Upanishads · Yājñavalkya p21
॥
Devanāgarī
कमण्डलूदकपो भैक्षमाचरन्नुदरमात्रसंग्रहः पात्रान्तरशून्यो जलस्थलकमण्डलुरबाधकरहःस्थलनिकेतनो लाभालाभौ समौ भूत्वा
Transliteration (IAST)
kamaṇḍalūdakapo bhaikṣamācarannudaramātrasaṃgrahaḥ pātrāntaraśūnyo jalasthalakamaṇḍalurabādhakarahaḥsthalaniketano lābhālābhau samau bhūtvā
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
कमण्डलु-उदक-पःkamaṇḍalu-udaka-paḥdrinking water from a water-pot
उदर-मात्र-संग्रहःudara-mātra-saṃgrahaḥstockpiling only for the belly
पात्र-अन्तर-शून्यःpātra-antara-śūnyaḥhaving no other vessel
लाभ-अलाभौ समौ भूत्वाlābha-alābhau samau bhūtvāhaving become equal to gain and non-gain
Translation
… drinking water from a water-pot, stockpiling only for the belly, having no other vessel, having the water-pot for water and dry land [for movement], dwelling in a secluded place that burdens no one, having become equal to gain and non-gain …
Version
e71d98b3d032 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
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It is worth noting the phrase abādhaka-rahaḥ-sthala-niketana, "dwelling in a secluded place that burdens no one." Abādhaka means "causing no hindrance," from bādh, "to press upon, to burden." That is, the renounced is enjoined to settle where he burdens no one.
This detail, for all its smallness, is, to my mind, one of the finest in the description, and it is worth saying why. A person who has left everything easily begins to think he has a right to occupy any place: he takes nothing, after all. And here it is said directly: choose a place where you are not a burden.
This rule is worth extending, for it applies broadly. Giving up property does not cancel the duty not to be a burden; and anyone who has seen how inconsiderate some ascetics can be knows this reminder is fitting. Let us add the repetition standing a second time in this line: lābha-alābhau samau bhūtvā, "having become equal to gain and non-gain."
The repetition is deliberate and means this is the chief point about alms. The Gītā says the same, in its most famous verse on equanimity: "equal in success and failure; equanimity is called yoga" — siddhy-asiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṃ yoga ucyate (2.48). It is worth noting that there, equanimity is called yoga itself, not a condition for it; and so a beggar calmly accepting an empty bowl is, by this reckoning, not gathering alms but engaged in yoga.