Verse 20

Amritbindu

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

घृतमिव पयसि निगूढं भूते भूते च वसति विज्ञानम् । सततं मनसि मन्थयितव्यं मनो मन्थानभूतेन ॥२०॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

घृतम्-इव । पयसि । निगूढम् । भूते । भूते । च । वसति । विज्ञानम् । सततम् । मनसि । मन्थयितव्यम् । मनः । मन्थान-भूतेन ॥

IAST Transliteration

ghṛtam iva payasi nigūḍhaṃ bhūte bhūte ca vasati vijñānam | satataṃ manasi manthayitavyaṃ mano manthānabhūtena ||20||

Translation

As ghee is hidden in milk, so realization (vijñāna) dwells in every being. It should be continually churned forth in the mind, with the mind itself as the churning-stick.

Academic Translation

As ghee is hidden in milk, so realization (vijñāna) dwells in each and every being. It is to be churned out constantly in the mind, with the mind serving as the churning-stick.

Verse Context

• Immanent Brahman/Ātman realized through disciplined inquiry (manana/nididhyāsana)
• Mahavakya: Aligns with ‘tat tvam asi’ and ‘ayam ātmā brahma’ in spirit: the reality is already present within; practice reveals, not creates.
• Atharva
• Atharva-veda (traditionally associated with the Atharvaṇic corpus; specific śākhā not securely attested) Shakha
• Chandas: Prose/Āryā-like didactic śloka (commonly treated as non-strict metrical upaniṣadic verse)