Upanishads · Yogakuṇḍalinī 2.9
॥
Devanāgarī
ग्रन्थतश्चार्थतश्चैव मेलनं लभते यदा । तदा शिवत्वमाप्नोति निर्मुक्तः सर्वसंसृतेः
Transliteration (IAST)
granthataścārthataścaiva melanaṃ labhate yadā | tadā śivatvamāpnoti nirmuktaḥ sarvasaṃsṛteḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ग्रन्थतः च अर्थतः च एवgranthataḥ ca arthataḥ ca evaand by the book, and by the sense, indeed
मेलनं लभते यदाmelanaṃ labhate yadāthe meeting attains, when
तदा शिव-त्वम् आप्नोतिtadā śiva-tvam āpnotithen the state of Shiva he attains
निर्मुक्तः सर्व-संसृतेःnirmuktaḥ sarva-saṃsṛteḥfreed from the whole cycle
Translation
"When the meeting is attained — by the book and by the sense — then he attains the state of Shiva, freed from the whole cycle".
Version
1b21194c4e55 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The threefold distinction (2.3) is repeated, but only two are named: by the book and by the sense; the third — application — is omitted. This omission, it seems, is no accident: what is spoken of is melana, "meeting," and this is not applied — it is received. Practice is applied; a meeting cannot be "made."
Worth noting is the phrase shiva-tvam apnoti, "attains the state of Shiva." The suffix -tva is a suffix of abstraction: not "becomes Shiva," but "attains Shiva-ness," that is, the state proper to him. This distinction is grammatical, but decides much; it was discussed when reading Katharudra (86), where the same was said of rudratva. One attains properties, not the person; and language here is precise where interpretations are vague.
The Vaishnava side stands on this distinction and points out that it is drawn by the scriptures themselves. There is sarupya, "resemblance of form"; salokya, "dwelling in the same world"; samipya, "nearness"; sarshti, "equality of opulence." All four are described as kinds of liberation — and in not one of them is it said that the one attaining becomes Him.
The fifth, sayujya, "merging," is named in her books and — worth noting — placed below the rest; the Bhagavatam says devotees do not accept it, even when it is offered (3.29.13).