उपनिषद् · Mahā 5.87
॥
देवनागरी
धीरोऽप्यतिबहुज्ञोऽपि कुलजोऽपि महानपि तृष्णया बध्यते जन्तुः सिंहः शृङ्खलया यथा
लिप्यंतरण (IAST)
dhīro'pyatibahujño'pi kulajo'pi mahānapi tṛṣṇayā badhyate jantuḥ siṃhaḥ śṛṅkhalayā yathā
शब्दशः अर्थ
संस्कृतIASTअर्थ
धीरः अपि अति-बहु-ज्ञः अपिdhīraḥ api ati-bahu-jñaḥ apithough steadfast, though knowing very much; be he firm, be he exceedingly learned
कुल-जः अपि महान् अपिkula-jaḥ api mahān apithough well-born, though great; be he of noble line, be he great
तृष्णया बध्यते जन्तुःtṛṣṇayā badhyate jantuḥthe creature is bound by craving; the being is fettered by thirst
सिंहः शृङ्खलया यथाsiṃhaḥ śṛṅkhalayā yathāas a lion by a chain; just as a lion by its chain
अनुवाद
“Though he be steadfast, deeply learned, well-born and great — craving binds the creature, as a chain binds a lion.”
संस्करण
c40afe5672e3 · प्रकाशित 29 जुल॰ 2026, 6:29:20 am UTC
उपलब्ध भाषाएँRUENश्लोक बदलें इन कुंजियों से
Four merits are listed and all rejected as defence: steadfastness, learning, lineage, greatness.
The image of the chained lion is good in that it does not demean the captive. The lion remains a lion; the chain remains a chain.
Strength does not help. That is the whole argument.
Note that the chain — śṛṅkhalā — is a small thing beside a lion. What holds is not superior force, but that it is fastened on.
This agrees with 4.132: mountains bound with a lotus fibre.
Vaiṣṇava teachers love this passage as a warning against reliance on one's own merits. The learned, the well-born and the strong man is bound exactly like anyone — and he is held not by his weaknesses but by his wantings.