Upaniṣads · Mahā 5.185
॥
Devanāgarī
तण्डुलस्य यथा चर्म यथा ताम्रस्य कालिमा नश्यति क्रियया विप्र पुरुषस्य तथा मलम्
Transliteración (IAST)
taṇḍulasya yathā carma yathā tāmrasya kālimā naśyati kriyayā vipra puruṣasya tathā malam
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
तण्डुलस्य यथा चर्मtaṇḍulasya yathā carmaas the husk of the rice grain; just like the hull upon the grain of rice
यथा ताम्रस्य कालिमाyathā tāmrasya kālimāas the blackness of copper; just like the tarnish upon copper
नश्यति क्रियया विप्रnaśyati kriyayā vipraperishes through work, O brāhmaṇa; vanishes through labour, O brāhmaṇa
पुरुषस्य तथा मलम्puruṣasya tathā malamso does the taint of a man; so too the defilement of a person
Traducción
“As the husk of the rice grain, as the blackness of copper perishes through work, O brāhmaṇa — so does the taint of a man.”
Versión
2bad00c4dc11 · publicado 29 jul 2026, 6:29:20 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
Two examples, both from the household, and both chosen well.
The husk on the rice. It is not part of the grain; it is upon it; it is threshed off, and what was there remains.
The blackness on copper. The oxide settles of itself, from air and time; it is scoured off, and the copper shines.
Note what the two share: the dirt has stuck on from outside and holds until it is touched. And in both cases it is removed by kriyā — “work”.
Not illumination and not grace: work.
A sober note at the close of a chapter full of lofty words.
And it is the last thing to be said after the question “what is so hard?”: not hard — but one must labour.