उपनिषद् · Mahā 5.55
॥
देवनागरी
साक्षिभूते समे स्वच्छे निर्विकल्पे चिदात्मनि निरिच्छं प्रतिबिम्बन्ति जगन्ति मुकुरे यथा
लिप्यंतरण (IAST)
sākṣibhūte same svacche nirvikalpe cidātmani niricchaṃ pratibimbanti jaganti mukure yathā
शब्दशः अर्थ
संस्कृतIASTअर्थ
साक्षि-भूते समे स्वच्छेsākṣi-bhūte same svacchein what has become the witness — even, clear; in what is made the beholder, level, transparent
निर्विकल्पे चित्-आत्मनिnirvikalpe cit-ātmanifree of distinctions, whose essence is consciousness; foreign to differentiations, whose nature is awareness
निरिच्छम् प्रतिबिम्बन्तिniriccham pratibimbantiwithout desire they are reflected; with no wanting whatever they are mirrored
जगन्ति मुकुरे यथाjaganti mukure yathāthe worlds, as in a mirror; the worlds, just as in a looking-glass
अनुवाद
“In that which has become the witness — even, clear, free of distinctions, whose essence is consciousness — the worlds are reflected without any desire, as in a mirror.”
संस्करण
e10c6b4b35f8 · प्रकाशित 29 जुल॰ 2026, 6:29:20 am UTC
उपलब्ध भाषाएँRUENश्लोक बदलें इन कुंजियों से
The mirror image, and in it one word matters: niriccham — “without desire”.
A mirror does not want to reflect. It does not choose what to reflect, takes no pride in the beautiful and no disgust at the ugly. It is simply clean.
This is the exact description of how the Highest relates to the world — and it repeats 4.12–4.13: the gem lies without desire, and around it is movement; He is a doer by presence alone.
Note too that the worlds are not denied here: they are reflected — that is, they exist, if only as reflection.
Sākṣi-bhūta — “become the witness”. The word sākṣin has been examined already (2.51, 4.73).
The practical consequence: to reflect truly, a mirror need do nothing. It is enough to be clean and even — same svacche.