Upaniṣads · Parabrahma 7
॥
Devanāgarī
ये तु सूत्रविदो लोके ते च यज्ञोपवीतिनः । ज्ञानशिखिनो ज्ञाननिष्ठा ज्ञानयज्ञोपवीतिनः । ज्ञानमेव परं तेषां पवित्रं ज्ञानमीरितम्
Transliteración (IAST)
ye tu sūtravido loke te ca yajñopavītinaḥ | jñānaśikhino jñānaniṣṭhā jñānayajñopavītinaḥ | jñānameva paraṃ teṣāṃ pavitraṃ jñānamīritam
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
ये तु सूत्र-विदः लोकेye tu sūtra-vidaḥ lokebut those who are knowers of the thread in the world
ते च यज्ञ-उपवीतिनःte ca yajña-upavītinaḥthey too wear the sacrificial thread
ज्ञान-शिखिनः ज्ञान-निष्ठाःjñāna-śikhinaḥ jñāna-niṣṭhāḥwith the tuft of knowledge, established in knowledge
ज्ञानम् एव परं तेषांjñānam eva paraṃ teṣāṃknowledge alone is highest for them
पवित्रं ज्ञानम् ईरितम्pavitraṃ jñānam īritamknowledge is called purifying
Traducción
But those who are knowers of the thread in the world — they too wear the sacrificial thread; with the tuft of knowledge, established in knowledge, wearing the thread of knowledge: knowledge alone is highest for them; knowledge is called purifying.
Versión
088fb976c0f2 · publicado 12 ago 2026, 5:00:00 UTC
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The word pavitra, "purifying," deserves examination, for it is a precise ritual term. Pavitra is also the name of the strainer discussed when reading the Kuṇḍikā (8p3), and of the tuft of kuśa grass put on the finger during ritual, and generally of every means of purification. Here it is said: what is called purifying is knowledge.
This position is stated in the Gītā in the same words and deserves citing: "there is nothing here as purifying as knowledge; one perfect in yoga finds it in himself in time, of itself" (4.38). It is worth noting, however, that four verses above this, it says how it is obtained: "know this by prostration, by inquiry, by service" (4.34). That is, knowledge purifies, but is itself obtained by service; and this order cannot be reversed.
This is why the Vaiṣṇava reading does not set knowledge against service. Knowledge is the fruit; service is the tree. The dispute over which is higher is usually carried on by those who have neither; and one who has the fruit knows where it came from.