ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्या — Word-by-Word Meaning
ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्या
Every Sanskrit word explained in English
Word-by-Word Breakdown
ब्रह्म
brahma
Brahman, the absolute, infinite Reality
सत्यम्
satyam
real, true, ever-existent
जगत्
jagat
the world, the universe of names and forms
मिथ्या
mithyā
unreal, illusory, of a merely apparent (dependent) existence
जीवः
jīvaḥ
the individual self, the embodied soul
ब्रह्म एव
brahma eva
Brahman alone, none other than Brahman
न अपरः
na aparaḥ
not different, not other
अनेन
anena
by this (statement / teaching)
वेद्यम्
vedyam
to be known, what is worth knowing
सत्-शास्त्रम्
sat-śāstram
the true scripture, the essence of all valid scripture
इति
iti
thus, in this way
वेदान्त
vedānta
Vedanta, the culmination of the Vedas (Upanishadic wisdom)
डिण्डिमः
ḍiṇḍimaḥ
the proclamation, the beat of the drum (a public, resounding declaration)
Complete Translation
ब्रह्म सत्य है, जगत् मिथ्या (आभासमात्र) है, और जीव ब्रह्म ही है, उससे भिन्न नहीं। यही जानने योग्य सत्-शास्त्र का सार है — ऐसी वेदान्त की डिण्डिम-घोषणा (दुन्दुभि-नाद) है।
Origin & History
Source: Advaita Vedanta tradition; attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (also appears in Brahma Jnanavali Mala)
Author: Adi Shankaracharya (traditional)
Period: c. 8th century CE
This verse is celebrated as the single most concise summary of Adi Shankaracharya's Advaita (non-dual) philosophy. Generations of teachers have used its three clauses to introduce students to Vedanta: the reality of Brahman, the illusory nature of the world, and the essential oneness of the soul with the Absolute. So central is it that it is described as the very drumbeat (dindima) by which Vedanta announces its truth to the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed this verse?▼
It is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya and circulates as the most quoted summary of his Advaita Vedanta. It appears in the Vedantic teaching tradition (including works such as the Brahma Jnanavali Mala) and is universally regarded as the crest-jewel statement of non-duality.
Does 'the world is unreal' mean the world does not exist?▼
No. 'Mithya' does not mean non-existent; it means the world has only a dependent, appearance-level reality, like a reflection or a dream. It exists and is experienced, but it is not absolutely, independently real the way Brahman is. Only Brahman has unchanging, self-existent reality.
How can the individual self be Brahman?▼
Advaita teaches that the apparent separateness of the jiva is due to ignorance (avidya). When that ignorance is removed by knowledge, what remains is the recognition that the innermost Self (Atman) was never anything other than the infinite Brahman — 'jivo brahmaiva naparah.'
What does 'Vedanta-dindima' mean?▼
A 'dindima' is a drum or a loud, public proclamation. The phrase poetically declares that this threefold truth is announced by Vedanta as boldly and triumphantly as a beating drum — it is the resounding conclusion of all the Upanishads.
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