Upanishads · Varāha 2.50
॥
Devanāgarī
एकनिष्ठतयान्तस्थसंविन्मात्रपरो भव । घटाकाशमठाकाशौ महाकाशे प्रतिष्ठितौ
Transliteration (IAST)
ekaniṣṭhatayāntasthasaṃvinmātraparo bhava | ghaṭākāśamaṭhākāśau mahākāśe pratiṣṭhitau
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एक-निष्ठतया अन्तः-स्थ-eka-niṣṭhatayā antaḥ-stha-by single-directedness, of the consciousness dwelling within
संविन्-मात्र-परः भवsaṃvin-mātra-paraḥ bhavabecome devoted to alone
घट-आकाश-मठ-आकाशौghaṭa-ākāśa-maṭha-ākāśauthe space of a pot and the space of a hut
महा-आकाशे प्रतिष्ठितौmahā-ākāśe pratiṣṭhitauare established in the great space
Translation
"By single-directedness, become devoted to the consciousness dwelling within alone. The space of a pot and the space of a hut are established in the great space."
Version
cbbb7d374d63 · published Aug 7, 2026, 9:08:31 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The comparison ghata-akasha, "the space of a pot," is cited, and it is the chief ground of the nondualist reading; we examined it when reading the Jabala-darshana (6.13, 10.3) and the Panchabrahma. Let us briefly repeat the arguments, for they apply anew here. First: space is not alive. It does not know, does not want, and does not remember; and hence a partition within it truly changes nothing, while in a soul it changes everything.
Second: is the pot real or not? If real, non-duality is breached by it; if unreal, it partitions nothing, yet division is observed. Let us add a third point, relevant to this verse and suggested by it. The verse contains the word pratishthitau, "established," discussed when reading the Bhasma-jabala (2.56).
This verb means not identity, but support: one thing stands upon another. That is, the comparison itself does not say "the space of the pot is the great space," but "is established in" it; and this is no longer identity, but a relation of support. Let us add the first half of the verse: eka-nishthataya... parah bhava, "by single-directedness become devoted to."
The word para at the end of a compound means "having as highest, devoted to"; and it stands in this book more than once beside the phrase mad-eka, "me alone" (2.46). That is, even in the comparison with space, a relation is prescribed, not dissolution.