1. Chandogya Upanishad with Sankarabhashyam English Translation - Swami Gambhirananda 1966

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

With the Commentary of

Śri Śaṅkarācārya

Translated by

SWĀMĪ GAMBHĪRĀNANDA

ADVAITA ASHRAMA

5 Dehi Entally Road

Calcutta 700014

Published by

Swami Ananyananda

President, Advaita Ashrama

Mayavati, Pithoragarh, Himalayas

All Rights Reserved

First Edition,

5M3C

Photosetting by S. Dasgupta at

Mudran Silpi, Calcutta 700010

and Printed by him at

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PUBLISHER'S NOTE

This edition of the Chāndogya Upaniṣad is a companion volume to the translator's Eight Upaniṣads published by us. Together with the monumental work on the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad by Swami Madhavananda, which is also published by us, it brings to completion the English translation of the commentary of Śaṅkarācārya on all the ten principal Upaniṣads. We have already published the translator's masterly English rendering of the Brahma-Sūtra Bhāṣya of Śaṅkarācārya. The English version of Śaṅkara's commentary on the Bhagavad-Gītā, now under preparation by him and to be published by us in due course, will complete the prasthāna-traya (the three source-books) of the Vedānta darśana from the Advaita point of view and fulfil a long-felt need in this respect.

The Chāndogya Upaniṣad forms the last eight chapters of the Chāndogya Brāhmaṇa of the Sāma-Veda. It is the second biggest of the major Upaniṣads, next only to the Bṛhadāraṇyaka. It seems to have been an important source-book for the author of the Brahma-Sūtras, as he makes copious references to its numerous topics, which may be as many as one hundred and thirty according to some scholars. Śaṅkarācārya also held this Upaniṣad in great esteem. He has cited profusely from it in his bhāṣya on the Brahma-Sūtras.

This Upaniṣad introduces us to such endeearing and earnest seekers after truth as Nārada, Satyakāma, and

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PUBLISHER'S NOTE

Śvetaketu, as well as such sagely and compassionate teachers as Āruṇi, Sanatkumāra, and Prajāpati. The central teaching of Advaita Vedānta is brought home to us by striking similes and matching metaphors, through a threadbare analysis of appearance and reality, pointing out at the same time the one spiritual entity underlying all diversity of names and forms, namely, Ātman or Brahman. One of the mahāvākyas (great spiritual dictums) of the Vedānta finds its place here: Tat-tvam-asi (That thou art). Further, it makes a grand declaration: Sarvam-khalu-idam-brahma (All this is verily Brahman), thus providing a direct revelational basis for Advaita.

The immensity human and interesting episode of Indra (leader of the devas) and Virocana (leader of the asuras) becoming disciples of Sage Prajāpati, occurring here, highlights the distinction between materialism (with its bitter fruits of egotism, selfishness, love of body, and other vices) and spirituality (with its blessings of peace, selflessness, love of others, and other virtues). This Upaniṣad contains some sublime flashes of spiritual light, which are capable of dispelling our doubts and darkness of ignorance (avidyā) and leading us to a correct understanding of the nature of the Self and eventual enlightenment by undertaking the requisite sādhanā (spiritual practice)

The Chānḍogya has two other unique features. Being a part of the Sāma-Veda, which specializes in the discipline of metrical chanting, it gives great importance to the Word. Meditation on Om is enjoined at the very beginning, which is then followed by an expo-

sition of the identification of the Word with Prāṇa,

individual and cosmic. It can be noted that what the

Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad treats aphoristically is dealt with

here elaborately. The other feature unique to this Upa-

niṣad is that it is a treasure-house of several important

vidyās or meditations, such as the Śāṇḍilya-vidyā, the

Antarāditya-vidyā, the Samvarga-vidyā, the Madhu-

vidyā, etc. These meditations, though now seldom in

vogue, undoubtedly served as chief spiritual disciplines

during a significant period of the Indian people in their

past religious life.

There are several currents of metaphysical and

mystical thought flowing in this Upaniṣad. The great

merit of the commentary of Śaṅkarācārya is that it

unites these diverse currents into a single stream of

philosophy. It is the oldest extant bhāṣya on this an-

cient Upaniṣad; but for it, the true import of many of

the obscure passages and the meaning of several of the

archaic images and meditations would have remained

beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. As in

his bhāṣya on the Bṛhadāraṇyaka, here too the

Ācārya's interpretation is exhaustive and meticulous.

It is an admittedly difficult task, but the learned trans-

lator has rendered it into English with considerable

ease and felicity.

It is our privilege to take this opportunity to offer our

heartfelt thanks to Sri S. R. Banerjea, Advocate,

Supreme Court of India, living in Calcutta, who has

been instrumental in collecting generous donations

and extending financial help to us towards the publica-

tion of this long-awaited book.

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PUBLISHER'S NOTE

We fervently hope that this book also will be welcomed by the lovers of the Upaniṣadic lore with the same eagerness and enthusiasm as the Eight Upaniṣads and the Brahma-Sūtra Bhāṣya were received earlier.

Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati

Date: 31 August 1983

PUBLISHER

CONTENTS

Introduction xiii

Chapter I 3

Chapter II 96

Chapter III 166

Chapter IV 244

Chapter V 312

Chapter VI 406

Chapter VII 503

Chapter VIII 571

Appendix 675

Index to Text 681

Concordance 691

KEY TO TRANSLITERATION AND PRONUNCIATION

Sounds like Sounds like

अ a o in son ड ḍ d

आ ā a in master ढ ḍh dh in godhood

इ i i in if ण ṇ n in under

ई ī ee in feel त t French t

उ u u in full थ th th in thumb

ऊ ū oo in boot द d th in them

ऋ ṛ somewhat between ध dh thelh in breathe here

r and ri न n n

ए e a in evade प p p

ऐ ai y in my फ ph ph in loop-hole

ओ o o in over ब b b

औ au ow in now भ bh bh in abhor

क k k म m m

ख kh ckh in blockhead य y

ग g g (hard) र r r

घ gh gh in log-hut ल l l

ङ ṅ ng व v v in avert

च c ch (not k) श ś sh

छ ch chh in catch him ष ṣ sh in show

ज j j स s s

झ jh dgeh in hedgehog ह h h

ञ ñ n (somewhat) ṁ m in hum

ट ṭ t ḥ half h in huh!

ठ ṭh th in ant-hill

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

Ā.G. Ānanda Giri

Ai. Aitareya Upaniṣad

Ai. Ā. Aitareya Āraṇyaka

Āp. Āpastamba Dharma-Sūtras

Bṛ. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad

Ch. Chāndogya Upaniṣad

B.G. Bhagavad Gītā

B.S. Brahma-Sūtras

H.S. Hiraṇyagarbha-Sūkta

Īś. Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad

Jā. Jābāla Upaniṣad

Ka. Kaṭha Upaniṣad

Kau. Kauṣītakī Upaniṣad

Ke. Kena Upaniṣad

M. Manu Saṁhitā

M.N. Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad

Mā. Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad

Ma. Br. Maṇḍala Brahmaṇa

Mbh. Mahābhārata

Mu. Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad

Muk. Muktika Upaniṣad

Nṛ. Nṛsimha-uttara-tāpanī-Upaniṣad

Nṛ. Pu. Nṛsimha-pūrva-tāpanī-Upaniṣad

Pr. Praśna Upaniṣad

Śv. Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad

Tai. Taittirīya Upaniṣad

Tai. Ā. Taittirīya Āraṇyaka

Tai. B. Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa

Tai. Sam. Taittirīya Saṁhitā

xii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

V.P.

Viṣṇu Purāṇa

Y.V.

Yajur-Veda

INTRODUCTION

The Chāndogya Upaniṣad forms a part of the Brāhmaṇa of the Talavakāra section of the Sāma-Veda. We present to the readers a translation of the text and the Commentary of Śrī Śaṅkarācārya, with notes of Ānanda Giri added wherever found necessary. For the text and commentary we have generally depended on the publication of Gīta Press, Gorakhpur, but some other publications have also been consulted. The translator is thankful to Swāmīs Sumedhānanda and Ātmārāmānanda, as also to the Advaita Ashrama, for the invaluable help rendered by them, without which this difficult task would not have been possible.

The major portion of this Upaniṣad consists of upāsanās, the import of which is a little difficult to understand. Therefore, the translator’s article under the heading ‘Upaniṣadic Meditation’ contributed to The Cultural Heritage of India, Vol. I, with some important discussions on upāsanā incorporated into it, is included below with the permission of the authorities of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Calcutta. It is hoped that this will facilitate easier understanding of the antiquated process of preparing the mind to enter into the abstruse philosophy of the Upaniṣads.

Upāsanā, which is here roughly translated as Upaniṣadic meditation, aimed in part at engendering higher mental attitudes with regard to the daily

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INTRODUCTION

avocations, social contacts, and religious pre-occupations.1 This path of inner transformation, in the midst of outward conformity, was worked out in all its philosophical bearings and practical details by men of action among whom were some Upaniṣadic king-saints (rājarṣis), who were conscious of the efficacy of the path as well as of their monopoly of this. In the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (VI.2.8), King Pravāhaṇa Jaivali says to the Brāhmaṇa Gautama, ‘Before this, this knowledge did not reside in any Brāhmaṇa.’ In the Chāndogya (V.3.7), too, the same king says to Gautama, ‘Before you, this knowledge reached no Brāhmaṇa, and hence in all the worlds the Kṣatriyas had their supremacy.’2

MEDITATION IN EVERYDAY LIFE

To our forebears no philosophy had any claim to recognition unless it had some bearing on life. To illustrate the point, let us cite some concrete examples from the Upaniṣadic texts.

The chanting of the Vedas was the daily duty of the students of those days. But lest it should degenerate into a mechanical process, the students were encouraged to add a little reflection in the form of upāsanā to this routine work. The Chāndogya (I.3.8-9) says, ‘One should reflect on the sāma with which one would eulogize, on the Ṛk on which the sāma rests, on the seer who saw the Ṛk verses, and one should reflect on the deity which one would eulogize.’ In the Taittirīya

1 Ch. I.1.10; Br. I.4.7.

2 Cf. Ch. V. 11; I.8.

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XV

(I.3.1-4), we read on the samhitā-upaniṣad, or the meditation based on the conjunction of letters, where the idea is to lead the pupil's mind from the mere composition of the words to the universal fact of four factors involved in all conjunctions, viz the two component parts of a pair, their actual association, and the resulting whole.

Take another, and a more sublime, meditation, the well-known Pañcāgni-vidyā (the meditation on the five fires).1 The whole world, sentient and insentient, is here thought of as a group of factors in a cosmic sacrifice involving five successive fires arranged in the order of their subtleness; and they are all knit together through a spirit of self-sacrifice, so that a new creation may emerge, new life may come into existence, at every stage. Thus faith is poured as an oblation in heaven, which is the highest of the fires; and, as a consequence, the lunar world—the world of manes—comes into existence. The moon is then poured as an oblation in the second fire, viz the rain-god; and so rain pours on earth, which is the third fire. From this sacrifice grows food, which is offered to man, who is considered as the fourth fire, from whom comes the seed. The fifth fire is the wife. The most familiar emergence of life is witnessed at child-birth. The ancients were bold enough to look on all things and processes from a higher intellectual and spiritual plane.

To their spiritual vision, the father, the mother, and the gods who presided over the organs were all agents in a sacrifice bringing new life into existence. As the

1 Br. Vi.2; Ch. V.4–10.

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INTRODUCTION

cosmic counterpart of this outlook on conjugal relationship, we are asked to think of the other world, i.e. heaven, as fire, the sun as its fuel, the rays as the smoke of that fire, day as the light of the fire, the directions as charcoal; or of the cloud-god as fire, the year as its fuel, the clouds as smoke, lightning as light, thunder as charcoal; and so on and so forth.

One of the grandest conceptions of life as a sacrifice is to be found in the Chāndogya (III.16-17), which by the way, is the richest storehouse of Upaniṣadic meditation. This Upaniṣad says, ‘Man himself is a sacrifice’, and shows in detail how this can be so. Man’s life, divided into three stages, is compared to the three periods in a sacrifice called savanas. Each period is given to its proper deities. The first stage is presided over by the Vasus, who work for life’s stability, for life requires the utmost attention during this period. They are succeeded in youth by the Rudras, the energetic gods, who are often cruel. Consequently, a man must be extremely judicious in what he does in his youth. Old age is presided over by the Ādityas who attract everything towards them. Men, then attracted by the higher forces, prepare for the final departure after making their best contribution to the world. In this connection, we are also asked to look on distress caused by hunger and thirst as dīkṣā (initiation) into a higher life of struggle and achievement; on charity, non-killing, truth, etc. as dakṣiṇā (offerings to the performers of our sacrifice, i.e. to our good neighbours); on merriment and laughter as hymns and songs to the gods; and on death as the bath after the sacrifice is completed.

INTRODUCTION

xvii

There are many other practical hints for transforming life into a spiritual discipline. The Bṛhadāraṇyaka

(V.11) instructs us to look on death and disease as tapasyā (penance): ‘This indeed is excellent austerity

that a man suffers when he is ill…. This indeed is excellent austerity that a man after death is carried to

the forest…. This indeed is excellent tapasyā that a man after death is placed on the fire.’

These meditations are often directed towards Reality or God. The Chāndogya gives a practical hint

as to how one can be in the constant presence of Reality in the midst of daily duties: ‘The Ātman is in the heart,

. . .he who meditates thus goes to heaven every day’ (VIII.3.3). Surely, it does not cost one much to bear

constantly in mind that the heart is the temple of God from which He is directing and watching all our

activities. The same idea is involved in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka (III.7) conception of antaryāmin (the inner

Ruler).

THE MEANING OF UPĀSANĀ

Thus far we have dealt with some Upaniṣadic meditations which are linked up with life and in which

Vedānta is reduced to practice. But ‘upāsanā’ is a much more comprehensive term and covers not only a life of

action, but actionless life as well. Let us, then, first understand what the word ‘upāsanā’ exactly means.

Literally, it means sitting near, mentally approaching an ideal. Upāsanā is sometimes referred to by such

words as ‘upaniṣad’, ‘darśana’, ‘veda’, etc. which terms lay emphasis on the several aspects of Upaniṣadic

meditation. It is firstly a secret thing, to be diligently

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INTRODUCTION

protected as one's own, and not to be merely talked or argued about or exposed to the derision of the common people. Besides, it is a mental attitude with regard to things which are not to be looked upon as detached entities, but are to be linked up with their higher aspects in a cosmic whole. And that attitude again has to change into an experience, the whole personality getting transformed and elevated thereby. It is both an objective outlook and a subjective realisation.

In Vedāntic literature, we come across several definitions of this term. In the Vedāntasāra the definition runs thus: 'Upāsanā is a kind of mental process relating to the qualified Brahman (Saguṇa Brahman), such as, for instance, the Śāṇḍilya-vidyā.'1 This distinguishes upāsanā from jñāna, knowledge, which is not a process. But the above definition is not comprehensive enough. For, in the Upaniṣads, we have not only Brahma-upāsanā, but also abrahma-upāsanā, i.e. it has as its object not only the qualified Brahman, but much more that is not Brahman. Śaṅ-kara, accordingly, defines upāsanā thus in his commentary on the Bṛhadāraṇyaka (I.3.9): 'Upāsanā is mentally approaching the form of the deity or the like, as it is presented by the eulogistic portions of the Vedas relating to the objects of meditation, and concentrating on it, excluding conventional notions, till one is completely identified with it, as with one's body, conventionally regarded as one's own self.'2

1 Vedāntasāra, 12. Also see Ch. III.14.1–2 and Bṛ. V.6.1.

2 Cf. His introduction to the Chāndogya, and Commentary on B.S. I.1.4.

So, according to Śaṅkara, the object of meditation may be any object or any deity or Brahman. Besides, it is essentially a mental process, and aims at a knowledge of the object through identification. But upāsanā itself is not knowledge. It may be helpful to realisation, through the purification of the mind, but by itself it falls far short of realisation. The processes of knowing and meditation are both mental acts, to be sure, but knowledge of an object is not subject to the option of the knower. The Pañcadaśī (IX.74–82) brings out this distinction very aptly: ‘Knowledge is determined by the object, but upāsanā is dependent on the subject.’ Besides, upāsanā implies a meditator, an object of meditation, and an uninterrupted thought. Unless the meditator is aware of himself as distinct from the object of meditation upāsanā is not possible. The Pañcadaśī also emphasises the element of faith in upāsanā. One must have faith in the object and the process of meditation as taught by the scriptures and the teacher. Knowledge does not presuppose any such faith. Another point to note is that the objects of upāsanā are not mere imaginary things or concepts, nor need they be real in the ordinary sense of the term; but they are presented by the scriptures. Again, upāsanā is a process of building up from the bottom upward, expanding the ego at every step, whereas knowledge achieves its object rather in a negative way by removing ignorance. Thus knowledge and meditation are entirely different.

Our next difficulty is with regard to nididhyāsana, which term also is roughly translated as meditation. Some Vedāntists, too, would think of nididhyāsana as

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INTRODUCTION

meditation in the ordinary sense of the term. But Sureśvara in his Vārttika is at pains to show that this can never be so. In the Bṛhadāraṇyaka (II.4.5), Yājña-valkya says to Maitreyī, his wife: ‘The Self is to be seen, to be heard of, to be thought of, and to be made an object of nididhyāsana. Everything is known when the Self is seen through hearing, thinking and realisation (vijñāna).’ Commenting on this, Sureśvara says that the use of the word vijñāna in the second sentence, in place of nididhyāsana in the first, shows that nididhyāsana is not ordinary meditation, but a meditation of a higher order in which there is no sense of exertion of will, no conscious employment of the thinking process, and no intellection whatsoever. It is the constant presence of a conviction of the form ‘I am Brahman’, and yet falls just short of aparokṣānubhūti or the direct realisation of the Self.

Upāsanā is the pre-eminent means to nididhyāsana. The latter is necessarily preceded by vicāra, discrimination, between the Self and the not-Self, whereas upāsanā does not depend on vicāra, but on faith in the teachings of the scriptures and the teacher.

CLASSES OF UPĀSANĀ

A brief survey of the different classes of upāsanā will clarify our ideas about this word. We have already spoken of Brahma-upāsanā and abrahma-upāsanā. Of Brahma-upāsanā, however, there has been mention of only one aspect, viz meditation on Personal God, immanent or qualified Brahman. But there is a school of Vedantists who think that it is possible to meditate

on the transcendental or absolute Brahman as well. The author of Pañcadaśaī accepts (vide Dhyānadīpa) upāsanā of the supreme Brahman— ‘From the verse in the Gītā, “That which is attained by the Sāñkhyas,

That is attained even by the Yogins” (V.5), it is understood that, just as the Sāñkhya (Path of Knowledge) assisted with contemplation, i.e. the Vedāntic vicāra called śravaṇa, is a means to realise Brahman, so also is yoga, i.e. upāsanā of the unqualified Brahman. It cannot be said that upāsanā of the unqualified Brahman has no sanction. In the Praśna Upaniṣad it is stated, “ . . . any one who meditates on the supreme Puruṣa with the help of this very syllable Om, as possessed of three letters . . . .” Here meditation is enjoined on the unqualified Brahman itself. In the sūtras, “Bliss and other characteristics of the principal entity (i.e. Brahman) are to be combined” (B.S. III.3.11), and, “All the (negative) conceptions of the Immutable are to be combined . . .” (B.S. III.3.33),

Vedavyāsa, the author of the sūtras, has stated that the unqualified Brahman should be meditated on by concentrating on the aggregate of positive and negative qualifications, viz “It is Knowledge”, “It is Bliss”, etc. and “It is not gross, not minute”, etc. which are asserted about the subject of meditation. You cannot insist that where a combination of qualities such as Bliss etc. are mentioned, there the unqualified Brahman is not meant. For it is possible to perform (ahamgraha-) upāsanā by thinking, “I am verily the partless, homogeneous Brahman indicated by such qualifications as ‘It is Bliss’, etc. and ‘It is not gross’, etc.”, without thereby violating Its being without any qualities. By meditating thus, the unqualified

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Brahman is realised in course of time’ (Siddhānta-leśa-saṅgraha, III.8).

Most Vedāntists would not agree with this, since the absolute Brahman cannot be the content of any thought or meditation. When properly analysed, it would seem that the controversy hinges on the meaning we give to the word nididhyāsana. If by this word we mean ordinary meditation, then surely there can be no upāsanā of the absolute Brahman; for, however we may try, we can have no image, or concept in our minds higher than that of the qualified Brahman.

If, on the other hand, nididhyāsana means meditation of the higher order, as defined by Sureśvara, we may have meditation on the absolute Brahman. But for clarity of thought and expression, we shall be well advised not to call it upāsanā but nididhyāsana, not a form of mental activity, but a flow ot conviction. This ‘higher meditation’ is essentially nothing more than an intensification of the vision of the Truth received initially from the scriptures and the teacher through śravaṇa (hearing). The first introduction to Truth and the last consummation do not differ in their contents, but only in their intensity of realisation.

From another standpoint the upāsanās may be placed under three heads: First, those which are connected with sacrifices etc. actually being performed, aṅgāvabaddha, and are calculated to heighten the results of the sacrifices; for, according to the Vedic people, though the sacrifices are efficacious by themselves, when they are conjoined with meditation they lead to greater results.' Secondly, there are those

¹ Ch. I.1.10.

meditations which are neither connected with actual

sacrifices nor with Brahman, but are calculated to lead

to heaven or yield other cherished results. In ‘Look on

the Ṛk as the earth and the sāma as fire'1, we have an

example of the first class. This class of upāsanā is found

in the Chāndogya, from the beginning of Chapter I to

the end of the twenty second section of Chapter II. But

in looking on death and suffering etc. as penances,2

described earlier, we have an example of the second

class. Here, pratīkas like Om, images of deities

described in the Purāṇas, and the TāntriC yantras are

used. Thirdly, there are the Brahma-upāsanās which

lead to Liberation through stages (krama-mukti).

From still another point of view, there are two kinds

of upāsanās—Brahma-upāsanā (direct meditation on

Brahman) and pratīka-upāsanā (indirect meditation

based on symbols). Meditation on Brahman by attri-

buting qualities like bliss, fearlessness, immortality,

etc. to It is Brahma-upāsanā. But these qualities in no

way point to the real nature of Brahman; they are

mentioned by the scriptures only to facilitate upāsanā.

When the mind, weighed down by past impressions of

temporal objects and unable to free itself from them,

fails to dwell solely on the idea of Brahman, but

concentrates on any temporal emblem (pratīka) by

imposing the idea of Brahman on it,–that is called

pratīka-upāsanā. (Pratīkas are also used in the

upāsanās of deities). A pratīka is a symbol such as a

śālagrāma (the aniconic stone symbol of Viṣṇu), an

'Ibid. I.6.1.

2Br. V.11.1.

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INTRODUCTION

image, a name etc. The ideas of the deities to be meditated on are fastened on these symbols.

The emblematical meditations are of two different kinds—sampad-upāsanā and adhyāsa-upāsanā. When we take up a symbol of a lower order and by virtue of similarity superimpose on it the qualities etc. of a higher thing, we have sampad-upāsanā or meditation based on similarity, through which we reflect not on the lower order of things, but on the higher ones, which the lower things symbolise.' In fact, the lower things are here raised through similarity to their higher correlates, where they find their fulfilment. For example, sampad-upāsanā is enjoined in 'Air indeed is the place of merger' (Ch. IV.3.1). Thus in the Bhāmatī2 we read: 'The Viśvedevas (All-gods), who are innumerable, have a similarity with the infinite mental modifications. Therefore the Viśvedevas are superimposed on the mind; the mind itself is considered as though non-existing, and the Viśvedevas alone are meditated on. As a result of such a meditation one attains the infinite worlds.3 . . . But in adhyāsa-upāsanā the symbol itself predominates and on it are superimposed the qualities etc. of the deity, as for instance, 'Meditate on the mind as Brahman',4 or "The sun is Brahman, this is the instruction".5 But the old philosophers were careful to warn us that there can be no direct meditation on God so long as the mind

1Cf. Kalpataru on B.S. I.1.4; Br. III.i.6–10.

2On B.S. I.1.4.

3Cf. Ch. VII.3.

4Ibid. III.18.

5Ibid. III.19.

hovers in the plane of symbols. ' It is only when we can transcend the grosser world that we are vouchsafed a higher realisation of the Deity.

In referring to sampad-upāsanā, or meditation based on resemblance, Śaṅkara writes:2 'By this is meant a meditation, by virtue of some point of resemblance, on rites with inferior results, like agnihotra, as rites with superior results; or it is a meditation on some part of the lesser rite as these very results. Even when people try with all their ardour to undertake measures to bring about certain ends, they may fail of their object because of some defect. So a man, who regularly tends the sacrificial fire, takes up any rite, such as agnihotra, that suits him, and if he happens to know the results of particular rites, meditates that the rite before him will produce the results he seeks. Otherwise, it would be impossible for people of even the upper three castes, who are qualified for them, to perform the rājasūya, aśvamedha, naramedha, and sarvamedha sacrifices . . . They can attain those results only by means of the meditation based on resemblance.' This meditation may be of two kinds, in accordance as we aim at the superior rite as a whole or at its results. With regard to the first, Śaṅkara has referred to agnihotra. As for the second kind, in Bṛhadāraṇyaka (III.1.8) we read that since there are three kinds of oblation, viz those that blaze up, those that make noise, and those that sink into the earth, therefore through them one attains the bright heaven, the uproarious world of the manes, and the lowly human world, respectively.

1B.S. IV.1.4.

2Commentary on Bṛ. III.1.6.

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INTRODUCTION

Upāsanā may be undertaken either with a desire to secure the various results described in the relevant sections of the Vedas, or without such a desire, but only to adore God, from which follows purification of the mind and subsequent realisation of the supreme Brahman. It is very clearly mentioned in the scriptures that the results of mere rites and duties, unassociated with upāsanā, are inferior to the results of upāsanā'—By rites and duties one attains the world of manes; through upāsanā the world of gods'. Now, a question may arise as to why upāsanās motivated by a desire to secure personal benefits are included at all in the Upaniṣadic portion of the Vedas. This is done with the high purpose of urging people to cultivate dispassion towards results of rites and duties, and also of upāsa­nās. For, even the Brahmaloka, which is the highest attainment through rites such as aśvamedha-sacrifice, or through upāsanās such as Pañcāgni-vidyā, or through the practice of life-long celibacy, is but impermanent. At the end of a cycle of cosmic creation, those who had attained Brahmaloka must suffer rebirth in a new cycle of creation. Similar is the fate of those who practice pratīka-upāsanā, for its result is the attainment of the world of lightning. In fact, even the highly ragarded Brahma-upasanā, while it results in the meditator reaching the Brahmaloka and finally merging in Brahman after aeons of living in that world, is nothing compared to realisation of Brahman here in this very life by practising nididhyāsana. And for this nididhyāsana the pre-requisites are discrimination between the real and the unreal, and utter disregard for enjoying this world or the other.

Thus, we have an answer to the question raised above. It must, nevertheless, be remembered that rites and duties or upāsanā are not to be totally overlooked. The former performed without desire to gratify oneself destroy the natural tendencies of the mind, and bring it under control, and upāsanā enables one to turn this mind inward. Only such a mind is fit to receive instructions about the knowledge of Brahman. This complementary relation between rites and duties, upāsanā, and knowledge of Brahman, is the elusive reason why the former two are presented at the beginning even of the Upaniṣads.

UPĀSANĀ AND DEVOTION

There is no significant difference between the essential natures of Vedic upāsanā and bhakti as known today. In fact, one may state that bhakti is a form of upāsanā. An aspirant can perform upāsanā also of things other than Brahman and the deities. But bhakti is directed only towards God or deities. In this way, the scope of upāsanā is wider than that of bhakti. Saṅkarācārya has taken upāsanā and bhakti to imply the same thing (vide commentary on Br̥. I.4.10). Bhakti is usually a discipline of the Dualists. We have seen that though upāsanā is an aid to the Non-dualists, its practise involves a sense of dualism. Even where a votary thinks of himself as identical with his deity during worship, following the dictum ‘One should worship the deity by deifying oneself’, or in the Tāṇtric worship where an aspirant tries to imagine identity between his own body and that of the deity, through what is called nyāsa, we may reasonably draw their

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INTRODUCTION

similarity with the Vedic ahamgraha-upāsanā. Certainly no non-dualistic knowledge is involved in these practises, though they may be aids to acquire that.

Some other factors of interest are that, in both upāsanā and bhakti, the practice of vicāra, discrimination, is of secondary importance as compared with faith and love. As in upāsanā, there are grades of bhakti. The saguṇa-bhakti is resorted to by those who have desire for personal gains of one kind or other, and the nirguṇa-bhakti, which is eminently suited for monks, can hardly be distinguished from ahamgraha-upāsanā. Some carry a conviction that the path of bhakti, while it involves dualism, can directly bring Liberation. This, however, is not reasonable. Firstly, dualism has not been accepted in the Brahma-sūtras as the final metaphysical conclusion (see B.S. II.2.42-5).

Secondly, if the true nature of the individual soul be not Brahman, then it is illogical to suppose that by mere contemplation the individual soul can transform itself into Brahman which is distinct from itself. And Liberation is not possible without realising identity with the immortal and eternal Brahman. Therefore, in order to attain Liberation as understood in Vedānta, one can at best accept as aids the dualistic disciplines, but not its philosophy as the final word. Thirdly, ignorance can be dispelled only by Knowledge, not by mere meditation. Bhakti is related to Liberation in the same way as upāsanā, is. If certain practices in bhakti, of thinking of oneself as identical with the deity, be only a superimposition of the idea of identity, then they are similar to ahamgraha-upāsanā; and if such identification be based on the Upaniṣadic teachings regarding identity of the individual soul with the supreme

Brahman, then in that case, it is better to term such practices nididhyāsana and not bhakti

As already indicated, upāsanā has in it many elements of devotion. It is not mere thought; there is scope for emotion and volition as well. Ideas are to be adhered to with determination, and will is to be sustained by faith. And the whole effort is to be sweetened by love—love for a personal God sometimes, but more often love for a higher ideal which is nothing but Saccidānanda (Existence-Knowledge-Bliss). In consonance with the devotional schools, the Upaniṣads illustrate the state of realisation through the imagery of a couple lost to everything in an all-absorbing embrace.' And of God it is said, 'He is indeed the essence (love) and getting that essence all become happy'2; 'Brahman is Bliss'3; and 'All these beings come from Bliss, after birth they live through Bliss, and they move towards and enter into Bliss'.4 An example of meditation on personality can be cited from the Chāndogya (I.6.6-8) where the mind is directed towards the divine Presence in the sun. His beard is golden, His hair is golden, up to the tips of His nails everything is golden. His eyes are red as lotuses. This golden Being resides in the sun, and He is above all impurities.5 The Muṇḍaka (II.1.4) speaks of the cosmic Person as having fire as His head, the sun and moon as His eyes, the Vedas as His voice, the earth as

'Br. IV.3.21.

Tai. II.7.

Ch. IV.10.4.

Tai. III.6.

Cf. Br. V.5.2-4.

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INTRODUCTION

His legs, and so on. There is also the mention of tanmayatva, i.e. becoming united through and through with God, in the same Upaniṣad (II.2.3-4); it teaches a beautiful upāsanā based on Om, where, too, is revealed the real mechanism for the concentration of the mind on God: ‘Taking as a bow the great weapon presented in the Upaniṣads, fix on it an arrow that has been sharpened by meditation. Then, stretching the bow fully, with a mind wholly absorbed in Its thought (i.e. of Brahman), do Thou hit the target which is the imperishable Reality. The Om is the bow, the mind is the arrow, Brahman is the target. It is to be hit with concentration, and one should become unified with the target just like the arrow.’

As may be naturally inferred, this kind of devotional upāsanā was often combined with prayer to God, both in His personal and impersonal aspects. To illustrate this, we quote the following passages: ‘O Śiva, do Thou make innocuous the arrow that Thou hast taken in hand for shooting.’1 ‘From evil lead me to good; from darkness lead me to light; from death lead me to immortality.’2

In the bhakti school of thought, there are often meditations on God based on the meaning of the letters of His name. The Upaniṣads also abound in such meditations. Among the so-called later Upaniṣads, in which the bhakti element is strikingly in evidence, the Gopāla-pūrva-tāpanīya Upaniṣad (1) says: ‘Krṣi implies the earth, and na implies bliss. Their combination means Kṛṣṇa who is supreme Brahman.’

1Śv. III.6.

2Br. I.3.28.

Similarly, the older Upaniṣads prescribe upāsanās based on the meaning of letters and suggestiveness of sound. The Chāndogya (VIII.3.3) says that hṛdaya (heart) is a name of God, for its derivative meaning is hṛdi-ayam—He is in the heart.

Then, again, there is the idea of dependence on God. For instance, the Nārāyaṇa says, ‘I take refuge in the deity Durgā’, and the Śvetāśvatara, which is counted among the older Upaniṣads, takes ‘refuge in Brahman for the sake of salvation’ (VI.18). The latter Upaniṣad also uses the word bhakti in its usual sense (VI.23). Instructions for japa (repetition) of a name of God or a mantra occur very often.' Besides, there are references to grace: ‘By him is He realised to whom He is full of grace’2, and ‘through the grace of God’, ‘through the grace of the Deity’,3 The presence of these elements in the Vedas demolishes the theory of the Paurāṇic origin of bhakti.

AIMS AND METHODS

We have thus distinguished upāsanā from karma and bhakti on the one hand and jñāna and nididhyāsana on the other. The results of upāsanā, like those of rites and duties, are also said to be of two kinds—the perceptible and the unseen. Certain upāsanās lead indirectly to Liberation by helping the meditator pass through the intermediate stages. The common result of all the upāsanās is concentration of the mind, which culmi-

1Cf. Bṛ. VI.3.6; I.3.28.

2Ka. I.2.23.

Śv. III.20; VI. 21.

