Upaniṣads · Mahā 5.109
॥
Devanāgarī
यथावज्ज्ञास्यसि स्वस्थो मद्वाग्वृष्टिबलाबलम् अविद्ययैवोत्तमया स्वार्थनाशोद्यमार्थया
Transliteración (IAST)
yathāvajjñāsyasi svastho madvāgvṛṣṭibalābalam avidyayaivottamayā svārthanāśodyamārthayā
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
यथावत् ज्ञास्यसि स्वस्थःyathāvat jñāsyasi svasthaḥas it truly is thou shalt know, settled in thyself; in due measure wilt thou understand, abiding in thyself
मत्-वाक्-वृष्टि-बल-अबलम्mat-vāk-vṛṣṭi-bala-abalamthe strength and weakness of the rain of my words; the might and frailty of the downpour of my speech
अविद्यया एव उत्तमयाavidyayā eva uttamayāby the very best ignorance; precisely through the most excellent unknowing
स्व-अर्थ-नाश-उद्यम-अर्थयाsva-artha-nāśa-udyama-arthayāintent upon destroying its own aim; bent upon the ruin of its very self
Traducción
“Settled in thyself, thou shalt know as it truly is the strength and weakness of the rain of my words — by that best of ignorances, which is intent on destroying itself.”
Versión
7f649829f272 · publicado 29 jul 2026, 6:29:20 UTC
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Here appears the turn for whose sake these verses are worth reading: uttamā avidyā — “the best ignorance”.
Ignorance named best.
What is it? That which is sva-artha-nāśa-udyama-artha — “busy destroying its own aim”, that is, itself.
The speech is of reasoning, of examination, of the teaching itself. All this is the mind's work, and the mind is ignorance (4.101). Hence even the examination belongs to ignorance's domain.
But this ignorance is of a special kind: it labours to abolish itself.
Recall 5.81: the father-mind bestows the highest perfection by offering itself up.
Note too the teacher's modesty: bala-abalam — “the strength and weakness” of my words. He allows that in his words there is also the weak.