Upanishads · Yogakuṇḍalinī 3.17
॥
Devanāgarī
गुरुवाक्यसमाभिन्ने ब्रह्मज्ञानं स्फुटीभवेत् । कर्णधारं गुरुं प्राप्य कृत्वा सूक्ष्मं तरन्ति च
Transliteration (IAST)
guruvākyasamābhinne brahmajñānaṃ sphuṭībhavet | karṇadhāraṃ guruṃ prāpya kṛtvā sūkṣmaṃ taranti ca
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
गुरु-वाक्य-समाभिन्नेguru-vākya-samābhinnewhen, by the teacher's word, broken
ब्रह्म-ज्ञानं स्फुटी-भवेत्brahma-jñānaṃ sphuṭī-bhavetknowledge of Brahman becomes manifest
कर्ण-धारं गुरुं प्राप्यkarṇa-dhāraṃ guruṃ prāpyahaving obtained a helmsman-teacher
कृत्वा सूक्ष्मं तरन्ति चkṛtvā sūkṣmaṃ taranti cahaving grown fine, they cross over
Translation
"When [the pot is] broken by the teacher's word, knowledge of Brahman becomes manifest; having obtained a helmsman-teacher, having grown fine, they cross over".
Version
eb919994e7c6 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here is the answer to the question posed by the preceding line: the pot is broken not by death and not by technique, but by guru-vakya, "the teacher's word." This answer deserves note, for it is the third time this book, upon reaching something decisive, names the word, not the deed. The first was in the second chapter (2.8): the meeting is given from the mouth. The second — there too (2.43): one who has attained the mantra has no need of technique. The third — here.
Worth noting too is the second image of this same line: karna-dhara, "helmsman," literally "one who holds the rudder." The image of crossing was discussed when reading Pashupata (1.19) and Tripuratapini (3), and it was noted there: crossing presupposes two and two shores. Here a third member is added — the helmsman; and this, I think, completes the image.
One who swims does not know the channel himself. He can row, and must; but where to row is known by the one who holds the rudder. And so in this image the labor remains with the man, but the direction with another.
The Vaishnava side loves this image and repeats it constantly; and in her books the teacher is called kandari, "helmsman," and the world an ocean. It is worth adding only what pertains to the present passage: the helmsman does not replace the rowers, and the rowers do not replace the helmsman. Both are needed; and every teaching that abolishes one of the two comes either to willfulness or to idleness.