उपनिषद् · Mahā 6.26
॥
देवनागरी
संसार एव दुःखानां सीमान्त इति कथ्यते तन्मध्ये पतिते देहे सुखमासाद्यते कथम्
लिप्यंतरण (IAST)
saṃsāra eva duḥkhānāṃ sīmānta iti kathyate tanmadhye patite dehe sukhamāsādyate katham
शब्दशः अर्थ
संस्कृतIASTअर्थ
संसारः एव दुःखानाम्saṃsāraḥ eva duḥkhānāmthe round itself, of sufferings; the very revolving, of the torments
सीम-अन्तः इति कथ्यतेsīma-antaḥ iti kathyateis called the outermost bound; is named the utmost frontier
तत्-मध्ये पतिते देहेtat-madhye patite dehewhen the body has fallen into its midst; when the frame has dropped into its middle
सुखम् आसाद्यते कथम्sukham āsādyate kathamhow is joy to be obtained; in what way is delight to be won
अनुवाद
“The round itself is called the outermost bound of sufferings; how then is joy to be obtained, when the body has fallen into its midst?”
संस्करण
63ea4f0cb51c · प्रकाशित 29 जुल॰ 2026, 6:29:20 am UTC
उपलब्ध भाषाएँRUENश्लोक बदलें इन कुंजियों से
The word sīmānta means “the boundary line, the utmost limit”. The round is named not the place of sufferings but their bound — that beyond which there is nowhere further to suffer.
This is stronger than an ordinary complaint.
Note the verb patita — “fallen”. The body was neither set nor placed: it fell into the middle.
The question is rhetorical, and it sums up the whole run of dark verses from 6.22.
Why is this run set in the middle of a bright chapter? Because after it comes verse 6.27, where everything changes — and change it can only after the matter has been called by its name.
The book nowhere consoles before its time.