Upanishads · Bhasmajābāla 1.24
॥
Devanāgarī
एतत्प्रातः प्रयुञ्जानो रत्रिकृतात्पापात्पूतो भवति । स्वर्णस्तेयात्प्रमुच्यते
Transliteration (IAST)
etatprātaḥ prayuñjāno ratrikṛtātpāpātpūto bhavati | svarṇasteyātpramucyate
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एतत् प्रातः प्रयुञ्जानःetat prātaḥ prayuñjānaḥone who applies this in the morning
रात्रि-कृतात् पापात् पूतः भवतिrātri-kṛtāt pāpāt pūtaḥ bhavatibecomes pure of sin done by night
स्वर्ण-स्तेयात् प्रमुच्यतेsvarṇa-steyāt pramucyateis released from theft of gold
Translation
«One who applies this in the morning becomes pure of sin done by night; is released from theft of gold».
Version
78dee31c6a72 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The phala-śruti, the recitation of fruits, begins and will take four lines. The first promise is the same as was discussed when reading Devī (22): in the morning what was done by night is removed, in the evening what was done by day. And it was said there what danger lies in such a structure: it allows a cycle in which nothing changes.
There is no need to repeat the discussion. Let me add only what pertains here. Svarṇa-steya, «theft of gold», is named specially, and this is not accidental. In Indian law the theft of gold from a brahmin is one of the five great sins, standing beside the killing of a brahmin and the drinking of liquor.
The list of the five great sins is worth knowing, for it explains all such promises: killing a brahmin, drinking liquor, stealing gold, relations with the teacher's wife, and association with one who has committed any of these. Worth noting the fifth: association. That is, keeping company with the guilty is itself counted a sin.
This notion exists in Vaishnava books too and is developed as saṅga, «association»: whom you keep company with, that you become. But there it is not punitive but descriptive: not «you will be punished for the acquaintance», but «you will take it on». And so the same tradition also commands the company of those on the path, sādhu-saṅga — not as a reward, but by the same law: one takes on the good as well.