यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः सम्प्लुतोदके ।तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः ॥
yāvān artha udapāne sarvataḥ samplutodake |tāvān sarveṣu vedeṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ ||
- यावान् · yāvān
- whatever
- अर्थः · arthaḥ
- use, purpose
- उदपाने · udapāne
- in a well, small pond
- सर्वतः · sarvataḥ
- on all sides, everywhere
- सम्प्लुतोदके · samplutodake
- when there is a flood of water
- तावान् · tāvān
- so much (only)
- सर्वेषु · sarveṣu
- in all
- वेदेषु · vedeṣu
- in the Vedas
- ब्राह्मणस्य · brāhmaṇasya
- for the knower of Brahman
- विजानतः · vijānataḥ
- who truly knows
“What use is a well when everywhere is flooded? So much — and only so much — are all the Vedas to the knower of Brahman.”
— Original plain-language translation
The flood simile: scripture is a vessel for crossing, not the ocean itself. Once Brahman is known directly, the texts that pointed there are outshone — useful, honoured, and no longer needed as means. A bold claim, softened by wit.
— Reader's notes (original)