“ Moksha Patam Teaches You Years of Practical Wisdom In a Single Game
It's Designed by the Sages To Help You Integrate the Knowledge of Yoga, Upanishads & Bhagavad Gita. ”
Other names of the game: Snakes and Ladders, Paramapadham, Gyan Chauper, Parama Padam, Vaikuntapali. More on Wikipedia.
Download, Print & Play
Print the 5 PDF files. Then cut out and sticky tape together. Total size will be about 18 x 18 inch OR 43.7 x 43.7 cm.
Current ver: 3.0 (Released Aug 2026)
You've been playing this game your whole life.
Just never saw the board.
Every day, you make decisions. Some lift you up. Some pull you down. This game simply lets you see it happen – right in front of you, square by square.
And here's the quiet truth it reveals: the life you experience isn't really about what happens to you, or what's already happened. But what you do about what's happening right now or what happened. Your responses will be only as good as what you know right now.
So this game makes you know more, so you can respond to life intelligently, gracefully, with mastery. It'll help you answer the most important question: Why do some people rise up quickly, while others fall or are stuck?
Play it once and you'll see why.
What's the Purpose of the Game?
Long before it became “Snakes and Ladders,” this was originally called Moksha Patam (मोक्ष पातम्).
Patam means to go, to fall, to fly. Up or down – depending entirely on you.
The sages who designed it had a simple intention: to teach you how to tell right from wrong, truth from falsehood – and to make you ask what “right” and “wrong” even mean in the first place.
Because all our suffering comes from those mix-ups. The game will help you get clear what is what.
What Do the Snakes Mean?
No matter how far you rise in your life journey, you're never immune to the slip – that's what the snakes are meant to remind. So the game reminds the player to stay vigilant and humble until last breath.
Who It's For?
Play it alone, as a quiet self-inquiry.
Play it with a partner, and watch the conversations open up.
Or play it as a family. Keep the group no more then three.
Instructions are in top-right of board, including how to finish.
To begin:
- Place object in 68
- Roll dice
- When get 6 on dice, move your object to block 1 > then to block 6..
- Next player rolls (only start when get 6 on dice).
While playing:
- If stop on snake, go down.
- If stop on ladder, go up.
- If reach 72, continue counting from 51.
How Does YesVedanta's Moksa-patam Compare to Other Versions?
Our version is based on one of the earliest Indian versions: an 8×9 board from the 1700s, traced to the 13th-century poet-saint Gyandev. Here's what sets ours apart.
It's written by those who actually live it. The square descriptions come from Advaita Vedanta teacher with 20 years of self-inquiry – years of teaching others and meeting real life challanges head-on. So each block carries weight of experience.
It doesn't mix schools. Many versions blend Advaita, Dvaita, Sāṁkhya, Yoga, Buddhism, and more into one confusing soup – a sign the author knew a little of everything but no single school deeply. That creates contradictions on the board. One version, for example, calls square 68 “Turiya” and then describes it as an “altered state of consciousness.” But the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad – the actual source of that word – says nothing of the sort. One misused word can send a player's mind chasing a fantasy for a lifetime. We define every word precisely, so the whole board stays in harmony.
It skips the vague one-liners. Words like “Delusion” or “Attachment,” left undefined, become magnets for assumptions. Instead, we distilled each word into a down-to-earth explanation that stays true to the Vedas.
It puts everything right on the board. Nobody stops mid-game to say, “Hold on, let me flip to page 53 and read the description of the block.” So we placed the heart of each description directly inside its square.
Suggestions, feedback? Leave in the comments section below, or email Acharya Andre at: [email protected]
Thank you, this is amazing!
Hari Om 🙂 i have tried to download the game but the “download” button function is not responding at all – it looks like a awesome one though:) THANKS
THANK you Andre:)
Just to let others know : the link works for me only without the initial ” http:// ” (otherwise the direct download link keeps not responding).
How to start the game and continue to play?
there are 5 boards
which board for what
playing instructions for each board
and how to come to a conclusion
Adhi, please see above tab: “Download & Print” for instructions.
Also tab: How to Play
Hello..
I genuinely didn’t understand.
How to play the game.
Why directly place an object in block 68.
I didn’t understand..when u said then move to block 1 …???
Pl could you give more clarity.
I loved this.
When you’re born (#1), you come with past impressions. That’s why we start from #6.
In short: Start from #6.
I’ve just downloaded the file. I’m confused because I imagined there to be 100 squares as this is the measure of liberation so I read. Also the instructions on the print out refers to 68 and there’s only 64 squares. As I missing other pieces, is there more to download. Also when I set it to print on my PC a attached to my printed the print viewing screen only shows 85% of the full image. I’ve downloaded the file to my I pad to see / read the squares. Curious about the names / title of each square in English. Lots of questions. I’m excited to get started but these are the issues stoping me. Thanks you for this works it’s beautiful. Hoping someone can answer my question and points. Gratitude
Total is 72 blocks as per: https://tinyurl.com/3jm53umd
Simply stick together the A4 sheets, and they should be same as above picture.
