Upanishads · Pañcabrahma 5
॥
Devanāgarī
सर्वदुष्टप्रशमनं सर्वैश्वर्यफलप्रदम् । वामदेव महाबोधदायकं पावनात्मकम्
Transliteration (IAST)
sarvaduṣṭapraśamanaṃ sarvaiśvaryaphalapradam | vāmadeva mahābodhadāyakaṃ pāvanātmakam
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सर्व-दुष्ट-प्रशमनंsarva-duṣṭa-praśamanaṃpacifying every evil
सर्व-ऐश्वर्य-फल-प्रदम्sarva-aiśvarya-phala-pradamgiving the fruit of every sovereignty
वामदेव महा-बोध-दायकंvāmadeva mahā-bodha-dāyakaṃVāmadeva, bestowing great awakening
पावन-आत्मकम्pāvana-ātmakamhaving purification as his very being
Translation
"Pacifying every evil, giving the fruit of every sovereignty; Vāmadeva, bestowing great awakening, having purification as his very being."
Version
9ce1ef91396e · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The third face, Vāmadeva, is called mahā-bodha-dāyaka, "bestowing great awakening." It is worth noting the word dāyaka, "bestowing," from dā, "to give." That is, awakening is described as given, not attained; and of such turns of phrase it was said when reading the Mahāvākya (p10), where the Paramātmā āvirbhavati, "appears."
Let us add here a distinction relevant to this passage and essential in these disputes. There are two ways of understanding where knowledge of the highest comes from. The first: it is earned. A person practices, purifies himself, reasons — and on a certain day sees. Under this understanding, knowledge is the fruit of work, and work is its cause.
The second: it is given. Work is not thereby canceled, but it is a condition, not a cause; and about the distinction between condition and cause it was said when reading the Jābāla-darśana (10.9), where the comparison with open shutters and the sun was cited. The Vaiṣṇava side holds to the second and rests on the verse of the Kaṭha (1.2.23), cited more than once: "by whomever He chooses, by that one He is attained."
It is worth saying, however, what is inconvenient about the second understanding, so that it does not seem easier in every respect. It takes away control. One who considers knowledge the fruit of work knows what to do and can reckon on it. One who considers it a gift works without reckoning; and this is harder, for nothing is more difficult for a person than to do what he does not know when will be repaid.