9

I see this Shloka in many places which means "as you think so you become". The Sanskrit verse is Yad bhavam Tad bhavathi.

Is there a scriptural source for this verse?

Improve this question
2
  • 1
    bhavam - should be more of feeling than thought right?
    – student
    Mar 22, 2018 at 3:50
  • Hmm .. i tend to agree it should be more of feeling than mere thought. I am of the view that a feeling comes after a thought. So, once the thought is conceived my the mind, it reacts/responds to it through feelings. Having said that, i am not sure which of the 2 actually is the root of manifestation (if it really happens) as per scriptures.
    – Vishwanath N
    Mar 22, 2018 at 6:43

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
6

Upon searching on web or through Sanskrit Documents, I've not found the exact verse "यद् भावं तद् भवति". However, worth to mention that following couple of verses sounds to be very closer I found from the discussion at IndianDivine.org.

Rigveda 10.90.2 (Purusha Sukta):

पुरुष एवेदं सर्वं यद्भूतं यच्च भव्यम्।
उतामृतत्वस्येशानो यदन्नेनातिरोहति॥ १०.०९०.०२

purusha evedaGM sarvam | yad bhUtam yac ca bhavyam |
utAmRtatvasyeshAnaH | yad annenAtirohati || 2 ||

The term "यद् भावं तद् भवति" may be the modification of "यद् भुतं यच्च भव्यम्"

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.5.18:

पृथिव्यै चैनमग्नेश्च दैवी वागाविशति । सा वै दैवी वाग्यया यद्यदेव वदति तत्तद्भवति ॥ १८ ॥

I-v-18: The divine organ of speech from the earth and fire permeates him. That is the divine organ of speech through which whatever he says is fulfilled.

The 8.6th verse of Bhagavad Gita conveys similar message to "as you think so you become":

8.6 O son of Kunti, thinking of any entity whichever it may be one gives up the body at the end, he attains that very one, having been always engrossed in its thought.

Which is also said by Shandilya (Chhandogya Upanishad 3.14.4)

Hence the exact term "यद् भावं तद् भवति" may either be emerged from this Vedic or Upanishadic preaching or be a part of Shubhashita or be found in Bhashya or works of Aacharya which requires further investigation.

Improve this answer
4
  • Thank you Pandya, well answered! I believe it can be a part of Shubhashitas. The source for that if found, in a way, can explain the concept of manifestation and that of healing techniques (which say that all deiseases have a meta-physical cause, which being fueled by the mind, manifests as a diseases).
    – Vishwanath N
    Feb 26, 2018 at 16:31
  • 1
    The context of Purusha sukta is different though, it explains the characteristics of the supreme Purusha and not directly the concept. The BG verse on the other hand explains post-death destination, not sure if it can be extended for Bhavas while living.
    – Vishwanath N
    Feb 26, 2018 at 16:34
  • @VishwanathN Yes.
    – Pandya ♦
    Feb 26, 2018 at 17:31
  • @VishwanathN i think it can be extended. If we can think in terms that this material body is changing every moment meaning we are dying every moment and are being born every moment. Ofcourse it might be my stretch of imagination :-)
    – Prakash K
    Nov 29, 2019 at 15:21

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .