Upanishads · Mahā 6.37
॥
Devanāgarī
दर्शनाख्यं स्वमात्मानं सर्वदा भावयन्भव स्वाद्यस्वादकसंत्यक्तं स्वाद्यस्वादकमध्यगम्
Transliteration (IAST)
darśanākhyaṃ svamātmānaṃ sarvadā bhāvayanbhava svādyasvādakasaṃtyaktaṃ svādyasvādakamadhyagam
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
दर्शन-आख्यम् स्वम् आत्मानम्darśana-ākhyam svam ātmānamthy own Ātman, called seeing; thine own self, named the looking
सर्वदा भावयन् भवsarvadā bhāvayan bhavabe, ever contemplating it; abide, always nurturing it
स्वाद्य-स्वादक-संत्यक्तम्svādya-svādaka-saṃtyaktamthat has left the tasted and the taster; which has abandoned the savoured and the savourer
स्वाद्य-स्वादक-मध्य-गम्svādya-svādaka-madhya-gamand goes between the tasted and the taster; and moves midway between the savoured and the savourer
Translation
“Be, ever contemplating thy own Ātman called seeing — which has left both the tasted and the taster and abides between them…”
Version
c85b328f1cd5 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The pointing is transferred from sight to taste, and not without reason.
Svādya and svādaka — “the tasted and the taster”. Between them is the same as between the seen and the seer.
Note why the change of image was needed. Sight is parted from its object by distance; taste is not. The tasted is in the mouth.
So the interval in question is no distance between two things, but something more intimate.
The next verse will name it in one word.
Darśana-ākhya svaḥ ātmā — “thy own Ātman called seeing”. That is, thou art the looking itself, not the looker.
This repeats 2.69 and 5.48.