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INTRODUCTION

nates in samādhi. Brahman is realised in the state of samādhi. Upāsanā takes hold of man as a whole. It deepens his emotion, strengthens his will, and expands his intellect. But the maximum that can be gained through such expanding upāsanā is identification with Hiranyagarbha or cosmic Intelligence-Will-Power thought of as a Person. Higher still is the state where all thoughts and words cease and only Existence-Knowledge-Bliss reigns in its solitary glory. The highest realisation comes as a sudden and spontaneous opening of insight. All that upāsanā can do is to free the mind from all impurities and worldly distractions, and concentrate it on Brahman, so that light may descend unimpeded.

Pravāhaṇa Jaivali, of whom we have already spoken, teaches some Brāhmaṇas in the Chāndogya (I.8-9) an upāsanā in which the imagination is guided to higher and higher strata till it loses itself in the highest thing which is Brahman. Thus the singing of sāmas is shown to be dependent on vitality, which again is sustained by food produced with the help of water. Water comes from the upper atmosphere. This rests on solid earth. This earth is dependent on the subtlest of all things which is Brahman. Thus if we push our chain of dependence to the farthest limit, we cannot escape being in the presence of the highest Cause. This is a meditation based on the ascending order of things.

In another upāsanā in the same Upaniṣad, this ascent is combined with gradual expansion. Only the bare outlines can be presented here. First, we are asked to meditate on such words as hāu, hāi, atha, etc.

which meaningless words are added in sāma songs to

make a tune complete. We have to consider hāu as the

earth, hāi as air, atha as moon, and so on. Then we

come to the sāma song as a whole divided into five

parts, which are though of differently as identical with

different things in the universe, till, at the end of this

section of the upāsanā, we have almost exhausted

everything gross and subtle, including the mind, the

vital force, the organ of speech, etc. The next stage

leads us to a higher synthesis where a bigger sāma,

having seven parts, is taken up as a symbol for all

conceivable things. In the fourth stage, different kinds

of sāmas, bearing different names, are used as

symbols. The climax is reached in the last stage, when,

by the widest sweep, the whole universe is superim-

posed on all the sāmas conceived as a unified entity,

and the Upaniṣad concludes the upāsanā by declaring,

'He who meditates thus becomes identified with all'.1

But if the Upaniṣads taught the upāsanās of infinite

expansion, they were careful to prescribe meditations

for probing into the subtlest of all subtle things. Thus

we are told that the earth is the essence of all elements,

since it is their highest creation. Water is the essence of

earth, since it is water that makes the particles of earth

a compact whole. Herbs, that is to say, the juices of the

herbs, are the essence of water, since they maintain

life. Man is the essence of these juices which impart

strength. Speech is the essence of man, since speech

distinguishes him from animals. Ṛks (hymns) are the

essence of speech. The sāmas are the essence of the

1 Ch. I.13 to II.21.

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INTRODUCTION

Rks, since music is the highest achievement of voice. And Om is the essence of all sāmas. ' This Om, we must remember, is the name and symbol of Brahman—‘Om iti Brahma'2. Thus through this process of searching for the essence of things, we reach Brahman. Again, we are to deduce everything from that Om, for everything is from Om, and everything is penetrated through and through by Om; Om is everything.3 This double process of induction and deduction carries us to the centre of things and gives us a universal view.

The Upaniṣads were, however, careful not to carry all and sundry to the highest meditation, irrespective of their mental progress. Various upāsanās of different degrees and subtlety were prescribed for people in various stages of life. 'From the familiar to the unfamiliar' was their motto, as it was also 'from the concrete to the abstract'. It is a mistake to think that the sections of the Vedas dealing with upāsanās were meant for those who had retired from life, the vānaprasthas. The students (brahmacārins), too, had their upāsanās, as we have already shown in connection with samhitā-upaniṣad. The householders (grhasthas) had theirs, as for instance the Pañcāgni-vidyā. The sacrificer, the priests engaged by him in the sacrifice, the chanters of hymns, the pourers of oblation, and the singers of sāmas—all had their adequate upāsanās. And so also had those who led a retired life, or were otherwise debarred from undertaking the costly and prolonged ceremonies.

'Ibid. I.1.2.

2Tai. I.8; cf. Ka. I.2.16.

3Ch. II.23.3; Mā. 1.

As a usual rule, they started from the most familiar things—the students from letters, the ordinary people from acts, the thinkers from concepts, and the meditators from lower meditations. The whole process aimed at a grand synthesis in which the gross and the subtle, and the microcosm and the macrocosm, lost their separate existence. Thus, at every turn, we are reminded of the identity of the adhibhūta, the adhi-daiva, and the adhyātma—the natural, the supernatural, and the personal. In fact, the upāsanās aimed not only at intellectual grasp, but also at spiritual identification where all vestige of this lower existence ceased.

To reach this highest identity (speaking relatively), the aspirant has to pass through lesser identities. Reality in its immanent form is visualised in various ways on the personal, natural, and supernatural planes. On the personal or individual plane, the series runs thus: gross body, vital force, thought, intelligence, and bliss; on the material plane, the progress lies from the smaller to the larger and from the grosser to the subtler; and on the supernatural plane, the advance is from the individual presiding deities to their cosmic counterparts. On the cosmic plane, again, first comes the gross, Virāṭ; then the subtle, Hiranyagarbha; and lastly the causal, Īśvara—the immanent Brahman (Saguṇa Brahman), beyond which is the transcendental Reality (Nirguṇa Brahman). Upāsanā thus consists in ‘covering all this with God’, as the Īśa Upaniṣad puts it, through progressive stages.

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INTRODUCTION

MEDITATION THROUGH SELF-IDENTIFICATION

And this brings us to a unique characteristic of the Upaniṣads. They not only searched for the Infinite, but found it to be identical with the Self in all. They first realised 'Brahman is all this'1, and then 'I am Brahman'2. And so the task before the Upaniṣads was how to prepare the aspirants for that realisation of unity. As a potent means of accomplishing this, they hit upon ahamgraha-upāsanā or meditation based on self-identification in which the individual thinks of himself as Brahman.

Thus in one meditation, Virāṭ (the gross cosmic Person) is thought of as food, which is raised by stages from the ordinary to the cosmic plane, where everything is seen to merge in its cause, which is considered to be the eater of food. This final eater again is no other than Virāṭ; and eating, too, is Virāṭ. When thus everything has been reduced to Virāṭ, and cause and effect have lost their duality, the meditator identifies himself with the non-dual Virāṭ. This, by the way, is what is known as the samvarga-vidyā or the meditation on the mergence of everything in the cosmic Person as identified with the Self.3 Similarly, also in other cases. The highest upāsanā is given in the Śāndilya-vidyā, where Brahman is presented as identified with everything that is good, noble, and beautiful; and the meditator

1 Ch. III.14.1.

2 Br. I.4.10.

3 Ch. IV.3.

then thinks himself to be no other than Brahman thus qualified.1

The Upaniṣadic seers did not rest satisfied with an objective direction of the mind, as is usual in the path of devotion and duty, or subjective withdrawal, as is done in yoga. They combined the two processes and reaped the highest benefit in the form of aparokṣā-nubhūti (immediate realisation) of the Self as Brahman, of the microcosm as the macrocosm. Their life's goal lay not in the mere realisation of an isolated Self, but in realising their identity with God in all His fullness—in His transcendence and immanence.

It is this final objective that gave the direction to upāsanā, which was not allowed to be alienated from life, but through which life was to be progressively spiritualised. It is in this realistic attitude leading to the highest realisation that the present-day worth of Upaniṣadic upāsanā lies.

1Ibid. III.14.4.

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

ॐ आप्यायन्तु ममाङ्गानि वाङ्प्राणश्चक्षुः श्रोत्रमथो

बलमिन्द्रियाणि च सर्वाणि। सर्वं ब्रह्मौपनिषदं माझं ब्रह्म

निराकुर्यां मा मा ब्रह्म निराकरोदनिराकरणमस्त्वनिराकरणं

मेऽस्तु। तदात्मनि निरते य उपनिषत्सु धर्मास्ते मयि सन्तु ते मयि

सन्तु।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

May my limbs, speech, vital force, eyes, ears, as

also strength and all the organs, become well developed. Everything is the Brahman revealed

in the Upaniṣads. May I not deny Brahman; may not Brahman deny me. Let there be no

spurning.(of me by Brahman), let there be no rejection (of Brahman) by me. May all the virtues that are (spoken of) in the Upaniṣads repose in me who am engaged in the pursuit of the Self; may they repose in me.

Om Peace ! Peace ! Peace !

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

INTRODUCTION OF

ŚRĪ ŚAṄKARĀCĀRYA

Om! Salutation to the Supreme Self! Om Hari Om!

The Chāndogya Upaniṣad consisting of eight chapters starts with (the text) Om iti etat akṣaram, this letter that is Om. Here is begun this short volume consisting of a lucid exposition, meant for those who are desirous of knowing its meaning in a concise form. Now, as for (its) sambandha (relation with the earlier portion dealing with rituals): All the rituals performed along with meditation on Prāṇa (vital force) and other deities, become the cause of reaching Brahmaloka (the region of Hiraṇyagarbha) through the Solar Path (Devayāna Mārga—the Path of gods); and rituals alone (performed without such meditation) become the cause of attaining the Lunar region through the Path of Smoke (Pitṛyāṇa Mārga—the Path of manes). And it has been said that those who, prompted by personal tendencies, become distracted from either of the two paths fall downwards. Besides, since there cannot be the attainment of the highest human goal even by following either of the two paths (Devayāna or Pitṛyāṇa), therefore the Reality of nondual Self which is independent of rites, has to be presented through a process of eradication of the cause leading to the three ways of rebirth. Hence is this Upaniṣad begun.

4

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

Moreover, absolute Liberation cannot be achieved apart from the realisation of the nondual Self because the Upaniṣad itself will declare: ‘On the other hand, those who understand otherwise than this, come under a different ruler (not Brahman), and belong to the worlds that are subject to decay. (But contrarywise) he becomes a sovereign’ (VII. 25. 2). So also, he who has an inclination for false dualistic things comes under bondage, like a thief who gets scalded by taking hold of a heated axe, gets arrested, and also suffers the sorrows of the world. Having stated thus, (the Upaniṣad further declares that) for the aspirant after the truth of the nondual Reality of the Self, there occurs cessation of worldly sorrows and achievement of Liberation, as in the case of the person who, not being a thief, does not get scalded by taking up a heated axe and gets absolved (see VI. 16. 1-3). For this very reason the realisation of the nondual Self cannot coexist with rites.

There can be no notion which can subverse that (realisation), which is generated after the eradication of all differences of action, agent and fruit etc. by such texts as: ‘Existence, One only, without a second’ (VI. 2. 1), and ‘All this is but the Self’(VI. 25. 2).

Objection: It can be contradicted by the knowledge of the injunction about rites.

Vedāntin: No, because rites are enjoined for a person who naturally has the notions of being an agent and the enjoyer, and who is possessed of the defects of attraction for and repulsion against results of such rites.

Objection: Since rites are enjoined for one who has

mastered the meaning of all the Vedic texts, therefore rites have to be performed even by a knower of the nondual Reality.

Vedāntin: No, because the objects with which a man competent for rites is occupied, and the natural ideas about being an agent and an enjoyer, are demolished by texts like, 'Existence alone, One only, without a second', and 'All this is but the Self'. Therefore rites are enjoined only for those who have such defects as ignorance etc. but not for one who is possessed of nondual Knowledge. Hence the Upaniṣad will declare, 'All these become attainers of the virtuous worlds, but the man established in Brahman attains Immortality' (II. 23. 1).

That being so, meditations that are the means of acquiring prosperity, meditations which are spoken of in such sentences as, 'made up of mind and having Prāṇa as the body' (Mu. II. 2. 7),—which relate to a slightly modified nondual Brahman and are calculated to lead to the results that are proximate to Liberation—, and meditations enhancing the results of rites and related to various portions of the rites, are presented in this context of the knowledge of nonduality because of the similarity of their being mystical in nature and mental modifications. As the nondual realisation is a mere mental modification, so also are the other meditations forms of mental modifications. Herein lies their similarity.

Objection: Where then, lies the difference between the nondualistic realisation and meditation?

Vedāntin: The nondualistic realisation demolishes the cognition of all such differences as agent, instru-

ment, action and results, which are naturally super-

imposed on the actionless Self, just as knowledge in the

form of imposition of a snake etc. on a rope etc. is

destroyed by the realisation of the true nature of the

rope etc. But meditation means establishing a continu-

ous flow of similar modifications of the mind in relation

to some object as presented by the scriptures, (and)

uninterrupted by any foreign idea. This is the

distinction.

These meditations that are such become helpful to

the nondualistic realisation, by way of presenting a

glimpse of the reality of Brahman through the purifica-

tion of the mind, and they are easy to practise because

they are based on some palpable object. Hence they

are presented in the beginning of the Upaniṣad. There

again, since practice of rites is deep-rooted, it is dif-

ficult to engage the mind in meditation by entirely

giving up rites. Therefore meditations that are associ-

ated with parts of rites are presented at the commence-

ment of the Upaniṣad.

CHAPTER I

SECTION I

ओमित्येतदक्षरमुद्गीथमुपासीत। ओमिति हुद्गायति

तस्योपव्याख्यानम्॥ १ ॥

1. One should meditate on this letter Om which is Udgītha. Since one starts singing the Udgītha by uttering Om, therefore its proximate exposition is being commenced.

Upāsīta, one should meditate; etat, on this; om iti akṣaram, letter Om; which is udgītham, Udgītha. This letter Om, as the name of the supreme Reality, is nearest to Him; when that is used He surely becomes gracious just as a man becomes so when his favourite name is used. Since this (letter Om) is followed by an ‘iti, this’, thereby its being a name (expressive of Brahman) is ruled out, (and) it is understood only in its verbal form. And in that way it becomes a symbol like an image etc. of the supreme Self. Thus it is known in all the Upaniṣads that Om, as a name and as a symbol, holds the highest position of being an aid to the meditation of the supreme Self. And its highest position is also well-known from its being used very frequently at the beginning and end of repetition of holy names, rites, study (of Vedas) etc, Therefore, etat, this; akṣaram, letter Om which is such, and is referred to as Udgītha since it constitutes a part of the portion of the sāma song called Udgītha, is to be meditated on in its verbal

8

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 1. 1

form. (That is) one should continuously concentrate

one's mind on Om which forms a part of rites and is a

symbol of the supreme Reality.

The Upaniṣad itself states the reason why the word

Om is signified by the word Udgītha. Hi, because,

udgāyati, one starts singing the Udgītha; om iti, by first

uttering Om, therefore Udgītha is (identical with) Om.

This is the idea. Tasya, of that, of the letter Om;

upavyākhyānam, the proximate exposition, the state-

ment; of the manner of meditation, the kind of glory,

and the type of result etc. ...The words 'is being

commenced', are to be supplied to complete the

sentence.

एषां भूतानां पृथिवी रसः पृथिव्या आपो रसः।

अपामोषधयो रस ओषधीनाᳶ पुरुषो रसः पुरुषस्य वाग्रसो

वाच ऋग्रसो ऋचः साम रसः साम्न उद्गीथो रसः॥ २ ॥

2. Of these objects the earth is the essence; of earth,

water is the essence; of water, herbs are the essence; of

the herbs, the human body is the essence; of the human

body, (the organ of) speech is the essence; of speech,

Rk is the essence; of the Rk-mantras, the Sama-

mantras are the essence; of the Sama-mantras, Udgītha

is the essence.

Eṣām, of these; bhūtānām, objects that move and do

not move; prthivī, the earth; is rasah, the essence—the

destination, support and source'. Prthivyāh, of earth;

'Ānanda Giri suggests that the three words, gati, parāyaṇa and

avaṣṭambha (given by Śaṅkarācārya as the implication of rasah) may,

in the reverse order mean, source, support, and destination,

respectively.

āpaḥ, water; is rasaḥ, the essence; since earth is permeated by water, therefore water is the essence of earth. Apām, of water; oṣadhayaḥ rasaḥ, the herbs are the essence because herbs are transformations of water. Oṣadhīnām, of these herbs; puruṣaḥ, the human body is the essence because the human body is a transformation of food. Puruṣasya, of that human body also; vāᶄ, (the organ of) speech is the essence. Because, of all the human organs speech is the quintessence, therefore speech is said to be the essence of man. Even of that speech, Ṛk-mantras are pithy. Ṛcaḥ, of the Ṛk-mantras, the Sāma-mantras are the pithier essence. Even of them, Udgītha which is Om according to the context, is more pithy.

स एष रसानां रसतमः परमः परार्ध्योऽष्टमो यदुद्गीथः ॥ ३ ॥

3. That which is this Udgītha, is the essence of all essences, is supreme, is competent for the highest place, (and) is eighth in the series.

In this way, saḥ eṣaḥ, that letter Om which is called this Udgītha; rasatamah, is the inmost essence; rasānām, of all essences, while considering in succession one as the essence of the other, beginning from objects. It is paramah, supreme because of its being the symbol of the supreme Self. It is parārdhyah, competent to be worshipped as the supreme Self. The derivation of parārdhyah is this: That which is param, supreme, and also ardham, a place, is parārdham; that which is competent for this is parārdhyah. It is competent to take the place of the supreme Self since it is to be

worshipped like the supreme Self. This is the meaning.

It is eighth when counted in the series of essences,

starting from earth. Yat Udgīthaḥ should be yaḥ ud-

gīthah (because Udgītha is of the masculine gender).

कतमः कतमर्क्कतममत्कतमत्साम कतमः कतम उद्गीथ

इति विमृष्ट भेदवित्॥४॥

4. It is being considered which is Ṛk, which is Sāma,

and which is Udgītha.

It has been said that Ṛk is the essence of speech.

Among them (in speech) which is that Ṛk; again,

among them (ṛks) katamat, which is that Sāma; and

among them (sāmas) katamaḥ, which is that Udgītha?

The duplication of the word katama is for showing

respect.

Objection: Is it not that the suffix ḍatamac (in kat-

ama) is used (according to Pāṇini, V. 3. 63) when the

question is about ascertaining the class of a number of

things? But here there is no plurality so far as classes of

Ṛk-mantras are concerned. So why should there be the

suffix ḍatamac?

Answer: This fault does not arise. When the com-

pound jaṭipariprasna (in Pāṇini) is split as ‘jātau pari-

prasna, the question with regard to the constituents of

a class’, it is established that there are various indi-

vidual Ṛk-mantras constituting the class (of ṛks). But

the compound is not to be split to mean ‘jāteḥ pari-

prasna, question about the class itself’.

Objection: Is it not that such a question as that begin-

ning with ‘katamaḥ kaṭhaḥ, which one is kaṭha’, be-

comes logical when the compound is split up as ‘jāteḥ

I. 1. 5] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

paripraśna, question about the class But this splitting up in the form of 'jātau paripraśna question within the class', does not fit in here.

Answer: There also the fault does not arise (by splitting up the compound as 'jātau paripraśna because the question is raised (to ascertain which katha etc is meant) bearing in mind the multiplicity of the individuals in each class (such as kathas etc.). If the splitting is done as 'jāteh paripraśna', then, in such texts as katmā katama ṛk, one will have to make a supplementary addition (of a sūtra, but not change the meaning of a Vedic text)!

Vimrṣṭam bhavati means it is being considered.

वाग्विद्यप्राण: सामोमित्येतदक्षरमुद्गीथ:। तद्वा एतन्मिथुनं यद्वाक्च प्राणश्चकर्वे साम च॥ ५॥

5. (The organ of) speech itself is Ṛk, the vital force is Sāma, and this letter Om is Udgītha. That verily is this couple, which is formed by speech and vital force, as also by Ṛk and Sāma.

After the consideration (above) has been completed, it becomes logical to state the answer in the form that, speech itself is Ṛk and the vital force is Sāma. Although speech and Ṛk are (stated to be) the same still, the place of Udgītha as the eighth is not contradicted. For this is a sentence different from the earlier one (I. 1. 4), and the sentence om iti etat akṣaram, is meant for attributing the quality of pervasiveness (to Om). Since speech and vital force are the causes of Ṛk and Sāma respectively, therefore it is said that speech is Ṛk, and vital force is Sāma. By accepting

12 CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD [I. 1. 5

speech and vital force as the sources of Ṛk and Sāma,

all the ṛks and all the sāmás become comprehended

thereby. When all the ṛks and all the sāmas become

comprehended, all the rites that are performed with

Ṛk and Sāma mantras become included. And when

these come within purview, all the desires also become

included.

By saying that ‘this letter Om is Udgītha’, the doubt

about Udgītha being a portion (of the sāma song) is

ruled out. By the words ‘tat vai etat, that verily is this’

the couple is being indicated. Which is that couple? In

answer it is said that the couple is (constituted by)

speech and vital force, which are the causes of all Ṛk

and Sāma mantras. In the text ‘Ṛk and Sāma’, the

causes of Ṛk and Sāma are implied by the words ‘Ṛk

and Sāma’. But Ṛk and Sāma do not constitute an

independent couple. For, otherwise, Ṛk and Sāma

forming one couple, and speech and vital force forming

another couple, would bring in two couples, which will

contradict the text ‘this couple’, which is in the singu-

lar. Therefore the couple is formed only by speech and

vital force, which are the causes of Ṛk and Sāma.

तदेतन्मिथुनमोमित्येतस्मिन्नक्षरे सङ्सृज्यते यदा वै

मिथुनौ . समागच्छत आपयतो वै तावन्योन्यस्य

कामम्॥ ६ ॥

6. That which is this couple becomes associated with

this letter Om. Whenever two form a couple they fulfil

each other’s desire.

Tat etat, the couple that is of this nature; samsṛjyate,

become associated; om iti etasmin akṣare, with this let-

ter Om. So in this way the couple, which is possessed of

the quality of fulfilling all desires, remains associated

with Om. Thus it is well-known that Om has the quality

of fulfilling all desires. The association of Om with the

couple lies in its being identical with speech and in (its

expression) being accomplished by the vital force. An

illustration is being cited to show the well-known fact

that a couple is a fulfiller of desire: As in the world,

when mithunau, a couple, the partners of a couple,

which are male and female; samāgacchatah, come into

physical association; then both of them āpayatah, ful-

fil; anyonyasya, each other's; kāmam, desire. So the

purport of this is that the quality possessed by Om of

achieving all desires is proved by the entry of the

couple into itself (Om).

आपयिता ह वै कामानां भवति य एतदेवं

विद्वानक्षरमुद्गीथमुपास्ते॥ ७॥

7. He who having known this thus, meditates on

Udgītha as the letter Om, becomes verily the fulfiller of

desires.

It is being stated that even the (priest called) Udgātā,

who meditates on that (Udgītha), becomes possessed

of its quality. Yah, he who; upāste, meditates on Ud-

gītha as the letter Om thus possessed of the quality of

fulfilling desires; bhavati, becomes; āpayitā ha vai, ver-

ily the fulfiller; kāmānām, of the desires of the ya-

jamāna (the person for whom he undertakes the medi-

tation). The meaning is that, to him comes the result as

stated above, in accordance with the Vedic text, 'He

assumes those very forms in which he meditates on

Him' (Ma. Br. 20)

14

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 1. 8

तद्वा एतदनुज्ञाक्षरं यद्वि किज्चानुजानात्योमित्येव तदाहेषो

एव समृद्धिर्यदनुज्ञा समर्थयिता ह वै कामानां भवति य

एतदेव विद्वानक्षरमुद्गीथमुपास्ते॥ ८॥

8. That which is this (Om) is verily a letter of consent. Whatever a person approves, he does so by uttering Om only. This which is a consent, is surely prosperity because he who having this knowledge meditates on this Om as Udgītha, becomes surely the enhancer of desires.

Om is also possessed of the quality of prosperity. How? Tat vai etat, that which is this (Om) under discussion; is verily anujñā-akṣaram, a letter of consent. That which is anujñā (consent) and also akṣaram (letter) is anujñā-akṣaram. Anujñā means consent, and that is Om. This is the meaning. How is it a consent? The answer is being given by the Upaniṣad itself: Yat hi kiñca, whatever in the world; a person, be he possessed of learning or wealth, anujānāti, approves, be it knowledge or wealth; tadāha, he then utters; om iti eva, only Om. So also in the Upaniṣad it is found: (When Śākalya asks Yājñavalkya, 'How many deities are there?', Yājñavalkya replies) 'The deities are thirtythree.' (Then Śākalya approvingly) said, 'Om' (Br. III. 9. 1). Similārly, in common use also we find that when some-body is told, 'I take away this wealth of yours', he utters only 'Om'. Therefore eṣā, this; yat, that is consent; is u eva, verily; samṛddhiḥ, prosperity. That which is consent is prosperity because consent has that (prosperity) as its basis. Since a prosperous man expresses his consent by uttering 'Om', therefore Om is possessed of the quality of prosperity. This is the meaning.

I. 1. 9] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 15

Being a meditator on Om as possessed of the quality of prosperity, one becomes endowed with that quality, (and having become so) bhavati, he becomes; sam-ardhayitā ha vai, surely the enhancer; kāmānām, of desires of the person for whom he undertakes the rites. The portion 'he who having this knowledge meditates on this Om as Udgītha', is to be understood as before (in I. 1. 7).

तेनेयं त्रयी विद्या वर्तत ओमित्याश्रावयत्योमिति शंसत्योमित्युdgायतयेतस्यैवाक्षरस्यापचित्यै महिम्ना रसेन॥ ९ ॥

9. These Vedic rites are begun with it. After uttering Om (the Adhvaryu) chants the hymns (for the gods), (the Hotā) praises (the gods), (the Udgātā) sings. (These rites are meant) for the worship of this very Om. Through the greatness and essence of Om (are begun the rites enjoined by the Vedas).

Now then, since Om is to be meditated on, it is being praised for the sake of inducement. How? Tena, with that letter Om which is under discussion; iyam trayī vidyā, this knowledge of the three Vedas, viz Ṛg-Veda etc., that is to say, the rites enjoined through the knowledge of the Vedas (are begun). For it is not a fact that the knowledge of the Vedas itself is begun by chanting etc. but the well-known fact is that, what are so begun are the rites. How is it so? From the use of the indicative words (liṅga) 'Om iti, after uttering Om; (the Adhvaryu) āśrāvayati, chants the hymns (for the gods); (the Hotā) śaṃsati, praises the gods; and (the Udgātā) udgāyati, sings', it becomes understood that the Soma-

16

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 1. 9

yāga is meant. And those rites are meant apacityai, for

the worship; etasya eva, of this very Om because it is a

symbol of the supreme Self. The worship of that (Om)

is surely (the worship) of the supreme Self. This is

supported by the Smṛti text, ‘A person attains perfec-

tion by worshipping Him through his own deeds’ (B. G.

XVIII. 46). Moreover, mahimnā, through the great-

ness of this letter Om, that is to say, with the help of the

vital forces of the priests and the persons for whom the

rites are performed; and also rasena, with the essence

of this letter Om, that is to say, with the oblations

extracted from paddy, barley, etc. sacrifices and pour-

ing of oblations are done with the letter (Om). And

they (their results) reach the sun. From that springs up

life and food, through the stages of rainfall etc. A

sacrifice is performed with the vital forces and food.

Therefore it is said (that sacrifices are performed)

‘through the greatness and essence of the letter Om.’

tenobhau kuruto yaścaitadev ved yaśca na veda। nāna tu

vidyā cāvidyā ca yadev vidyayā karoti śraddhayā upaniṣadā

tadev vīryavattaraṁ bhavatīti khlvetasyevaākṣarasyaopavyākhyānaṁ

bhavati।।१०।। इति प्रथमः खण्डः।। १ १ ।।

10. Both he who knows this (Om) and he who does

not, perform rites with that (Om). But knowledge and

ignorance are different. Only that which is done with

knowledge, faith and meditation, that alone becomes

more powerful. This truly is the proximate exposition

of this very letter Om.

Now, the established fact that rites are to be per-

formed by one who has the knowledge of Om, is being

questioned. Tena, with that Om; ubhau, both; yah, he who; veda, knows this Om as explained; ca, and; yah, he who; na veda, does not know the real nature of Om, but is cognisant of the rites, both of them perform the rites.

Objection: To both of them the result will come from the very force of the rites. So what is the good of knowing the real nature of Om? For it is matter of experience in the world that drinking myrobalan juice results in purging, both for one who knows about its juice and one who does not.

Answer: This is not so because nāma tu vidyā ca avidyā ca, knowledge and ignorance are certainly different. ‘Tu, but’ is used for ruling out one of the alternatives. The mere knowledge of Om only as a part of a rite, is not the same as knowing it as possessed of the qualities of being the quintessence, the fulfiller and prosperity.

Objection: What then?

Answer: It (the latter knowledge) is greater even than that (partial knowledge). The idea is this: It is reasonable that the result (of the complete knowledge about Om) should be greater because of its being greater than the partial (knowledge). It is indeed seen in the world that, as between a professional trader and a hunter, when trading in such jewels as topaz etc. the gain of the professional trader is greater because of his greater knowledge. Therefore, yadeva, only that rite; karoti, one does; vidyayā, by becoming endowed with knowledge; śraddhayā, by becoming filled with faith; upaniṣadā, with meditation, i.e. by being associated with meditation; tat eva, that rite alone; bhavati,

2

18

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 1. 10

becomes; vīryavattaram, more powerful, that is to say, productive of more results than the rites of the ignorant man. By declaring that the rite performed by the man of knowledge becomes more powerful, it is implied that the rite done by the ignorant man also is powerful.1

And it is not that an ignorant man has no competence for performing rites, because in the section (I. 10. 1) dealing with the story of Uṣasti, it is seen that even an ignorant man can become a priest in rites. To know Om as possessed of the qualities of being the quintessence, the accomplisher, and prosperity, constitutes a single meditation because no other additional effort is seen to intervene. Since it is to be meditated on in various ways as possessed of many qualities, therefore, this eva, truly; upavyākhyānam, is the proximate exposition; etasya eva akṣarasya, of this very letter Om which is under discussion and which is called Udgītha.

SECTION 2

देवासुरा ह वै यत्र संयेतिर उभये प्राजापत्यास्तद्ध देवा

उद्गीथमाजहलुरनेनैनानभिभविष्याम इति॥ १॥१॥

1. When the gods and the demons, who were both progeny of Prajāpati, fought against each other, then, the gods took up the Udgītha with the belief, ‘We shall defeat them with the help of this.’

1Nothing enjoined in the scripture is to be totally rejected. When something is praised in comparison with another, it is to be understood only as a praise of the former and not as an actual condemnation of the latter.

I. 2. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 19

Devāsurāḥ, the gods and the demons: The word deva is derived from the root div in the sense of shining. So it means the functions of the organs, which are illumined by the scriptures. The asuras are verily the normal, unillumined (ignorant) activities of the organs; opposed to them (the devas) because they remain engrossed in the enjoyment of their own respective lives, i.e. in (their respective) diverse objects and vital functions. Ha vai are two indeclinable words both revealing an incident of the past. Yatra, with regard to which, in the matter of stealing away each other's property; samyetire— derived from the root yat with the prefix sam put before it, meaning 'fought'—, that is to say, they entered into war. The demons, the natural, unillumined functions of the organs, became engaged in war for undermining those functions of the organs which are illumined (regulated) by scriptures. So also the gods, who are opposed to them and are possessed of the characteristics of light emerging from the understanding of subjects presented by the scriptures, became engaged in defeating the demons possessed of the natural characteristics of darkness. Thus the whole idea is this: From time immemorial a war, as it were, is continuing in the bodies of all individual beings, between the gods and the demons, for the sake of defeating or winning over one another. That is being related here by the Upaniṣad in the form of a story, by way of enjoining knowledge of the purification of the vital force for (arousing) discriminative knowledge about the rise of virtue and vice.

Thus, ubhaye, both the gods and the demons; are prajapatyaḥ, progeny of Prajāpati, of a person compe-

20

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 2. 1

tent for rites and meditation. This accords with another

Vedic text, ‘A person himself is Uktha, and he is also

the great Prajāpati.’ The opposing functions of the

organs of that very person, those which follow the

scriptures and those which follow their natural tenden-

cies, are his progeny as it were because they arise from

him. Tat, with regard to that matter of excellence and

degradation; devāḥ ha, the gods of yore; ājarhuh, took

up ; udgītham, the Udgītha, i.e. the function of the

(priest) Udgātā, as implied by the word Udgītha which

is a part of the sāma song. Since even that (function)

cannot be taken up in isolation, the idea conveyed is

that they took up such rites as Jyotiṣṭoma.

Objection: Why did they take it up?

Vedāntin: The answer is, they had the idea, ‘Anena,

by this rite; abhibhaviṣyāmaḥ, we shall conquer; enān,

these demons.’

ते ह नासिक्यं प्राणमुदगीथमुपासाज्चक्रे तंहासुराः

पाप्मना विविधुस्तस्मात्तेनोभयं जिघ्रति सुरभि च दुर्गन्धि च

पाप्मना होष विध्धः॥ २ ॥

2. They meditated on the vital force in the nose as

Udgītha. (But) the demons afflicted it with vice.

Therefore, through that (nose) one smells both the

fragrant and the fetid because this has been afflicted

with vice.

And when the gods were intent on taking up the rite

that was to be performed with Udgītha, then, through

that portion of the sāma song which is called Udgītha,

te ha, they, the gods; upāsāṃcakrire, meditated on;

prāṇam, the vital force; nāsikyam, residing in the nose,

I. 2. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 21

(i.e.) on the organ of smell possessed of consciousness; as udgītham, Udgītha, (i.e.) as the performer of the Udgītha song. The meaning is that they meditated on the letter Om which is called Udgītha, by thinking of it as the vital force residing in the nose. For, (by explaining) in this way there would be no rejection of the subject under discussion and taking up of a subject opposed to the context, because Om is the object of meditation in this context, as stated in the text, ‘This truly is the proximate exposition of the letter Om’ (I. 1. 10).

Objection: Well, what you said is that they took up the priestly duty implied by the word Udgītha. Why then, do you say now that they meditated on Om by thinking of it as the vital force residing in the nose?

