Upanishads · Kaṭharudra p6
॥
Devanāgarī
अग्नये वैश्वानराय प्रजापतये च प्राजापत्यं चरुं वैष्णवं त्रिकपालमग्निं संस्थितानि पूर्वाणि दारुपात्राण्याग्नौ जुहुयात् । मृण्मयान्यप्सु जुहुयात् । तैजसानि गुरवे दद्यात्
Transliteration (IAST)
agnaye vaiśvānarāya prajāpataye ca prājāpatyaṃ caruṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ trikapālamagniṃ saṃsthitāni pūrvāṇi dārupātrāṇyāgnau juhuyāt | mṛṇmayānyapsu juhuyāt | taijasāni gurave dadyāt
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अग्नये वैश्वानराय प्रजापतये चagnaye vaiśvānarāya prajāpataye cafor Agni Vaiśvānara and Prajāpati
प्राजापत्यं चरुंprājāpatyaṃ caruṃthe Prājāpatya porridge
वैष्णवं त्रि-कपालम्vaiṣṇavaṃ tri-kapālamVaiṣṇava, on three potsherds
दारु-पात्राणि अग्नौ जुहुयात्dāru-pātrāṇi agnau juhuyātlet him cast the wooden implements into the fire
तैजसानि गुरवे दद्यात्taijasāni gurave dadyātthe metal ones let him give to the teacher
Translation
… for Agni Vaiśvānara and Prajāpati, the Prājāpatya porridge, the Vaiṣṇava one on three potsherds. The former wooden implements let him cast into the fire; the clay ones into water; the metal ones let him give to the teacher.
Version
24ab2a1b71eb · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The last sacrifice of the one departing is called vaiṣṇavaṃ tri-kapālam, "Vaiṣṇava, on three potsherds": a cake baked on three clay shards and offered to Viṣṇu. This sacrifice is well known in the Vedic rite, and its three shards signify Viṣṇu's three steps — the very trivikrama by which He strode across the worlds. That is, the last thing a person offers, leaving the rite forever, is offered to Viṣṇu.
This detail deserves attention in a book devoted to setting-aside. Before casting off all implements and departing, an offering is made to the One who strode across all three worlds; and the one departing is about to step beyond the bounds of all three himself. It is worth noting also the disposal of property, for it is precise and practical. What is wooden — into the fire; what is clay — into water; what is metal — to the teacher. That is: what burns, burn; what dissolves, put in water; and what does not perish, give to a person, so it may go on serving.
In this one sees the measure of ancient prudence. The one renouncing does not spoil what is still fit for use, and does not throw metal into a river for the sake of gesture; he gives it away. A renunciation in which things are wasted for nothing is not renunciation, but waste.