Upanishads · Rudrahṛdaya 35
॥
Devanāgarī
ज्ञानेनैव हि संसारविनाशो नैव कर्मणा । श्रोत्रियं ब्रह्मनिष्ठं स्वगुरुं गच्छेद्यथाविधि
Transliteration (IAST)
jñānenaiva hi saṃsāravināśo naiva karmaṇā | śrotriyaṃ brahmaniṣṭhaṃ svaguruṃ gacchedyathāvidhi
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ज्ञानेन एव हि संसार-विनाशःjñānena eva hi saṃsāra-vināśaḥby knowledge alone, indeed, [comes] the destruction of transmigration
न एव कर्मणाna eva karmaṇānot by deed
श्रोत्रियं ब्रह्म-निष्ठंśrotriyaṃ brahma-niṣṭhaṃto one who has heard the Veda, established in brahman
स्व-गुरुं गच्छेत् यथा-विधिsva-guruṃ gacchet yathā-vidhihis own teacher, let him go, according to the code
Translation
"By knowledge alone, indeed, comes the destruction of transmigration, not by deed. To his own teacher — one who has heard the Veda, established in brahman — let him go, according to the code."
Version
1c024b7a7f45 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The first half-verse is a commonplace, discussed when reading the Kāṭharudra (9): "by knowledge alone, not by deed." No need to repeat the analysis; let me only recall the gist of the objection. The word eva, "alone," is here the strongest and most doubtful thing: that knowledge is necessary, no one disputes; that it alone is sufficient contradicts both experience and the second half of this very verse.
For the second half says: go to a teacher. And to go is a deed; moreover, a deed requiring yathāvidhi, "according to the code," that is, with the order observed: to come, to bow, to serve, to ask. This contradiction is usual in such verses and is explained simply. "Not by deed" means not "do nothing," but "not by ritual deed": not by sacrifice, not by almsgiving, not by pilgrimage. The deed of discipleship does not fall under this, and so it is prescribed right away.
The Vaiṣṇava side stands on this and points out that knowledge, in these books, never comes of itself anywhere. The Muṇḍaka commands going to a teacher with firewood in hand (1.2.12); the Gītā, prostration, inquiry, and service (4.34); and here, going to one's own by the code. It is worth noting the two conditions by which the teacher is defined: śrotriya, "one who has heard the Veda," and brahma-niṣṭha, "established in brahman." The first is learning, the second is life; and both are required. A scholar without life will transmit words; one who lives without learning will transmit his own; and only with both is what was received transmitted.