I have recently become fascinated since reading more about the origins of “snakes and ladders” game concept. Now I’m curious to learn the literal translation from Hindi (?) to English of ‘moksha patam’.
I understand that ‘moksha’ means something like “liberation from rebirth” but I can’t find the direct and/or deeper meaning of ‘patam’. It doesn’t help when some websites state that mokshapatam means Snakes and Ladders!
Please – can someone just explain that word?
I already understand the English interpretation relates to the visual metaphors depicted in Gyan chauper — the ladder, symbolising a climb or ascension to the higher plane, with the snake hugely over-simplified by the British. In a Christian context it symbolises “deceit” and is associated with a “fall from grace” as depicted in the Adam-Eve story. In other cultures though ‘snake’ symbolism is quite enigmatic — concepts of transformation, regeneration, fertility, rebirth…
(I’m neither christian nor hindi… not religious, just curious and would love to play Gyan Chauper or make my own version too).
mokṣa (मोक्ष) : Highest goal of human life.
patam (पतम् ) (mas) : (1) Falling (2) flying.
Thus “Falling from the highest goal of human life”. That’s why whole game is about showing the individual the consequences of remaining fallen (ignorant) in the cycle of rebirth (saṃsāra).
However patam also means “flying”. Thus: Flying (going) to the highest goal of human life.
Hence “mokṣa patam” is an ideal name because journey isn’t only about falling (going down), but also flying to (going up).
Andre, thank you. I like that it also means “flying” — it inspires some interesting visuals for me. Sorry it took so long to acknowledge – a few “ladders” got in the way (work and new puppy). Not exactly “falling” but life is full of such “sidetracks”. Hmm…. I wonder if diversions and distractions ever feature in the concept.
Falling: regression in life (by making informed choices).
Flying: growth/progression in life (by making wise decisions).
Hi Andre. I am a Hindu and love the game. There are lot of people teaching this as well. What i would like to ask you. When we start the game ,we start at 6 and then oncewe start the game do we continue only when 6 arrives or as the next dice is rolled and if 1 comes we continue ?
Second how do we deliberate upon Advaita and Non Dualism. Its interesting as we moveahead in this practice. We see god within us and not as a seperate entity.
Hi Neha,
If playing by yourself, only start when get 6 on dice. If playing 2+ people, it’s ok to start on any dice number, else you’ll be there too long waiting your turn to start.
Moment you start, go to square 1 (read it + think about what it means to be born), then immediately to square 6 (read + think about).
Then roll again, keep playing.
Goal isn’t so much to win as is to inquire into what each block says.
Hi! I came across this when studying the history of Snakes and Ladders. I am interested in seeing which original source of this version that has been well translated. Would you mind putting an image of the original version up as well?
Oh I found the original picture of the 1700 AD 72 square version. I was a bit confused because the linked article for the history only mentioned 100 squares. Upon closer inspection, the photo of the 1700 AD one only has 72 squares, not 100.
Yes, this game is using the 72 blocks from 1700AD ver.
Can someone help with each box key words
Do we mean translating the keyword like block 1 “janma” to “birth”, for example?
IS IT USEFUL IN FINDING PRESENT PROBLEM ONE FACE ,IF YES HOW TO ASK AND HOW SOLUTION IS FIND OUT AS OF HEALER SAY THIS GIVES ANSWER
you guys changed my llife .love you!
I’m pleased to know this Dharmesh.
Hello ~
I played the game yesterday with a host who had played in the past. Before we started I was told to place my left hand over my heart and ask I question I wanted answered.
What are your thoughts on this?
Thank you!
Hi Holly. You may of course. It’s also possible that playing the game might trigger new questions you haven’t thought of before.
Thank you ~
Do you offer classes to master the game to become a host.
Do you know where i can purchase the floor mat sized game?
Thank you Andre!
No. Best way is to just get into it as per video. Important is to read the text in each block and contemplate it’s meaning.
Download template, print on A4, and sticky tape.
If have any suggestions, I’m open to hearing.
Thank you Andre.
Yes, did all this ~
Thank you – I look forward to playing it with my grandkids…
Hi,
Is it possible to find or get the text with all the instructions on the board?
Would be easier to read..
Thanks,
Looking forward to play the real game, origin of Snake and Ladders.
It’s already on the board, in top-right.
Thank you for reply 🙏
My bad Sorry, I was not clear..
I mean text from ALL the board.
Example, when you start from 68 what is written there or when you land on 50 etc.
I would like to print these boxes as separate cards with larger text. You just pick same card no and read/follow the instructions like other games, ex Cosmopolitan 🤔
Amazing wisdom! Thank you for bringing this out!
Hi Andre, this is amazong wisdom and i have followed your version 2.0 and 3.0. I likr this one as it is lighter but the previous one for the solution oriented one.
Thank you. Yes, sums up the difference.