Upanishads · Mahā 6.33
॥
Devanāgarī
मनसैव मनश्छित्त्वा कुठारेणेव पादपम् पदं पावनमासाद्य सद्य एव स्थिरो भव
Transliteration (IAST)
manasaiva manaśchittvā kuṭhāreṇeva pādapam padaṃ pāvanamāsādya sadya eva sthiro bhava
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
मनसा एव मनः छित्त्वाmanasā eva manaḥ chittvāhaving cut the mind with the mind itself; having severed consciousness with consciousness itself
कुठारेण इव पादपम्kuṭhāreṇa iva pādapamas a tree with an axe; just as a tree with the hatchet
पदम् पावनम् आसाद्यpadam pāvanam āsādyahaving reached the purifying state; having attained the hallowing station
सद्यः एव स्थिरः भवsadyaḥ eva sthiraḥ bhavaat once be firm; immediately be unshaken
Translation
“Having cut the mind with the mind, as a tree with an axe, and reached the purifying state — at once be firm.”
Version
1f0c51ae8760 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
A second tool in two verses running, and this time an axe.
Note the difference from the previous. A net is unpicked with a needle; a tree is felled with an axe.
No contradiction: different hindrances demand different means.
The image of axe and tree is from the Bhagavad-gītā, where the banyan of the world is ordered felled “with the strong weapon of non-attachment”.
The first line repeats 4.106: to cut the mind with the mind.
Note the word sadyaḥ — “at once”. In the book it occurred with the promise of liberation (2.37).
Here it attends the command: do not postpone the standing until all is done. The moment you have felled it — stand.