Vedāntin: There is no such defect because what is intended here is not the meditation on an independent Om; but that Om which is an accessory of the part of the sāma song called Udgītha is to be meditated on as the deity vital force, during the performance of the very duty of the Udgātā, of which the vital force is to be thought of as the performer. Therefore it has been aptly said that, with that end in view they took up the duty (of the Udgātā).

Tam, him, whom the gods had thus chosen as the singer of the Udgītha, and who is the bright deity called the vital force residing in the nose; asurāḥ, the demons who are naturally covered by darkness; vividhuh, pierced, i.e. brought into association; pāpmanā, with vice which originated from themselves and which consists in becoming associated with sin. Hi, for, the vital force residing in the nose, becoming puffed up with pride

22

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 2. 2

that he smelt sweet odour only, and also attached (to that odour), had his power of discrimination weakened. Because of this fault he came into contact with sin. This fact is being stated by saying, ‘the demons afflicted (him) with vice.’ Because he was afflicted with devilish vice, therefore, under the impulsion of that vice the vital force, in the form of the organ of smell in all creatures, became the inhaler of stench. Pāpmanā hi eṣah viddhahah, since this one has been afflicted with vice; therefore a person jighrati, inhales; ubhayam, both; surabhi ca durgandhi ca, fragrance and fetid; tena, through the vital force. The smelling of both is not what is intended, just as it is not in the Vedic text, ‘He whose both oblations become polluted’.’ This is corroborated by a similar Upaniṣadic text where, in the same context, it is said, ‘(That evil is what we come across) when one smells improper things’ (Br. I. 3. 3),

अथ ह वामुदेवगीथमुपासाञ्चक्रे ताद्र्वासुराः पाप्मना विविधुस्तस्मात्तयोभयं वदति सत्यं चानृतं च पाप्मना हि विद्धा॥ ३ ॥

'In this Vedic text it is stated that, when oblation in the form of cakes or other things are offered, and both of them are polluted by the touch of crows etc. one has to expiate by offering food in five vessels to the deity Indra. Although the word 'both' is used in this text, it is not to be taken literally because the expiation relates to the pollution of only one kind of offering. Similarly, although the vital force was obliged to smell fetid because of being afflicted by vice still, the word 'both' is used to mean only fetid. There is no need of mentioning the smelling of fragrance (which the vital force could do naturally).

That the word 'both' is to be taken in the sense of 'one', viz. fetid, is supported by the Bṛhadāraṇyaka text quoted, which mentions only one, viz fetid.

3. Thereafter they meditated on (the organ of) speech as Udgītha, and the demons afflicted that (speech) with vice. Therefore one speaks with it both truth and untruth, because this has been afflicted with vice.

अथ ह वाचमुद्गीथमुपासाञ्चक्रिरे तद्वासुराः पाप्मना विविधुस्तस्मात्तेनोभयं पश्यति दर्शनीयं चादर्शनीयं च पाप्मना होतद्विद्दम् ॥४॥

4. Thereafter they meditated on the (organ of) vision as Udgītha and the devils afflicted that (eye) with vice. Therefore one sees with it both which should be seen and which should not be seen, because this has been afflicted with vice.

अथ ह श्रोत्रमुद्गीथमुपासाञ्चक्रिरे तद्वासुराः पाप्मना विविधुस्तस्मात्तेनोभयं शृणोति श्रवणीयं चाश्रवणीयं च पाप्मना होतद्विद्दम्॥ ५॥

5. Thereafter they meditated on the (organ of) hearing as Udgītha, and the demons afflicted that (hearing) with vice. Therefore one hears with it both which should be heard and which should not be heard, because this has been afflicted with vice.

अथ ह मन उद्गीथमुपासाञ्चक्रिरे तद्वासुराः पाप्मना विविधुस्तस्मात्तेनोभयं सङ्कल्पयते सङ्कल्पनीयं चासङ्कल्पनीयं च पाप्मना होतद्विद्दम् ॥ ६॥

6. Thereafter they meditated on the mind as Udgītha, and the demons afflicted that with vice. Therefore, one thinks with it both which should be thought of

24

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 2. 6

and that which should not be thought of, because this

has been afflicted with vice.

This discussion has been introduced by the Upaniṣad

with a view to realising the purity of the vital force

residing in the mouth, so that it can be meditated on.

So after examining the deities one by one, starting from

the deity of the eye, they are rejected as they had been

afflicted with devilish vice. The remaining portion; viz

'thereafter (the organs of) speech, vision, hearing,

mind', etc. are similar. Even though the deities of

touch, taste, etc. are not mentioned, they are to be

understood because of the other Upaniṣadic text,

'Likewise, they also contaminated these (other) deities

with evil' (Br. I. 3, 6).

अथ ह य एवायं मुख्य: प्राणस्तमुद्गीथमुपासाज्चक्रिरे

तᳫ हासुरा ऋत्वा विदध्वंसुर्यथाश्मानमाखणमृत्या

विध्वंसते॥ ७ ॥

7. Then they meditated on this very vital force in the

mouth as Udgītha. Approaching him the demons were

utterly destroyed as they (a lump of earth etc.) become

destroyed by approaching an impenetrable rock.

After rejecting the deities of smell etc. because of

their being afflicted by devilish vice, atha, then, they

meditated on this very vital force, which is well-known

to be residing in the mouth, as Udgītha. Ṛtvā, ap-

proaching as before; tam, him; mukhyam prāṇam, the

vital force residing in the mouth; asurāḥ, the demons;

vidadhvamsuḥ ha, became utterly destroyed as a result

of their mere intention, without harming the vital force

even in the least. How did they become destroyed?

I. 2. 8] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 25

With regard to this an illustration is being given: Yathā, as in the world; ṛtvā, by approaching; aśmānam, a rock; ākhanam, which is impenetrable—that which cannot be dug out even with a spade etc. and which cannot be split with a chisel is akhanah (akhanam is the same as ākhanam); a clod of earth—(which term is understood) from the force of the context, as also on the basis of another Śruti—thrown at the rock with the intention of disintegrating it; vidhvamseta, gets itself destroyed, without affecting the rock in any way; in a similar way did they vidadhvamsuh, get destroyed. This is the meaning. Thus the vital force is quite pure as it had not been adversely affected by the demons.

एवं यथाश्मानमृक्खणमत्वा विध्वंसत एवं हैव स विध्वंसते य एवंविति पापं कामयते यश्चैनमभिदासति स एषोऽश्माखण: ॥ ८॥

8. Thus, just as it (a clod of earth) gets destroyed by approaching an impenetrable stone, similarly indeed, does he who entertain evil (thoughts) against a person having this kind of knowledge, as also he who injures him (who has this kind of knowledge) become destroyed (because) this person is like an impenetrable stone.

This result accruing to a person who has this kind of knowledge and has become self-identified with the vital force, is being stated in ‘(as by approaching) aśmānam, a stone’. This indeed is the illustration: Evam ha vai, thus indeed; sah, he; vidhvamsate, become destroyed—who is that man? The answer is-yah, who; kāmayate, entertains; pāpam, evil, desires to do what is unbefitting; evamvidi, against a person having the

26

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 2. 8

knowledge of the vital force as stated. Yaḥ ca, and he who; abhidāsati, injures, harms, i.e. does such acts as abusing, assaulting, etc.; enam, this person who has the knowledge of the vital force, he also becomes destroyed in this very way. This is the meaning. Since he is knower of the vital force, having become self-identified with it, he is, as it were, aśmākhanah, an impenetrable stone, i.e. unassailable.

Objection: Is it not that the vital force residing in the nose is as much of the nature of air as that residing in the mouth? In that case, how can it be that the vital force residing in the nose has been afflicted by sin, but not that which resides in the mouth, though a vital force itself?

Vedāntin: There is no such defect. On the other hand, that which resides in the nose is afflicted (by devilish sin) because of the defects of its location and nature of instrumentality, although essentially it is (the same) air. But it is logical that the vital force in the mouth is not afflicted because that (defect) is not possible (in its case) and because of (its) location and deity being stronger. As for instance, a carpenter's adze etc. performs a special kind of work when in the hands of a trained man, but not so when in the hands of others. Similarly, the deity of smell is afflicted because of its association with the impure organ of smell, but not so the vital force residing in the mouth.

नैवैतेन सुरभि न दुर्गन्धि विजानात्यपहतपाप्मा होष तेन यदश्राति यत्पिबति तेनतरान्प्राणानवति। एतमु एवान्ततोऽवित्त्वोक्त्रामति व्याददात्येवान्त इति॥ ९ ॥

I. 2. 9] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 27

9. Through it neither fragrance nor fetid is smelt at all because it is not afflicted by sin. Whatever a person eats or drinks through that vital force, he nourishes the other vital forces with that. At the end, not getting this very one, does a person leave the body. At the end he does surely open his mouth.

Since the vital force in the mouth is not afflicted (by devilish sin) therefore, na vijānāti eva, one does not perceive at all; surabhi durgandhi, fragrance or fetid; etena, through it. A person does perceive them both surely through the organ of smell. Therefore eṣah, it (the vital force in the mouth); is apahatapāpmā, unafflicted by sin; hi, because the actions following from sin are not perceived in it. The word apahatapapmā is derived in the sense of that from which pāpmā, sin, is apahatah, removed, eliminated, destroyed. That is, it is very pure. (It is so) also because the vital force in the mouth is not self-nourishing in the same way as the organs of smell etc. are self-nourishing owing to their attachment to (perception of) good qualities etc. What then? It serves all. How? The answer is: Yat, whatever; a person aśnāti, eats; or pibati, drinks; tena, through that vital force in the mouth; āvati, he nourishes; itān rān, others, the organs of smell etc.; tena, with those things eaten or drunk with the help of the vital force. The idea is that their continuance is ensured by that indeed. Therefore the vital force (in the mouth) is the nourisher of all, and hence it is pure.

Again, how is it known that these (other organs) have their existence through food and drink taken by the vital force in the mouth?

28

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 2. 9

The answer is: Antatah, at the end, at the time of death; all the organs counting from that of smell, ut-krāmati, leave the body; avittvā, by not getting; etam, this one, the action of the vital force residing in the mouth—that is to say, food and drink—, because one who is devoid of the vital force can neither eat nor drink. As a consequence, at that time the departure of the aggregate of organs of smell etc. is well-known. Since at the time of departure of the vital force it is seen that there is a hankering for food, therefore, a person vyādadāti eva, does surely open his mouth. That in-deed is a sign of the man departing from the body not having acquired food.

तं हाङ्गिरा उद्गीथमुपासांचक्र एतमेवाङ्गिरसं मन्यन्तेऽङ्गिरसं यद्रसः॥ १० ॥

10. In days of yore, Aṅgirā meditated on him (the vital force) as Udgītha. They think of him indeed as āṅgirasa because he is the essence of the aṅgas (limbs).

In days of yore, Baka Dālbhya who is mentioned later, upāsāṅcakre, meditated on; tam, him; prāṇam, the vital force in the mouth; as udgītham, Udgītha possessed of the qualities of being Aṅgirā. Similarly, he (Bakā) meditated on the vital force as Bṛhaspati and Āyāsya.

This is how some construe this text on the force of the statement (in the following texts), ‘They think of this very vital force which is the essence of the limbs, as Bṛhaspati and as residing in the mouth.’ This can be so if the meaning of the Upaniṣadic text as it stands, is

I. 2. 12] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 29

impossible. But even if the vital force as a ṛṣi is en-joined (in the text) still, it becomes meaningful, as we find in another Vedic text, ‘This vital force which is of this kind, is called Śatarci although he is ṛṣi.’ Similarly, in the middle portion starting from the second mandala of the Aitareya section) the Veda mentions the ṛṣis Gṛtsamada, Viśvāmitra, Vāmadeva, and Atri as the vital force. Similarly, for the sake of realising identity with the vital force, this text also mentions as the vital force, these ṛṣis, viz Aṅgirā, Bṛhaspati, and Āyāsya, who meditated on the vital force. And this also accords with such uses as, ‘The vital force is the father, the vital force is the mother’, etc. Therefore, the meaning is that the ṛṣi named Aṅgirā, becoming identified with the vital force itself, meditated on himself as the vital force which is (possessed of the quality of being) āṅgirasa, (the essence of all the limbs) and Udgītha. Yat, ‘be-cause; sah, he (the vital force) is āṅgirasa, the essence of all the limbs as the vital force of them all, so he is called Āṅgirasa.

तेन तᳫ ह बृहस्पतिरुद्गीथमुपासास्ज्चक्र एतमु एव बृहस्पतिं मन्यन्ते वाग्घि बृहती तस्या एष पतिः॥ ११॥

तेन तᳫ हायास्य उद्गीथमुपासास्ज्चक्र एतमु एवायास्य मन्यन्त आस्याद्रयते॥ १२॥

11. That being so, Bṛhaspati meditated on him as Udgītha. They think of him indeed as Bṛhaspati, lord of the great, because speech is great, and of that speech this (vital force) is the lord.

12. That being so, they meditated on the vital force

30

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 2. 12

as the sage Āyāsya identified with Udgītha. Him in-

deed they think of as Āyāsya because he proceeds from

the mouth.

Since he is pati, lord of speech which is great (bṛha

tī), therefore he is called Bṛhaspati. Similarly, yat,

because; he ayate, proceeds (emerges); āsyāt, from the

mouth, therefore the ṛṣi called Āyāsya is the same as

the vital force. This is the meaning. So the idea con-

veyed is that any other meditator also should medi-

tate on himself as identified with the vital force which is

Udgītha and is possessed of the qualities of being Aṅgi-

rasa (the essence of all the limbs)

तेन तर्ह बको दाल्भ्यो विदांचकार। स ह

नैमिषीयानामुदाता बभूव स ह स्मैभ्य:

कामानागायति ॥ १३॥

13. That being so, Baka Dālbhya knew him. He

became the singer of Udgītha song for those who were

in the Naimiśa forest. He sang (the Udgītha song) for

fulfilling their desires.

Not only did the ṛṣi Aṅgirā and others meditate (on

the vital forces), but Baka Dālbhya, son of Dalbha,

also vidāñcakāra, knew, realised; tam, him, the vital

force as already described. And he, after having the

realisation, became the singer of Udgītha for naimi-

śīyānām, the persons in the Naimiśa forest, who were

engaged in a prolonged rite. Through his power of

having realised the vital force, sah, he; āgāyati sma,

sang; for fulfilling kāmān, the desires; ebhyah, of these

people in the Naimiśa forest.

I. 3. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 31

आगाता ह वै कामानां भवति य एतदेवं विद्वानक्षरमुद्गीथमुपास्त इत्यध्यात्मम्॥ १४॥ इति द्वितीय:

खण्ड:॥ २ ॥

14. He who, having this knowledge about the vital force, meditates on the letter Om which is Udgītha, becomes the fulfiller of desires by singing the Udgītha song. This (meditation) is on the personal level.

Similarly, any other person yaḥ, who; evam vidvān, having this knowledge; upāste, meditates on; akṣaram, the letter Om; udgītham, called Udgītha, as the vital force possessed of the above qualities; bhavati vai, surely becomes; kāmānām āgātā, fulfiller of desires by singing the Udgītha song. For him this tangible result is mentioned. But the unseen result is the self-identification with the vital force, which fact stands established according to another Vedic text, ‘Becoming transformed into a deity he attains the deities’ (Br. IV. 1.2). This is the purport. Iti adhyātmam, this is on the personal level. This conclusion by saying that this is a meditation on Udgītha on the personal level, is meant for drawing the reader’s attention to the meditation on the divine plane which is going to be stated.

SECTION 3

अथाधिदैवतं य एवासौ तपति तमुद्गीथमुपासीतोद्ग्रञ्चा एष प्रजाभ्य उद्गायति। उद्यृञ्स्तमो भयमपहन्त्यपहन्ना ह वै भयस्य तमसो भवति य एवं वेद॥ १ ॥

32

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 3. 1

1. Hereafter is (the meditation on) the divine plane.

One should meditate on him indeed who shines, as

Udgītha. As it (the sun) rises up it verily sings the

Udgītha song for all creatures. As it rises up it dispels

darkness and fear. He who has this knowledge, surely

becomes the destroyer of darkness and fear.

Atha, hereafter; adhidaivatam, is (the meditation

on) the divine plane. The meaning is that meditation

on Udgītha in relation to gods is being introduced since

Udgītha has to be meditated on in various ways. Yaḥ

eva, he who, indeed; tapati, shines as; asau, that sun;

tam, him (the sun); upāsīta, one should meditate on;

udgītham, as Udgītha. The idea is that one should

meditate on Udgītha by looking upon it as the sun.

Objection: Since in the text, ‘tam udgītham, him as

Udgītha’, the word Udgītha stands for the letter Om,

how can it be used with regard to the sun?

Vedāntin: The answer is Udyan, as it (the sun) rises

up; eṣaḥ, this one (the sun); udgāyati vai, verily sings

the Udgītha song; prajābhyaḥ, for all creatures. He

sings for the production of food for the creatures.

Unless he rises there can be no ripening of paddy etc.

Therefore he (the sun) seems to be singing for them

just as the (real) singer of Udgītha does for food.

Therefore the sun is Udgītha. This is the idea. More-

over, udyan, as it rises up; apahanti, it dispels; tamaḥ,

darkness; and bhayam, fear arising in creatures from

that darkness. Yaḥ, he who; evam veda, knows the sun

as possessed of such qualities; surely bhavati, becomes

apahantā, the destroyer; bhayāsya, of fear in the form

of his own birth and death; and tamasaḥ, of darkness,

of ignorance which is the cause of that fear.

I. 3. 3] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 33

समान उ एवायं चासौ चोष्णोद्यमुष्णोदसौ स्वर इतीममाचक्षते स्वर इति प्रत्यास्वर इत्यमुं तस्माद्वा एतिमिमममुं चोदगीथमुपासीत ॥ २ ॥

2. Surely this one is similar to that one. This one is warm (and) that one is warm. They speak of this one as moving on, and they speak of that one as moving on and coming back. Therefore, this one as also that one is surely to be meditated on as Udgītha.

Although the vital force and the sun seem to be different owing to the difference in location still, that is not a real difference between them. How?

Samānaḥ u eva, surely equal: The vital force is surely similar to the sun in point of quality; ca, and; the sun similar to the vital force; because ayam, this vital force; is uṣṇaḥ, warm; ca, and; asau, that sun; uṣṇaḥ, is warm. Moreover, they ācakṣate, speak; imam, of this one, the vital force; as svaraḥ, moving on. Similarly, (they speak of) amum, that one, the sun; svaraḥ iti, as moving on; and pratyāsvaraḥ, as coming back, since the vital force only moves on, but when dead it does not come back. However, the sun, having set down comes back day after day. Therefore it is (spoken of as) pratyāsvaraḥ, coming back. Hence, as regards (their) nature and (descriptive) terms, the vital force and the sun are similar. Therefore, etam, this vital force; ca amum, and that sun should be meditated on as Udgītha because of their intrinsic non-difference.

अथ खलु व्यानमेवोद्गीथमुपासीत यद्वै प्राणिति स प्राणो यदपानिति सोऽपानः। अथ यः प्राणापानयोः सन्धिः

3

स व्यानो यो व्यानः सा वाक् तस्मादप्राण-

न्नपानन्वाचमभिव्याहरति॥ ३ ॥

3. Now, verily, Vyāna itself is to be meditated on as

Udgītha. Indeed, that one exhales is Prāṇa, and that

one inhales is Apāna. Hence that which is the conflu-

ence of Prāṇa and Apāna is Vyāna. That which is

Vyāna is vāk (speech). Therefore one utters his speech

without exhaling or inhaling.

By the word atha khalu, now, verily, is spoken the

meditation on Udgītha in a different manner. Vyāna

itself, whose nature will be spoken of and which is a

particular function of the vital force, upāsīta, should be

meditated on as Udgītha.

Presently its real nature is being ascertained. Yat vai,

that indeed, the fact that a person; prāṇiti, exhales,

blows out air through his mouth and nostrils; sah prā-

nah, that is a particular function of air called Prāṇa.

Yat, that, the fact that a person; apāniti, inhales, draws

in air through those very mouth and nostrils; sah apā-

nah, that is the function called Apāna. What follows

from that? The answer is: Atha, then; yah, that which

is; the sandhih, confluence; prāṇāpānayoh, of Prāṇa

and Apāna of the above characteristics, a particular

function between them; sah, that is; vyānah, Vyāna.

Because of this special definition by the Upaniṣad, the

import is that this (Vyāna) is not the Vyāna well-known

in the scriptures of the Sāṅkhyas and others.

Objection: Why again, is the meditation on Vyāna

spoken of with so much diligence, having given up

Prāṇa and Apāna?

Vedāntin: Because it is the cause for performance of

acts requiring great effort.

I. 3. 5] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

35

Objection: How does it become the cause for performing acts requiring great effort?

Vedāntin: The answer to this is being given. Yaḥ, that which is; vyānaḥ, Vyāna; saḥ, that is; vāᶄ, speech because speech is a product of Vyāna. Since speech is accomplished by Vyāna, tasmāt, therefore; abhivyāharati, a person utters his speech; aprāṇan anapānan, without exhaling or inhaling, by discontinuing the function of Prāṇa and Apāna.

या वाक्सवर्तस्मादप्राणऽनपानऽऽचमभिव्याहरति यर्क्त-त्साम तस्मादप्राणऽनपान्साम गायति यत्साम स उद्गीथस्तस्मादप्राणऽनपानूद्गायति ॥ ४ ॥

4. That which is speech is Ṛk. Therefore a person utters Ṛk (mantra) without exhaling or inhaling. That which is Ṛk is Sāma. Therefore a person sings Sāma without exhaling or inhaling. That which is Sāma is Udgītha. Therefore one sings Udgītha without exhaling or inhaling.

Similarly one accomplishes the Ṛk (mantra) which is a special form of speech, the Sāma which is established on Ṛk, and the Udgītha song which is part of the sāma song without exhaling or inhaling, i.e. through Vyāna itself.

अतो यान्यानि वीर्यवन्ति कर्माणि यथाग्रेऽर्मन्थनमाजे: सरणं दृढस्य धनुष आयमनमप्राणऽनपान᳡तानी करोत्येतस्य हेतोर्यानमेवोद्गीथमुपासीत ॥ ५ ॥

5. As distinguished from these, all other works which require great effort, as for instance, lighting a fire by rubbing together two pieces of wood (āraṇi),

36

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 3. 5

running towards a goal, bending a strong bow, one does without inhaling or exhaling. Because of this reason one should meditate on Vyāna itself as Udgītha.

Not only the utterance of speech etc. (are done without inhaling or exhaling) but ataḥ, as distinguished from these; anyāni, other; karmāṇi, works also; yāni, which; vīryavanti, require great effort, which are accomplished with an intensity of effort; yathā, as for instance; agneḥ manthanam, lighting a fire by rubbing two pieces of wood; saraṇam, running towards; ājeḥ, a goal; āyamanam, bending, drawing; dṛḍhasya dhanuṣaḥ, a sturdy bow; karoti, one does; tāni, those works; aprāṇan, without inhaling or exhaling. So, as compared with the function of Prāṇa etc. Vyāna has a speciality. Since meditation on a superior thing has greater result, as in the case of worshipping a king, etasya hetorḥ, for this reason; upāsīta, one should meditate; vyānam eva, on Vyāna itself; udgītham, as Udgītha, but not any other function (of the vital force). The result is that it makes an action more powerful.

. अथ खलूद्गीथाक्षराण्युपासीतोद्गीथ इति प्राण एवोऽप्राणेन हुतिष्ठति वाग्गीर्वाचो ह गिरीरित्याचक्षते᳚ऽन्न᳚ थमन्ने हि᳚ सर्व᳚ᳶ स्थितम्॥ ६॥

6. Now, one should surely meditate on the letters of Udgītha, which are ut, gī and tha. Prāṇa is certainly ut because one rises with the help of Prāṇa. Speech is gī because they speak of speech as gī. Food is tha because all these are based on food.

Atha, now; khalu, certainly; upāsīta, one should meditate on; udgīthākṣaram, on the letters of Udgītha.

I. 3. 7] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 37

Lest one should understand by this the letters constituting the part of the sāma song called Udgītha, therefore they are being specified as ut, gī and tha, i.e. the letters forming the name 'Udgītha'. By the meditation on the letters of a name the meditation on the possessor of the name will also be accomplished, as in the case of so and so Miśra'. Prāṇa eva ut, one should think of the letter ut as Prāṇa. How can Prāṇa be ut? The answer is being given: Hi, because; all uttiṣṭhati, rise up; prāṇena, with (the help of) Prāṇa, for it is seen that a man becomes languid when he loses his vital force. Therefore there does exist a similarity between ut and Prāṇa. Vāk gīh, speech is gī; ha, because; cultured people ācakṣate, refer to; vāk speech; as giraḥ, gīh. Similarly, annam, food; is tham, tha, because all these are based (sthitam)² on food. Therefore there is a similarity between food and the letter tha.

द्यौरेवोदन्तरिक्ष गी: पृथिवी थमादित्य एवोद्युग्रीरप्रमिस्थं सामवेद एवोऽजुर्वेदो गीत्रङ्गवेदस्थं दुर्गेऽस्मै वाग्दोहं यो वाचो दोहोऽन्वादो भवति य एतान्येवं विद्धानुद्गीथाक्षराण्युपास्त उद्गीथ इति॥७॥

7. Heaven indeed is ut, space is gī, earth is tha. The sun indeed is ut, air is gī, and fire is tha. Sāma-Veda

'As for instance: Somebody whose family title is Miśra (in singular number) may be referred to as so and so Miśra (in the plural number) for expressing respect, according to the grammatical rule that the plural number can be used to show honour. The name being thus referred to respectfully, the person himself becomes honoured thereby.—Ā. G.

²The word sthita is derived from the root sthā which contains tha. The similarity is shown in this way.

38 CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD [I. 3. 7

verily is ut, Yajur-Veda is gī, and Ṛg-Veda is tha. The milk that speech possesses, it offers that milk to him who, having known these letters in these ways, meditates on the letters of Udgītha which are ut, gī, and tha; and he becomes possessed of food and an eater of food.

The similarity of the three letters as revealed by the Vedic text are to be understood with regard to the remaining ones also in the same manner. Dyauh eva ut, heaven indeed is ut because its position is high; antarikṣam gīḥ, space is gī because it (seems to) swallow up (giraṇa) all the worlds. Prthivī tham, earth is tha because creatures stay on it. Ādityah eva ut, the sun indeed is ut because it is high up. Vāyuḥ gīḥ, air is gī because it swallows up fire etc. Agnih tham, fire is tha because it is the place (avasthāna) of sacrificial acts. Sāmavedah eva ut, Sāma-Veda verily is ut because it is praised as heaven'. Yajurvedah gīḥ, Yajur-veda is gī because offerings made with Yajur-mantras are swallowed by the deities. Ṛgvedastham, Ṛg-Veda is tha because the sāma song is established on Ṛk mantras.

Now is being stated the result of meditation on the letters of Udgītha: Asmai, to him, to the meditator; dugdha (should be dogdhi), offers the milk. Who does so? Speech. What (does it offer)? Milk. What is that milk? The answer is, yo vāco dohaḥ, the milk that speech possesses. The idea is (that milk consists of) the result produced by the words of the Ṛg-Veda etc. That (which is the) milk of speech, vāc (speech) itself offers that (milk)—vāk milks itself. Moreover, yaḥ, he who;

'Sāma-Veda is praised as heaven in the text, 'Sāma-Vedas are heaven.'—Ā. G.

I. 3. 9] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 39

vidvān, having known; etāni, these which are mentioned; udgītha-akṣarāṇi, as the letters of Udgītha; evam, in this way, as possessed of the qualities already mentioned; upāste, meditates on; udgītha iti, ut, gī, and tha; bhavati, he becomes; annavān, possessed of food, possessed of plenty of food; and annādaḥ, an eater of food, possessed of digestive power.

अथ खल्वाशी: समृद्धिरुपसरणानीत्युपासीत येन साम्ना स्तोष्यन्स्यात्तस्सामोपधावेत्॥ ८॥

8. Now (is stated) the plenitude of desires. One should meditate on things to be pursued. One should think of that Sāma through which he is engaged in praising.

Atha khalu, now indeed (is stated) the way in which is accomplished; āśīḥ samṛddhīḥ, plenitude of desires (desirable things). The words 'that is being stated' are to be understood at the end of the sentence. Upasaraṇāni, things to be pursued, followed, meditated on (— these are to be meditated on). How? Iti upāsīta, they are to be meditated on thus: As to that, for instance, yena sāmnā, the sāma song through which; the singer of the Udgītha stoṣyan syāt, is engaged in praising; upadhāvet, he should pursue, think of; tat sāma, that Sāma along with (its) origin, (metre, presiding deity) etc.

यस्यामृचि तामृचं यदार्षेयं तमृषिं यां देवतामभिष्टो-ष्यन्स्यात्तां देवतामुपधावेत्॥ ९ ॥

9. One should think of the Rk-mantra (on which

40

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 3. 9

that Sāma is established), that ṛṣi in whose name the

mantra stands, (and) the deity whom one is engaged in

praising.

Upadhāvet, one should think of; tam ṛcam, that Ṛk

also; yasyām ṛci, on which Ṛk that Sāma (is establish-

ed) along with the deities and others. And (one should

think of) tam ṛṣim, that ṛṣi also; yat āṛṣeyam, in the

name of which ṛṣi that Sāma stands; (and one should

think of) tām devatām, that deity; yām devatām, of

which deity; abhistosyān syāt, one is engaged in

praising.

येन छन्दसा स्तोष्यन्स्यात्तच्छन्द उपधावेद्येन स्तोमेन

स्तोष्यमाणः स्याज्छ्छन्दः स्तोममनुप्रपद्येत॥ ९०॥

10. One should think of that metre through which

one is engaged in praising. One should pursue that

group of hymns through which one is engaged in prais-

ing.

Upadhāvet, one should think of; tat chandah, that

metre, Gāyatri etc.; yena chandasā, through which;

stoṣyan syāt, one is engaged in praising. Upadhāvet,

one should think of; yena stomena stoṣyamāṇah syāt,

that group of hymns through which one is engaged in

praising. Since the result of singing the hymns goes to

the singer himself, the Ātmanepada suffix is used in

stoṣymāṇah.

यां दिशमभिष्टोष्यन्स्यात्तां दिशमुपधावेत्॥ ९९ ॥

11. One should think of that direction of which one

I. 4. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 41

Yām diśam, etc.—one should think of that direction, along with the presiding deities, (special qualities of the directions) etc. of which one is engaged in praising.

आत्मानमन्तत उपसृत्य स्तुवीत कामं ध्यायन्नप्रमत्तो-

उभ्याशो है यदस्मै स कामः समृद्धयेत्कामः स्तुवातेति यत्कामः स्तुवीत इति॥ १२ ॥ इति तृतीय: खण्ड:॥ ३ ॥

12. At the end, while thinking of one's own desire, one should, thinking of oneself,. praise without faltering; in which case, fùr him whatever desire he has becomes plentiful--with whatever desire he praises, with whatever desire he pìaises,

(After having meditated as stated above) beginning with sāma songs etc. antatah, at the end; upasṛtya, thinking of; ātmānam, himself along with his lineage, name, etc.; the Udgātā stuvīta, should praise; kāmam dhyāyan, while thinking of his desire; apramattah, without faltering, i.e. without committing any mistake with regard to vowels, aspirates and consonants. Yat, in which case; asmai, for him, for a man who has this knowledge; abhyāśah, quickly indeed; saḥ kāmaḥ, that desire; samṛdhyeta, shall become plentiful. What (desire) is it? Yat kāmaḥ, whatever desire he has, whatever desire this person has. The repetition of 'with whatever desire he praises' is for showing interest in the subject.

SECTION 4

ओमित्येतदक्षरमुद्गीथमुपासीतोमिति हुद्गायति तस्यो-

पव्याख्यानम्॥ १ ॥

42

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 4. 1

1. One should meditate on the letter Om which is Udgītha because one starts singing of the Udgītha song after (uttering) Om. Of that the proximate exposition (is this).

By the words, 'om iti etat akṣaram', the letter Om which was under discussion is referred to again so that, because of the intervening meditations on the letters of the Udgītha etc. a misunderstanding that some other topic is being discussed may not arise. The commencement here is made for enjoining meditation on Om which was already under discussion, as possessed of the quality of immortality and fearlessness. The portion 'the letter Om', etc. has already been explained (see I. 1, 1).

देवा वै मृत्योरिभ्यतस्त्रयीं विद्यां प्राविशन्स ते छन्दोभिर-

च्छादयन्यदेभिरच्छादय᳖स्तच्छन्दसामछन्दस्त्वम्‌॥ २॥

2. The deities, indeed, being afraid of Death entered into the Vedic rites. They covered (themselves) with the metre. The metre (chandas) came to be known so because they (the gods) covered (ācchādayan) themselves with these.

Devāḥ vai, the deities, indeed; bibhyataḥ, being afraid; mrtyoḥ, of Death, of the killer—what did they do? the answer is: prāviśan, they entered into; trayīṁ vidyāṁ, the knowledge of the three Vedas, the rites enjoined by the three Vedas. That is to say, they started performing Vedic rites thinking that to be the protection against death.

Moreover, te, they; ācchādayan, covered themselves in other forms of rites; chandobhiḥ, with metres, re-

I. 4. 3] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 43

peating and pouring oblations with mantras which are not used in rites. Yat, since; ācchādayan, they covered themselves; ebhih mantraih, with these mantras; tat, therefore; the quality chandasām, of the metres; chandastvam, of being a cover' is certainly well-known.

तानु तत्र मृत्युर्यथा मत्स्यमुदके परिपश्येदेवं पर्यपश्यदृचि

साम्नि यजुषि। ते नु विदित्वोर्ध्वा ऋचः साम्नो यजुषः

स्वरमेव प्राविशन्॥ ३ ॥

3. As somebody sees a fish in water, similarly, Death saw them there in the Ṛk, Sāman, and Yajus. They also, having known this, went up from Ṛk, Sāman, Yajus, and surely entered only into the vowel (Om).

