Upanishads · Mahā 6.53
॥
Devanāgarī
बन्धास्थामथ मोक्षास्थां सुखदुःखदशामपि त्यक्त्वा सदसदास्थां त्वं तिष्ठाक्षुब्धमहाब्धिवत्
Transliteration (IAST)
bandhāsthāmatha mokṣāsthāṃ sukhaduḥkhadaśāmapi tyaktvā sadasadāsthāṃ tvaṃ tiṣṭhākṣubdhamahābdhivat
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
बन्ध-आस्थाम् अथ मोक्ष-आस्थाम्bandha-āsthām atha mokṣa-āsthāmreliance on bondage, then reliance on freedom; the clinging to fetters and the clinging to release
सुख-दुःख-दशाम् अपिsukha-duḥkha-daśām apiand the condition of joy and sorrow too; and the estate of happiness and suffering also
त्यक्त्वा सत्-असत्-आस्थाम् त्वम्tyaktvā sat-asat-āsthām tvamleaving reliance on the existent and non-existent, thou; having cast off the clinging to being and non-being, thou
तिष्ठ अक्षुब्ध-महा-अब्धि-वत्tiṣṭha akṣubdha-mahā-abdhi-vatstand like the unagitated great ocean; abide as the unruffled mighty sea
Translation
“Leaving the reliance on bondage and on freedom, the condition of joy and sorrow, the reliance on the existent and non-existent — stand like the great unagitated ocean.”
Version
84d3ee80b27d · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The verse repeats 4.10 with its ocean, and adds to the list of things left something unexpected: mokṣa-āsthā — “reliance on liberation”.
That too must be left.
This is consistent. Every reliance is āsthā, and āsthā has been named the mine of sufferings (4.110, 5.85). Counting on liberation is counting all the same.
Note that here lies the root of the difference between the bound craving and the free (6.50). One may strive; one may not calculate.
The ocean is unagitated not because there are no waves on it, but because the depth takes no part.
This is the last time the book gives this image, and it gives it after taking away even the last support.