Upaniṣads · Muṇḍaka 3.1.1
॥
Devanāgarī
द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते ।
तयोः अन्यः पिप्पलं स्वादु अत्ति अनश्नन् अन्यः अभिचाकशीति ॥
Transliteración (IAST)
dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā samānaṃ vṛkṣaṃ pariṣasvajāte |
tayoḥ anyaḥ pippalaṃ svādu atti anaśnan anyaḥ abhicākaśīti ||
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
द्वाdvātwo (dvā); the two; a pair
सुपर्णाsuparṇāfair-winged birds (su-parṇa — 'with lovely wings'); two of glorious wing; birds of light
सयुजाsayujāinseparable (sa-yuj — 'yoked together'); joined; for ever together
सखायाsakhāyāfriends (sakhi, dual); the two companions; comrades
समानम्samānamone and the same; common
वृक्षम्vṛkṣamthe tree; the tree of the body
परिषस्वजातेpariṣasvajātethey embrace (perfect of pari-√svaj — 'to clasp'); they have clasped; they cling to
तयोःtayoḥof the two of them; among them
अन्यःanyaḥthe one; one
पिप्पलम्pippalamthe pippala fruit (pippala — the fruit of the sacred fig); the sweet berry; the fruit of the tree
स्वादुsvādusweet; pleasant
अत्तिattieats (from √ad); enjoys; consumes
अनश्नन्anaśnanwithout eating (an-aśnat); not eating; tasting nothing
अन्यःanyaḥthe other; other
अभिचाकशीतिabhicākaśītilooks on (intensive of abhi-√kāś — 'to gaze intently'); contemplates unwaveringly; watches in radiance
Traducción
Two birds, inseparable friends, clasp one and the same tree. One of them eats the sweet fruit of the pippala; the other, not eating, looks on.
Versión
e818f1ec6ead · publicado 26 jul 2026, 20:10:40 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
The greatest image of Vedic revelation (the verse comes from the Ṛg-veda, 1.164.20 — from the most ancient core of the śruti). dvā suparṇā — "two fair-winged birds"; sayujā sakhāyā — "yoked together, friends": not strangers and not rivals — eternal companions bound by friendship; samānaṁ vṛkṣaṁ pariṣasvajāte — "they clasp one tree": the tree is the body (and, more widely, the tree of the world, the aśvattha of the Kaṭha). tayor anyaḥ pippalaṁ svādv atti — "one of them eats the sweet fruit": the jīva, tasting the fruits of its deeds — the sweetness and bitterness of experience; anaśnann anyo 'bhicākaśīti — "the other, not eating, looks on": the Lord, the Paramātmā, the witness and friend, radiantly gazing (abhi-cākaśīti is an intensive: "gazes intently", without taking His eyes away).
In two lines is the whole map of spiritual reality: on one tree there are always two; the soul has never been alone. While it is engrossed in the fruits — pecking sweet and bitter — it does not notice its Neighbour on the branch; and He — nearer than a wing — watches without interfering in its pecking, and waits: friendship does not compel.
The one who does not eat is not the poorer for not eating: He is full and has no need; His "not eating" is freedom, His gaze is care. The whole drama of the next verse turns on one movement of a head: what will happen when the eating bird lifts its eyes from the fruit.