Yathā, as in the world; a fisherman matsyam, (sees) a fish; udake, in water, in shallow water, considering it to be capable of being caught with an angle or by draining off water; so also mṛtyuh, Death; paryapaṣyat, saw—he thought of them as capable of being caught through the process of exhaustion (of the result) of their work. Where did he see the gods? That is being said: Ṛci sāmni yajuṣi, in Ṛk, Sāman, and Yajus, i.e. in the rites associated with Ṛk, Sāman, and Yajus. Te nu devāḥ, they, the gods also, having become purified by Vedic rites, having their minds clean, knew the intention of Death. And viditvā, having known this; they ūrdhvāḥ, went up, became detached from all the rites, from Ṛk,

'The word chandas, metre, is derived from the root chand, which also means 'to cover'.

44

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 4. 3

Sāman, and Yajus, i.e. from the rites that are connected with Ṛk, Yajus, and Sāman. Losing hope of escaping from the fear of Death through that rite, and having given up that rite, prāviśan eva, they surely entered into; svaram, the vowel (Om), the letter (Om) referred to by the word svara and possessed of the quality of immortality and fearlessness. They became engaged in the meditation on Om only. The word eva, surely, is used in the sense of exclusive determination, and it rules out the idea of combination (of rites and meditation). So the meaning is, they became engaged in meditation on it alone.

यदा वा ऋचमाप्नोत्योमित्येवातिस्वरत्येव᐀ सामैवं यजुरेष उ स्वरो यदेतदक्षरममृतमभयम् तत्रप्रविश्य देवा अमृता अभया अभवन॥४॥

4. Whenever one acquires the Ṛk-mantras through study, one does verily utter Om with adoration. So in the case of Sāman, and so in the case of Yajus. That which is this letter (Om), this is indeed the vowel; this one is immortal, this is fearless. Entering there the gods became immortal and fearless.

How again, is the letter (Om) called svara (vowel)1? The answer is: Yadā vai, whenever; āpnoti, one acquires (by study); ṛcam, the Ṛk-mantras; eva, verily; atisvarati, one utters (the vowel) Om with adoration. So also in the cases of Sāman and Yajus.

Eṣah u eva svarah, this is indeed the vowel (utterance). Which one is that? Yat etat akṣaram, that which

1The word svara may mean both 'vowel' and 'utterance'.

I. 4. 5] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 45

is this letter (Om). Etat, this one; is amṛtam, immortal; abhayam, fearless. Tat praviśya, entering there; devāḥ, the gods; became amṛtāḥ, immortal; and abhayāḥ, fearless, in conformity with its qualities.

स य एतदेवं विद्वानक्षरं प्रणौत्येतदेवाक्षरं स्वरममृतमभयं प्रविशति तत्प्रविश्य यदमृता देवास्तदमृतो भवति॥ ५॥ इति चतुर्थः खण्डः॥ १४॥

5. He who, having known this letter thus, praises (this letter Om), he enters into this very letter which is the vowel (Om) that is immortal and fearless. Having entered it he becomes immortal like the gods.

Saḥ yaḥ, any one else who, like the gods themselves; etat akṣaram evam vidvān, having known this letter thus as possessed of the qualities of being immortal and fearless; praṇauti, praises (it); he also, in that way praviśati, enters into; etat eva, this very; akṣaram, letter; svaram, which is the vowel (Om); that is amṛtam, immortal; and abhayam, fearless. By the word 'praise', what is meant here is meditation itself. As in the case of people who entered a king's palace, there can be a classification like 'inner' and 'outer' groups (of people), there can be no division into 'inner' and 'outer' groups in the case of Brahman. What then? Tat praviśya, having entered it; yat amṛtāḥ, devāḥ, by the very immortality through which the gods became immortal; he also, being possessed of that very kind of immortality, bhavati, becomes; tat amṛtaḥ, immortal like them. The idea is that with regard to his immortality there is neither any paucity nor excess.

46

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 5. 1

SECTION 5

अथ खलु य उद्गीथ: स प्रणवो य प्रणव: स उद्गीथ

इत्यसौ वाऽऽऽदित्य उद्गीथ एव प्रणव ओमिति हि

स्वरैति॥ १॥

1. Now then, that which is Udgītha is Praṇava

(Om); that which is Praṇava is Udgītha. In this way,

this yonder sun indeed is Udgītha, and this one is

Praṇava because it moves by uttering Om.

The meditation on Udgītha by looking upon it as the

vital force and the sun has already been stated. Now,

after a reference to that meditation and accepting the

identity of Praṇava (Om) and Udgītha, it is to be stated

that the meditation on Om is productive of many child-

ren when the meditation is undertaken by looking

upon it (Om) as possessed of the quality of multifari-

ousness like that of the vital forces and the rays of the

sun. Hence (the following) is begun.

Atha khalu, now then; yah udgīthah, that which is

Udgītha; sah praṇavah, that is Praṇava of the Ṛg-

Vedins. And that which is Praṇava for them is itself

spoken of as Udgītha in the Chāndogya. Asau vai

ādityah, the yonder sun, indeed, is Udgītha; and eṣah

praṇavah, this one is Praṇava. Although among the

Ṛg-Vedins it is called Praṇava still, it is none other

(than that Udgītha). How can the sun be Udgītha?

Because eṣah, this one (the sun); eti, moves; svaran,

while uttering the letter Om which is called Udgītha.

Svaran is taken as ‘uttering’ because verbal roots have

I. 5. 3] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 47

different meanings. Or it (svaran) may mean 'while going'1. Therefore the yonder sun is Udgītha.

एतम् एवाहमभ्यगासिषं तस्मान्मम त्वमेकोऽसीति ह कौषीतकिः पितामहाच्छ शमीशस्त्वं पर्यादद्व्यह्वयै व ते भविष्यन्तीत्यधिदैवतम्॥ २ ॥

2. 'Verily I sang directly of this one itself. Therefore you are my only (son).' Kauśītaki said this to his son. 'You meditate on the rays, you will have many (sons) indeed'. This is on the divine plane.

'Eva, verily; aham, I; abhyagāsisam, directly sang; etam, of this one; u, itself, i.e. I meditated without making distinction between the sun and its rays. Tasmāt, because of that reason; tvam, you; asi, are; mama, my; ekah, only son.' Kauśītaki, the son of Kuśītaka; uvāca, said; iti, this; putram, to his son. 'Atah, therefore; tvam, you; paryāvartayāt (should be paryāvartaya because it is connected with tvam), meditate repeatedly; raśmīn, on the rays and on the sun, thinking of them as different. In this way te, your; putrāh, sons; bhaviṣyanti, will be; bahavah, many; vai, indeed.' This is on the divine plane.

अथाध्यात्मं य एवायं मुख्यः प्राणस्तमुद्गीथमुपासीतो-मिति होष स्वरেতि॥ ३ ॥

3. Hereafter starts (meditation on) the personal plane. On that which is the vital force in the mouth, one ordering the activities of the creatures.

'While going the sun utters as it were, the letter Om for the sake of

48

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[I. 5. 3

should meditate as Udgītha. This one also moves while uttering Om.

Atha, hereafter (the meditation on); adhyātmam, the personal plane is being started. Yaḥ eva ayam, that which is . . .etc. is to be interpreted as before. Similarly eṣaḥ hi, this vital force also; eti, moves; svaran, while uttering Om. The idea is that it moves uttering Om by way of ordering the organs of speech etc. as it were, to function. Indeed, at the time of death people staying nearby dc not hear the utterance of Om by the vital force. Because of this similarity the utterance of Om in the case of the sun also is to be understood to be merely in the sense of an order.

एतमेवाधिगमयास्य तस्मान्नेमे लोकेऽपिति ह कौषीतकि: पुत्रमुवाच प्राणाग्नस्वं भूमानमभिगायतादहवो वै मे भविष्यन्तीति॥४॥

4. ‘Verily I sang directly of this one. Therefore you are my only (son).’ Kauṣītaki said to his son. ‘You should sing of the all-pervading vital force by thinking “My sons will be many indeed”.’

Etamu eva, verily of this one . . .etc. is to be interpreted just as before. So the meaning is this: As explained earlier, one should mentally sing of speech etc. and the vital force in the mouth as different and pervasive, while meditating on them as Udgītha. That is to say, (one should sing, meditate repeatedly as before) entertaining the idea, ‘Me, my sons; bhaviṣyanti, will be; bahavah, many; vai, indeed.’ In this part the duty of looking upon the rays and the vital forces as different (from the vital force in the mouth and the sun respectively.

tively) is being enjoined for the sake of having many

sons, because the meditation on the vital force (in the

mouth) and the sun as Udgītha, singly, has been dis-

carded owing to the defect of producing a single son.

अथ खलु य उद्गीथ: स प्रणवो यः प्रणवः स उद्गीथ

इति होतृषदनाद्दैवापि दुरुद्गीतमनुससमाहरतीत्यनु-

समाहरतीति ॥५॥ इति पञ्चमः खण्डः ॥ ५ ॥

5. Now, verily, that which is Udgītha is Praanava,

(and) that which is Praṇava, is Udgītha. (Knowing)

thus, even if the Udgītha is sung in a defective way,

then, he (the Udgātā) surely cures (that) by gathering

from the place from where the Hotā praises; he surely

cures.

'Atha, now; khalu, verily; yah, that which is; ud-

gīthah, Udgītha', etc.—in this is stated the meditation

on the unity of Praṇava and Udgītha. Of that the result

is being stated: (The Udgātā gathers) hotṛṣadanāt,

from the place, staying where the Hotā, the pourer of

oblations utters the praise (after pronouncing Om, the

Praṇava), i.e. from the result of the action properly

done by the Hotā, because a result cannot be picked up

from a mere place. What is that (result which was going

to be stated)? Api, even if; durudagītam, the Udgītha is

sung in a defective way, i.e. if any injury is caused by

the singer of the Udgītha in his own act; then he (the

Udgātā1); ha eva, certainly; tat anusamāharati, cures

that by gathering (from the result of the Hotā's act) just

as disturbances in bodily constituents are indeed cured

by treatment.

'The Udgātā who knows the Praṇava and the Udgītha to be

identical.

4

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[I. 6. 1

SECTION 6

इयमेवर्ग्गप्तिः साम तदेतदेतस्यामृच्यध्यूढं साम तस्मा-दच्यध्यृढं साम गीयत इयमेव सात्रिरमस्तत्साम ॥ १ ॥

1. This (earth) surely is Ṛk, fire is Sāma. This Sāma which is such is established on this Ṛk. Therefore Sāma is sung as established on Ṛk. This very one (Ṛk) is sā (the first letter of the word Sāma), fire is ama (the second portion of the word Sāma). That makes up Sāma.

Now then another meditation on Udgītha is being enjoined for the sake of acquiring all the results. Iyameva, this, the earth indeed; is ṛk, Ṛk. The Ṛk is to be looked upon as earth. So also agnih, fire; is sāmah, Sāma. The Sāma is to be looked upon as fire. How can earth and fire become Ṛk and Sāma? The reply is this: Tat etat sāma, this Sāma which is called fire; adhyūḍham, is established; asyām ṛci, on Ṛk which is this earth; i.e. fire is found to be staying on earth, as Sāma is on Ṛk. Tasmāt, because of this very reason; even today sāmah, Sāma; gīyate, is sung by the singers of Sāma; verily as ṛci adhyūḍham, established on Ṛk. As Ṛk and Sāma are not entirely separate from each other, so also are earth and fire. How? Iyameva, this earth indeed; is mentioned by sā, Sā, which is half of the name Sāma. Agnih, fire which is spoken of by the other half of the word (Sāma); is amah, ama. Tat, these two, earth and fire, which become mentionable by the single word Sāma, make up Sāma. Therefore these two, earth and fire, are not entirely separate from each

other; they are ever in association like Ṛk and Sāma. The idea is that for this reason also, earth and fire are identical with Ṛk and Sāma. Some say that the text, 'this one is Sā, fire is ama', is meant for enjoining meditation on the two letters of Sāma as earth and fire.

अन्तरिक्षमेवर्ग्वीयुः साम तदेतदेतस्यामुच्चैध्यूढं᳚ साम तस्मादूच्यूढ᳚ं साम गीयतेऽन्तरिक्षमेव सा वायुरमस्तत्साम ॥ २ ॥

द्यौरेवर्ग्वादित्यः साम तदेतदेतस्यामुच्चैध्यूढ᳚ं साम तस्मादूच्यध्यूढ᳚ं साम गीयते द्यौरेव सादित्योऽमस्तत्साम ॥ ३ ॥

The text, 'Space indeed is Ṛk, air is Sāma', etc. is to be understood as before.

नक्षत्राण्येवर्चन्द्रमा᳚ साम तदेतदेतस्यामुच्चैध्यूढ᳚ं साम तस्मादूच्यध्यूढ᳚ं साम गीयते नक्षत्राण्येव सा चन्द्रमाऽम तत्साम ॥ ४ ॥

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[I. 6. 5

The moon is the ruler of the stars. Therefore it is Sāma.

अथ यदेतदादित्यस्य शुक्लं भा: सैवर्गथ यत्रीलं पर: कृष्णं तत्साम तदेतदस्यामुच्यध्यूढꣳ साम तस्मादुच्यध्यूढꣳ साम गीयते ॥ ५ ॥

5. Then, that which is this white light of the sun, that indeed is Ṛk. Then, the blue colour that is deep black, that is Sāma. That Sāma which is such, is established on this Ṛk. Hence Sāma is sung as established on Ṛk.

Atha, then; etat, this; śuklam, white; bhāḥ, light; yat, which; ādityasya, belongs to the sun; sā, that; eva, indeed; is ṛk, Ṛk. Atha, then; yat nīlam, that blue (light) in the sun; parah kṛṣṇam, which is deep black; tat, that; is sāmah, Sāma. That is indeed seen by persons who have an absolutely concentrated vision.

अथ यदेवैतदादित्यस्य शुक्लं भा: सैव साथ यत्रीलं पर: कृष्णं तद् तत्त्सामाथ य एषोऽन्तरादित्ये हिरण्मय: पुरुषो दृश्यते हिरण्यश्मश्रुर्हिरण्यकेश आप्रणखात्सर्व एव सुवर्ण: ॥ ६ ॥

तस्य यथा कप्यासं पुण्डरीकामषि तस्योदिति नाम स एष सर्वेभ्य: पाप्मभ्य उदित उदेति ह वै सर्वेभ्य: पाप्मभ्यो य एवं वेद ॥७॥

6-7 Then, this white colour that the sun verily has, that indeed is Sā. Then, the blue colour that is deep black is ama. That makes up Sāma. Then, this one, the golden Person who is seen in the sun, who has a golden beard and golden hair, whose every part from the nail to the hair is golden.

upward is golden, of that Person the two eyes are like the lotus whose colour is like the seat of a monkey. His name is ut. He who is such is above all sins. He who knows thus, certainly rises above all sins.

These very lights, viz whiteness and blackness, which are Sā and ama, constitute Sāma.

Atha, then; eṣaḥ, this One who is; hiraṇmayah, the golden One; puruṣaḥ, Person—derived in the sense of one who sleeps (resides) in the town (heart), or who fills, pervades the universe by his own Self—; yaḥ, who; dṛśyate, is seen by persons who have closed their eyes (to worldly things), who have concentration of mind and depend on such spiritual disciplines as celibacy etc.; āthaṁ āditye, inside the sun. (He is hiraṇmayah) as though made of gold, because the deity cannot be a transformation of gold, it being impossible in that case to have Ṛk and Sāma as His finger-joints, and to be beyond sin. For it is not possible that a lifeless golden figure has any sin etc. because of which there could be a denial (of that sin). Besides, this does not fit in with the ‘Person seen in the eye’ (who will be spoken of later on). In this sense the word ‘golden’ is used here without the addition of any word to express comparison. So the meaning is (that He is) luminous. Subsequent texts also are to be construed in the same way.

Even of a luminous person the beard and hair may be black. Therefore it is being specified by saying, hiraṇyasmaśruḥ, having a golden beard; and hiraṇyakeśaḥ, having golden hair. The meaning is that His beard and hair also are luminous. Sarvaḥ, every part; is suvarṇaḥ, golden; āpranakhāt, from the tip of the nail, together

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[I. 6. 7

with the tip of the nail. The idea is that every part is lustrous like gold.

Of Him there is some speciality even about the two eyes although He has His colour like gold through and through. How? Kapyāsaḥ, the seat of a monkey—the word āsaḥ (seat) being derived from the root ās with the suffix ghāṅ in the instrumental case, in the sense of 'sitting'—(meaning thereby) the lowest part of the back of a monkey on which it sits. Of Him, of the deity, akṣinī, the two eyes; are like pundarīkam, a lotus; which is very bright kapyāsam iva, like the seat of a monkey. The illustration is not blasphemous because that which illustrates is itself compared with another.'

Tasya, of Him who is possessed of such a quality, ut is an indirect name. How does this indirectness come? Saḥ eṣaḥ, that deity who is such; is uditaḥ, above; sarvebhyah pāpmabhyah, all sins, i.e. sins together with their results. It will be said later on, 'The Self which is free from sin . . .' (VIII.7. 1). The word uditaḥ is derived from the root i, to go, with the prefix ut. Yaḥ, he who; veda, knows Him; evam, as having this name ut, (and) as possessed of such a quality in the manner stated above; he also, in this very way, udeti, goes above all sins. The two indeclinables ha and vai are meant for emphasis, meaning that he does certainly go above.

तस्यर्क्च साम च गेष्णौ तस्मादुद्गीथस्तस्मात्त्वे-वोद्गातैतस्य हि गाता स एष येऽमुष्मात्पराञ्चो

'It is also noted by some that pundarīka literally means a white lotus. But the intended idea is that of a red lot us. Hence the illustration of a monkey's seat becomes a necessity.

I. 6. 8] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 55

लोकास्तेषां चेष्ठे देवकामानां चेत्यधिदैवतम् ॥८॥ इति षष्ठः खण्डः ॥ ६ ॥

8. Ṛk and Sāma are His two finger-joints. Therefore He is Udgītha. Since He is a singer of this ut, for that very reason He is (called) Udgātā. He who is of this kind rules over the worlds which are beyond that, as also over the desires of the gods. This is on the divine plane.

Since the intention is to state that, that deity is Udgītha just as the sun and the others are, therefore the text says: Tasya, of Him; ṛk ca sāma ca, Ṛk and Sāma; are His geṣnau, two finger-joints—earth, (fire) etc. as described above are his two finger-joints.1 The deity being all-comprehensive on account of His rulership of the worlds above and below, and of desires, and also because of His being the source of all, it is reasonable that He should have earth, fire, etc. as His two finger-joints. Since He thus has the name ut, and He has Ṛk and Sāma as His two finger-joints, therefore He who has got Ṛk and Sāma as His two finger-joints is indirectly referred to as being Udgītha. Because the deity likes to be referred to indirectly2, tasmāt, therefore; udgīthaḥ, He is called Udgītha. Hi, since; gātā, He is a singer; etasya, of this (ut); tasmāt tu ev, for that very reason He is Udgātā. Since He is the singer of this One who is called ut as stated above, therefore, it is proper

1It was stated earlier that the earth is Ṛk, fire is Sāma, and so on (see I. 6. 1-5). Now, when Ṛk and Sāma become His finger-joints, earth etc. which are Ṛk, and fire etc. which are Sāma, become His finger-joints, ipso facto.

2See Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, IV. 2. 2.

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[I. 6. 8

that the singer of ut should be well-known by the name

Udgātā. Saḥ eṣaḥ, He who is this deity called ut; īṣṭe,

rules over; teṣām, those; lokāḥ, worlds; ye, which are;

parāñcaḥ amuṣmāt, beyond that sun—the word par-

añca being derived from parāk and añcana, meaning

'going beyond', 'staying above'. Not only is He pos-

sessed of rulership, He also supports (all), which mean-

ing is suggested by the word ca (and). This is according

to the mantra-text, 'He supported the heaven and this

world’ (H.S.1; Y. V. 25. 10). Moreover, he rules over

devakāmānām, the desires of gods. Iti, this is; adhyāt-

mam, on the divine plane regarding the deity—the real

nature of the deity called Udgītha has been stated.

SECTION 7

अथाध्यात्मं वागेवक् प्राण: साम तदेतदेतस्यामृच्यध्यूढं

साम तस्मादूच्यध्यूढं साम गीयते। वागेव सा प्राणोऽमस्त-

त्साम ॥ १ ॥

1. Now starts (the meditation on) the personal level.

Speech indeed is Ṛk, the vital force is Sāma. This Sāma

which is such, is established on this Ṛk. Therefore

Sāma is sung as established on Ṛk. Speech indeed is Sā,

the vital force is ama. That makes up Sāma.

Atha, now is being stated (the meditation on); adh-

yātmam, the personal level. Vāk, speech; eva, indeed is

ṛk, Ṛk; prāṇaḥ, the vital force; is sāmaḥ, Sāma, owing

to the similarity of their lower and higher positions. By

the word prāṇa, the organ of smell together with air is

meant. The text beginning with ‘Vāk, speech; eva,

indeed; is sā, Sā; prāṇaḥ, the vital force; amaḥ, ama’,

etc. is to be explained as before.

चक्षुरेवात्मा साम तदेतदेतस्यामृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम तस्मा-दृश्यध्यूढꣳ साम गीयते। चक्षुरेव सात्मामस्तत्साम ॥ २ ॥

Cakṣuh, the eye; eva, indeed; is ṛk, Ṛk; ātmā, Ātmā; is sāma, Sāma. The word ātmā means the Person reflected in the eye. Because of Its position there (in the eye) the reflection of the Person is Sāma.

श्रोत्रमेवऽस्मिन् साम तदेतदेतस्यामृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम तस्मा-दृश्यध्यूढꣳ साम गीयते। श्रोत्रमेव सोऽस्मिन्मनोडमस्तत्साम ॥३॥

Śrotram, the ear (organ of hearing); eva, indeed; is ṛk, Ṛk; manaḥ, the mind; is sāmaḥ, Sāma. The mind is Sāma owing to its rulership over the organ of hearing.

अथ यदेतदक्ष्णः शुक्लꣳ भाः सैवर्गथ यदीलꣳ परः कृष्णꣳ तत्साम तदेतदेतस्यामृच्यध्यूढꣳ साम तस्मादृश्यध्यूढꣳ साम गीयते। अथ यदेवैतदक्ष्णः शुक्लꣳ भाः सैव सातꣳ यदीलꣳ परः कृष्ण꣋ तदमस्तत्साम ॥४॥

Then, that which is this white light of the eye, that is indeed Ṛk. Then, the blue colour that is deep black, that is Sāma.

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[I. 7. 4

that is Sāma. That Sāma which is such, is established on

this Ṛk. Hence Sāma is sung as established on Ṛk.

Then, this white colour that the eye verily has, that

indeed is Sā. Then, the blue colour that is deep black is

ama. That makes up Sāma.

Atha, then; yat etat, that which is this; akṣṇah śuklam

bhāh, white light of the eye; sā eva ṛk, that indeed is Ṛk.

Atha yat nīlam parah kṛṣṇam, then, that blue

colour (in the eye) that is deep black as in the sun, and

is the seat of the power of sight; tat sāmaḥ, that is Sāma.

अथ य एषोडन्तरक्षिणि पुरुषो दृश्यते सैर्वाक्तत्साम

तदुक्थं तद्यजुस्तद्‌ब्रह्म तस्यैतस्य तदेव रूपं यदमुष्य रूपं

यातमस्य गोष्णौ तौ गोष्णाव् वामन्न् वामन्न् ॥ ५ ॥

5. Then, this Person that is seen in the eye, that

indeed is Ṛk, that is Sāma, that is Uktham, that is

Yajus, that is Brahmā. The appearance of this one

(that is in the eye) is the same as of that one (in the

sun). Those which are the finger-joints of that one,

they are of this one. The name of this one is the same as

of that one.

Atha, then; eṣaḥ, this; puruṣaḥ, Person; dṛśyate, who

is seen; akṣiṇī, in the eye—this portion is to be under-

stood as before1—; saḥ, that; eva, indeed; is ṛk, Ṛk,

(identified with) speech etc. on the personal plane.and

(identified with) earth etc. on the divine plane. It is

'Ānanda Giri points out that by saying, 'pūrva-vat, as before', the

Person reflected in the eye is not meant, for, in that case, it would

contradict the later portion of the present text. Therefore, what is

really meant is the Person who is seen by people of purified mind, as

mentioned in I. 6. 6-7.

I. 7. 5] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 59

well-known that Ṛk-mantras are constituted by letters grouped into well-regulated parts of verses. So also with regard to Sāma.' Or Sāma means stotra, a hymn, because of the associated word uktha. Ṛk means śastra (verses)2 which are other than hymns. So also with regard to Yajus-svāhā, svadhā, and vaṣat,3 and all such forms of speech indeed are Yajus4.

All that is He himself because He is all-pervasive and the source of all—this is what we have said. Tat, that; is brahmā, Brahmā, where Brahmā means the three Vedas because the context is of Ṛk etc. Tat eva rūpam, that very appearance (of the Person in the sun); is extended to that etasya, of this one, the Person in the eye. What is that? Whatever that has been said to be amūṣya, of that one, of the Person in the sun, as being golden etc. on the divine plane. Yau, those which are;

'All those that have been explained as Ṛk are that Person, the Seer himself. The logic stated with regard to Ṛk is being extended to Sāma also. The idea is that all those that have been explained as Sāma are also that Person, the Seer himself. (See Ānanda Giri).

2Śastra is a verse which does not form a part of any hymn. It is a kind of Ṛk verse that is not set to tune, but simply chanted.

'A kind of sorrel'.—V. S. Apte.

'A śastra is the recital of attributes abiding in their possessor, which is produced by sacred texts that are not sung.'—Swāmī Mādhavānada (trans.), Mīmāṃsā-Paribhāṣa (West Bengal: Rama-krishna Mission Sarada Pitha, 1948), p. 79.

3Mantras for offering to gods, manes and other beings respectively end with svāhā, svadhā and vaṣat.

4Ṛk-mantras are verses forming hymns for chanting. Sāma-mantras are meant for songs based on those hymns. And Yajur-mantras are prose sentences meant for offering oblations.

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[I. 7. 5

geṣṇau, the two finger-joints; amuṣya, of that one (of the Person in the sun); tau, they are also the finger-joints of Him who is in the eye. And the nāma, name ut and Udgītha; yat, that belong to Him; tat nāma, that very name belongs to this one.

Objection: Are not the Person in the sun and the Person in the eye different because of the differences in location, (and) because of the extension of appearance, quality, and name from the one to the other, and (also) because of the mention of the differences in the objects ruled over?

Vedāntin: No, because it is not possible for the same person to attain identity with two (distinct entities) indicated by the words amunā and anena1 (See I. 7. 7-8).

Objection: This (attainment) may be possible through the duplication of forms, for it will be stated later on, `He assumes one form, he assumes three forms', etc. (VII. 26. 2).

Vedāntin: No, because a conscious being, who is one and partless, cannot logically become duplicated. Therefore there is identity between the one on the personal plane and the other on the divine plane. As for your argument that the extension of appearance etc. is a ground for their difference, that is not meant for perceiving any difference.

Objection: For what then?

'It will be stated later: Amunā, through identity with the Person in the sun, the meditator attains the other worlds as also the things desired by gods; and that meditator himself attains the lower worlds as also the things desired by human beings, anena, through identity with the Person in the eye.

I. 7. 7] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 61

Vedāntin: (That extension is made) so that there may not be any apprehension of difference from the differences in their location.

स एष ये चैतस्मादवाञ्चो लोकास्तेषां चेष्टे मनुष्यकामानां चातद्य इमे वाणियोगायन्ते ते गायन्ति तस्मात्ते धनसनयः ॥ ६॥

Sah eṣah, that Person who is in the eye; īṣṭe, rules over; teṣām, those (worlds); ye lokāḥ, which worlds are; arvāñcaḥ, below; etasmāt, this one—the worlds which are located below this Self, on the personal plane; and (He also rules) over manusya kāmānām, desires of man, desires associated with human beings. Tat, therefore; ye ime, these people who; gāyanti, play music; vīṇāyām, on the Vīṇā; te, they, the singers; gāyanti, sing of this One indeed. Because they sing of God, tasmāt, therefore; te, they; become dhanasanayah, possessed of wealth, i.e. rich.

अथ य एतदेवं विद्वान्साम गायत्यूध्वौ स गायति सोमुनैव स एष ये चामुष्मात्पराञ्चो लोकास्तांश्चाप्नोति देवकामांश्च ॥७॥

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[I. 7. 7

Atha, now; yaḥ, any one who; vidvān, by knowing; evam, thus—knowing Udgītha as the deity described above; gāyati, sings; sāma, Sāma; saḥ, he; gāyati, sings; ubhau, of both, the Person in the eye as also the Person in the sun. The result attained by a person possessed of this knowledge is being stated. Saḥ, he; yaḥ eṣaḥ, who is such, i.e. he, having become identified with the deity in the sun; āpnoti, attains; amunā eva ādityena, through that very sun; tān, those; lokān, worlds; ye amuṣmāt, parāñcaḥ, which are above this one (sun); ca, as well as; deva-kāmān, the desires of gods.

अथानेनैव ये चैतस्मादर्वाञ्चो लोकास्तांश्चाप्नोति मनुष्यकामांश्च तस्मादु हैवंविदु गाता ब्रूयात् ॥ ८॥

8. Now, through this very one, a person attains those worlds also which are below this, as well as human desires. For this very reason a singer of the Udgītha, who has this knowledge, should say:

Atha, now; anena eva, through this very one, the Person in the eye; āpnoti, one attains; lokān ca, also the worlds; ye, which are; etasmāt arvāñcaḥ, below this; ca, as well as; manuṣya kāmān, human desires. The idea is that (he does so) by becoming identified with the Person in the eye. Tasmāt u ha, for this very reason; udgātā, a singer of the Udgītha; evamvit, who has this knowledge; brūyāt, should say to the person for whom the sacrifice is being performed:

कं ते काममगायानीत्येष होव कामगानस्येष्टे य एवं विद्वान्साम गायति ॥ ९ ॥ इति सप्तमः खण्डः

कं ते काममागायानीत्येष होव कामगानस्येष्टे य एवं विद्वान्साम गायति ॥ ९ ॥ इति सप्तमः खण्डः

I. 8. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 63

9. ‘Which desire of yours shall I sing?’, because this one who, having this knowledge, sings the Sāma, sings the Sāma, he is certainly able to fulfil desires by singing.

‘Kam, which, kāmaḥ, desire; te, of yours, as aspired; āgāyāni, shall I sing?’ Hi, because; eṣah, this one who is the singer of Udgītha; kāmagānasyā iṣṭe, is able to fulfil desires by singing. This is the idea. Who is he? Yaḥ evam vidvān, he who, having this knowledge; sāma gāyati, sings the Sāma, sings the Sāma. The repetition of ‘sings the Sāma’, is meant for indicating the conclusion of the meditation.

SECTION 8

त्रयो होदगीथे कुशला बभूवुः शिलकः शालावत्य-ऐचकितायनो दाल्भ्यः प्रवाहणो जैवलिरिति ते होचुरुद्गीथे वै कुशलाः स्मो हन्तोद्गीथे कथां वदाम इति ॥ १ ॥

Since the letter Om has to be worshipped in many ways, another kind of meditation on Om as possessed of the quality of being successively higher than the high’, together with its result is being introduced in

‘See Ānanda Giri where he says: Now, giving up the (meditations related to) differences in location (dealt with earlier), the meditation

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[I. 8. 1

another way. However the story is meant for easy

comprehension.

Trayah, three in number;—ha is used for referring to

a remote incident—; babhūvuh, became; kuśalāḥ,

adepts; udgīthe, in Udgītha, with regard to the knowl-

edge of Udgītha. The idea is that they were so among

persons who had assembled at some place or time, or

on some occasion. Not that in the whole world these

three alone had expertise in the knowledge of Udgītha

etc. because it is stated in the Vedas that Uṣasti, Jāna-

śruti, Kaikeya and others were almost omniscient.

Who are those three? That is being stated. The three

were these: Śilaka by name and śālāvatyah, son of

Śālāvat; caikitāyanah, the son of Cikitāyana; as be-

longing to the lineage of Dalbha, he was Dālbhya, or

he was called by these surnames because he belonged

to two families1; and Pravāhaṇa by name, and as son of

Jīvāla. he was Jaivali.

Te, they; ha ūcuh, said to one another; ‘Udgīthe, in

Udgītha; sma, we are well-known to be; kuśalāḥ,

adepts. Therefore hanta, if you approve of this; then,

vadāmah, we shall hold; kathām, a discussion, i.e. a

debate; udgīthe, with regard to the knowledge of Ud-

gītha, by assuming the position of supporters and op-

on Udgītha as the supreme Self and as possessed of qualities that are

successively higher and higher is being stated. This meditation re-

sults in the meditator becoming successively higher than the high.

1In ancient days it was a custom that when a man had only a female

issue, without a son, he stipulated with the family to which she was

married that, her son by that marriage would bear the family titles of

both the parties, and would perform the śrāddha-rites of the sonless

man and his forefathers.

I. 8. 3] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 65

posers.' It is in this way that, in the course of a discussion among people who have that knowledge, there follows demolition of accepting a wrong point of view, origination of some knowledge heretofore unknown, and cessation or doubt. Therefore, it is a duty for those who have that knowledge to come into contact with one another. And this is the purpose of the story, for it is seen to be so in the case of Śilaka and others.

तथेति ह समुपविविशुः: स ह प्रवाहणो जैवलिरुवाच

भगवन्तावग्रे वदतां ब्राह्मण्योर्वदतोर्‌वाचं श्रोष्यामिति

॥२॥

2. Saying, 'Let this be so', they sat together. He who was known as Pravāhaṇa Jaivali said, 'Adorable sirs! you two please discuss first. I shall hear the talk of you two Brāhmaṇas while you discuss.'

Saying, 'Tathā, let this be so'; te, they; samupaviśuh, did sit down together. Now, in this matter there was a reason for the king to be presumptuous. He who was Pravāhaṇa Jaivali uvāca, said to the other two: 'Bhagavantau, you two adorable sirs; vadatām, please discuss; agre, first.' That he is a king is indicated by the word brāhmaṇayoh, of the two Brāhmaṇas.

