Upanishads · Mahā 6.70
॥
Devanāgarī
उदारः पेशलाचारः सर्वाचारानुवृत्तिमान् अन्तःसङ्गपरित्यागी बहिःसंभारवानिव अन्तर्वैराग्यमादाय बहिराशोन्मुखेहितः
Transliteration (IAST)
udāraḥ peśalācāraḥ sarvācārānuvṛttimān antaḥsaṅgaparityāgī bahiḥsaṃbhāravāniva antarvairāgyamādāya bahirāśonmukhehitaḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
उदारः पेशल-आचारःudāraḥ peśala-ācāraḥgenerous, graceful in his conduct; magnanimous, agreeable in his ways
सर्व-आचार-अनुवृत्तिमान्sarva-ācāra-anuvṛttimānconforming to every usage; following all the customs
अन्तः-सङ्ग-परित्यागीantaḥ-saṅga-parityāgīinwardly a renouncer of attachment; within, one who has left off clinging
बहिः सम्भार-वान् इवbahiḥ sambhāra-vān ivaoutwardly as if laden with concerns; without, as though burdened with provisions
अन्तः वैराग्यम् आदायantaḥ vairāgyam ādāyainwardly having taken up dispassion; within, having assumed detachment
बहिः आशा-उन्मुख-ईहितःbahiḥ āśā-unmukha-īhitaḥoutwardly seeming bent on expectations; without, in appearance turned toward hopes
Translation
“Generous, graceful in conduct, conforming to every usage; inwardly a renouncer of attachment, outwardly as if laden with concerns; inwardly having taken up dispassion, outwardly seeming bent on expectations…”
Version
51ca8be71b41 · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The verse completes what 6.67–6.68 spoke of, and completes it to the end: outwardly he looks like a busy man not indifferent to his affairs.
Bahiḥ sambhāra-vān iva — “as if laden with provisions”. The word sambhāra means “stores, equipment, a press of business”.
And bahir āśā-unmukha-īhitaḥ — “outwardly seeming bent on expectations”.
Note iva — “as if”. It is the key to the whole verse.
Why such disguise? The book does not say directly, and it is honest to admit: it gives no reason at all.
Most likely the matter is simple: he who parades his detachment gathers reverence about himself and becomes bound by it. He who looks like everyone is free of that too.
Udāra — “generous, magnanimous”. The very word by which in 6.52 the highest state was named.