Upanishads · Mahā 6.68
॥
Devanāgarī
बहिःकृत्रिमसंरंभो हृदि संरम्भवर्जितः कर्ता बहिरकर्तान्तर्लोके विहर शुद्धधीः
Transliteration (IAST)
bahiḥkṛtrimasaṃraṃbho hṛdi saṃrambhavarjitaḥ kartā bahirakartāntarloke vihara śuddhadhīḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
बहिः कृत्रिम-संरम्भःbahiḥ kṛtrima-saṃrambhaḥoutside with feigned zeal; outwardly with counterfeit ardour
हृदि संरम्भ-वर्जितःhṛdi saṃrambha-varjitaḥin the heart devoid of zeal; in the heart free of ardour
कर्ता बहिः अकर्ता अन्तःkartā bahiḥ akartā antaḥa doer outside, a non-doer within; without, one who acts; within, one who acts not
लोके विहर शुद्ध-धीःloke vihara śuddha-dhīḥwander the world with a pure reason; roam the world with stainless understanding
Translation
“Outside with feigned zeal, in the heart devoid of zeal; a doer without, a non-doer within — wander the world with a pure reason.”
Version
b3ad9ae4f897 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The word for whose sake the verse deserves study: kṛtrima — “feigned, artificial”.
In 5.171 unfeignedness was the mark of the wise: akṛtrima.
Here feigning is named outright and approved.
No contradiction, if one looks at what it concerns. There the speech was of non-desiring: that must be real. Here, of zeal in works: that may be acted.
That is, the man does his work properly, to all appearances with fervour, and does not burn.
This is what was said of Himself in 4.13: a doer by mere presence.
Kartā bahiḥ akartā antaḥ — “a doer without, a non-doer within”. It cannot be said more briefly.