'Śroṣyāmi, I shall hear; vācam, the talk; brāhmaṇayoh, of you two Brāhmaṇas; vadataḥ, while you discuss.' Some others say that (the king means) '(I shall hear your) meaningless sentences', because of the qualifying word vācam.

स ह शिलकः शालावत्यशैचकितायनं दाल्भ्यमुवाच हन्त

त्वा पृच्छानिति पृच्छेति होवाच ॥ ३ ॥

5

3. He who was Śilaka Śālāvatya said to Caikitāyana Dālbhya, 'If you permit, I wish to ask you.' He replied, 'Do ask.'

Of the two who were told so (by the king), sah ha, he who was; śilaka śālāvatyah, Silaka Śālāvatya; uvāca, said; caikitāyana-dālbhyam, to Caikitāyana Dālbhya; 'Hanta, if you permit; prcchāmi, I wish to ask; tvām, you.' Being told so, the other one uvāca ha, replied; 'prccha, do ask.'

का साम्नो गतिरिति स्वर इति होवाच स्वरस्य का गतिरिति प्राण इति होवाच प्राणस्य का गतिरित्यन्नमिति होवाचान्नस्य का गतिरित्याप इति होवाच ॥ ४॥

4. 'What is the support of Sāma?' 'The musical scale', said he. 'What is the support of the musical scale?' 'The vital force', he said. 'What is the support of the vital force?' 'Food', he said. 'What is the support of food?' 'Water', he said.

Getting the permission, he said: 'Kā, what is; gatih, the support, i.e. the ultimate basis; sāmnah, of Sāma', i.e. of Udgītha, because it is under discussion. For what forms the context of meditation here is Udgītha, and also Udgītha will be spoken of (I. 9. 2) as successively higher (than others). Being asked so, Dālbhya uvāca, said; 'Svarah, the musical scale', because Sāma consists of musical scales (sā, re, ga, etc.). It is reasonable that, that which constitutes a thing should be its support and basis, just as pot etc. have earth as their ultimate goal (basis). 'Kā, what; gatih, is the basis; svarasya, of the musical scale?' 'Prāṇah, the vital force'; uvāca, he said.

I. 8. 5] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

67

Since the musical scale is articulated through the vital

force, therefore, the vital force is the basis of the musi-

cal scale. ‘Kā, what; gatih, is the basis; prāṇasya, of the

vital force?’ ‘Annnam, food’, he said, because the vital

force is sustained by food. Indeed the Veda says, ‘The

vital force dries up (when enervated) without food’,

and ‘Food is the bond’ (Br̥. V. 7, 1; II. 2. 1). Kā, what;

gatih, is the basis; annasya, of food?’ ‘Āpah, water’, he

said, because the food grows from (with the help of)

water.

अपां का गतिरित्यसौ लोक इति होवाचामुष्य लोकस्य

का गतिरिति न स्वर्ग लोकमतिनयेदिति होवाच स्वर्ग वयं

लोकं सामाभिसंस्थापयामः स्वर्गस्स्थातवः हि सामेति

|| ५ ||

5. ‘What is the basis of water?’ ‘That world’, he said.

‘What is the basis of that world?’ ‘One should not carry

(it) beyond heaven’, he said. ‘We establish Sāma on the

heavenly world because Sāma is praised as heaven.’

‘Kā, what; gatih, is the basis; apām, of water?’

‘Asau, that; lokah, world’, he said. Rain originates

from that world. ‘What is the basis amusya lokasya, of

that world?’ Being asked so Dālbhya said, ‘One should

not; atinayet, carry the Sāma to some other basis by

transcending that world which is heaven. Therefore

vayam, we also; abhisamsthāpayāmah, establish; sā-

mam the Sāma; svargam lokam, on the heavenly

world.’ The meaning is, ‘We know that Sāma is es-

tablished on heaven; Sāma hi, because Sāma is; svarga-

samstāvam, praised as heaven—that Sāma which is

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[I. 8. 5

praised (samstāva) as heaven (svarga) is svargasam-

stāvam—in the Vedic text, ‘He knew Sāma as the heav-

enly world indeed.’

त᳚ ह शिलकः शालावत्यश्चैकितायनं दाल्भ्यमुवाच-

प्रतिष्ठित᳚ वे किल᳚ ते दाल्भ्य साम यस्त्वेतो᳚ह ब्रूयात् मूर्धा᳚ ते

विपतिष्यतीति मूर्धा᳚ ते विपतेदिति ॥ ६॥

6. Śilaka Śālāvatya said to that Caikitāyana Dālbh-

ya, ‘O Dālbhya, your Sāma certainly remains without

support. But at this time, should any one say “Your

head will fall”, your head will fall,’

The other, viz Śilaka Śālāvatya, uvāca, said; tam, to that;

caikitāyanam dālbhyam, Caikitāyana Dālbhya;

‘Dālbhya, O Dālbhya; te, your; sāma, Sāma; vai kila, is certainly,

apratiṣṭhitam, remains without support’, i.e. the Sāma;

because of its quality of being successively higher than the high, stands without reaching the final

goal. The words vai and kila reminds of the tradition-

ally accepted teaching in this regard. ‘Tu, but; if yah,

someone who is a knower of Sāma, becoming intoler-

ant of contrary knowledge that the Sāma for which no

basis has been found is yet (stated to be) well-founded;

brūyāt, should say; etarhi, at this time to a man who has

committed an offence in the course of a discussion;

“Te, your; mūrdhā, head; vipatiṣyati, will surely fall”,

of the accused person who has been told so, the head

will surely fall without any doubt. The idea is, ‘But I am

not saying so.’

Objection: If somebody has committed a guilt which

deserves the falling of head, then, the head will fall

even without another’s saying so. If the person is not

I. 8. 7] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 69

guilty, then, (his head) will not fall even if told so. Otherwise, there will be the fault of getting some result which one has not earned, and destruction of a thing one has earned.

Vedāntin: There is no such fault because getting the result of some work, good or bad, depends on time, space and causation. That being so, even though the cause for this falling of the head be ignorance still, it is dependent on somebody else's utterance.

हन्ताहमेतद्भगवतो वेदानीति विद्धीति होवाचामुष्य लोकस्य का गतिरित्ययं लोक इति होवाचास्य लोकस्य का गतिरिति न प्रतिष्ठां लोकमतिनयेदिति होवाच प्रतिष्ठां वयं लोकऋऽसामऽअभिऽस्थापयामः प्रतिष्ठाऽअस्तावऽ हि सामेति

॥ ७॥

7. (Dālbhya said:) 'If it pleases you, I wish to know this from your adorable self.' (Śālāvatya) said, 'Do know (this).' (Dālbhya:) 'Which is the support of that world?' He replied, 'This world.' 'Which is the support of this world?' He said, 'One should not carry (the Sāma) beyond the world which is its basis. We establish Sāma on the world which is its support because Sāma is praised as placed on earth.'

Having been told so, Dālbhya said, 'Hanta, if it pleases you; aham, I; vedāni, wish to know; etat, this; bhagavatah, from your venerable self, as to where Sāma has its support.' Being told so, Śālāvatya uvāca, replied; 'Viddhi, do know.' 'Kā, what; gatih, is the support; amusya lokasya, of that world?' Having been asked so by Dālbhya, Śālāvatya said, 'Ayam lokah, this

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[I. 8. 7

world', because this world (earth) nourishes that world

(heaven) through sacrifices, gifts, oblations, etc. The

Vedic texts declare, 'The gods sustain themselves on

offerings from here.' Since it is obvious that the earth is

the support of all creatures, it is reasonable that this

should be the support of Sāma as well. 'Kā, what; gatiḥ,

is the support; asya lokasya, of this world?' On being

asked so, Śālāvatya said, 'Na atinayet, one should not

carry the Sāma beyond; by transcending this lokam

pratiṣṭhām, world which is its support. Therefore,

vayam, we abhisamsthāpayāmaḥ, establish Sāma;

pratiṣṭhām lokam, on the world, since Sāma is pratiṣṭh-

āsamstāvam, praised as established on (earth which is)

its support.' This is the meaning. There is the Vedic

text, 'This one (earth) indeed is (the Sāma called)

Rathantara.'

तं ह प्रवाहणो जैवलिरुवाचान्तवद् किल ते शालावत्य

साम यस्त्वेतर्हि ब्रूयान्मूर्धा ते विपतिष्यतीति मूर्धा ते विपते-

दिति हन्ताहमेतद्भगवतो वेदान्ति विद्धीति होवाच ॥ ८॥

8. To him Pravāhaṇa Jaivali said, 'O Śālāvatya,

your Sāma is certainly limited. But if at this time some-

body should say, "Your head will fall", your head will

fall.' (Śālāvatya) said, 'If it pleases you, I wish to know

this from you, adorable sir.' (Jaivali) said, 'Do know

(this).'

Tam, to him who had spoken thus; Pravāhaṇa Jaivali

said; 'O Śālāvatya, your Sāma kila vai is certainly;

antavat, limited', etc. has to be explained as before.

I. 9. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 71

Thereafter Śālāvatya said, ‘If it pleases you, I wish to know this bhagavatah, from you adorable sir.’ The other said, ‘Viddhi, do know (this).’

SECTION 9

अस्य लोकस्य का गतिरित्याकाश इति होवाच सर्वाणि ह वा इमानी भूतान्याकाशादेव समुत्पद्यन्त आकाशं प्रत्यस्तं यन्त्याकाशो हवैभ्यो ज्यायानाकाशः परायणम् ॥ १ ॥

1. (Śālāvatya asked:) ‘What is the support of this world?’ (Pravāhaṇa replied) ‘Space, because all these things (moving or not moving) originate verily from Space itself, and when they die they go to Space. Since Space indeed is superior to all these, Space is the ultimate goal.’

Having got the permission, the other (Śālāvatya) asked, ‘What is the support asya lokasya, of this world?’ Pravāhaṇa said, ‘Ākāśah, Space.’ Ākāśa (here) means the supreme Self, on the strength of the Upaniṣadic text, ‘That (Brahman) indeed which is called Space’ (VIII. 14. 1)1, because the origination of all is certainly Its work. And in that Itself all get merged. It will be said later on, ‘That (Brahman) created fire’ (VI. 2. 3), and ‘Fire dissolves into the supreme Deity’ (VI. 3. 6). ‘Sarvāṇi, all; imāni, these; bhūtāni, things moving and not moving; ha vai, surely; samutpadyante, originate; ākāśāt eva, from Space itself.’ From the force of the context it follows that they originate in the succeeding order of fire, water, etc. (And all things)

'Also see B. S. I. 1. 22.

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[I. 9. 1

`prati, move toward; ākāśam, Space; and astam yanti, get dissolved (there) at the time of the final dissolution, in that very reverse order. Hi, for; ākāśam eva, Space itself; jyāyān, is greater than; ebhyah, all these; therefore It is parāyanam—param ayanam, the highest Support, during all the three times (past, present, future). This is the meaning.

स एष परोवरीयानुद्गीथ: स एषोन्नतः परोवरियो

हास्य भवति परोवरयीसो ह लोकाज्जयति य एतदेवं विद्वान्

परोवरयाऽनुसमुद्गीथमुपास्ते ॥ २ ॥

2. This Udgītha that is such, is Supreme and higher than the high. This which is such is infinite. He who having known this (Udgītha) as such, meditates on the Udgītha as Supreme and higher than the high, his (life) becomes best and higher than the high, and he wins worlds which are successively higher than the high.

Since the Udgītha is parovarīyān, Supreme and higher than the high—it is parah, Supreme and also varīyān, higher (than the high)—, therefore, the Udgītha becomes identified with the supreme Self. For this very reason, eṣah, this (Udgītha); sah, that is such; is anantah, without an end (infinite). Yaḥ, he who; vidvān, having known, etat, this; evam, in this way, as identified with the supreme Self and infinite; upāste, meditates; udgītham, on the Udgītha; parovarīyāmsam, as the Supreme and higher than the high, for him this result is being stated: Asya, of this man of knowledge, his life; bhavati, becomes; parovarīyah, best and higher than the high. This is the tangible result. The unseen result for him who, having known this (Udgītha) thus,

I. 9. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 73

meditates on the Udgītha, is jayati, he wins; lokah, the worlds; parovarīyasah, which are successively higher, ending in Brahman which is called Space.

तं हैतमतिधन्वा शौनक उदरशाण्डिल्यायोक्त्वोवाच यावत्त एनं प्रजायामुद्गीथं वेदिष्यन्ते परोवरீयो हैभ्यस्त-वदस्मिल्लोके जीवनं भविष्यति ॥३॥

3. Having told this that is such to Udara Śāṇḍilya, Atidhanvā Śaunaka said, ‘As long as the descendents in your line will know this Udgītha, for that long their lives in this world will be the best and higher than the high as compared with these (ordinary lives).’

Moreover, uktvā, having told, having imparted; etam, this knowledge of the Udgītha; tam, that is such, to Udaraśāṇḍilya, his disciple; atidhanvā śaunakah, Atidhanvā by name and son of Śunaka, who knew this Udgītha; uvāca, said; ‘Yāvat, as long as; te prajāyām, amongst your children, i.e. in the line of your progeny, your descendents; vediṣyante, will know; enam, this Udgītha; tāvat, for that long; jīvanam, their lives; as-min loke, in this world; bhaviṣyati, will become; paro-varīyah, the best and higher than the high: ebhyah, as compared with these, the lives that are well-known in this world.’

तथामुष्मिल्लोके लोक इति स य एतदेवं विद्वानुपास्ते परोवरīय एव हास्यामुष्मिल्लोके जीवनं भवति तथामुष्मि-ल्लोके लोक इति लोक इति ॥४॥ इति नवमः खण्ड: ॥ ९ ॥

4. Similarly, in the other world (he will have) a

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[I. 9. 4

world (which is supreme and higher than the high). He who having known this (Udgītha) in this way, meditates (on it), his very life becomes the best and higher than the high in this world. So also (he will have) a world in the other world, a world in the other world.

`Tathā, similarly; amuṣmin, in that; loke, world, in the unseēn other world as well; bhaviṣyati, there will be (for him); parovarīyaḥ, a world which is supreme and higher than the high'—Athidhanvā Śaunaka said this to Śāṇḍilya.

`This result might have come to the people of olden days who were greatly fortunate, but not so for the people who belong to this age.' For dispelling this doubt the text says, Saḥ yaḥ, anyone who in this age; vidvān, having known; etat, this (Udgītha); evam, in this way; upāste, meditates (on it); asya, his; jīvanam ha, very life also; bhavati, becomes; parovarīyaḥ, the best and higher than the high; asmin loke, in this world; tathā, so also; (he will have) lokaḥ, a world; amuṣmin, in the other; loke, world, a world in the other world.

SECTION 10

मटचोहतेपु कुरुष्वाटिक्या सह जाययोस्स्तिरह चाक्रायण इभ्यग्रामे प्रद्राणक उवास ॥ १ ॥.

1. When (the crops) were destroyed by thunderstorm in (the land of) Kuru, Uṣasti Cākrāyaṇa, who was in very straitened circumstances, lived in a village of an elephant-owner, along with his wife who had not attained adolescence.

I. 10. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

75

This is begun because, in connection with the meditation on Udgītha, even the meditation with regard to Prastāva and Pratihāra has to be stated. But the story is meant for easy comprehension.

Kuruṣu, in (the land of) Kuru; when the crops in Kuru matacīhaṭeṣu, were destroyed by thunderstorm; then, a famine having broken out, uṣasti-cākrāyaṇah, one who was the son Cakra and called Uṣasti; pradrāṇakah, being in very straitened circumstances (the root dra being used to indicate his deplorable condition) owing to non-availability of food, i.e. having come to the end of his tether; uvāsa ha, lived by taking shelter in somebody's house; ibhyagrāme, in the village of an elephant-owner—ibha means an elephant; he who is fit to possess it is an ibhyah, i.e. an owner or rider of an elephant; his village is ibhya-grāmah—; jāyayā, along with his wife; ātikyā, who had not attained the signs of an adolescent woman.

स हेष्यं कुल्माषान्खादन्तं बिभिक्षे तं होवाच। नेतोडन्ये विद्यन्ते यच्च ये म इम उपनिहिता इति ॥ २॥

2. He begged from the elephant-owner who was eating black pulses of inferior quality. He replied, 'There are no mòre (pulses) apart from these which are near me.'

While wandering for food, sah, he; having accidentally come across ibhyam, an elephant-owner; khādantam, who was eating; kulmāṣān, black pulses of an inferior quality; bibhikṣe, begged (of him). The elephant-owner uvāca ha, said; tam, to him (to Uṣasti); 'Itah, apart from this heap of food which still remains

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[I. 10. 2

uneaten by me; yat ca, and which heap; ime, consisting

of these pulses; upanihitāḥ, is placed near; me, me,—is

placed in my vessel of food; na anye, no other black

pulses; vidyante, exist. What should I do?’ Being told

so, Uṣasti replied:

एतेषां मे देहीति होवाच तान्स्मै प्रददौ हन्तानुपानमित्यु-

च्छिष्टं वै मे पीतᳫ स्यादिति होवाच ॥ ३ ॥

3. He said, ‘Give me these.’ He gave them to him.

‘Would you please take water?’ He (Uṣasti) said, ‘(In

that case) it will be my drinking water a part of which

indeed has already been drunk.’

Uvāca, he said; ‘Dehi, give; me, me; eteṣām, of

these, i.e. these.’ That elephant-owner pradadau,

gave; tān, those (pulses); asmai, to this one, to Uṣasti.

(The elephant-owner) said, ‘Hanta, if it pleases you;

take anupānam, this water which is nearby.’ Being told

so. he replied, ‘If I drink, then, syāt, it will be ; me, for

me; pītam, drinking water; ucchiṣṭam vai, a part of

which indeed has already been drunk.’ The other

replied to the one who had spoken thus:

न स्विदेतेषामुच्छिष्टा इति न वा अजीविष्यमिमानᳫ खाद-

न्निति होवाच कामो म उदपानमिति ॥ ४ ॥

4. ‘Were not these (pulses) also remnants of (my)

food?’ He (Uṣasti) said, ‘If I had not eaten these, I

would not have lived. Drinking-water will surely be

available for me according to my wish.’

‘Svit, were not; ete api, even these (pulses); ucchi-

ṣṭam, remnants of (my) food?’ Being told so, Uṣasti

I. 10. 6] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 77

replied, ‘Akhādan, without eating; imān, these, these black pulses; na ajīviṣyam, I would not have lived. Me, for me; udapānam, drinking-water will be available; kāmaḥ, according to (my) desire.’ This is the meaning.

The purport of this is that, when a person possessed of learning, virtue and fame, and capable of doing good to himself and others, does even such a thing (as eating ort) under such circumstances, he is not touched by sin. Even in his case, this censurable act would be condemnable if some other irreproachable means of livelihood were available. If someone does so under the pretension of being a man of knowledge, he verily goes to hell. This is the intention of the word pradrānaka in the text.

स ह खादित्वातिशेषाज्जायाया आजहार साम्र एव सुभिक्षा बभूव तान्प्रतिगृह्य निदधौ ॥ ५॥

And khāditvā, after having eaten them; saḥ, he; ājahāra, carried; atiseṣān, the remainder; jāyāyai, for his wife out of compassion. Sā, she, the child-wife; babhūva, had become; subhikṣā, possessed of good alms, possessed of food; agre eva, even before receiving the black pulses. Still, because of her feminine nature, pratigṛhya, having taken; tān, them, those pulses from her husband’s hand, without showing any disrespect; niadadhau, she deposited (them).

स ह प्रातः सज्जिहान उवाच यद्वतान्नस्य लभेमहि

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[I. 10. 6

लभेमहि धनमात्राऽराजासौ यक्ष्यते स मा सर्वैरार्त्विज्यैर्व-

णीतति ॥ ६॥

6. At the time of his leaving the bed in the morning,

he said, ‘Alas! If I could get some food, I could get a bit

of wealth. That king will perform a sacrifice. He would

have chosen me for the performance of all the duties of

the priest.’

Not being aware of her action, sah, he; samjihānah,

while leaving his bed or on waking; prātah, in the

morning; uvāca, said out of anguish, within the hearing

of his wife; ‘Bata, alas; yat, if; labhemahi, I could get a

little bit; annasya, of food; then, becoming fit after

eating the food, and having gone out; labhemahi, I

could get; dhanamātrām, a little wealth. Then our live-

lihood would be secured.’ And about the means of

acquiring wealth he said, ‘Asau rājā, that king; yakṣ-

yate, will perform a sacrifice not very far away.’ The

Ātmānepada in yakṣyate is used because the king is the

performer of the sacrifice. ‘Sah, he, the king, perceiv-

ing me to be a fit persan; vṛnīta, would have chosen

(me); sarvaih ārtvijyaih, for the purpose of performing

all the priestly duties.’ This is the meaning.

तं जायोवाच हन्त पत इम एव कुल्पाषा इति तान्खादित्वामुं

यज्ञं विततमेयाय ॥७॥

7. To him the wife said, ‘If that be so, O my hus-

band, here are those black pulses.’ Having eaten them

he went to that sacrifice which had been set ready.

To him who had spoken thus, jāyā, the wife; uvāca,

said; ‘Hanta, if that be so; pati, O my husband; please

I. 10. 8] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

79

take ime eva kulmāṣāḥ, these very black pulses which

were placed in my hands by you.’ Khāditvā, having

eaten; tān, them; eyāya, he went; amum, to that; ya-

jñam, sacrifice of the king; which was vitatam, set ready

by the priests.

तत्रोद्गातॄनास्तावे स्तोष्यमाणानुपोपविवेश स ह प्रस्तो-

तारमुवाच ॥ ८॥

8. There he sat down near the singers of the Sāma,

who were engaged in singing praises (of gods), at the

place where such singing is done. He said to the

Prastotā:

And having gone tatra, there; and approaching ud-

gātṛn, the singers of Sāma; upaviveśa, he sat down;

upa, near; stoṣyamānān, the priests who were singing

in praise (of gods); āstāve, at the āstāva, at the place

where singing in praise (of gods) is undertaken. After

sitting down he asked the Prastotā':

'In a Soma sacrifice they needed sixteen priests who were divided

into four groups of four each. The groups were, Udgātās, Adh-

varyus, Hotās, and Brahmās. The four Udgātās were called Udgātā,

Prastotā, Pratihartā, and Subrahmanya. Their main duty was to sing

sāma songs. The Prastotā sang the first part, the Udgātā sang the

second part, the Pratihartā and Subrahmanya the third and fourth

parts respectively. The four together sang the fifth part. Thus was

sung the Pañca-Bhāktika Sāma of which we shall read later. The

Adhvaryus were called Adhvaryu, Pratiprastātā, Neṣṭā, and Un-

netā. They poured oblations while reciting Yajur-mantras. They also

prepared the oblations. The Hotās were called Hotā, Maitrāvaruṇa,

Acchāvāk, and Grāvastuta. Their duty was to recite the Ṛk hymns.

The Brahmās were called Brahmā, Brāhmaṇāchamsī, Agnīdhra,

and Potā. Their duty was to generally supervise the sacrifice and

prescribe rectifications when mistakes were committed.

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[I. 10. 9

प्रस्तोतर्यी देवता प्रस्तावमन्वायत्ता तां चेदविद्वान्प्रस्तोष्यसि मूर्धा ते विपतिष्यतीति ॥ ९ ॥

9. 'O Prastotā, if you sing without knowing of him who is the deity associated with the Prastāva (introductory praise) then, your head will fall.'

'Prastotah, O Prastotā.' (He spoke addressing him thus for drawing his attention. 'Cet, if; prastosyasi, you sing near me who am enlightened; avidvān, not knowing, without having knowledge; tām, of him; yā, who is; devatā, the deity; anvāyattā, associated with; prastāvam, the Prastāva; te, your; mūrdhā, head; vipatiṣyati, will fall.'

If his head should fall even in the absence of such a man of knowledge, then, there will be no competence for performing rites by persons who are conversant with rites only. And that is not desirable since it is seen that, people perform rites even without knowledge (of the associated deities), and the Śruti also speaks of the Southern Path (leading to the manes). If ignorant people had no competence, then, the Vedas would have mentioned only the Northern Path (leading to heaven). And it cannot be argued that the southern Path is meant only for those who perform the rites prescribed by the Smṛtis, for the Vedic text says, '(The Brāhmaṇas seek to know It) through (study of the Vedas), sacrifices, charity (and austerity consisting in a dispassionate enjoyment of sense-objects)' (Br.IV. 4.22). And from the use of the specific words, '(Your head will fall) when you are told so by me' (I.11.5) it follows that, there is no competence for rites (for an

I. 10. 11] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 81

ignorant man) only in the presence of a man of knowledge. Not in all such cases as Agnihotra-rites according to the Smṛtis, and study (of the Vedas), etc. because in those cases, approval is seen to exist. So the statement, ‘Your head will fall’, is to be construed to mean that even people who are conversant only with rites, have competence to perform rites.

एवमेवोद्गातारमुवाचोद्गातर्यी देवतोद्गीथमन्वायतत्ता तं चेदविद्वानुद्गास्यसि मूर्धा ते विपतिष्यतीति ।। १० ।।

एवमेव प्रतिहर्तारमुवाच प्रतिहर्त्यी देवता प्रतिहारमन्वायतत्ता तं चेदविद्वान्प्रतिहरिष्यसि मूर्धा ते विपतिष्यतीति ते ह समारतास्तूष्णींमासाज्चक्रिरे ।। ९१ ।। इति दशमः खण्डः ।।

Evam eva, in this very way; uvāca, he told; udgātāram, the Udgātā; pratihartāram, the Pratihartā, etc. are to be explained as before. Te, they; the Prastotā and others; samāratāḥ, having refrained from their works; āsān cakrire, sat; tūṣṇīm, silently, without doing anything for fear of (their) heads falling off, and because they were seekers (of the knowledge of the deities).

6

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[I. 11. 1

SECTION II

अथ हैनं यजमान उवाच भगवन्तं वा अहं विविदिषाणि-त्युषस्तिरस्मि चाक्रायण इति होवाच ॥ १ ॥

1. Then, the performer of the sacrifice told him, 'I certainly am eager to know (the identity) of the adorable one.' He said, 'I am Uṣasti, son of Cakra.'

Atha, then; yajamānah, the performer of the sacrifice, the king; uvāca ha, said; enam, to him, to Uṣasti; 'Aham, I; vai vividiṣāni, am certainly eager to know (the identity); bhagavantam, of the adorable one.' Being told so, he said, 'Asmi, I am, Uṣasti, the son of Cakra, if this has reached your ears as well.'

स होवाच भगवन्तं वा अहमेभि: सर्वैरर्त्विज्यै: पर्यैषिषं भगवतो वा अहमवित्त्यान्यानवृषि ॥ २ ॥

2. He (the king) said, 'I had been surely searching for you for all these priestly duties. As I could not find you, the adorable one, I had to engage others.'

Saḥ, he, the performer of the sacrifice, said; 'Truly speaking I did hear of bhagavantam, you, the adorable one, who is possessed of many qualities. And paryaiṣiṣam, I searched for you, undertook the task of finding you out; sarvaiḥ ārtvijyaiḥ, for all the duties to be performed by the priests. Having searched and avittyā, not having found; bhagavataḥ, (any trace) of the adorable one; aham, I; āvṛṣi, have engaged these; anyān, others.'

I. 11. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 83

भगवांश्च मे सर्वैरार्त्विज्यैरिति तथेत्यथ तर्हैन एव समतिसृष्टा: स्तुवतां यावत्त्वेभ्यो धनं दद्यास्तावन्मम दद्या इति तथेति ह यजमान उवाच ॥ ३ ॥

3. ‘But may you, the adorable one, (take up) all the priestly duties for me.’ (He replied) ‘Let this be so. Now, this being so, let these very ones praise under my permission. But you will give me as much wealth as to all these.’ The performer of the sacrifice said, ‘So be it ’

‘Tu, but all the same, even from now; may bhaga-vān, you, the adorable one; be engaged in sarvaih, all; ārtvijyaih, priestly duties; me, for me.’ On being told so, Uṣasti said, ‘Tathā iti, let this be so. But, atha, now; evam tarhi, this being so; let ete evam, these very ones who had been engaged by you earlier; stuvatām, praise; samatisṛṣṭāḥ, under my permission, having been permitted by me who am totally pleased. However, this much has to be done by you: Yāvat tu, as much; dhanam, wealth; dadhyah, you will give; ebhyah, to these ones, to all counting from the Prastotā; tāvat, that much; dadhyah, you will have to give; mām, to me.’ Being told so, yajamānaḥ, the performer of the sacrifice said; ‘Tathā iti, so be it.’

अथ हैनं प्रस्तोतोपाससाद प्रस्तोतार्या देवता प्रस्तावम्न्वायतता तां चेदविद्धान्प्रस्तोष्यसि मूर्धा ते विपतिष्यतीति मा भगवानवोचत्कतमां सा देवतेति ॥ ४॥

4. Thereafter, the Prastotā approached this one (and said) ‘You, the venerable one, told me, “O Pras-totā, if you sing without knowing of him who is the

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[I. 11. 4

deity associated with the Prastāva, then your head will fall." Who is that deity?'

Atha, thereafter, having heard the speech of Uṣasti; prastotā, the singer of the Prastāva; upasasāda, approached with humility; enam, this one, Uṣasti; (and said) 'Bhagavān, you, the venerable one; avocat, told; mā, me, earlier, "If you sing the Prastāva", etc. Ka-tamā, who is; sā, that; devatā, deity who is associated with the Prastāva, the part of the sāma song called Prastāva?'

प्राण इति होवाच सर्वाणि ह वा इमानि भूतानि प्राण-मेवाभिसंविशन्ति प्राणमभ्युज्जिहते सैषा देवता प्रस्ताव-मन्वायत्ता तं चेतवदविद्वान्प्रस्तौष्यो मूर्धा ते व्यपतिष्यन्नथोक्तस्य मयेतिति ॥ ५॥

5. He said, ‘Prāṇa. All these beings surely proceed towards and merge in Prāṇa, (and) from Prāṇa they emerge. That is the deity who is associated with the Prastāva. If you had sung without knowing him, your head would have fallen when told so by me.’

Being asked thus, uvāca ha, he said; ‘Prāṇah, Prāṇa!’. It is reasonable that Prāṇa should be the deity of the Prastāva. How? ‘Sarvāṇi, all; imāni, these; bhū-tāni, beings, moving and non-moving; samviśanti, enter into; by proceeding abhi, towards; prāṇam, Prāṇa; eva, itself, in identity with Prāṇa during dissolution. (They) ujjihate, originate; prāṇam, from Prana itself (retaining their identity with Prāṇa) at the time of creation. Therefore, sā eṣā, that is; devatā, the deity;

'In this context, Prāṇa means the supreme Self. See B. S. I. 1. 23.

I. 11. 7] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 85

who is anvāyattā, associated with; prastāvam, Prastāva. Cet, if; avidvān, not knowing; tām, that deity; prastoṣyah, you had sung the Prastāva, if you had sung the part of the sāma song called Prastāva; te, your; mūrdhā, head; vyapatiṣyat, would have fallen; when uktasya, you were told; tathā, so; mayā, by me.’ The idea is this: ‘Therefore, it was well done by you that, you refrained from doing a work prohibited by me.’

अथ हैनमुद्गातोपससादोद्गातर्यो देवतेऽगीथम्न्वायत्तां तां चेदविद्वानुदगास्यसि मूर्धा ते विपतिष्यतीति मा भगवान्वोचत्कतमा सा देवतेति ॥ ६ ॥

Similarly, the Udgātā asked: ‘Katamā, who is; sā, that; devatā, deity who is associated with the part of sāma called Udgītha?’

आदित्य इति होवाच सर्वाणि ह वा इमानि भूतान्यदित्यमुच्चैः सन्नं गायन्ति सैषा देवतोद्गीथम्न्वायत्ता तां चेदविद्वानुदगास्यो मूर्धा ते व्यपतिष्यत्तथोकतसय मयेति ॥ ७ ॥

Being questioned thus, he uvāca ha, said; ‘Ādityah, the sun. Vai, surely; sarvāṇi, all; imāni, these; bhūtāni,

beings; gāyanti, sing to, make sounds (in honour of), i.e. praise; ādityam, the sun; ucchaih santam, when he is up.' This is so (i.e. the sun is the deity of Udgītha) because of the similarity of the syllable ut (in Ut-gītha and ut-chhaih), as it is done in the case of Prāṇa (who is the deity of Prastāva) where there is the similarity of the syllable pra. Therefore, ‘It is this deity. . .’, etc. is to be explained as before.

अथ हैनं प्रतिहर्तोपससाद प्रतिहर्तर्यो देवता प्रतिहारम्न्वायत्ता तं चेदविद्वान्प्रतिहरिष्यसि मूर्धा ते विपतिष्यतीति मा भगवान्वोचत्कतमा सा देवतेति ॥ ८॥

In this very way, atha, thereafter; pratihartā, the Pratihartā; upasasāda, approached; enam, this one (Uṣasti); ‘Who is that deity associated with Pratihāra?’

अन्नमिति होवाच सर्वाणि ह वा इमानि भूतान्यन्नमेव प्रतिहरमाणानि जीवन्ति सैषा देवता प्रतिहारमन्ब्वायत्ता तां चेदविद्वान्प्रत्यहरिष्यो मूर्धा ते व्यपतिष्यतथोक्तस्य मयेतित तथोकतस्य मयेतित ॥ ९ ॥ इत्येकादशः खण्डः ॥ ११॥

I. 12. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 87

fallen when told so by me, when you were told so by me.'

Being asked thus, he said, ‘Annam, food. Ha vai, surely; sarvāṇi, all; imāni, these; bhūtāni, beings; jīv-anti, live; haramāṇāni, by collecting; annam eva, food itself; prati, towards, for themselves, from all quarters. Sā eṣā, it is this; devatā, deity; who is anvāyattā, associated with Pratihāra, that part of sāma called Prati-hāra,' because of the similarity of the word prati (in prati-hāra and prati-hāra-mānāni). The remaining portion, ‘tathā uktasya mayā, of you who were told so by me’, is to be explained as before.

