Upanishads · Varāha 5.68
॥
Devanāgarī
मुद्राबन्धविशेषेण वायुमूर्ध्वं च कारयेत् । ऱ्हस्वो दहति पापानि दीर्घो मोक्षप्रदायकः
Transliteration (IAST)
mudrābandhaviśeṣeṇa vāyumūrdhvaṃ ca kārayet | ऱ्hasvo dahati pāpāni dīrgho mokṣapradāyakaḥ
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
मुद्रा-बन्ध-विशेषेणmudrā-bandha-viśeṣeṇaby the special seal and lock
वायुम् ऊर्ध्वं च कारयेत्vāyum ūrdhvaṃ ca kārayetlet him direct the wind upward
ह्रस्वः दहति पापानिhrasvaḥ dahati pāpānithe short burns away sins
दीर्घः मोक्ष-प्रदायकःdīrghaḥ mokṣa-pradāyakaḥthe long bestows liberation
Translation
"By the special seal and lock, let him direct the wind upward; the short [sound] burns away sins, the long bestows liberation."
Version
7996cd6a7aa1 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The discourse turns to sound, and the verse distinguishes three lengths: hrasva (short), dirgha (long), and pluta (extended), of which the next verse will speak. This distinction is taken from grammar: every vowel in Sanskrit has three measures, and the measure is counted by matra, "units." That is, a grammatical distinction is applied to the pronunciation of OM, and each measure is ascribed its own effect.
Worth noting that here the craft rests no longer on the body, but on the science of language; and this is pervasive in Indian literature, for grammar was there the first of the sciences. Let us add that the Vaishnava side too speaks of the duration of chanting, for it has this too. Its name is chanted aloud and at length, and the distinction between japa (quiet repetition) and kirtana (loud singing) is drawn there with a preference for the latter.
The ground given is this: the quiet is heard by one, the loud is heard by many; and hence the loud is counted a hundred times more effective. This rule is stated directly by Chaitanya and repeated constantly in its books. Compare the two approaches and their difference will be seen.
Here the duration of the sound acts by itself, as a measure acts in an incantation. There the duration matters because others hear it; that is, the effect is ascribed not to the sound, but to the fact that it has reached someone.