Upaniṣads · Mahā 6.23
॥
Devanāgarī
अज्ञानोपहतो बाल्ये यौवने वनिताहतः शेषे कलत्रचिन्तार्तः किं करोति नराधमः
Transliteración (IAST)
ajñānopahato bālye yauvane vanitāhataḥ śeṣe kalatracintārtaḥ kiṃ karoti narādhamaḥ
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
अज्ञान-उपहतः बाल्येajñāna-upahataḥ bālyein childhood struck down by ignorance; in boyhood smitten by unknowing
यौवने वनिता-हतःyauvane vanitā-hataḥin youth felled by woman; in young manhood struck by a woman
शेषे कलत्र-चिन्ता-आर्तःśeṣe kalatra-cintā-ārtaḥfor the rest, tormented by care for the family; in what remains, racked by anxiety for the household
किम् करोति नर-अधमःkim karoti nara-adhamaḥwhat does the lowest of men accomplish; what then does the meanest of men achieve
Traducción
“Struck down by ignorance in childhood, felled by woman in youth, tormented by care for the family in the years that remain — what does this lowest of men accomplish?”
Versión
3599b3166236 · publicado 29 jul 2026, 6:29:20 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
A verse on how a human life passes, and it echoes the third chapter, where Nidāgha examined the ages (3.33–3.36).
Three seasons, and all three occupied.
Note that the question is put not as “how much has he suffered” but kiṃ karoti — “what does he do?”.
It is a question of the use of a life, not of its hardship. There was time enough; all of it went.
Of the words about woman the same must be said as at 3.39–3.48: this is a preceptor's speech to a young brahmacārin, and the reproach is not to women but to a man's spending himself wholly on one thing.
The next verses will return to the general reckoning.
Narādhama — “the lowest of men”. Said harshly and without names: it is of anyone who has lived so.