The meaning as a whole is that the parts of the sāma, called Prastāva, Udgītha, and Pratihāra, are to be meditated on as Prāṇa, sun, and food (respectively). The result of such a meditation is the achievement of identity with Prāṇa etc. or a greater fruitfulness of the rites.

SECTION 12

अथातः शौव उद्गीथस्तद्ध बको दाल्भ्यो ग्लावो वा मैत्रेयः स्वाध्यायमुद्ग्रास्यति ॥ १ ॥

1. Therefore, hereafter starts the Udgītha seen by dogs. Once upon a time, Baka or Glāva (as he was known) who was the son of Dalbha and Mitrā, went out for study of the Vedas,

In the preceding part has been related a pitiable condition as indicated by the eating of ort and putrid food due to non-availability of food. In order that such

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[I. 12. 1

a condition may not recur, atha, therefore, for the

sake of acquiring food; atah, hereafter is begun; ud-

gīthah, the Udgītha, the singing of Udgītha Sāma;

śauvah, seen by dogs.

Tat ha, once upon a time; (there was a ṛṣi) bakah,

Bāka by name; (and) dālbhyah, son of Dālbha; vā, or;

glāvah, Glāva by name; and maitreyah, son of Mitrā.

The word 'or' is here used in the sense of 'and' (to show

that the two names, Baka and Glāva refer to the same

person), for he was a dvāmuṣyāyanah, a person be-

longing to two families (see foot-note under I.8.1).

(The meaning is stated thus because) though the word

'or' can be taken to suggest an alternative in the case of

action, this cannot be so with regard to the nature of a

thing. Indeed, the Smṛti says, 'He can have two names,

two gotras (lineages).' It is seen in the world that fore-

fathers of both the parental sides share in the śrāddha

offerings. Or, since the text is fully preoccupied with

the Udgītha, being unmindful of the (identity of the) ṛṣi

in question, vā is used (merely) for (the facility of)

reading. (The word vā may otherwise mean either/or,

i.e. either the ṛṣi Baka or the ṛṣi Glāva.) Svādhyāyam,

for undertaking study; udvavrāja, he went out of the

village to a solitary place near a water (-source). And

since singular number is used in 'He went out' and 'He

waited' (I. 12. 3), therefore this ṛṣi (concerned) is only

one. From the fact that the ṛṣi conformed to the exact

time when the dogs sung the Udgītha (ibid), the con-

clusion indicated is that the study of the Vedas under-

taken by him was meant for obtaining food.

तस्मै श्वा श्वेतः प्रादुर्बभूव तमnye श्वान उपसमेत्योचुर्जं नो

भगवानागायतवशनायाम वा इति ॥ २ ॥

I. 12. 3] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 89

2. To him appeared a white dog. Other dogs, having approached him said, ‘May the venerable sir sing for our food because we are hungry, to be sure.’

Some deity or some ṛṣi, having become pleased with (his) study; and having taken the form of a dog, (becoming) śvetah, white; śvah, dog; prādurbabhūva, made his appearance; tasmai, before him, before the ṛṣi, to bestow him a favour. Anye, other; śvānaḥ, dogs, which were small in size; upasametya, having approached; tam, him, the white dog; ūcuḥ, said to him; ‘May the bhagavān, venerable sir; āgāyatu, sing; annam nah for our food, i.e. obtain food for us by singing.’ Or it is proper to understand that the vital force residing in the mouth (was told so by the) organs of speech etc. which eat their food after the vital force, and which, being pleased with the study (of the ṛṣi), favoured him by taking the form of dogs. They said thus: ‘Aśanāyāmah vai, we are hungry, to be sure.’

तान्होवाचेहैव मा प्रातरुपसमीयातेतितद्बको दाल्भ्यो

ग्लावो वा मैत्रेय: प्रतिपालयाज्जकार ॥ ३ ॥

3. To them he said, ‘You approach me together here itself in the morning.’ The ṛṣi named Baka and Glāva, who was the son of Dalbha and Mitrā, waited there itself.

Having been told so, the white dog uvāca ha, said; tān, to them, to the small dogs; ‘Mām upasamīyāta, you approach me together; iha eva, here itself, in this very place; prātaḥ, in the morning.’ The lengthening of i in samīyāta is a Vedic use, or it may be an erroneous reading. The mention of ‘morning’ is to indicate that

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[I. 12. 3

the performance (i.e. singing) was obligatory at that very time, or because the sun, who is the giver of food, is not in the front (of the Udgātā) in the afternoon. The rṣi named Baka and Glāva, who was the son of Dalbha and Mītrā, pratipālayāñcakāra, conformed to the exact time, i.e. waited; tat ha, there itself.

ते ह यथैवेदं बहिष्पवमानेन स्तोष्यमाणा: सङ्रब्धा: सर्पन्तीत्येवमाससृप्ते ह समुपविश्य हि᳚ चक्रुः ॥४॥

4. As in a rite the priests move by holding on to one another while praising with the Bahiṣpavamāna-hymn, so also they (the dogs) moved on. Sitting down together, they uttered the word him.

Te, they, those dogs, having come there itself to the presence of the ṛṣi; āsasṛpuh, moved on, i.e. went round and round taking one another’s tail in each other’s mouth; as in performing a rite, the group of Udgātās1, sarpanti, move; samārabdāḥ, by holding on to one another (i.e. holding the end of the cloth of one in the front); stoṣyamānāḥ, while praising; bahiṣpavamānena, with the hymn called Bahiṣpavamāna2. After having moved like that and samupavisya, having sat down together; te, they; him cakruḥ, uttered (sang) the word him.

ओ३मदाँ३ मो᳚ङ् पिबाँ३मो᳚ङ् देवो वरुण: प्रजापति: सविता᳚ऽन्नमिहारद᳚ऽपते᳚ऽन्नमिहारहरा᳚ङ्हराऽरो᳚ङ्मिति ॥ ५॥

1Ānanda Giri says that from the mention of Udgātā, all the priests beginning from the Adhvaryu, as also the yajamāna are to be understood.

2The hymn sung at the time of extracting Soma juice on the last day of the Soma-sacrifice.

I. 13. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 91

इति द्वादशः खण्डः ॥ ११२॥

5. 'Om, we shall eat; Om, we shall drink; Om, may the bright sun, who is Varuṇa and Prajāpati, bring food here. O the lord of food, bring food here, bring (food here), Om.'

'Om adāma, we shall eat. Om pibāma, we shall drink. Om.' (The sun is called) devaḥ because of his brightness. (He is called) Varuṇa because (he) pours rain on earth. (He is called) Prajāpati because (he) nourishes the creatures. (He is called) Savitā because (he) produces1 all. 'May the sun who has these names and these characteristics āharat, bring food for us; iha, here.' Āharat stands for āharatu. After singing the syllable him thus, they said again: 'Annapate, O the lord of food, who are of this kind, bring food for us here, bring (here).' He is called annapati, the lord of food because he produces all food. Unless the grains that are produced are ripened by him, the creatures will not have even a grain of food. Therefore, he is called the lord of food. The repetition (of the word 'bring') is to denote eagerness. Om.

SECTION 13

अयं वाव लोको हाउकारो वायुर्‌हैकारश्‍चन्द्रमा अथकारः । आत्मेहकारोऽग्निप्रतीकारः ॥ १ ॥

'The sun is referred to thus because it illumines the world, causes rainfall and nourishes the creatures by producing food through rainfall, thus becoming the originator of successive generations of things moving and not moving.

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[I. 13. 1

1. This very world is the syllable hāu; air is the syllable hāi; the moon is the syllable atha; the Self is the syllable iha; fire is the letter ī.

Since meditation on the parts of Sāma is linked up with the other addenda of the sāma song, therefore, hereafter, instruction is being given about other meditations on these syllables of the stobha in a group, which are the other limbs of the sāma song, because they are equally connected with the Sāma.

Ayam vāva, this very; lokah, world; is hāukārah, the syllable hāu, which is a stobha1 well-known in the Rathantara Sāma. (A Vedic text2 says), 'This (earth) is verily the Rathantara.' Because of this similārity of relationship the stobha hāu, is to be meditated on as the world.

Vāyuh, air; is hāikārah, the syllable hāi. The syllable hāi is well-known in the Vāmadevya Sāma. The relationship between air and water is the source of Vāmadevya Sāma. Hāikārah, the syllable hāi is to be meditated on by looking upon it as; vāyuh, air, because of this similarity. Candramā, the moon; is athakārah, the syllable atha. One should meditate on the syllable atha by looking upon it as the moon, for this (world) is

1Although the Rk verses are used as songs during rites still, some other meaningless syllables such as hāu, hāi, etc. which are known as stobhas are inserted for making the sāma song full. These, however, are absolutely necessary for producing the desired unseen result.

2The Vedic text quoted in the commentary equates the earth with Rathantara Sāma, and the present text says that hāu is to be used in singing the Rathantara. Because of this similarity of the relationship of hāu and earth with Rathantara, hāu is to be meditated on as earth.

I. 13. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 93

dependent (sthitaṃ) on food. The moon stands identified with food (annam). And because there is similarity as regards a and tha (anna has a in the beginning, and sthita has the letter tha) the meditation is to be undertaken as stated. Ātmā, the Self; is ihakārah, the syllable iha. Iha is a stobha, and the Self is directly referred to by the word iha, here. And the stobha also is iha. Thus there exists a similarity. Agnih, fire; is īkārah, the letter ī. All the sāma songs sung in honour of fire are connected with the (stobha) ī. So (the meditation follows) from that similarity.

आदित्य ऊकारो निहव एकारो विश्वेदेवा औहोयि-कार: प्रजापतिहिङ्कार: प्राण: स्वरोड्नं या वागिवराट् ॥ २ ॥

2. The sun is the letter ū; invocation is the letter e; the Viśvedevas are the syllable auhoi; Prajāpati is the syllable him; Prāṇa is the syllable svara; food is the letter yā; and Virāṭ is vāg.

Ādityah, the sun; is ūkārah, the letter ū. They sing of the sun when it is up (ucchaih) (I.11.7), and the stobha is also ū. The sāma songs which have the sun as their deity, have ū as a stobha. So the sun is ū. Nihavah, invocation; is the stobha ekārah, the letter e. The similarity follows from the fact that one is welcomed by saying ehi, come. Viśvedevāḥ, the Viśvedevas; are au-hoikārah, the syllable auhoi, because in the sāma song in honour of the Viśvedevas, the stobha (auhoi) is seen to occur. Prajāpatih, Prajāpati; is himkārah, the syllable him because he defies description, and the stobha him also is indeterminate. Prāṇah, Prāṇa; is svarah, svara. Svara is a stobha. The similarity follows from

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(Prāṇa) the vital force being the cause of svara, the musical scale. Annam, food; is yā, the letter yā. The stobha yā is food. Because this (world) moves (yāti) owing to food, therefore (the meditation arises) from this similarity. The stobha called vāk is virāṭ, which may mean ‘food’ or some deity, for the stobha (vāk) occurs in the Vairāja Sāma, the sāma in the honour of Virāṭ.

अनिरुक्तस्त्रयोदशः स्तोभः सङ्चरो हुंकारः ॥ ३ ॥

3. The thirteenth stobha, viz hum, which is variously used, is indeterminate.

Aniruktah, indeterminate because it is inexpressible, for it cannot be spoken of as ‘it is this’, ‘it is this’. Saṅcarah means that its nature is such that it is diversely thought of. Which is that? The answer is that it is trayodaśah, the thirteenth stobha; called humkārah, the syllable hum1. Since this is inexpressible, therefore it is to be meditated on as ‘not determinable in any special way’.

दुर्धेऽस्मै वाग्दोहं यो वाचो दोहोऽन्वादो भवति य पतामेवँ साममनुप्रतिष्ठँ वेदोऽनुप्रतिष्ठँ वेदति ॥ १३ ॥ इति त्रयोदशः खण्डः ॥ १३ ॥ इति छान्दोग्योपनिषदि प्रथमोऽ-

4. He who knows thus this mystic meditation about

1This stobha hum is unmanifested like the unmanifest source of this world. It is thought of diversely in the different branches of the Sāma-Veda, and it takes the place of other stobhas in different contexts. So it is to be thought of as the ultimate Cause.

ध्यायः ॥ १ ॥

the sāmas, to him speech offers that milk which it possesses, and he becomes possessed of food and an eater of food—he who knows the mystic meditation.

The result of the meditation on the letters (and syllables) that are known as stobhas is being spoken of. ‘The milk that speech possesses’, etc. has already been explained (I.3.7). Yah, he who; veda, knows; evam, thus; etām upaniṣadam, this Upaniṣad, the mystic meditation; sāmanām, on the sāmas, with regard to the letters which are known as stobhas and which form parts of sāma songs, to him comes this result as already stated. This is the meaning. The repetition (of ‘he who knows the mystic meditation’) is to indicate the conclusion of the chapter, or to indicate the conclusion of special meditations with regard to the parts of the sāma songs.

CHAPTER II

SECTION I

ओँ। सम्पस्त्य खलु साम्र उपासनँ साधु यत्खलु साधु तत्सामेत्याचक्षते यदसाधु तदसामेति ॥ १ ॥

1. Om. Meditation on the sāma as a whole is excellent. What is excellent is said to be sāma. What is not excellent in not sāma.

Starting with ‘(One should meditate on) this letter Om’, etc. instruction has been given about meditation with regard to parts of sāma, which yields many results. And after that has been stated the meditations concerning the letter called stobhas. In all these contexts, however, they relate only to a particular aspect of sāma. Hereafter, the Śruti begins with the idea, ‘I shall now speak of all kinds of meditations on the sāma as a whole.’ It is reasonable that the meditation on the possessor of the parts should be instructed after the meditation on the individual parts.

Upāsanam, meditation; sāmnah, on sāma; samastasyā, as a whole, i.e. as consisting of five divisions and seven divisions;—khalu is used as an embellishment of the sentence—is sāādhu, excellent. Since the purpose of the word sāādhu, excellent, is to enjoin looking upon the whole of sāma as good, it is not used for depreciating the earlier meditations.

Objection: Is it not a fact that ‘goodness’ which did not exist (in the earlier meditations) is being stated (here) with regard to the sāma as a whole?

II. 1. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 97

Vedāntin: Not so, because the conclusion is made with, 'He who meditates on sāma as excellent'1. The word sādhū is synonymous with excellence. How is this known? The answer is, yat, whatever is well-known in the world; as sādhū, excellent, commendable; the adepts ācaksate, call; tat, that; sāman, sāma; and yat, whatever is; asādhū, not excellent, opposed to that; tat, that; is asāmaḥ, not sāma.

तदुताप्याहुः सामैनमुपागादिति साधुनैनमुपागादित्येव तदाहुरसाम्नैनमुपागादित्यसाधुनैनमुपागादित्येव तदाहुः

॥ २ ॥

2 In that context, they also say, 'He has approached this one with a friendly attitude', where the very idea expressed is that he approached this one in a proper manner. (And) when they say, 'He approached this one with an unfriendly attitude', in that context, the very idea they express is that he approached this one in an improper manner.

Tat, with regard to that itself, with regard to discrimination between what is good and what is not good; uta api āhuh, they also say; 'Upāgāt, he has approached; enam, this one, the king and the satrap; sāmnā, with a friendly attitude.' Who is he? The person meant is he from whom there was apprehension of bad

'Although 'goodness' did exist even in the earlier context, only it was not specifically mentioned. So, there can be no condemnation of earlier meditations even by implication.—Ā. G.

What Śaṅkara means is that here a fresh meditation on sāma as possessed of the quality of goodness, is being begun without denying 'goodness' implicit in earlier meditations

7

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[II. 1. 2

behaviour. Tat, in that context, common people, not seeing unpleasant treatment like arrest etc.; āhuh, say; ‘Upāgāt, he approached; enam, this one; sādhunā, in a proper manner’; (where they use the word sādhu) iti eva, with the very idea that he went with honest intentions. Where, on the contrary, they observe unpleasant treatment like arrest etc. in that context; āhuh, they say; ‘Upāgāt, he approached; enam, this one; asāmnā, with an unfriendly intention’; where the very idea expressed is that he upāgāt, he approached; enam, this one; asādhunā, in an improper manner.

अथोताप्याहुः साम नो बतeti यत्साधु भवति साधु बतेत्येव तदाहुरसाम नो बतeti यदसाधु भवत्यसाधु बतेत्येव तदाहुः ॥ ३ ॥

3. Again, they also say, ‘Ah! To us good has come!’ In that context they say, ‘Ah! this is favourable’, where, what is favourable takes place. (And) they say, ‘The bad has happened to us.’ In that context they actually say, ‘Alas! this is unfavourable’, where, what is unfavourable takes place.

Atha, again; uta api, also; āhuh, they say; ‘Sāmah, good, which can be experienced by oneself, has happened; nah to us.’ Bata is used in the sense of self-complacence. This is what is said by them. Yat, whatever; bhavati, happens to be; sādhu, good; tat, with regard to that thing; āhuh, they say; iti, thus; ‘Bata, ah; this is sādhu, favourable.’ When the contrary happens, they say, ‘Bata, alas; asāmah, the bad (has come); nah, to us.’ Yat, whatever; bhavati, happens to be; asādhu, unfavourable; tat, with regard to that; iti eva, actually;

II. 2. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 99

āhuh, they say; 'Bata, alas; asādhu, this is unfavourable.' Therefore, the synonymity of the words sāma and sādhu is established.

स य एतदेवं विद्वान्साधु सामेत्युपास्तेऽध्याशो ह यदेनँ साधवो धर्मा आ च गच्छेयुरुप च नमेयुः ॥४॥ इति प्रथमः खण्डः ।। १९ ।।

4. Having known this thus, he who meditates on the sāma as sādhu, to such a man the good qualities, indeed, come quickly and bow down.

Therefore, saḥ, he; yaḥ, who, any one; upāste, meditates; sāma, on sāma; sādhu, as sādhu, as possessed of the quality of being good (fair, favourable, excellent, etc.); vidvān, having known the whole sāma as possessed of the quality of being good, to him comes this result; abhyāśaḥ ha, quickly indeed; The word yat is used as an adverb to specify quickness. Ca, and; enam, to this one, to the meditator; sādhavaḥ, good; dharmāḥ, qualities, which are not opposed to the Vedas and Smṛtis; āgaccheyuḥ, will come; not only will they come, ca, but also; upanameyuḥ, will bow down, i.e. will remain as things of enjoyment (for him).

SECTION 2

लोकेषु पञ्चविधँ सामोपासीत पृथिवी हिङ्कारः । अग्निः प्रस्तावोऽन्तरिक्षमुद्गीथ आदित्यः प्रतिहारो द्यौर्निधनमित्यूर्ध्वेषु ॥ १ ॥

1. The sāma having five divisions is to be meditated

on as the worlds. Earth is Himkāra. Fire is Prastāva. Intermediate-space is Udgītha. The sun is Pratihāra. Heaven is Nidhana. This much with regard to the higher worlds.

Which again, are those sāmas-as-a-whole that are to be meditated upon as associated with the idea of excellence? They are these ones that are being spoken of hereby: ‘The sāma having five divisions’, etc.

Objection: Is it not contradictory to say that they are to be meditated upon as the worlds etc. and also as excellent?

Answer: No, because the worlds, as products, are permeated by their cause meant by the word sādhu, just as transformations like pots etc. are permeated by earth etc. Whether the meaning of the word sādhu be dharma (merit) or Brahman, in either case it permeates the products like worlds etc. Therefore, just as wherever there is the idea of pots etc. that idea certainly remains permeated by the idea of earth etc. Similarly, the idea of worlds etc. certainly remains permeated by the idea of sādhu (merit or Brahman), because the worlds etc. are products of dharma1 (merit) etc.

Although both dharma and Brahman are similar so far their being causes is concerned still, it is reasonable that the word sādhu means dharma only, because the word sādhu is used with regard to dharma in such sentences as, ‘He who does a meritorious (sādhu) deed, becomes meritorious (sādhu).’

1The unseen results produced by rites and their accessories is called dharma, merit.

II. 2. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 101

Objection: Is it not a fact that, since the cause permeates the products like worlds etc. that idea (of a cause permeating its effect) follows as a matter of course? Therefore, it is not necessary to say, ‘One meditates on sāma as sādhu’.

Answer: No, because the idea is derived from the scriptures. Indeed, in all cases, only duties enjoined by the scriptures are to be undertaken; not those which, even though in vogue, are contrary to the scriptures.

Sāma, the sāma, the whole of sāma; pañcavidham, of five kinds according to its five divisions, and which is good; upāsīta, should be meditated on; lokeṣu, as the worlds such as earth etc. How? Prthivī, earth; is himkārah, Himkāra. By transforming the seventh (locative) case that occurs in the word lokeṣu (‘in the worlds’) into the first case (as lokah, the worlds), Himkāra is to be meditated upon as earth etc. by looking upon Himkāra as earth. Or by transposing the seventh case used in the Upaniṣad for the word loka (to hiṁkāra etc. the meaning will be), the meditation is to be undertaken by looking upon Himkāra etc. as earth etc. There, earth is Himkāra because of the similarity of being the first. Agnih, fire; is prastāvah, Prastāva because it is in fire that all rites are performed; (prastūyante), and the name of the (concerned) division of the sāma is Prastāva. Antarikṣam, intermediate-space; udgīthah is Udgītha. Intermediate-space means the sky (gaganam), and the word udgītha contains the word ga. (Hence the similarity.) Ādityah, the sun; is pratihārah, Pratihāra because the sun faces everyone (and everybody says) ‘(The sun faces) towards (prati) me, towards me.’ Dyauh, heaven; is nidhanam, Nidhana

because people departing from here get stationed (nidhīyante) in heaven. In this way is to be undertaken the meditation on sāma by looking upon it as ūrdhveṣu, the worlds placed high up.

अथावृत्तेषु गौर्हित्कार आदित्यः प्रस्तावोऽन्तरिक्ष-मुद्गीथोऽप्रि: प्रतिहार: पृथिवी निधनम् ॥ २ ॥

2. Thereafter (when they are) considered in the opposite order, heaven is Himkāra; the sun in Prastāva; intermediate-space is Udgītha; fire is Pratihāra; earth is Nidhana.

Atha, thereafter; the fivefold meditation on sāma is stated (by regarding the worlds) āvṛtteṣu, in their downward order, because the worlds are associated with going (up) and coming (down of creatures). Since meditation on sāma is being enjoined in accordance with their positions, therefore, from the point of view of the worlds in their downward order, dyauh, heaven is Himkāra because of its first position; ādityah, the sun is Prastāva because the activities of creatures are begun (prastūyante) after the sun rises; intermediate-space is Udgītha, just as before; fire is Pratihāra because fire is carried (pratiharaṇa) from place to place by beings; earth is Nidhana because people coming from there (heaven) are placed (or die) here.

कल्पन्ते हास्मै लोका ऊर्ध्वाश्चावृत्ताश्च य एतदेवं विद्वान्लोकेषु पञ्चविधं सामोपासते ॥ ३ ॥ इति द्वितीय: खण्ड: ॥ २ ॥

3. Having known this (sāma) thus (possessed of the quality of dharma, merit), he who meditates on the

II. 3. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 103

fivefold sāma as the worlds, for his enjoyment exist

the worlds placed in the upward as also in the down-

ward orders.

The result of the meditation is: Yaḥ, any one who;

vidvān, 'having known; etat, this; evam, thus; upāste,

meditates; on pañcavidham, the five-fold sāma as a

whole, and as sādhū (i.e. as dharma); asmai, for him;

kalpante ha, become fit (enjoyable); lokāḥ, the worlds;

ūrdhvāḥ ca āvṛttāḥ ca, placed in the upward and the

downward orders, and which are associated with going

and coming. That is to say, they (the worlds) present

themselves for his enjoyment. This is how the sen-

tences are to be construed, both with regard to the

fivefold and sevenfold sāmás.

SECTION 3

वृष्टौ पञ्चविधं सामोपासीत पुरोवातो हिङ्कारो मेघो

जायते स प्रस्तावो वर्षति स उद्गीथो विद्योतते स्तनयति

स प्रतिहारः उद्गृह्णाति तन्निधनम् ॥ १ ॥

1. The fivefold sāma has to be meditated on as rain.

The eastern wind, that is Himkāra; the clouds form,

that is Prastāva; that it rains, that is Udgītha; that

lightning flashes and thunder roars, that is Pratihāra; it

(water) is used up, that is Nidhana.

Pañcavidham, the fivefold sāma; upāsīta, has to be

meditated on; vṛṣṭau, as rain. Since rain is the cause of

the continuance of the worlds, hence is this suc-

cession'.

'Of 'rain' after 'world'.

Pūrvātaḥ, the eastern wind is Himkāra because rain begins with the eastern wind and ends with its (water's) use, just as sāma starts with Himkāra and ends with Nidhana. Therefore the eastern wind is Himkāra because of their first positions. Meghaḥ jāyate, the clouds form; saḥ, that; is prastāvaḥ, Prastava because the well-known fact is that in the rainy season the formation of clouds indicates beginning of rainfall. Varṣati, that it rains; saḥ, that; is udgītaḥ, Udgītha because of its highest position. Vidyotate, that lightning flashes; stanayati, thunder roars, that is Pratihāra because of (the former). being scattered' (pratihrtattvāt). Udgrhṇāti2, it is used up, that is Nidhana because of the similarity of ending up.

वर्षति हास्मै वर्षयति ह य एतदेवं विद्वान्वृष्टिं पञ्चविधं सामोपास्ते ॥ २ ॥ इति तृतीय: खण्ड: ॥ ३ ॥

2. Anyone who, having known this thus, meditates on the five-fold sāma as rain, for him does occur rain, and he causes rainfall.

The result of the meditation is: Asmai, for him; varṣati ha, it rains according to his will. Similarly, varṣayati ha, he makes it rain even when there is no rain. 'He who', etc. is to be construed as before.

SECTION 4

सर्वास्वप्सु पञ्चविधं सामोपासीत मेघो यत्संप्लवते स

1The similarity follows from the word prati being common.

2The word udgṛhṇāti is translated variously. It may imply 'using up by people', or 'sucking up by the sun', or 'cessation of rains'. Saṅkarācārya is silent on the point.

II. 4. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 105

हिङ्कारो यद्वर्षति स प्रस्तावो या: प्राच्य: स्यन्दन्ते स उद्गीथो या: प्रतीच्य: स प्रतिहार: समुद्रो निधनम् ॥ १ ॥

1. One should meditate on the fivefold sāma as all (kinds of) water. That clouds gather and rain is imminent, that is Hiṅkāra. That it pours down, that is Prastāva. The rivers that flow eastward, that is Udgītha. Those (that flow) westward, that is Pratihāra. The sea is Nidhana.

Upāsīta, one should meditate on; pañcavidham sāma, fivefold sāma; sarvesu as all (kinds of); apsu, water. Since rain precedes all kinds of water, (therefore the meditation on all kinds of water) follows (the meditation on rain). Yat, that; meghaḥ, cloud(s); samplavate, gather together to become dense or thick—when a cloud rises high it is said to be gathering—that is the beginning of water; that is Hiṅkāra. Yat, that; saḥ varṣati, it rains; saḥ, that is Prastāva. Water becomes ready (prastutaḥ) to spread everywhere. Yaḥ, those (rivers); that syandante, flow; prācyaḥ, eastward, that is Udgītha because of their superiority. Yaḥ, those (that flow); pratīcyaḥ, westward; saḥ, that is Pratihāra because of the similarity of the word prati (in pratihāra and pratīcyaḥ). Samudraḥ, the sea; nidhanam, is Nidhanam since all the waters get deposited there.

न हाप्सु प्रैत्यप्सुमान्भवति य एतदेवं विद्वान्सर्वास्वप्सु पञ्चविधं सामोपास्ते ॥ २ ॥ इति चतुर्थ: खण्ड: ॥४॥

2. Anyone who having known thus, meditates on the fivefold sāma as all kinds of water, he does not die in water; he becomes possessed of water.

Na praiti ha, he does not die; apsu, in water, if he Na praiti ha, he does not die; apsu, in water, if he

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[II. 4. 2

does not want this. Bhavati, he become; apsumān,

possessed of water. This is the result.

SECTION 5

ऋतुषु पञ्चविधं सामोपासीत वसन्तो हिङ्कारो ग्रीष्म:

प्रस्तावो वर्षा उद्गीथ: शरत्प्रतिहारो हेमन्तो निधनम् ॥ १ ॥

1. One should meditate on the five-fold sāma as the

seasons. Spring is Hiṅkāra; summer is Prastāva; rainy

season is Udgītha; autumn is Pratihāra; (early and late)

winter is Nidhana.

Upāsīta, one should meditate on; pañcavidham

sāma, the fivefold sāma; rtuṣu, as the seasons. The

succession (of this meditation after that related to

water) is because the arrangement of seasons is caused

by the aforesaid waters. Vasanthaḥ, spring; hiṅkāraḥ,

Himkāra because of their first places1; grīṣmaḥ, sum-

mer is Prastāva because barely etc. are collected (pras-

tūyate) in anticipation of rains; varṣaḥ, rainy season is

Udgītha because of (its) importance; śarat, autumn is

Pratihāra because the sick and the dead are carried

away; hemantaḥ, (early and late) winter is Nidhanam

because (in this season) creatures take shelter in places

free from wind.

कल्पन्ते हास्मा ऋतव ऋतुमान्भवति य एतदेवं

विद्वानृतुषु पञ्चविधं सामोपास्ते ॥ २ ॥ इति पञ्चम:

खण्ड: ॥ ५ ॥

2. Anyone who having known this thus, meditates

1Some count the seasons from spring onwards.

II. 6. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 107

on the fivefold sāma as the seasons, to him the seasons become propitious. He becomes possessed of the (enjoyable things of the different) seasons.

(This is) the result: Asmai, for this meditator; ṛta-van, the seasons; kalpante, become propitious by providing (different) enjoyable things in accordance with the conditions of the seasons. He becomes ṛtumān, possessed of the seasons, i.e. possessed of the enjoyable things of the seasons.

SECTION 6

पशुषु पञ्चविधँ सामोपासीताजा हिङ्कारोडवय: प्रस्तावा गाव उद्गीथोऽड्ग्रिः प्रतिहारः पुरुषो निधनम् ॥ १ ॥

1. One should meditate on the fivefold sāma as the animals. Goats are Hiṅkāra; sheep are Prastāva; cows are Udgītha; horses are Pratihāra; man is Nidhana.

Upāsīta, one should meditate on; pañcavidham sāma, the fivefold sāma; paśuṣu, as the animals. If the seasons advance well, time becomes favourable to the animals. Hence js this succession. Ajāḥ, goats are Himkāra because of their importance1 or their first position, in accordance with the Vedic utterance, 'The goat is the first among animals.' Avayaḥ, sheep are Prastāva because goats and sheep are seen to be living in association. Gāvaḥ, cows are Udgītha because of their superiority. Aśvāḥ, horses are Pratihāra because. they carry people; puruṣaḥ, man is Nidhana because animals find shelter with man.

1Goats being associated with sacrifices—Ā. G.

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[II. 6. 2

भवन्ति हस्य पशवः पशुमान्भवति य एतदेवं विद्यान्पशुषु पञ्चविधं सामोपासते ॥ २ ॥ इति षष्ठः खण्डः ॥ ६ ॥

2. Anyone who having known this thus, meditates on the fivefold sāma as the animals, to him come animals, he becomes possessed of animals.

The result is: Bhavanti ha asya paśavah, to him come animals. Bhavati, he become; paśumān, possessed of animals. He derives the fruits of having animals, i.e. of enjoying (them) and of giving them away (in charity).

SECTION 7

प्राणेषु पञ्चविधं परोवरীয়ः सामोपासीत प्राणो हिङ्कारो वाक्प्रस्तावश्चक्षुरुद्गीथः श्रोत्रं प्रतिहारो मनो निधनं परोवरীয়ः सि वा एतानी ॥ १ ॥

1. The fivefold sāma which is successively higher than the high is to be meditated on as the organs—(the organ of) smell is Himkāra; (the organ of) speech is Prastāva; (the organ of) sight is Udgītha; (the organ of) hearing is Pratihāra; the mind is Nidhana—because these are surely successively higher than the high.

The fivefold sāma, parovariyah, which is successively higher than the high; upāsīta, is to be meditated on; prānesu, as the organs. The meaning is that sāma is to be meditated on as the organs, with the idea that they are possessed of the quality of being successively higher amongst themselves.

Prānah, the organ of smell is Himkāra because it is

the first in the series (of organs) which are successively higher. Vāk, the organ of speech is Prastāva because everything is begun with speech. The organ of speech is higher than the organ of smell because even a thing that is not present is spoken of through speech, whereas the organ of smell is the perceiver only of an odour that is present. Cakṣuh, the organ of sight is Udgītha. Since it reveals more things than speech can, therefore it is higher than the organ of speech, and it is Udgītha because of superiority. Śrotram, the organ of hearing is Pratihāra because of its being carried away (i.e. attracted to sounds). It is higher than the organ of sight because it can hear from all around1. The mind is Nidhana because things perceived through all the organs get deposited in the mind of a man for his enjoyment. And mind is higher than the organs of hearing because it comprehends the objects of all the organs, and even a thing beyond the ken of the organs, surely comes within the scope of the mind. From the reasons adduced above, it follows that etāni, these organs, counting from that of smell; are vai, certainly; paro-varīyāmsi, successively higher than the high.

परोवरायो हस्य भवतः परोवरायसो ह लोकाऽऽदधति य एतदेवं विद्वान् प्राणेषु पञ्चविधं परोवरं: सामोपास्त इति तु पञ्चविधस्य ।। २ ।। इति सप्तम: खण्ड: ।।७।।

2. Anyone who having known this thus, meditates on the sāma with five divisions which are successively higher, as the organs, his (life) becomes successively higher,

'Whereas the eye sees only the things that are in its front.

higher, and he conquers the worlds that are successively higher. However, this is with regard to the fivefold sāma.

