Upanishads · Mahā 5.185
॥
Devanāgarī
तण्डुलस्य यथा चर्म यथा ताम्रस्य कालिमा नश्यति क्रियया विप्र पुरुषस्य तथा मलम्
Transliteration (IAST)
taṇḍulasya yathā carma yathā tāmrasya kālimā naśyati kriyayā vipra puruṣasya tathā malam
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तण्डुलस्य यथा चर्मtaṇḍulasya yathā carmaas the husk of the rice grain; just like the hull upon the grain of rice
यथा ताम्रस्य कालिमाyathā tāmrasya kālimāas the blackness of copper; just like the tarnish upon copper
नश्यति क्रियया विप्रnaśyati kriyayā vipraperishes through work, O brāhmaṇa; vanishes through labour, O brāhmaṇa
पुरुषस्य तथा मलम्puruṣasya tathā malamso does the taint of a man; so too the defilement of a person
Translation
“As the husk of the rice grain, as the blackness of copper perishes through work, O brāhmaṇa — so does the taint of a man.”
Version
2bad00c4dc11 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Two examples, both from the household, and both chosen well.
The husk on the rice. It is not part of the grain; it is upon it; it is threshed off, and what was there remains.
The blackness on copper. The oxide settles of itself, from air and time; it is scoured off, and the copper shines.
Note what the two share: the dirt has stuck on from outside and holds until it is touched. And in both cases it is removed by kriyā — “work”.
Not illumination and not grace: work.
A sober note at the close of a chapter full of lofty words.
And it is the last thing to be said after the question “what is so hard?”: not hard — but one must labour.