उपनिषद् · Mahā 4.38
॥
देवनागरी
यथाक्षणं यथाशास्त्रं यथादेशं यथासुखम् यथासंभवसत्सङ्गमिमं मोक्षपथक्रमम् तावद्विचारयेत्प्राज्ञो यावद्विश्रान्तिमात्मनि
लिप्यंतरण (IAST)
yathākṣaṇaṃ yathāśāstraṃ yathādeśaṃ yathāsukham yathāsaṃbhavasatsaṅgamimaṃ mokṣapathakramam tāvadvicārayetprājño yāvadviśrāntimātmani
शब्दशः अर्थ
संस्कृतIASTअर्थ
यथा-क्षणम् यथा-शास्त्रम्yathā-kṣaṇam yathā-śāstramaccording to the time, according to scripture; conformably to the moment, conformably to the writing
यथा-देशम् यथा-सुखम्yathā-deśam yathā-sukhamaccording to the place, according to one's ease; conformably to the locality, conformably to convenience
यथा-सम्भव-सत्-सङ्गम्yathā-sambhava-sat-saṅgamas occasion offers, with the company of the good; as chance allows — with the fellowship of the righteous
इमम् मोक्ष-पथ-क्रमम्imam mokṣa-patha-kramamthis order of the path of liberation; this sequence of the road of deliverance
तावत् विचारयेत् प्राज्ञःtāvat vicārayet prājñaḥlet the wise man examine so long; let the discerning inquire until then
यावत् विश्रान्तिम् आत्मनिyāvat viśrāntim ātmaniuntil he finds repose in the Ātman; until he attains rest within himself
अनुवाद
“Let the wise man examine this order of the path of liberation — according to time, scripture, place and his own ease, and, as occasion offers, in the company of the righteous — until he finds repose in the Ātman.”
संस्करण
a2f06f9f065b · प्रकाशित 29 जुल॰ 2026, 6:29:20 am UTC
उपलब्ध भाषाएँRUENश्लोक बदलें इन कुंजियों से
The verse is remarkable for its sobriety and is perhaps the most practical in the whole book.
Five measures, and all are of moderation. According to the time one has. According to the scripture that is accessible. According to the place where one lives. Yathā-sukham — “according to one's strength, as is convenient”. And yathā-sambhavam — “as it happens” — of the company of the righteous.
This is the direct opposite of the demand for a feat at any cost. The teacher does not order one to drop everything and leave; he orders one to do as much as comes out — but to do it.
I note yathā-sukham especially. The word sukha means “comfortably, pleasantly”. An instruction on spiritual work with the proviso “as far as is comfortable for you” is a rarity, and it removes the temptation of over-strain.
But the limit of the work is named firmly: yāvad viśrāntim ātmani — “until you find repose in the Ātman”.
That is, the manner is gentle, not the goal. One may walk as one manages, but walk to the end.