Upanishads · Mahā 6.22
॥
Devanāgarī
संसाररात्रिदुःस्वप्ने शून्ये देहमये भ्रमे सर्वमेवापवित्रं तद्दृष्टं संसृतिविभ्रमम्
Transliteration (IAST)
saṃsārarātriduḥsvapne śūnye dehamaye bhrame sarvamevāpavitraṃ taddṛṣṭaṃ saṃsṛtivibhramam
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
संसार-रात्रि-दुःस्वप्नेsaṃsāra-rātri-duḥsvapnein the ill dream of the round's night; in the evil dream of the night of the whirl
शून्ये देह-मये भ्रमेśūnye deha-maye bhramein the empty phantasm made of the body; in the hollow delusion woven of the flesh
सर्वम् एव अपवित्रम् तत्sarvam eva apavitram tatall indeed is impure; everything there is unclean
दृष्टम् संसृति-विभ्रमम्dṛṣṭam saṃsṛti-vibhramamthe seen is the whirling of the round; what is beheld is the swirl of the revolving
Translation
“In the ill dream of the round's night, in the empty phantasm made of the body, all is impure; what is seen is the whirling of the round.”
Version
aac325551996 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
A dark verse, and it is set deliberately after the three verses of worship.
Saṃsāra-rātri-duḥsvapna — “the ill dream of the round's night”. Three words, each intensifying: night, dream, ill.
Note, however, that vibhrama, “whirling”, is predicated of dṛṣṭam — “what is seen”. That is, what is evil is not what is, but what is seen.
This agrees with the whole book (4.26, 5.108).
The word apavitra — “impure”. It is rare in these texts and has a ritual ring: so one speaks of what may not be brought near the altar.
It is fitting precisely here, after the verses on worship: approaching Him, one leaves this behind.