Upaniṣads · Varāha 5.57
॥
Devanāgarī
रेचकं पूरकं चैव कुम्भमध्ये निरोधयेत् । दृश्यमाने परे लक्ष्ये ब्रह्मणि स्वयमाश्रितः
Transliteración (IAST)
recakaṃ pūrakaṃ caiva kumbhamadhye nirodhayet | dṛśyamāne pare lakṣye brahmaṇi svayamāśritaḥ
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
रेचकं पूरकं च एवrecakaṃ pūrakaṃ ca evaexhalation and inhalation
कुम्भ-मध्ये निरोधयेत्kumbha-madhye nirodhayetlet him confine in the middle of retention
दृश्यमाने परे लक्ष्येdṛśyamāne pare lakṣyewhen the highest aim is seen
ब्रह्मणि स्वयम् आश्रितःbrahmaṇi svayam āśritaḥhaving himself taken refuge in brahman
Traducción
"Exhalation and inhalation let him confine in the middle of retention; when the highest aim is seen, having himself taken refuge in brahman…"
Versión
a0ef265e4eb4 · publicado 12 ago 2026, 5:00:00 UTC
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Worth noting the verb ashritah, "having taken refuge," from a-shri, "to lean upon, to find shelter"; from the same root comes the word ashraya, discussed when reading the second chapter (2.80). For the third time already in this book, in describing an impersonal object, the verb of refuge is used. One takes refuge in one who can receive; one does not take refuge in a state — one enters it.
The Vaishnava side points to such turns of phrase as testimony of language itself, and its rule is stated thus: grammar is more stubborn than doctrine. A person may hold whatever opinion he likes about whether another exists; but when it comes to the matter itself, he says "I take refuge," "I am pleased with Him," "I serve," "I ask." Let us add what it says of ashraya in substance, for this is one of its principal words.
The Bhagavatam builds its whole exposition on it: the ninth of its ten topics is called ashraya, "refuge," and by it is meant the Lord Himself, while the other nine are creation, the worlds, lineages, ages, and the rest. That is, in its reckoning everything described is that which leans, and only one thing is the support. And the distinction between "leaning" and "being" is drawn there strictly: the one leaning does not become the support merely by leaning.
On such a reading, the present verse reads directly: it says "having taken refuge," not "having become"; and in this word lies more teaching than in the whole chapter.