Upanishads · Kaṭharudra 30
॥
Devanāgarī
तत्तत्पदविरक्तस्य श्रोत्रियस्य प्रसादिनः । स्वरूपभूत आनन्दः स्वयं भाति परे यथा
Transliteration (IAST)
tattatpadaviraktasya śrotriyasya prasādinaḥ | svarūpabhūta ānandaḥ svayaṃ bhāti pare yathā
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तत्-तत्-पद-विरक्तस्यtat-tat-pada-viraktasyaindifferent to those and those degrees
श्रोत्रियस्य प्रसादिनःśrotriyasya prasādinaḥone who has heard the Veda, gracious
स्वरूप-भूतः आनन्दःsvarūpa-bhūtaḥ ānandaḥbecome his own form, bliss
स्वयं भाति परे यथाsvayaṃ bhāti pare yathāshines of itself, as in the supreme
Translation
For one indifferent to those and those degrees, who has heard the Veda, gracious — bliss, become his own form, shines of itself, as in the supreme.
Version
786633d80ff3 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The verse continues the previous one and sets a condition: bliss shines for one who is tat-tat-pada-virakta, "indifferent to those and those degrees." That is, to the very ladder just discussed. The steps exist, they are real, and each stands on them according to his measure; but one who does not care about his own step receives more than the rest.
This thought is subtle and deserves being voiced. The steps in these books are never canceled — only one who does not look at them cancels them for himself. And so the ladder is a structure of the world, not an object of concern: one must look not at it, but upward.
It is worth noting two words by which such a person is named. Śrotriya — "one who has heard the Veda," that is, one who has learned from a teacher; and prasādin — "gracious, well-disposed." The second is unexpected and therefore important. The mark of the accomplished is named not discernment, not strength, not dispassion, but goodwill toward others; and this word is from the same root as prasāda, "grace," discussed when reading the Devī (21).
This mark, to my mind, is the truest of all given in these books. How much a person knows is not visible from outside; whether he is steadfast, one does not learn soon; but whether he is gracious toward one lower than himself and dependent on him is visible from the first moment.