Upanishads · Mahā 6.43
॥
Devanāgarī
अन्तःशीतलया बुद्ध्या कुर्वतो लीलया क्रियाम् यो नूनं वासनात्यागो ध्येयो ब्रह्मन्प्रकीर्तितः
Transliteration (IAST)
antaḥśītalayā buddhyā kurvato līlayā kriyām yo nūnaṃ vāsanātyāgo dhyeyo brahmanprakīrtitaḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अन्तः-शीतलया बुद्ध्याantaḥ-śītalayā buddhyāwith a reason cool within; with an understanding chilled inside
कुर्वतः लीलया क्रियाम्kurvataḥ līlayā kriyāmin him who does his work in play; in the one performing action sportively
यः नूनम् वासना-त्यागःyaḥ nūnam vāsanā-tyāgaḥthat truly is the leaving of vāsanās; that verily is the abandonment of inclinations
ध्येयः ब्रह्मन् प्रकीर्तितःdhyeyaḥ brahman prakīrtitaḥproclaimed worthy of contemplation, O brāhmaṇa; declared fit for meditation, O brāhmaṇa
Translation
“…in him who, with a reason cool within, does his work in play — that is the true leaving of the vāsanās, O brāhmaṇa, proclaimed worthy of contemplation.”
Version
978ca9edd393 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The definition of true renunciation, and it holds two words.
Antaḥ-śītala — “cool within”. It echoes vijvara, “without fever”, of 6.14–6.15: one who has cooled.
And līlayā kriyā — “work done in play”.
Note that renunciation is defined not through inaction but through the manner of action.
This is the sum of all the book has said about works: do not leave them; leave the heat.
Dhyeyaḥ prakīrtitaḥ — “proclaimed worthy of contemplation”. That is, this is what one must look to as the model — not the outward refusal.
Recall 2.45, where the liberated man leaves selfhood līlayā eva — “playfully”.