Upanishads · Mahā 5.183
॥
Devanāgarī
भावनाभावमात्रेण संकल्पः क्षीयते स्वयम् संकल्पेनैव संकल्पं मनसैव मनो मुने
Transliteration (IAST)
bhāvanābhāvamātreṇa saṃkalpaḥ kṣīyate svayam saṃkalpenaiva saṃkalpaṃ manasaiva mano mune
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
भावना-अभाव-मात्रेणbhāvanā-abhāva-mātreṇaby the mere absence of contemplation; solely through the want of nurturing
सङ्कल्पः क्षीयते स्वयम्saṅkalpaḥ kṣīyate svayamdesign perishes of itself; intent wastes away of its own accord
सङ्कल्पेन एव सङ्कल्पम्saṅkalpena eva saṅkalpamby design itself — design; with intent itself — intent
मनसा एव मनः मुनेmanasā eva manaḥ muneby the mind itself — the mind, O sage; with consciousness itself — consciousness, O silent one
Translation
“By the mere absence of contemplation design perishes of itself; by design — design, by the mind — the mind, O sage…”
Version
04b674d0bd79 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The remedy is named, and it is the same as in 4.94: abhāvana — “non-nurturing”.
Note the word mātreṇa — “by the mere”. Nothing more is required.
And svayam — “of itself”. Design is not slain: it dies of starvation.
The second half returns to the rule of 4.104 and 5.75: like by like. Design by design, the mind by the mind.
There is no contradiction with the first half. One and the same deed can be described both as non-interference (stop feeding it) and as an act (overcome the mind by the mind).
From outside it looks like effort; from within, like the cessation of effort.
The thought will be finished in the next verse, and there a remarkable question will sound.