Yah, anyone who; upāste, meditates on; sāma parovariyah, which is successively higher, as associated with this (above) idea; asya, his life; bhavati, becomes; parovariyah, successively higher than the high. This has already been explained.

Here concludes the meditation on pañcavidhasya, the fivefold sāma. ‘Iti tu pañcavidhasya, however, this is with regard to the (meditation on) fivefold (sāma)’—this is said for drawing attention to the subject of the sevenfold sāma which follows, because one who has become detached from the fivefold sāma can concentrate his intellect on what is going to be stated.

SECTION 8

अथ सप्तविधस्य वाचि सप्तविधं सामोपासीत यत्किश्च वाचो हुमिति स हिङ्कारो यथेति स प्रस्तावो यदेति स आदिः ॥ १ ॥

1. Now starts (the meditation) on the sevenfold (sāma). One should meditate on the sevenfold sāma as speech. Whatever is hum in speech, that is Himkāra (of the sāma song). That which is pra (in speech), that is Prastāva. That which is ā, that is Ādi.

Atha, hereafter is begun this good meditation; on saptavidhasya, the sevenfold sāma as a whole. The seventh case in vāci (in speech) is used as in the earlier context (see commetary on II. 2. 1). The meaning is

II. 8. 3] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD I I I

that the saptavidham, sevenfold sāma; upāsīta, is to be meditated on by looking upon it as speech. Yat kiñca, whatever takes the special form; of hum vāci, in speech, in an utterance; sah, that is Hiṅkāra (of the sāma song) because of the similarity of the letter ha. The utterance yat, which; sounds prati iti, as pra; sah, that is Prastāva because of the similarity of pra. Yat, that which; sounds as ā is Ādi because of the similarity of ā. Ādi means Om because it precedes all (Vedic utterances).

यदुदिति स उद्गीथो यत्प्रतीति स प्रतिहारो यदुपेति स उपद्रवो यज्ञीति तन्निधनम् ॥ २ ॥

2. Whatever sounds as ut is Udgītha. Whatever sounds as prati is Pratihāra. Whatever sounds as upa is Upadrava. Whatever sounds as ni is Nidhana. Yat, whatever; ut iti, sounds as ut, that is Udgītha because the word udgītha has ut in the beginning. Yat, whatever; prati iti, sounds as prati, that is Pratihāra because of the similarity of prati. Yat, whatever; upa iti, sounds as upa, that is Upadrava because the word upadrava starts with upa. Whatever ni iti, sounds as ni, that is Nidhana because of the similarity of the sound ni.

दुग्धेऽस्मै वाग्दोहं यो वाचो दोहोऽन्वादो भवति य एतदेवं विद्वान्वाचि सप्तविधं सामोपास्ते ॥३॥ इत्यष्टमः खण्डः ॥ ८॥

3. He who having known this thus, meditates on the sevenfold sāma as speech, to him speech offers that milk which it possesses, and he becomes possessed of

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[II. 8. 3

food and an eater of food.

‘The milk’, etc. has already been explained (see I.

13. 4).

SECTION 9

अथ खल्वमुमादित्य᳔ सप्तविध᳔ सामोपासीत सर्वदा

समस्तेन साम मा प्रति मा प्रतीति सर्वेण समस्तेन साम

॥ ९ ॥

1. Thereafter, the sevenfold sāma has to be med-

itated on as the yonder sun. Since it is always the same,

therefore it is sāma. (People say) ‘(It faces) towards

me, towards me.’ Thus it is the same to all. Hence it is

(identified with) sāma.

The looking upon a mere part of the sāma as similar

to the sun has been stated in the context of the medita-

tion on the fivefold sāma, as also in the first chapter

Atha khalu, thereafter, now; saptavidham, the seven-

fold sāma; upāsīta, is to be meditated on; by super-

imposing amum the yonder; ādityam, sun, part by part,

on the sāma as a whole. How again, does the sun

become identified with sāma? It is being stated: The

sun is identified with sāma for the same reason by

which it was (stated to be) identical with Udgītha (see

I. 5. 1). Which is this (reason)? (It is) sarvadā, always;

samah, the same because of the absence of waxing and

waning. Tena, because of that reason; it is sāmaḥ, the

sāma. Since the sun gives rise to the same conviction,

‘It prati, faces towards; mām, me, it faces towards me’;

thus it becomes samaḥ, the same; sarveṇa, to all.

Therefore the sun is sāma because of it sameness.

II. 9. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 113

From the earlier statement itself that (since there is similarity between the sun and the Udgītha on account of both being high) the sun is identified with Udgītha, a division of sāma (I. 5. 1), it follows that there is similarity (also) in the context of (such series as) the worlds etc. And from this it becomes known that the sun is identified with the series (of the sevenfold sāma) starting from Himkāra, and hence the reason for its (sun's) identification with Himkāra etc. has not been (explicitly) stated. But the identity of the sun with sāma is not easily understood, and hence the identity is being stated.

तस्मिन्निमानि सर्वाणि भूतान्यन्वायत्तानीति विद्यात्तस्य यत्पुरोदयात्स हिङ्कारस्तदस्य पशवोऽन्वायत्तास्तस्मात्ते हिङ् कुर्यन्ति हिङ्कारभाजिनो ह्येतस्य साम्नः ॥ २ ॥

2. One should know that all these creatures are indeed connected with that (sun). That (form it has) before rising is Himkāra. The animals are associated with that form. Since they are the worshippers of (the division) Himkāra of this sāma, therefore, they utter the sound him.

Iti vidyāt, one should know that in accordance with the different phases (of the sun); imāni sarvāṇi, all these; bhūtāni, creatures which will be spoken of; an-vāyattāni, are connected; tasmin, with that, with the sun, in the sense that they depend on the sun for their existence. How? Yat, that, the holy form¹; tasya, of that, of the sun; purodayāt, before rising; saḥ, that is; himkāraḥ, the division of the sāma called Himkāra.

¹The holy form which inspires pious deeds which bring happiness.

8

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[II. 9. 2

That the sun has this form of the division of the sāma called Himkāra, is its similarity (with sāma). That which is the division Himkāra of sāma, tat, with that (phase); asya, of the sun; pašavah, the animals, cows etc.; anvāyattāḥ, are associated. The meaning is that they subsist on that form of the division (Himkāra) of the sāma. Since this is so, tasmāt, therefore; te, they, the animals; kurvanti, utter the sound; him, Him, before sunrise. Therefore himkārabhājinah, they are worshippers of Himkāra, which is a division; etasya, of this sāma, called the sun. Because of their habit of worshipping that (Himkāra) they act like this.

अथ यत्प्रथमोदिते स प्रस्तावस्तदस्य मनुष्या अन्वायत्तास्तस्मिन् प्रस्तुतिकामा: प्रस्तावभाजिनो होतस्य साम्न: ॥ ३ ॥

3. Thereafter, the phase (that the sun has) when it first rises up, that is Prastāva. Human beings are associated with that phase of it. Because they are worshippers of Prastāva, a division of this sāma, therefore, they are desirous of praise and desirous of reputation1.

Atha, thereafter; yat, that phase the sun has; pratham udite, when it first rises up; sah, that is; prastāvah, Prastāva, (a division) of the sāma called the sun. Manuṣyāḥ, human beings; anvāyattāḥ, are associated with; tat asya, that phase of it—this portion is to be explained as before. Tasmāt, therefore; te, they; desire prastutim, praise (in their presence); and praśaṁsām,

1That is to say, they are desirous of praise in their own presence, and also desirous of reputation, which is praise not in their immediate presence. See Ā. G.

II. 9. 5] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 115

reputation (praise in their absence); hi, because; they are prastāvabhājinaḥ, worshippers of the Prastāva (division); etasya, of this; sāmnaḥ, sāma.

अथ यत्सङ्गववेलायां स आदिस्तदस्य वयाᳫ्स्य-

न्वायत्तानि परिपतन्त्यादिभाजिनी होतस्य साम्नः ॥४॥

4. Thereafter, the phase (that the sun has) when spreading its rays is Ādi. The birds are associated with that phase of it. Therefore they fly in the sky, depending on themselves, without any support, because they are the worshippers of the Ādi division of this sāma.

Atha, thereafter; yat, the phase that the sun has; saṅgavavelāyām, at the time of spreading its rays—velāyām, at the time when there occurs, saṅgamanam, spreading, gavām, of the rays; or (there occurs) saṅgamanam, meeting, gavām, of the cows with their calves—, the phase that the sun has at that time1; saḥ, that is the special division of the sāma, called Ādi, and that is Om. Vayāmsi, the birds; anvāyattāni, are associated with; tat, that phase; asya, of it. Since this is so, tasmāt, therefore; tāni, those birds; paripatanti, go (fly); antarikṣe, in the sky; anārambanāni, without any support; ātmānam ādāya, depending on themselves alone for support. Hence, because of the similarity of ā (in ādi and ādāya); they are ādibhājini, worshippers of Ādi, (a division of); etasya, of this; sāmnaḥ, sāma.

अथ यत्सप्रति मध्यन्दिने स उद्गीथस्तदस्य देवा

1The meeting of the sun's rays with the earth, or the cows with their calves.—Ā. G.

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[II. 9. 5

अन्वायत्तास्तस्मात्ते सततमाः प्राजापत्यानामुद्गीथभाजिनो

होतस्य साम्रः ॥ ५॥

5. Thereafter, the phase (that the sun has) just at mid-day, that is Udgītha. The gods are associated with that phase of the sun. Hence, they are the best among the progeny of Prajāpati since they are the worshippers of Udgītha, a division of this sāma.

Atha, thereafter; yat, that phase (of the sun); ma-dhyandine, at noon; samprati, i.e. just at mid-day; saḥ, that is Udgītha, a division of the sāma. Devāḥ, the gods; anvāyattāḥ, are associated with; tat, that phase; asya, of this (sun) because of its greatest brightness at that time. Tasmāt, therefore; te, they (gods); are sattamāḥ, greatest of the great; prājāpatyānām, among the progeny of Prajāpati; hi, because; they are udgīthabhājinaḥ, worshippers of Udgītha; (a division) asya, of this; sāmanah, sāma.

अथ यदूर्ध्वं मध्यन्दिनात्प्रागपराह्णात्स प्रतिहारस्तदस्य

गर्भा अन्वायत्तास्तस्मात्ते प्रतिहिता नावपद्यन्ते

प्रतिहारभाजिनो होतस्य साम्रः ॥ ६॥

6. Thereafter, the phase (that the sun has) after midday and before afternoon, that is Pratihāra. Foetuses are associated with that phase of it. Therefore, being held up they do not fall down because they are the worshippers of Pratihāra, a division of this sāma.

Atha, thereafter; yat, the phase that the sun has; ūrdhvam, after madhyandināt, mid-day (and); prāk, before; aparāḥṇāt, afternoon; saḥ, that; is pratihāraḥ, Pratihāra. Tat asya, with that phase of it; garbhāḥ, the foetuses; anvāyattāḥ are associated. Tasmāt, hence;

II. 9. 8] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 117

te, they; pratihṛtāḥ, being held up by the form of the sun as Pratihāra, a division of sāma; na, do not; ava-padayante, fall down, even though there is a door for this. This is the meaning, hi, because; the foetuses are pratihārabhājinah, the worshippers of Pratihāra; (a division) asya, of this sāma.

अथ यदूर्ध्वमपराह्णात्प्रागस्तमयातस्म उपद्रवस्तद- स्यारण्या अन्वायत्तास्तस्मात्ते पुरुषं दृष्ट्वा कक्षँश्वब्रमित्युपद्रवन्ति उपद्रवभाजिनो होतस्य साम्नः ॥७॥

7. Thereafter, the phase (that the sun has) following the afternoon and before its setting down, that is Upad-rava. The forest animals are associated with that phase of it. Therefore, on seeing any man they run towards a forest or a cave (thinking them safe), because they are the worshippers of Upadrava, a division of this sāma.

Atha, thereafter, the phase (that the sun has); ūr-dhvam, following; aparāhnāt, afternoon (and); prāk, before; astamayāt, setting down; sah, that is Upadrava. Āraṇyāh, forest animals; anvāyattāh, are associated with; tat, that; asya, phase of it. Tasmāt, therefore; dṛṣṭvā, on seeing; puruṣam, any man; upadhāvanti, they run out of fear; kakṣam, towards a forest; (and, or) śvabhram, a cave, thinking it safe. Hi, because they run away on seeing; upadravabhājinah, they are worshippers of Upadrava, (a division of) this sāma.

अथ यत्प्रथमास्तमिते तन्निधनं तदस्य पितरोऽन्वायत्त- स्तस्मात्तान्निदधाति निधनभाजिनो होतस्य साम्न एव खल्वमुमादित्य᳚ सप्तविध᳚ᳶ सामोपासते ॥ ८॥ इति नवमः खण्डः ॥ ९ ॥

8. Now, that (phase of the sun) when it sets for the first time, is Nidhana (end) of this sāma. The manes are associated with it. Therefore, they (the priests) meditate on the manes. They (the manes) are the worshippers of Nidhana, a division of this sāma. Indeed, this sun is meditated upon as a sevenfold sāma.

इति नवमः खण्डः ॥ ९ ॥

118 CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD [II. 9. 8

8. Thereafter, the phase (that the sun has) when it starts setting down, that is Nidhana. The manes are associated with that phase of it. Therefore, they are placed on kuśa-grass (at the time of śrāddha-ceremony) because they are the worshippers of Ni-dhana, a division of this sāma. In this way, indeed, one (who) meditates on the sevenfold sāma as the sun . . . .

Atha, thereafter; yat, that phase (of the sun); when prathamāstamitē, it starts setting down, when the sun begins to go out of sight; tat, that; nidhanam, is Ni-dhana. Pitarah, the manes; are anvāyattāḥ, associated with; tat, that; asya, phase. Tasmāt, therefore; nidadhati, one places; tān, them on kuśa-grass, symbolically as father, grandfather, great-grandfather; or places food-offerings for them (on the kuśa-grass): Because of the connection with nidhana, placing, the manes are nidhanabhājinaḥ, worshippers of Nidhana, a division of this sāma. He who upāste, meditates, part by part; saptavidham sāma, on the sevenfold sāma; ādityam, as the yonder sun which is divided into seven phases, to him comes the result of identification with it (the sun). This, i.e. the result is to be understood at the end of sentence.

SECTION 10

अथ खल्वात्मसमिमितमर्तिमृत्यु सप्तविधꣳ सामोपासीत हिङ्कार इति त्र्यक्षरꣳ प्रस्ताव इति त्र्यक्षरꣳ तत्समम् ॥ १ ॥

1. Thereafter, one has to meditate on the sevenfold sāma as identified with the Self, and as transcending

II. 10. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 119

death. The word Himkāra has got three letters—him, kā, ra; Prastāva has three letters—pra, stā, va. That is equal.

The sun is death because it measures up or delimits the world through time consisting of day, night, etc. For transcending that (death) this meditation on sāma is being stated.

Atha khalu, thereafter; after the meditation on sāma as the sun which is identified with death; starts the meditation on sāma, ātmasammitam, considered from the point of view of the similarity of its parts or its similarity with the supreme Self; (such a meditation) being atimṛtyuh, the cause of transcendence of death.

As in the first chapter, the letters of the sāma-division called Udgītha, viz ut, gī, and tha, were spoken of as being fit for meditation, similarly here also, after placing together the letters of the names of the seven kinds of division of sāma, and imagining their similarity with sāma because of their being three in number (in each group of two names), they are being presented as fit for being meditated on. The Śruti pictures this transition (through meiditation) solely for transcending that sun which is death, achieved through the extra letter, after approaching death through the equation of the letters that come under the purview of death (with the letters in the names of the divisions of sāma1).

Upāsīta, one has to meditate; saptavidham, on the sevenfold sāma; atimṛtyum, as transcending death. The sāma is spoken of as transcending death because it goes beyond death with the help of the extra letter. Of

1See II. 10. 5.

that sāma, the lētters of the name of the first division is Himkāra (Him-kā-ra). This name of the division, try-akṣaram consists of three letters. The name of the division called Prastāva also consists of three letters. Tat, that; is samam, equal to the former.

आदिरिति द्व्यक्षरं प्रतिहार इति चतुरक्षरं तत् इहैकं तत्तसम्मम् ॥ २ ॥

2. The (name) Ādi has two letters (Ā, di). The (name) Pratihāra has four letters (pra, ti, hā, ra). From the latter (ad) one to the former; thereby that becomes equal.

The (name) Ādi dvyakṣaram, has two letters. Om is called Ādi in enumerating the sevenfold sāma. Prati-hāra caturakṣaram, has got four letters. Tatah, from that; ekam, one letter has to be detached; and added iha, here to the two letters of Ādi. Thereby tat samam, it becomes exactly equal to that.

उद्गीथ इति त्र्यक्षरमुपद्रव इति चतुरक्षरं त्रिभिस्त्रिभिः समं भवत्यक्षरमपतिशिष्यते व्यक्षरं तत्तसम्मम् ॥३॥

3. The (name) Udgītha has three letters (ut, gī, tha). The (name) Upadrava has four letters (u, pa, dra, va). By having three letters each there is equality, (but) one letter remains extra. (Although it is one) it is an akṣara (a letter). (Thereby) it has three letters, (and so) it is equal.

Udgīthah, (the name) Udgītha; tryakṣaram, has three letters. The (name) Upadrava caturakṣaram, has four letters. Tribhih tribhih, so far as they possesses three letters each; bhavati, there is; samam, equality.

II. 10. 5] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 121

Akṣaram, one letter; atiśiṣyate, becomes extra. Since that gives rise to an inequality, therefore, for the sake of making sāma equal, the text says: Although it is one, it is a letter (akṣara1). Thereby it really becomes try-akṣaram, possessed of three letters. Therefore, tat samam, it is equal (to that).

निधनमिति व्यक्षरं तत्सममेव भवति तानि ह वा एतानि द्वाविंशतिरक्षराणि ॥४॥

4. The (name) Nidhana has three letters (ni, dha, na). That becomes equal pari passu. These very letters that are so, are twenty two in number.

Nidhanam, the (name) Nidhana; tryakṣaram, has three letters. Tat, that; bhavati, becomes; samam, equal; eva, pari passu. In this way, after having established (their) identity with sāma through the equality of three letters, the letters as they stand are being enumerated. Etāni ha vai, these very; akṣarāṇi, letters forming the names of the sevenfold sāṃna; tāni, which are so; dvāviṃśatih, are twentytwo.

एकविंशत्यादित्यमाप्रोत्येकविंशो वा इतोऽसावादित्यो द्वाविंशेन परमादित्याज्जयति तदाक्षरं तद्विशोकम् ॥ ५॥

5. One reaches the sun through the twentyone (letters). The yonder sun is verily the twentyfirst (when counted) from here. By the twentysecond one conquers that which is higher than the sun. That is bliss, that is free from sorrow.

'Although the extra letter is one in number, in Sanskrit it is called akṣara (letter). Now, the word akṣara has three letters (a, kṣa, ra). Thus, that one letter becomes three-lettered.

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[II. 10. 5

As to that, ekavimśatyā, with the twentyone, through the letters numbering twentyone; āpnoti, one reaches; ādityam, the sun, which is death; because from the point of view of enumeration, asau, the yonder; ādityah, sun; is vai surely; ekavimśah, the twentyfirst; itah, from here, from this world. The Veda says, '(There are) twelve months, five seasons, three worlds, and the yonder sun is twentyfirst.' Dvāvimśena, by the twentysecond, the extra letter; jayati, one conquers, i.e. reaches; param, higher; ādityāt, than the sun which is death. And what is that which is higher than the sun? Tat, that is; nākam, bliss. Kam means happiness; the negation of that is akam, unhappiness; where there is no aka, that is nāka. So the meaning of nāka is bliss since it is beyond the range of death. And that (nāka) is viśokam, free from unhappiness. The meaning is that it is free from mental sorrow. (Therefore it is param, higher.) That one attains.

आप्नोति हादित्यस्य जयं परो हास्यादित्यजयाज्जयो भवति य एतदेवं विद्वानात्मसमित्तमतिमृत्यु सप्तविधं सामोपास्ते सामोपास्ते ॥ ६ ॥ इति दशमः खण्डः ॥ १० ॥

6. He who having known this thus, meditates on the sevenfold sāma as identified with the Self and transcending death, he achieves victory over the sun, and his victory becomes higher even than the victory over the sun—he who meditates on sāma.

The gist of what has been said before is being stated: Āpnoti, he wins; jayam, a victory; ādityasya, over the sun through twentyone numbers. Jayah, the victory; asya, of this one who knows thus: bhavati, becomes;

II. 11. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 123

parah, higher; ādityajayāt, than the victory over the sun, i.e. higher than the range of death. The idea is that (he does so) through the letter numbering twenty-second. ‘He who having known this thus’, etc. is to be explained as before. To him comes this result as stated. The repetition of ‘He who meditates on sāma’, is meant for indicating the conclusion of the meditation on the sevenfold sāma.

SECTION II

मनो हिङ्कारो वाग्प्रस्तावश्चक्षुरुद्गीथः श्रोत्रं प्रतिहारः प्राणो निधनमेतद्गायतं प्राणेषु प्रोतम् ॥ १ ॥

1. The mind is Hiṅkāra, (the organ of) speech is Prastāva, (the organ) of vision is Udgītha, (the organ of) hearing is Pratihāra, the vital force is Nidhana. This Gāyatra is fully established on the vital forces.

The meditations on the fivefold and sevenfold sāmas have been presented without giving any names to them. Thereafter, now are being stated other meditations on sāma, by mentioning such names as Gāyatra, which are conducive to special results. According to the order in which the Gāyatra Sāma etc. are used in rites (—since the Gāyatra comes first, its meditation is being stated first—), in the very same way manaḥ, the mind; is hiṅkāraḥ, Hiṅkāra because it precedes the action of all the organs. Because of coming next in order, vāᶰk, (the organ of) speech; is prastāvaḥ, Prastāva. Due to its superiority, cakṣuḥ, the organ of sight is Udgītha. Śrotram, the organ of hearing is Pratihāra because it is carried (attracted to sounds) all around.

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[II. 11. 1

Prāṇah, the vital force is Nidhana because the aforesaid (organs) get deposited in the vital force during sleep. Etat, this; gāyatram, Gāyatra Sāma; protam, is fully established; prāṇeṣu, in the vital forces since Gāyatri is praised as the vital force1.

स य एवमेतद्गायत्रं प्राणेषु प्रोतम् वेद प्राणी भवति सर्वमायुरेति ज्योग्जीवति महान्प्रजया पशुभिर्भवति महान्कीर्त्या महान्मना: स्याद्व्रतम् ॥ २ ॥ इत्येकादश: खण्ड: ॥ ११ ॥

2. He who thus knows this Gāyatra Sāma as fully established on the vital forces, lives with unimpaired organs, gets a full span of life, lives brightly. He becomes great through the possession of progeny (and) animals, (and he becomes) great in fame. His vow should be to have a great mind.

Saḥ, he; yaḥ, who; veda, knows; evam, thus; etat, this; gāyatram, Gāyatra Sāma; protam, as fully established; prāṇeṣu, on the vital forces; bhavati, becomes; prāṇī, possessed of unimpaired organs. Eti, he gets sarvam āyum, a full span of life, in accordance with the Vedic text, ‘A man’s full span of life consists of a hundred years.’2 Jīvati, he lives; jyok, brightly; bhavati, he becomes; mahān, great; prajayā, through the possession of progeny; (and) paśubhiḥ, animals; and (he becomes) mahān, great; kīrtyā, in fame. This is the vratam, vow for the meditator on the Gāyatra

1The Veda says, ‘Prāṇa (vital force) is verily Gāyatri.’—Quoted by Ā. G.

2‘A man surely lives for a hundred years.’—Quoted by Ā. G.

II. 12. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 125

Sāma: Syāt, he should be; mahāmanāh, a person with a great mind. The meaning is that he should not be narrow minded.

SECTION 12

अभिमन्थति स हिङ्कारो धूमो जायते स प्रस्तावो ज्वलति स उद्गीथोद्गारा भवन्ति स प्रतिहार उपाशाम्यति तन्निधनं᳚ᳶशाम्यति तन्निधनमेतद्रथन्तरमग्रौ प्रोतम् ॥ १ ॥

1. That one rubs two pieces of wood (to produce fire) that is Hiṅkāra. That it smokes, that is Prastāva. That it lights up, that is Udgītha. That burning char-coals emerge, that is Pratihāra. That it smoulders, that is Nidhana. That it dies out, that is (also) Nidhana. This Rathantara (Sāma) is fully established on fire.

Abhimanthati, that one rubs two pieces of wood to produce fire; saḥ, that; is hiṅkāraḥ, Hiṅkāra because of their first places. That dhūmaḥ, smoke; jāyate, comes out of fire, that is Prastāva because of the order of succession. Jvalati, that it lights up, that is Udgītha. (This stage of) lighting up is superior due to its connection with oblations. That aṅgārāḥ, burning charcoals; bhavanti, emerge, that is Pratihāra because charcoals are carried away. Upaśamaḥ is the state of smouldering when fire has not been completely extinguished. Sam-śamaḥ, is complete dying out (of fire). They are Nidhana owing to their similarity of ending. Etat, this Rathantara (Sāma); protam, is fully established; ag-nau, on fire because it is sung at the time of rubbing (two wooden pieces) for producing fire.

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[II. 12. 2

स य एवमेतद्रथन्तरमग्रौ प्रोतं वेद ब्रह्मवर्चस्यन्नादो भवति सर्वमायुरेति ज्योग्जीवति महान्प्रजया पशुभिर्भवति महान्कीर्त्या न प्रत्यङ्ङुप्रिमाचामेन्निष्ठीवेतद्व्रतम् ॥ २ ॥

इति द्वादश: खण्ड: ॥ १२ ॥

2. He who knows thus this Rathantara (Sāma) as fully established on fire, he becomes possessed of the light of Vedic study, becomes an eater of food, gets a full span of life, lives brightly. He becomes great through possession of progeny (and) animals, (and becomes) great in fame. His vow should be not to eat or spit facing the fire.

'He who', etc is to be explained as before. Brahmavarcasī, full of Brahmavarcas, brightness arising from good conduct and study of the Vedas. Here brightness indicates only graceful appearance. Annādah, an eater of food, one having digestive power. Tat vratam, his vow should be; na ācamet, not to eat anything; na niṣṭhīvet, not to spit, not to throw out phlegm; pratyak, facing; agnim, fire.

SECTION 13

उपमन्र्रयते स हिङ्कारो जपयते स प्रस्ताव: स्त्रिया सह शेते स उद्गीथ: प्रति स्त्रीं सह शेते स प्रतिहार: कालं गच्छति तन्निधनं पारं गच्छति तन्निधनमेतद्वामदेव्यं मिथुने प्रोतम् ॥ १ ॥

1. That one beckons to a woman, that is Him-kāra....

II. 14. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 127

स य एवमेतद्वामदेव्यं मिथुने प्रोतं वेद मिथुनீभवति मिथुनान्नि मिथुनात्प्रजायते सर्वमायुरेति ज्योग्जीवति महान्प्रजया पशुभिर्भवति महान्कीर्त्या न काञ्चन परिहरettadvratam् ॥ २ ॥ इति त्रयोदश: खण्ड: ॥ १३ ॥

2. He who knows thus this Vāmadevya (Sāma) . . . gets a full span of life, lives brightly. He becomes great through possession of progeny (and) animals, (and becomes) great in fame . . .

This Vāmadevya (Sāma) is fully established on pairs of male and female.

SECTION 14

उद्यान्हिङ्कार उदित: प्रस्तावो मध्यन्दिन उदगीथोऽपराहण: प्रतिहारोऽस्तं यज्ञिधनमेतद्बृहदादित्ये प्रोतम् ॥ १ ॥

1. The rising (sun) is Himkāra; when it has risen it is Prastāva; the noonday (sun) is Udgītha; the afternoon (sun) is Pratihāra; that which is setting down, it is Nidhana. This Brhat (Sāma) is fully established on the sun.

Udyan, the rising sun is Himkāra because it comes into sight first. Uditah, when it has risen, it is Prastāva because it is the cause of commencement of activities. Madhyandinaḥ, the midday (sun) is Udgītha because of superiority. Aparāḥṇaḥ, the afternoon (sun) is Pratihāra because animals etc. are driven towards home. Yat, that which is; astam, setting down, that is

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[II. 14. 1

Nidhana because of the creatures’ staying indoors at night. Etat, this; bṛhat, Bṛhat (Sāma); protam, is fully established; āditye, on the sun because the Bṛhat (Sāma) has got the sun as its deity.

स एतद्बृहदादित्ये प्रोतं वेद तेजस्व्यन्नादो भवति सर्वमायुरेति ज्योग्जीवति महान्प्रजया पशुभिर्भवति महान्कीर्त्या तप्तं न निन्देतद्व्रतम् ॥२॥ इति चतुर्दश:

2. He who thus knows this Bṛhat (Sāma) as fully established on the sun, he becomes bright, an eater of food, possessed of a full span of life, lives brightly. He becomes great through the possession of progeny (and) animals, (and becomes) great in fame. His vow should be not to speak ill of the blazing sun.

‘He who’, etc. is to be explained as before. Tat vratm, his vow should be; na nindet, not to speak ill of; tapantam, the blazing sun.

SECTION 15

अभ्राणि संप्लवन्ते स हिङ्कारो मेघो जायते स प्रस्तावो वर्षति स उद्गीथो विद्योतते स्तनयति स प्रतिहार उद्गृह्णाति तज्ज्ञापनमेतद्रूपं पर्जन्ये प्रोतम् ॥ १॥

1. White clouds gather, that is Hiṅkāra. The Cirrus is formed, that is Praṣtāva. It rains, that is Udgītha. Lightning flashes and thunder roars, that is Pratihāra. It stops raining, that is Nidhana. This Vairūpa (Sāma) is fully established on the cloud.

II. 16. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 129

Abhrāṇi, means white clouds, (the word being) derived in the sense of ‘holding water’. Meghah means the Cirrus clouds, derived in the sense of ‘pouring water’. The remaining portion is to be explained as before (II.3.1). Etat, this; vairūpam, sāma named Vairūpa; protam, is fully established; parjanye, on the cloud. Since a cloud has many forms (vairūpyam) like white clouds etc. therefore it is identified with Vairūpya (Sāma).

स य एवमेतद्वरूपं पर्जन्ये प्रोतमं वेद विरूपांश्च सुरूपांश्च पशूनवरुन्धे सर्वमायुरेति ज्योग्जीवति महान्प्रजया पशुभिर्भवति महान्कीर्त्या वर्षन्तं न निन्देतदव्रतम् ॥ २ ॥ इति पञ्चदशः खण्डः ॥ १५॥

2. He who thus knows this Vairūpya (Sāma) as fully established on the cloud, he acquires animals having variegated colours and looking good; he possesses a full span of life, lives brightly, becomes great through the possession of progeny (and) animals, (and becomes) great in fame. His vow should be not to speak ill of downpour.

Avarundhe, he impounds, i.e. he acquires animals like goat, sheep etc.; virūpān ca surūpān ca, having variegated colours and looking good. Tat vratam, his vow should be; na nindet, not to speak ill of; varṣan-tam, downpour.

SECTION 16

वसन्तो हिङ्कारो ग्रीष्मः प्रस्तावो वर्षा उद्गीथः

9

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[II. 16. 1

शरत्प्रतिहारो हेमन्तो निधनमेतद्वैराजमृतुषु प्रोतम् ॥ १ ॥

1. Spring is Himkāra, summer is Prastāva, rains are Udgītha, autumn is Pratihāra, (early and late) winter is Nidhana. This Vairāja (Sāma) is fully established on the seasons.

Vasantah, spring is Himkāra, being first in order. Grīṣmah, summer is Prastāva, etc. is to be explained as before (as in II.5.1)..

स य एवमेतद्वैराजमृतुषु प्रोतं केद विराजति प्रजया पशुभिर्ब्रह्मवर्चसेन सर्वमायुरेति ज्योग्जीवति महान्प्रजया महान्पशुभिर्भवति महान्कीर्त्यर्त्यतून निन्देतदृतम् ॥ २ ॥ इति षोडशः खण्डः ॥ १९६ ॥

2. He who thus knows this Vairāja (Sāma) as fully established on the seasons, he lives elegantly being possessed of progeny and animals, and the light of Vedic study. He gets a full span of life, lives brightly, becomes great through possession of progeny (and) animals, (and becomes) great in fame. His vow should be not to speak ill of the seasons.

Veda, he who knows; etat, this; vairājam, the sāma named Vairāja; protam, as fully established; ṛtuṣu, on the seasons; virājati, he lives elegantly like the seasons, i.e. as the seasons, continue in their individual elegance, so also does the man of knowledge, being possessed of progeny etc. The remaining portion has already been explained (in II.5.1, II.12.2). Tat vratam, his vow should be; na nindet, not to criticize; ṛtum, the seasons.

II. 17. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 131

SECTION 17

पृथिवी हिंकारोऽन्तरिक्षं प्रस्तावो द्यौर्द्रुतिगीथो दिशः प्रतिहारः समुद्रो निधनमेताः शक्वर्यो लोकेषु प्रोताः ॥ १ ॥

1. Earth is Himkāra, intermediate-space is Prastāva, heaven is Udgītha, directions are Pratihāra, sea is Nidhana. These Śakvarī (Sāma) are fully established on the spheres.

Prthivī, earth is Himkāra, etc, has to be explained as before (in II.2.1). The word Śakvarī is always used in the plural (as Śakvaryah) as in case of revatī (revatyah). (They are) protāḥ, fully established; lokesu, on the spheres.

स य एवमेताः शक्वर्यो लोकेषु प्रोताः वेद लोकी भवति सर्वमायुरेति ज्योग्जीवति महान्प्रजया पशुभिर्भवति महान्कीर्त्या लोकान्निन्देतद्व्रतम् ॥ २ ॥ इति सप्तदशः खण्डः ॥

2. He who thus knows this Śakvarī (Sāma) as fully established on the spheres, becomes possessed of the spheres. He gets a full span of life, lives brightly, becomes great through the possession of progeny (and) animals, (and becomes) great in fame. His vow should be not to speak ill of the spheres.

