Upaniṣads · Mahā 5.136
॥
Devanāgarī
ब्रह्मणा कल्पिताकारा लक्षशोऽप्यथ कोटिशः संख्यातीताः पुरा जाता जायन्तेऽद्यापि चाभितः
Transliteración (IAST)
brahmaṇā kalpitākārā lakṣaśo'pyatha koṭiśaḥ saṃkhyātītāḥ purā jātā jāyante'dyāpi cābhitaḥ
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
ब्रह्मणा कल्पित-आकाराःbrahmaṇā kalpita-ākārāḥwith forms devised by Brahmā; whose shapes are instituted by Brahmā
लक्षशः अपि अथ कोटिशःlakṣaśaḥ api atha koṭiśaḥby hundreds of thousands and by tens of millions; in lakhs and in crores
सङ्ख्या-अतीताः पुरा जाताःsaṅkhyā-atītāḥ purā jātāḥbeyond number, born of old; innumerable, come to birth in former times
जायन्ते अद्य अपि च अभितःjāyante adya api ca abhitaḥthey are born even now, on every side; they take birth now as well, all around
Traducción
“In hundreds of thousands and in millions, beyond number, with forms devised by Brahmā, they were born of old and are born even now on every side.”
Versión
0959195ae582 · publicado 29 jul 2026, 6:29:20 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
A long catalogue of beings begins, and it will stretch to 5.144.
Note the first word: brahmaṇā kalpita-ākārāḥ — “with forms devised by Brahmā”.
The form of every being is not given by itself. Its vāsanās it devises itself (5.124), but its shape it receives.
This distinction is worth holding. We do not choose what to be born as; we choose what to want — and the second determines the first, though not directly, but through Him who distributes the forms.
The numbers are deliberately indefinite: hundreds of thousands, millions, “beyond number”.
And three times: they were born of old, are born now, will be born (the next verse). The round is shown not as history but as continuity.