Upaniṣads · Mahā 5.73
॥
Devanāgarī
मनसो निगृहीतस्य लीलाभोगोऽल्पकोऽपि यः तमेवालब्धविस्तारं क्लिष्टत्वाद्बहु मन्यते
Transliteración (IAST)
manaso nigṛhītasya līlābhogo'lpako'pi yaḥ tamevālabdhavistāraṃ kliṣṭatvādbahu manyate
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
मनसः निगृहीतस्यmanasaḥ nigṛhītasyaof the restrained mind; of consciousness held in check
लीला-भोगः अल्पकः अपि यःlīlā-bhogaḥ alpakaḥ api yaḥwhatever small playful delight there be; however little the sportive pleasure
तम् एव अलब्ध-विस्तारम्tam eva alabdha-vistāramthat very one, denied its scope; the same, having gained no room
क्लिष्टत्वात् बहु मन्यतेkliṣṭatvāt bahu manyateis prized highly for its being straitened; is rated high by reason of constraint
Traducción
“In a restrained mind even a small playful delight, denied its scope, is prized highly — by its very straitenedness.”
Versión
3c046de4c281 · publicado 29 jul 2026, 6:29:20 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
A subtle observation, and not at once a pleasant one.
The restrained mind prizes even a small pleasure highly — precisely because it is straitened.
That is, severity sharpens the taste. He who eats once a day finds plain food a delicacy.
The verse neither condemns this nor praises it: it simply notes. The next verse will confirm the observation with the example of a prisoner.
Note the word līlā-bhoga — “playful delight”, one not taken in earnest.
And kliṣṭatva — “straitenedness, constriction”.
Here is a warning for the one who restrains himself. Restriction of itself does not quench the taste for delights; it may sharpen it. The real means is not constraint but fullness (2.47, 4.34).