Upanishads · Mahā 5.164
॥
Devanāgarī
विरञ्चिरूपान्मनसः कल्पितत्वाज्जगत्स्थितेः तावत्स्थितिरियं प्रोक्ता तन्नाशे नाशमाप्नुयात्
Transliteration (IAST)
virañcirūpānmanasaḥ kalpitatvājjagatsthiteḥ tāvatsthitiriyaṃ proktā tannāśe nāśamāpnuyāt
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
विरञ्चि-रूपात् मनसःvirañci-rūpāt manasaḥfrom mind in the form of Virañci; out of consciousness in the shape of Virañci
कल्पितत्वात् जगत्-स्थितेःkalpitatvāt jagat-sthiteḥsince the world's standing is a contrivance; because the world's continuance is devised
तावत् स्थितिः इयम् प्रोक्ताtāvat sthitiḥ iyam proktāso long, it is said, does this standing last; for so long, it is declared, this continuance endures
तत्-नाशे नाशम् आप्नुयात्tat-nāśe nāśam āpnuyātat his destruction it would meet destruction; with his perishing it would come to perish
Translation
“Since the world's standing is contrived by mind in the form of Virañci, it lasts as long as he; at his destruction it too meets destruction.”
Version
ed543160663d · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Virañci is one of Brahmā's names.
The verse ties the world's term to the term of its maker: while Brahmā is, the world is.
This is no tautology. The thought is that the world has no existence of its own and therefore cannot outlive him by whose thought it is held.
Recall 3.51, where it is said that even Parameṣṭhin has his limit.
Therefore the world has one too.
Note the expression virañci-rūpāt manasaḥ — “from mind in the form of Virañci”. Brahmā is named not a creator-person but a form of mind.
This agrees with 4.49: the universe is woven “by Brahman, that is, the self-existent mind”.
Vaiṣṇava Vedānta distinguishes here Brahmā — the first created being — from Him who begot him; the latter falls under no term.