Upaniṣads · Mahā 5.167
॥
Devanāgarī
गन्धर्वनगरस्यार्थे भूषितेऽभूषिते तथा अविद्यांशे सुतादौ वा कः क्रमः सुखदुःखयोः
Transliteración (IAST)
gandharvanagarasyārthe bhūṣite'bhūṣite tathā avidyāṃśe sutādau vā kaḥ kramaḥ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
गन्धर्व-नगरस्य अर्थेgandharva-nagarasya arthefor the sake of a city of the gandharvas; on account of a phantom town of the gandharvas
भूषिते अभूषिते तथाbhūṣite abhūṣite tathāadorned or unadorned alike; decked out or left undecked
अविद्या-अंशे सुत-आदौ वाavidyā-aṃśe suta-ādau vāor over a share of ignorance — a son and the rest; or over a portion of unknowing — a son and the like
कः क्रमः सुख-दुःखयोःkaḥ kramaḥ sukha-duḥkhayoḥwhat succession of joy and sorrow; what train of happiness and suffering
Traducción
“What succession of joy and sorrow over a phantom city — adorned or unadorned — or over a share of ignorance: a son and the rest?”
Versión
6c36c7374765 · publicado 29 jul 2026, 6:29:20 UTC
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An argument from absurdity, and applied to the sorest spot.
A gandharva city is a mirage. Adorned or unadorned — what difference?
And right there, in the same row: suta-ādi — “a son and the rest”.
Note how mercilessly it is said. Children are named avidyā-aṃśa — “a share of ignorance”.
The verse does not deny love for children; it denies that on their account a “succession of joy and sorrow” must run. The word krama — “succession, alternation”: the swing spoken of in 4.112.
Here it is worth saying how Vaiṣṇava thought reads this. A son taken as “mine” is indeed a share of ignorance — by the word of 4.71 about “mine”. The same son, taken as entrusted for a time, does not torment.
What is cancelled is the appropriation, not the love.