Upanishads · Bhasmajābāla 2.6
॥
Devanāgarī
नैतत्संमर्शः । तथान्ये । मूर्ध्नि चत्वारिंशत् । शिखायामेकं त्रयं वा
Transliteration (IAST)
naitatsaṃmarśaḥ | tathānye | mūrdhni catvāriṃśat | śikhāyāmekaṃ trayaṃ vā
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
न एतत् संमर्शःna etat saṃmarśaḥabout this there is no disagreement
तथा अन्येtathā anyeand so with others
मूर्ध्नि चत्वारिंशत्mūrdhni catvāriṃśaton the head — forty
शिखायाम् एकं त्रयं वाśikhāyām ekaṃ trayaṃ vāon the topknot — one or three
Translation
«About this there is no disagreement; and so with others. On the head — forty; on the topknot — one or three…»
Version
f4b85b8d106d · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The count of beads by parts of the body begins and will take two lines: forty for the head, one or three for the topknot, twelve for the ears, thirty-two for the neck. Worth noting the phrase na etat sammarśaḥ, «about this there is no disagreement», literally «no friction». This phrase in ritual books indicates that on other questions disagreement exists; and the composer, on reaching an undisputed point, marks it specially.
This honesty deserves mention. The book does not present everything as unanimous: it distinguishes where all agree and where opinions diverge; and at once it adds tathā anye, «so with others», that is, it refers to other schools. The Vaishnava side uses the same device constantly, and its whole theological literature consists, in essence, of statements of who thinks what. Its rule here is firm: another's opinion is set out before one's own and set out fully — pūrva-pakṣa, «the prior position»; only then is it answered.
This rule, to my mind, is among the best this literature has produced, and deserves stating on its own. Before objecting, state the objection so that its holder would agree with the statement. One who does not do this argues not with the opinion but with his own picture of it.