Upanishads · Avadhūta 21
॥
Devanāgarī
विक्षेपो नास्ति यस्मान्मे न समाधिस्ततो मम । विक्षेपो वा समाधिर्वा मनसः स्याद्विकारिणः । नित्यानुभवरूपस्य को मेऽत्रानुभवः पृथक्
Transliteration (IAST)
vikṣepo nāsti yasmānme na samādhistato mama | vikṣepo vā samādhirvā manasaḥ syādvikāriṇaḥ | nityānubhavarūpasya ko me'trānubhavaḥ pṛthak
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
विक्षेपः न अस्ति यस्मात् मेvikṣepaḥ na asti yasmāt mesince there is no distraction for me
न समाधिः ततः ममna samādhiḥ tataḥ mamathere is therefore no concentration of mine either
विक्षेपः वा समाधिः वाvikṣepaḥ vā samādhiḥ vādistraction or concentration
मनसः स्यात् विकारिणःmanasaḥ syāt vikāriṇaḥbelong to a mind that changes
नित्य-अनुभव-रूपस्यnitya-anubhava-rūpasyafor one whose nature is constant experience
Translation
Since there is no distraction for me, there is therefore no concentration of mine either; distraction or concentration belong to a mind that changes — but for me, whose nature is constant experience, what special experience is there?
Version
088d36765a9b · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The argument here is subtler than the earlier ones and deserves examination, because it is sound. It is said: vikṣepa and samādhi, "distraction and concentration," are states of manasaḥ vikāriṇaḥ, "a changing mind." Both belong to the mind, not to the one whose mind it is; and so the latter has neither.
This observation is precise. It is the mind that is concentrated or distracted; and when one says "I have concentrated," one speaks of the working of an instrument, not of oneself. The one who is conscious is equally present both during concentration and during distraction — otherwise he could not notice that he had become distracted.
The Vaiṣṇava reading accepts this argument and uses it constantly, for it is the simplest proof that the soul is not the mind. Let us add only one qualification, discussed when reading the Annapūrṇā. From the fact that "I" is not the mind, it does not follow that it is indifferent to me what my mind is like. The driver is not the chariot; but on a broken chariot he will not travel far. That is why it is worth concentrating — not to change oneself, but so that the instrument is sound.