यदा वै पुरुषः अस्माल् लोकात् प्रैति सः वायुम् आगच्छति तस्मै सः तत्र विजिहीते यथा रथचक्रस्य खम् तेन सः ऊर्ध्वः आक्रमते सः आदित्यम् आगच्छति तस्मै सः तत्र विजिहीते यथा लम्बरस्य खम् तेन सः ऊर्ध्वः आक्रमते सः चन्द्रमसम् आगच्छति तस्मै सः तत्र विजिहीते यथा दुन्दुभेः खम् तेन सः ऊर्ध्वः आक्रमते सः लोकम् आगच्छति अशोकम् अहिमम् तस्मिन् वसति शाश्वतीः समाः
yadā vai puruṣaḥ asmāl lokāt praiti saḥ vāyum āgacchati tasmai saḥ tatra vijihīte yathā rathacakrasya kham tena saḥ ūrdhvaḥ ākramate saḥ ādityam āgacchati tasmai saḥ tatra vijihīte yathā lambarasya kham tena saḥ ūrdhvaḥ ākramate saḥ candramasam āgacchati tasmai saḥ tatra vijihīte yathā dundubheḥ kham tena saḥ ūrdhvaḥ ākramate saḥ lokam āgacchati aśokam ahimam tasmin vasati śāśvatīḥ samāḥ
When a man departs from this world, he comes to the wind — and it opens for him like the hole of a chariot wheel: by it he ascends. He comes to the sun — and it opens for him like the hole of a drum: by it he ascends. He comes to the moon — and it opens for him like the hole of a kettledrum: by it he ascends. And he comes to a world without heat and without cold, and dwells there for everlasting years.
2bd7741f056b · publicado 27 jul 2026, 1:21:57 UTC
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The vidyā of the ascent: three heavenly bodies open to the departing "like holes" — the nave of a wheel, the opening of a drum, the mouth of a kettledrum: in all three images there is a round passage in a sounding thing. Wind, sun and moon are not walls but doorways: the world on a knower's road is pierced with doors.
And the final station is of a marvellous modesty: "a world without heat and without cold" (anātapam ahimam) — without extremes, a land of even grace, where one dwells "for everlasting years" (śāśvatīḥ samāḥ). Not thunders of glory but a climate of peace: the Upaniṣad can promise paradise in terms of weather, and this is one of its most homely promises.