Upanishads · Bhasmajābāla 2.65
॥
Devanāgarī
ब्रह्मविद्येयं ब्रह्मविद्या । मुमुक्षवः काश्यामेवासीना वीर्यवन्तो विद्यावन्तः । विज्ञानमयं ब्रह्मकोशम्
Transliteration (IAST)
brahmavidyeyaṃ brahmavidyā | mumukṣavaḥ kāśyāmevāsīnā vīryavanto vidyāvantaḥ | vijñānamayaṃ brahmakośam
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ब्रह्म-विद्या इयं ब्रह्म-विद्याbrahma-vidyā iyaṃ brahma-vidyāthis is the knowledge of Brahman, the knowledge of Brahman
मुमुक्षवः काश्याम् एव आसीनाःmumukṣavaḥ kāśyām eva āsīnāḥseekers of liberation, sitting in Kāśī
वीर्यवन्तः विद्यावन्तःvīryavantaḥ vidyāvantaḥfull of strength, full of knowledge
विज्ञान-मयं ब्रह्म-कोशम्vijñāna-mayaṃ brahma-kośamthe treasury of Brahman, made of knowledge
Translation
«This is the knowledge of Brahman, the knowledge of Brahman. Seekers of liberation, sitting in Kāśī, full of strength, full of knowledge — the treasury of Brahman, made of knowledge».
Version
46761da0ec86 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Two qualities of the seekers are named: vīryavantaḥ and vidyāvantaḥ, «full of strength» and «full of knowledge». The first is unexpected and deserves examination. Vīrya means «courage, strength, seed»; and it turns out that of the one seeking liberation is required, besides knowledge, fortitude as well.
This requirement occurs more than once in the upaniṣads and is stated most sharply in the Muṇḍaka: nāyam ātmā balahīnena labhyaḥ, «this Ātman is not attained by the weak» (3.2.4). There the word is bala-hīna, «lacking strength»; and to take it as strength of muscle would be absurd, but as strength of spirit — precise. What exactly is meant is clear from the matter at hand. To give up a habit, to forgive an offense, to hold to a resolve when no one is watching — all this requires not understanding but exactly fortitude; and there are always more people who know, who understand what should be done, than people able to act so.
The Vaishnava side expresses this with the word utsāha, «zeal», which stands first in the list of the six conditions for success (Upadeśāmṛta 3): zeal, confidence, patience, acting by rule, avoidance of bad company, and following custom. Named first is not knowledge and not humility, but zeal — that is, exactly the vīrya this line speaks of.