The summing-up of the descent, and in it stands the word kramāt — “by degrees, in order”.
There was no fall. There was an order, step after step.
This is more consoling than it seems. Where there is an order, there is also a way back.
Note the image: rajju-veṣṭita — “wound about with a rope”. The rope is not tied in a knot; it is wrapped, coil upon coil.
Unwind it — and there will be nothing left binding the hands.
Nīcatā — “lowness, abasement”. The word is not of moral fall but of position: the jīva has ended up below.
Recall 5.93: the creature stricken by the bodily selfhood “runs ever lower and lower”.