Upanishads · Mahā 5.155
॥
Devanāgarī
मूषास्थद्रुतहेमाभं स्फुरितं विमलाम्बरे संनिवेशमथादत्ते तत्तेजः स्वस्वभावतः
Transliteration (IAST)
mūṣāsthadrutahemābhaṃ sphuritaṃ vimalāmbare saṃniveśamathādatte tattejaḥ svasvabhāvataḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
मूषा-स्थ-द्रुत-हेम-आभम्mūṣā-stha-druta-hema-ābhamwith the sheen of molten gold in a crucible; like liquefied gold within the melting-pot
स्फुरितम् विमल-अम्बरेsphuritam vimala-ambareflickering in the stainless expanse; shimmering in the unclouded heavens
संनिवेशम् अथ आदत्तेsaṃniveśam atha ādatteit then assumes an arrangement; it thereafter receives a configuration
तत् तेजः स्व-स्वभावतःtat tejaḥ sva-svabhāvataḥthat light, by its own nature; the said radiance, of its proper essence
Translation
“Like molten gold in a crucible, flickering in the stainless expanse, that light then assumes an arrangement by its own nature.”
Version
1c5a293513d3 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The image of casting: molten gold in the crucible.
It is exact in two features.
First: the melt has no form until poured. It is ready to take any, and has none of its own.
Second: it takes its form sva-svabhāvataḥ — “by its own nature”, that is, not by another's compulsion.
Note that nowhere in this description is there an outside craftsman. The light itself assumes saṃniveśa — “an arrangement, a disposition of parts”.
This agrees with the chapter's whole structure: the jīva binds itself (5.128–5.129).
And the word hema, “gold”, returns to 4.45, where gold and bracelet served as the image of the unity of essence and form.
Here it is shown how the bracelet comes to be.