Lokī bhavati, he becomes possessed of the fruit in the form of the spheres. Tat vratam, his vow should be; na nindet, not to speak ill of; lokān, the spheres.

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[II. 18. 1

SECTION 18

अजा हिङ्कारोदवयः प्रस्तावो गाव उद्गीथोऽस्वः प्रतिहारः पुरुषो निधनमेता रेवत्यः पशुषु प्रोताः ॥ १ ॥

1. Goats are Hiṅkāra, sheep are Prastāva, cows are Udgītha, horses are Pratihāra, man is Nidhana. This Revati (Sāma) is fully established on the animals.

Ajāḥ, goats are Hiṅkāra, etc. has to be explained as before (in II.6.1). Protāḥ, they are fully established; paśuṣu, on the animals.

स य एवमेता रेवत्यः पशुषु प्रोता वेद पशुमान्भवति सर्वमायुरेति ज्योग्जीवति महान्प्रजया पशुभिर्भवति महान्कीर्त्या पशून् निन्देतदव्रतम् ॥ २ ॥ इत्यष्टादशः खण्डः

2. He who thus knows this Revati (Sāma) as fully established on the animals, he becomes possessed of animals. He gets a full span of life, lives brightly, becomes great through the possession of progeny (and) animals, (and becomes) great in fame. His vow should be not to speak ill of animals.

Tat vratam, his vow should be, not to speak ill of the animals.

SECTION 19

लोम हिङ्कारस्त्वक्प्रस्तावो मांसमुद्गीथोऽस्थि प्रतिहारो मज्जा निधनमेतद्यज्ञायज्ञीयमड्गेषु प्रोतम् ॥ १ ॥

II. 19. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 133

1. Hair is Himkāra, skin is Prastāva, flesh is Udgītha, bone is Pratihāra, marrow is Nidhana. This Yajñā-yajñīya (Sāma) is fully established on the constituents of the body.

Lomah, hair is Himkāra because of its first place among the constituents of the body. Tvak, skin is Prastāva because of its coming next in order. Māmsam, flesh is Udgītha because of its superiority. Asthi, bone is Pratihāra because it (its pieces) is carried away (after cremation). Majjā, marrow is Nidhana because of its being last in order. Etat, this; yajñāyajñīyam, sāma named Yajñā-yajñīya; protam, is fully established; aṅ-geṣu, on the constituents of the body.

स य एवम्‌वेदयज्ञायज्ञीयमङ्गेषु प्रतिष्ठितं वेदाङ्गेन विहूर्चति सर्वमायुरेति ज्योग्जीवति महान्प्रजया पशुभिर्भवति महान्कीर्त्या संवत्सरं मज्झो नाश्नीयातद्व्रतं मज्जो नाश्नीयादिति वा ॥ २ ॥ इत्येकोनविंश: खण्ड:

2. He who thus knows this Yajñā-yajñīya (Sāma) as fully established on the constituents of the body, he becomes possessed of all the physical constituents, he does not get any part of his body crippled. He gets a full span of life, lives brightly, becomes great through the possession of progeny (and) animals, (and becomes) great in fame. His vow should be not to eat meats for a year, or not to eat meats for ever.

Aṅgī bhavati means that he lives with all his bodily constituents intact. Na vihūrchati, he does not become deprived of; physically disabled in; aṅgena, any of the

limbs—hands, feet, etc. i.e. lame or crippled. Tat vratam, his vow should be; na aśnīyāt, not to eat; majñah, meats—the plural number being used to include fish; samvatsaram, only for one year; vā, or; na aśnīyāt, not to eat; majñah, meats for ever.

SECTION 20

अग्निर्हि᳚ङ्कारो वायुः प्रस्ताव आदित्य उद्गीथो नक्षत्राणि प्रतिहारश्च᳚न्द्रमा निधनमेतद्राज᳚नं देवतासु प्रोतम्

॥ १ ॥

1. Fire is Hiṅkāra, air is Prastāva, the sun is Udgītha, the stars are Pratihāra, the moon is Nidhana. This Rājana (Sāma) is fully established on the gods.

Agnih, fire is Hiṅkāra because of its first place. Vāyuh, air is Prastāva because of the similarity of its coming next in order. Ādityah, the sun is Udgītha because of superiority. Nakṣatrāṇi, the stars are Pratihāra because they are scattered all over. Candramā, the moon is Nidhana because the performers of rites get shelter there. Etat, this; rājanam, sāma named Rājana; protam, is fully established; devatāsu, on the gods because of the brightness of the gods.

स य एवमेत᳚द्राज᳚नं देवतासु प्रो᳚तं वेदैत᳚ासामेव देवता᳚ना᳚ᳬ सलोकता᳚ᳬ सा᳚ष्टितᴀ᳚ᳬ सायु᳚ज्य᳚ᳫ᳭ गच्छ᳚ति सर्वमायुरे᳚ति ज्योग्जीव᳚ति महᴀ᳚ᳫᳮ प्र᳚जᴀ᳚या᳚ प᳚शु᳚भि᳚ᳫᳮ र्भ᳚व᳚ति महᴀ᳚ᳫᳮ को᳚त्यᴀ᳚ᳫ᳭ ब्रᴀ᳚ह्मᴀ᳚ᳫᳮणᴀ᳚न्नि᳚ᳫᳮ न्द᳚त᳚द्ब्र᳚तम्

॥ २ ॥ इ᳚ति वि᷽᳚श᳚ः ख᳚ण्ड᳚ः ॥ २० ॥

2. He who thus knows this Rājana (Sāma) as fully established on the gods, attains the spheres of these very gods, their splendour, (or) identity with them. He lives a full life, lives long, becomes great with progeny and cattle, and is great by fame. One should not condemn food. This is the vow.

II. 21. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 135

gets a full span of life, lives brightly, becomes great through the possession of progeny (and) animals, (and becomes) great in fame. His vow should be not to speak ill of the Brāhmaṇas.

The result that the knower gets (is this): Gacchati, he attains; salokatām, the same sphere; sārṣṭitām, equal splendour, sāyujyam, close contact, unity in the same body; etāsām eva of these very; devatānām, gods, beginning with fire. Here, the word 'or' must be understood to have been omitted; (i.e. the sentence should be) 'the same sphere or (the same glory)', etc. because it is reasonable that the result should vary according to the intensity of meditation, and also because (his getting) all these results together is not reasonable. Tat vratam, his vow should be; na nindet, not to speak ill of; brāhmaṇān, the Brāhmaṇas. Since the Vedic text says, 'These who are Brāhmaṇas are verily the visible gods', therefore criticism of the Brāhmaṇas amounts to criticism of the gods themselves.

SECTION 21

त्रयी विद्या हिङ्कारस्त्रय इमे लोका: स प्रस्तावोऽप्रिवीर्यादित्य: स उद्गीथो नक्षत्राणि वयोऽङ्गस मरीचय: स प्रतिहार: सर्पा गन्धर्वा: पितरस्तत्रिधनमेतत्साम सर्वस्मिन्न्रोत्म् ॥ १ ॥

1. The knowledge of (rites derived from) the three Vedas is Hiṅkāra; these worlds are three, and they are Prastāva; fire, air and the sun are that Udgītha; stars, birds and rays are that Pratihāra; snakes, gandharvas

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[II. 21. 1

and manes are that Nidhana. This sāma is fully established in everything.

Since the Vedic text says that the knowledge of (rites derived from) the three Vedas is the result of fire etc.1 therefore the knowledge of the three Vedas (stated here) follows the statement about fire etc. being sāma (II.20.1). Trayī vidyā, knowledge of (rites derived from) the three Vedas is Himkāra. Because it stands at the beginning of all rites it is Himkāra. Ime, these; trayaḥ, three; lokāḥ, worlds are Prastāva. They are mentioned second because they are the result of rites.2 Agniḥ, fire etc. (air and sun) are Udgītha because of their superiority. Nakṣatrāṇi, stars etc. (birds and rays) are Pratihāra because of their being scattered around. Sarpāḥ, snakes etc. (gandharvas and manes) are Nidhana because of their similarity with dha3. Etat, this sāma; protam, is fully established; sarvasmin, in everything.

From the absence of any special name it follows that all the sāmas are meant by the word sāma. Because the knowledge of the three Vedas etc. comprises everything, therefore, beginning with Himkāra, the divisions of the sāma are to be meditated on by looking upon them as the knowledge of (rites derived from) the three Vedas etc. In the earlier meditations on the sāma

1'Rg-Veda came out of fire, Yajur-Veda came out of air, and Sāma-Veda from the sun.'—Ā. G.

2The meaning is that the worlds are the effects of the rites performed with the knowledge of the three Vedas.—Ā. G.

3The synonyms for sarpa are viṣadhara, phanadhara, etc. which have the letter dha in common with gandharva and nidhana.

also, the particular sāmas are to be meditated on by looking upon them as the respective things on which they are established, because (it is stated that) as in the case of oblations, the parts of the rites have to be sanctified by looking upon them in a certain way.1

स य एवमेतत्साम सर्वस्मिन्नुपैति वेद सर्वँ ह भवति

॥२॥

2. He who thus knows this sāma as fully established in everything, he becomes everything.

(This is) the result for one who knows the sāma as everything: Bhavati, he becomes sarvam ha, everything, i.e. he becomes the lord of all. Because, if the identity with all is in the absolute sensé, there can be no acquisition of offerings from beings (separate from himself) residing in all quarters.

तदेष श्लोको यानि पञ्चधा त्रीणि त्रीणि तेभ्यो न ज्याय: परमन्यदस्ति ॥३॥

3. With regard to this, here is a verse: There is nothing else higher and other than those five groups of three each.

Tat, with regard to this idea; there also occurs eṣah, this; ślokah, verse, a mantra: Yāni, those which have been spoken of; pañchadhā, as fivefold, as divided into such (five) parts as Himkāra etc.; trīṇi trīṇi, as (each) three;

'In the context of the Darśapūrṇamāsa-sacrifice, it is stated, 'The oblation is looked at by the wife (of the sacrificer)', from which it follows that the oblation, when related with a special kind of looking, becomes sanctified.—Ā. G.

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[II. 21. 3

consisting of three things such as the knowledge of the three Vedas etc.; na asti, nothing else exists; jyāyah, which is higher, greater; and which is param, different from; i.e. anyat, other than; tebhyah, them, because everything is included in them.

यस्तद्वेद स वेद सर्वꣳसर्वा दिशो बलिमस्मै हरन्ति सर्वमस्मीत्युपासीन्त तद्व्रतं तद्व्रतम् ॥4॥ इत्येकविंश:

खण्ड: ॥ २१ ॥

4. He who knows that (sāma), knows everything. All the directions bring offerings to him. His vow should be, 'I am everything.' This should be his vow.

Yah, he who; veda, knows; tat, that, the aforesaid sāma as identified with all; sah, he; veda, knows; sarvam, everything. The meaning is that he becomes omniscient. Sarvāḥ, all; diśaḥ, the directions, i.e. beings staying in all the directions; haranti, carry, make available; balim, offerings; asmai, to him, to a person with such knowledge. Upāsīta, he should meditate on this sāma; iti, by thinking thus; 'Asmi, I am; sarvam, everything.' This indeed should be his vow. The repetition of 'This should be his vow', is meant for indicating the conclusion of the meditation on sāma.

SECTION 22

विन्दि साम्नो वृणे पशव्यमित्यग्रे उदीथोनिरुक्त: प्रजापतिरनिरुक्त: सोमस्य मृदु श्लक्ष्णं वायो: श्लक्ष्णं बलवदिन्द्रस्य क्रौञ्चं बृहस्पतेरपध्वानं वरुणस्य तान्सर्व-नेवोपसेवेत वारुणं त्वेव वर्जयेत् ॥ १ ॥

II. 22. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 139

1. I pray for the high-sounding tune of (singing) sāma, which is beneficial to the animals and is the Udgītha having fire as its presiding deity. That (sāma) which is indescribable has Prajāpati as its presiding deity. That which is clear has Soma (moon) as its presiding deity. That which is low and soft has Vāyu (air) as its presiding deity. That which is soft and needs much effort has Indra as its presiding deity. That which is like the note of a heron, has Brhaspati as its presiding deity. That which is like the sound of a rifted gong has Varuṇa as its presiding deity. One should use all of them, but should avoid that having Varuṇa as its presiding deity.

In connection with the meditation on sāma, instruction is being given to the singer of the sāma, about the special musical quality etc. because it has relation to specific results. Vinardi—that (singing) which has a particular sound, a high-sounding tune similar to the bellowing of a bull, is vinardi. The word ‘singing’ is understood. And that singing sāmnah, of sāma; paśavyam, which is beneficial to the animals; is the Udgītha agneh, having fire as its presiding deity. Some sacrificer or some singer thinks: ‘Vrṇe, I pray for that kind of tune’, that special kind of music. Prajāpateh, the particular song of Prajāpati, having Prajāpati as its presiding deity; is aniruktah, indescribable, that which cannot be specified as similar to something because Prajāpati is indescribable. That, i.e. the Udgītha somasya, having Soma (moon) as its presiding deity; niruktah, is clear. The singing that is mrdu, low; and ślakṣṇam, soft; vāyoh, of air, it has got air as its deity. That singing which is ślakṣṇam, soft; and balavat, needs much effort; indrasya, is of Indra, has Indra as its presiding

deity. That singing which is crauñcam, like the note of a heron; is brhaspateh, of Bṛhaspati, has Bṛhaspati as its presiding deity. The music that is apadhvāntam, similar to the sound of a rifted gong; is varuṇasya, of Varuṇa, has got Varuṇa as its presiding deity. Upaseveta, one should use; tān sarvān, all of them; tu, but; varjayet, should avoid; eva, only; the one vār-unam, that has Varuṇa as its presiding deity.

अमृतत्वं देवेभ्य आगायानीत्यागायेत्स्वधां पितृभ्य आशां.मनुष्येभ्यस्तृणोदकं पशुभ्यः स्वर्ग लोकं यजमान-याज्ञमात्मन आगायानीत्येतानि मनसा ध्यायन्नप्रमतः स्तुवीत

॥ २ ॥

2. 'Let me sing (for) the immortality of the gods.' (Thinking) thus one should sing. 'Let me sing svadhā1 for the manes, hope for human beings, grass and water for animals, the heavenly world for the sacrificer, food for myself.' Thinking all these mentally, one should sing the praise without inattention.

Āgāyāni, let me sing, let me accomplish; amṛtattvam, immortality; devebhyah, for the gods. Let me sing svadhā, pitṛbhyah, for the manes. (Let me sing) āśām, hope, desirable things; manuṣyebhyah, for the human beings. (Let me sing) tṛṇodakam, grass and water; paśubhyah, for animals. (Let me sing) svargam lokam, the heavenly world; yajamānāya, for the sacrificer. (Let me sing) annam, food; ātmane, for myself. Dhyāyan, thinking; iti etāni, all these; manasā, mentally; stuvīta, one should sing the praise; apramattah,

1This word is used when making any offering to the manes.

II. 22. 3] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 141

without inattention, without faltering in the pronunciation of vowels, aspirates, consonants, etc.

सर्वे स्वरा इन्द्रस्यात्मान: सर्व ऊष्माण: प्रजापतेरात्मान: सर्वे स्पर्शा मृत्योरात्मानस्तं यदि स्वरेषूपालभेतेंद्रं शरणं प्रपन्नोऽभूवं स त्वा प्रति वक्ष्यतीत्येनं ब्रूयात् । ॥ ३ ॥

3. All vowels are the limbs of Indra; all the aspirates are the limbs of Prajāpati; all the consonants are the limbs of death. If anyone criticises him with regard to the vowels, then, he should say to this person, 'I have taken refuge in Indra. He will reply to you.'

Sarve all; svarāḥ, vowels, a etc.; ātmānaḥ, are the limbs, like the limbs of a body; indrasya, of Indra, of the vital force which is the performer of all actions requiring effort. Sarve, all; ūṣmānaḥ, the aspirates, viz śa, ṣa, sa, ha, etc.; are ātmānaḥ, the limbs; prajāpateḥ, of Prajāpati, of Virat or Kaśyapa1. All sparśāḥ, the consonants beginning with ka, are the limbs of death.

Yadi, if (anyone); upālabheta, criticises; tam, him, the singer of the sāma who has this knowledge; svareṣu, with regard to the vowels, saying, 'You have pronounced the vowels wrongly'; (then) he who has been criticised, brūyāt, should say; enam, to this person; 'I, while using the vowels, abhūvam, have; śaraṇami pra-pannah, taken refuge; indram, in Indra, the vital force, the master; saḥ, he, the god Indra himself; prativaks-yati, will reply; tvā, to you, to whatever you have to say.'

1He was the son of Marīci, son of Brahmā. He is considered as the source of all living creatures, gods, demons, etc. and as such is sometimes called Prajāpati.

अथ यदेनमूष्मसूपालभेत प्रजापतिं शरणं प्रपन्नोऽभूवं स त्वा प्रति पेक्ष्यतीयेन्मू ब्रूयादथ यदेनं स्पर्शेषूपालभेत मृत्युं शरणं प्रपन्नोऽभूवं स त्वा प्रति धक्ष्यतीयेन्मू ब्रूयात् ॥४॥

4. Then, if anyone criticises this one with regard to the aspirates, he should say to this person, 'I have taken refuge in Prajāpati. He will crush you.' Then, if anyone criticises him with regard to the consonants, he should say to this person, 'I have taken refuge in death. He will reduce you to ashes.'

Atha, then; yadi, if; upālabheta, anyone criticises in that very way; enam, this one; ūṣmasu, with regard to the aspirates; brūyāt, he should say; enam to this person; 'Abhūvam, I have; śaraṇam prapannaḥ, taken refuge; prajāpatim, in Prajāpati. Saḥ, he; pratippekṣyati, will crush, will completely crush; tvā, you.' Then, if any one criticises this one with regard to the consonants, he should say to this person, 'Abhūvam, I have; śaraṇam prapannaḥ, taken refuge; mṛtyum, in death. Saḥ, he; tvā pratidhakṣyati, will reduce you to ashes.'

सर्वे स्वरा घोषवन्तो बलवन्तो वक्तव्या इन्द्रे बलं ददानीति सर्व ऊष्मणोदग्रस्ता अनिरस्ता विवृता वक्तव्या: प्रजापतिरात्मानं परिददानीति सर्वे स्पर्शा लेशेनाभिनिहिता वक्तव्या मृत्योरात्मानं परिहराणीति ॥५॥ इति द्वाविंश: खण्ड: ॥२२॥

5. All the vowels should be pronounced with resonance and vigour, with the idea, 'I offer strength to Indra.' All the aspirates are to be carefully articulated

and vigorously pronounced, as if not exhausted, with the idea, 'I offer myself to Prajāpati.' All the consonants should be pronounced delicately, with the idea, 'I save myself from death.'

II. 23. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 143

without being swallowed, without being thrown out, (and should be) associated with open-mouthed effort, with the idea, 'I offer myself to Prajāpati.' All the consonants are to be uttered slowly without mixing them in the slightest way, with the idea, 'I am saving myself from death.'

Since the vowels etc. are limbs of Indra and others, therefore, sarve, all; svarāḥ, the vowels; vaktavyāḥ, should be pronounced; ghoṣvantah, with resonance; and balavantah, with vigour; and also with the idea, 'Dadāni, I offer; balam, strength; indre, to Indra.' Similarly, all ūṣmānaḥ, the aspirates; vaktavyāḥ, should be pronounced; agrastāḥ, without being swallowed; anirastāḥ, without being thrown out; (and) vivrt-

tāḥ, associated with open mouthed effort (i.e. clearly); with the idea, 'Paridadāni, I offer; ātmānam, myself; prajāpateḥ, to Prajāpati.' All sparśāḥ, the consonants; vaktavyāḥ, are to be uttered slowly; anabhinihitāḥ, without mixing; leśena, in the least; with the idea, 'Pariharāṇi, I save; ātmānam, myself; mrtyoḥ, from death', just as people gently save children (from water etc.).

SECTION 23

त्रयो धर्मस्कन्धा यज्ञोऽध्ययनं दानमिति प्रथमस्तप एव द्वितीयो ब्रह्मचार्याचार्यकुलवासी तृतीयोऽत्यन्तमात्मान- माचार्यकुलेऽवसादयन्त्सर्व एते पुण्यलोका भवन्ति ब्रह्मसंस्थोऽमृतत्वमेति ॥ १ ॥

1. There are three divisions of virtue. One is sacrifice, study and charity. The second is austerity itself.

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The third is the Brahmacārin living in the house of his teacher, wholly dedicating himself there for life. All these become the attainers of the virtuous worlds; the man established in Brahman attains immortality.

The text, ‘Trayah, there are three; dharmaskaṅ-dhāḥ, divisions of virtue’, etc. is begun for enjoining meditation on Om. It is not to be thought that the result (Immortality) is achievable by meditating on Om characterised as Udgītha etc. which are merely parts of sāma. What then? The meditation on Om is introduced in the discussion on sāma, with the view to praising Om by showing that the result, viz immortality, which cannot be attained even through all the meditations connected with sāma and through rites, can be attained through the meditation on Om alone.

Three in number are the branches, i.e. the divisions of virtue. Which are they? The answer is: Yajñaḥ, sacrifice—Agnihotra etc.; adhyayanam, study of Ṛg-Veda etc. according to rules; dānam, charity, distribution of things according to one’s capacity, to people who beg for them outside the place of sacrifice. Since this first division of virtue is associated with the householder, therefore it is being indicated by a reference to the householder who has to accomplish this (charity). The word prathamah is to be taken in the sense of 'one', and not ‘first’1, although the Upaniṣad uses the

1Ānanda Giri points out that the first stage of life is that of the celibate. As is well-known, the other stages in succession are those of the householder, the man dwelling in the forest, and the man taking to the life of a roving mendicant. The words used in connection with the first group of virtues indicates the duties of a householder, who cannot be counted as the first.

II. 23. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 145

words 'second' and 'third'. Tapah eva, austerity itself; is dvitīyah, is the second. Austerity consists of physical penances, (the vow of) Cāndrāyaṇa, etc. A person possessed of these is called a tāpasah (lit. a man of austerity) or parivrājakah (lit. a mendicant1). The person established in Brahman is not meant, but the one who follows the conduct of a particular (the fourth) stage of life, because the Upaniṣad speaks of the attainment of Immortality by a man who is established in Brahman. This is the second division of virtue. Tṛtīyah, the third division of virtue; is the brahmacārī, celibate; ācāryakulavāsī, who lives in the teacher's house; avasādayan, dedicating himself (his body); atyantam, wholly, to the end of his life; following disciplines ācāryakule, in the teacher's house. By the use of the words atyantam etc. it is understood that a naiṣṭhikah, a life-long celibate, is meant. For the upakurvāṇah, (one who takes to celibacy for the study of Vedas), there cannot be any attainment of the virtuous worlds attainable through celibacy.

Sarve ete, all these three belonging to the different

1The word parivrājakah here is used in the sense of 'one who adopts mendicancy in the fourth stage of life, merely as a matter of form'. This is clear from the commentator's own words: 'The person established as Brahman is not meant, but the one who follows only the conduct of a particular (the fourth) stage of life . . .' Ānanda Giri also says that, 'although tāpasah should mean only the vānaprasthah still, the mendicant of the fourth stage is suggested by it.

The word parivrājakah also means a monk, a parama-hamsa-sannyāsin, one who has renounced the world from any stage of life to which he might have belonged, for the realisation of Brahman. Therefore, later on where Śaṅkarācārya means not the formal mendicant, but the one who has realised Brahman, we have translated the word parivrājakakah or parivrāṭ as 'monk', to avoid confusion.

10

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[II. 23. 1

stages of life; bhavanti, become; puṇyalokāḥ, attainers

of the virtuous worlds by following the virtues as men-

tioned above. The word puṇyalokāḥ is derived in the

sense of ‘those who belong to the virtuous worlds’.

Those belonging to the different stages of life become

fit (for the virtuous worlds). The one who remains to be

mentioned is the parivrāṭ, the monk, brahmasamsthaḥ,

fully established in Brahman. Eti, he attains; amṛtatt-

vam, Immortality, which is different from the virtuous

worlds and is the state of absolute Freedom from

death. It is not relative immortality as that of the gods

and others because Immortality has been stated sepa-

rately from the virtuous worlds. Móreover, if Immor-

tality were a mere super-excellence of the virtuous

worlds, then, it would not have been spoken of sepa-

rately from the virtuous worlds. And from the separate

statement, it is understood that Immortality (meant) is

absolute. And here again, mention of the result of fol-

lowing virtues of the (different) stages of life is meant

for the praise of worship of Om, but it is not meant for

enjoining the result of the virtues of the stages of life. If

the sentence be meant, both for the praise of the

worship of Om and for enjoining the result of the

virtues of the stages of life, then, there will be (the fault

of) splitting up1 the sense of a sentence. So, after a

restatement of the results of the virtues of the different

stages of life well-known in the Smṛtis, the worship of

Om is being praised by speaking of Immortality as the

result of the worship of Om. As the result of service of

Pūrṇavarma is merely the winning of food and clo-

thing, while the service of Rājavarma results in getting

1Giving double senses to a sentence and thus making it ambiguous.

II. 23. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 147

a kingdom, similar is the case here. And Om is that true and supreme Brahman because it is Its symbol. Since in the Kaṭha-Upaniṣad etc. it has been stated, ‘This very letter (Om) is Brahman; this very letter is the Supreme (Reality)’ (Ka.I.2.13), therefore it is reasonable that Immortality should be the result of worshipping that Om.

Opponent: With regard to this some people say: From the declaration, ‘All of these become the attainers of the virtuous worlds’, it is stated here that, without any distinction, all people belonging to the four stages of life, who perform their respective duties without any knowledge (of Brahman), reach the virtuous worlds. The mendicant1 is not left out here. Even in the case of mendicant, his knowledge (of Brahman), yama2, and niyama3 are nothing else but austerity.

In the text, ‘The second is austerity itself’, the mendicant and the man of austerity (vānaprasthah) have (already) been referred to. Therefore, whosoever among these very four is established in Brahman (brahmasamsthah), i.e. is a worshipper of Om, attains Immortality. (This is so) since the people belonging to the four stages of life are equally competent (for remaining established in Brahman), and since their remaining established in Brahman has not been prohibited, and also since it is reasonable that they can remain

1The opponent does not admit of a monk outside the four stages of life and solely eligible for Immortality, as taken by Śaṅkarācārya.

2Non-killing, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-receiving of gifts.

3Internal and external purification, contentment, mortification, study, and worship of God.

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established in Brahman during the intervals between

the performance of their own duties. Unlike the word

yavavarāh, barley and pig, the word brahmasamsthah

(one established in Brahman) does not have the con-

ventional meaning of a mendicant because it (the word

brahmasamsthah) is used (etymologically) by accept-

ing the fact of one remaining established in Brahman.

Indeed, conventional words do not depend on any

(etymological) reason for their use. And it is reason-

able that all can remain established in Brahman. In

whomsoever there exists the competence for remaining

established in Brahman, with regard to all of them can

be used the word brahmasamsthah in its etymological

sense. Hence, there being no reason for limiting its

meaning to the mendicant alone, such a restriction

becomes groundless. Moreover, Immortality cannot

be achieved by merely following the virtues prescribed

for the stage of life called mendicancy, for knowledge

(of Om) will then become useless.

Counter-Objection: Can it not be said that know-

ledge in association with the virtuous conduct of a

mendicant becomes the cause of Immortality?

Opponent: No, because this (the virtues of mendi-

cant) is not distinguishable from the virtues prescribed

for the stages of life. Or, even if it is held that virtues in

association with knowledge become the cause of Im-

mortality, then, this can equally be the case with regard

to the virtues of all the stages of life. And there is no

Vedic text declaring that only for the mendicant who

remains established in Brahman there is Liberation,

but not for others. Moreover, the conclusion of all the

Upaniṣads is that Liberation is a result of knowledge.

II. 23. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 149

Therefore, whoever among the persons following the virtues prescribed for their own stage of life remains established in Brahman, he attains Immortality.

Vedāntin: No, because the knowledge required for the performance of rites (and duties), and the Knowledge needed for realisation (of Brahman) are opposed to each other. For, the injunctions about rites and duties, in the form ‘Do this’, ‘Do not do this’, proceed by accepting the condition for rites, which is the knowledge of the differences among the accessories of rites. like agent etc. and the differences in the results of rites.

And that condition is not a creation of the scriptures because it is found in all creatures. The knowledge in the form of realisation that arises from such scriptural texts as, ‘Existence (Brahman) alone . . ., One only, without a second’ (VI.2.1), ‘The Self indeed is all this’ (VII.25.2), ‘Brahman alone is all this’ (Nṛ.7), cannot arise without demolishing the natural idea about the differences between actions, accessories, and results, which is the cause of rites and duties, because the two ideas of difference and Unity are contradictory.

For the ideas of the moon being one etc. do not arise after the cure of (the eye disease called) timira, without demolishing the ideas of there being two moons etc. (which a man suffering from timira has), because the conviction arising from Knowledge and ignorance are opposed to each other.

This being so, whoever has got rid of the conviction about differences based on which the injunctions about rites and duties come into effect, he desists from all kinds of rites and duties because all causes for this cease to exist as a result of the conviction of Oneness

arising from the Vedic texts, 'Existence (Brahman) alone . . ., One only, without a second', 'That is truth' (VI.8.7), 'All differences created through transformations are unreal' (cf. VI.4.1). And he who has ceased from all rites and duties, is spoken of as one established in Brahman, and he must be a monk because it is impossible for anyone else to be so. For the other has not got his conviction about differences removed; because of his seeing, hearing, thinking and knowing differences, he believes, 'I shall get this by doing this'. In the case of such a man, who is engaged thus, there cannot be any establishment in Brahman, for he is possessed of the ideas arising from his attachment to false transformations, which have speech (names) alone as their basis.

Moreover, when the idea of duality is demolished by the realisation that it (duality) is false, then, there cannot reasonably arise any awareness of the means of knowledge or the things to be known, in the form, 'This is true. This has to be performed by me through this', just as a person who has discriminative knowledge does not perceive any surface of or dirt in space. If it is argued that even after the demolition of the idea of differences, one does not desist from rites and duties just as he did not desist before the demolition of the idea of differences, then, the Vedic text enjoining the conviction of Unity will be rendered invalid. Like the validity of the texts prohibiting eating of things that are not to be eaten, it is reasonable that the text about Unity should have validity since all the Upaniṣads establish this fact.

Opponent: Is it not that in such a case, the injunctions about rites and duties will become invalid?

II. 23. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 151

Vedāntin: No, because it is reasonable that their validity will continue with regard to a person who has not got rid of the conviction of the existence of duality, as in the case of experiences in dream etc. (which remain valid) before one wakes up.

Opponent: Since men of discrimination will not perform (rites and duties), the injunctions about the rites and duties will become invalid.

Vedāntin: No, because the injunctions about the attainment of desirable things are not seen to be discarded. It is not a fact that performance of rites for attainment of desirable things will cease on the ground that, people who know that identity with desire is not praiseworthy cease to perform rites for fulfilling desires. People possessed of desires do indeed perform them. In that way, the injunctions about rites for achieving desirable things do not get discarded just because they are not undertaken by persons established in Brahman, who are the knowers of Brahman. They are surely performed by persons who have not realised Brahman.

Opponent: Just like (such actions as) moving about for alms by the monks, there will be no withdrawal from such rites as Agnihotra etc. by the householders and others, even after they have the idea of Unity.

Vedāntin: No, because, when considering the validity (of injunctions), an instinctive action of a person cannot be cited as an illustration. From the fact that someone is seen to undertake black-magic although it is prohibited, it does not follow that black-magic is undertaken against an enemy even by a person of discrimination, who has no animosity. Moreover, when the conviction of duality, which is the cause for

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engaging in rites according to injunction, is eliminated,

there cannot exist any cause for impelling one to per-

form Agnihotra etc. like hunger which impels a monk

to beg.

Opponent: Here also, the fear that non-performance

(of rites) will be the cause of evil, will act as an

impeller.

Vedāntin: No. Because the obligation (to perform

rites etc.) exist for a person having the idea of duality.

We say that a person who is possessed of the idea of

duality, the person whose idea of duality has not been

removed by Knowledge, becomes obliged to perform

rites and duties because evil comes to the person who

does not perform the rites even when he is under an

obligation to do them. But not so in the case of one for

whom such an obligation has ceased, just as no evil

accrues to the householder who does not perform some

special rite or duty prescribed for the the Brahmacārin.

Opponent: If it be so, then, all those in whom has

arisen the idea of Unity, even when continuing in their

own stages of life, will be considered as monks.

Vedāntin: No. Because, in their case, the ideas of

differences like 'me' and 'mine' have not been eradica-

ted. Moreover, the other stages of life are meant for

rites and duties, in accordance with the Vedic text,

'(Let me have wealth so that) I may perform rites'

(Br.I.4.17). Therefore, from the fact that there is no

idea of 'me' and 'mine', it follows that only the man of

renunciation can become a monk, but not 'the house-

holder and others.

Opponent: Since the idea of duality, which is the

cause for injunction (about rites), becomes eradicated

II. 23. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 153

by the conviction originating from the injunction about Unity, therefore, yama, niyama, etc. become inapplicable for the monk.

Vedāntin: No, because these rules (yama etc.) are meant for restraining a person who may become distracted from his conviction of Unity, by hunger etc.

Besides, performance of prohibited action cannot take place (in his case) because such action had been prohibited even before the origination of the idea of Unity.

Just as a man who had fallen into a well or on thorns at night, surely does not do so even after the sun has risen, therefore, it is proved that the monk alone, who has ceased from actions (rites and duties), remains established in Brahman.

Again, the statement that all persons devoid of Knowledge reach the virtuous worlds is true.

And the statement that by the word 'austerity', the monk also is referred to, is wrong.

Opponent: Why?

Vedāntin: Beca'se remaining established in Brahman is possible for the monk alone.

And we said that he alone remained unmentioned.

For a man who has realised Unity, there is also a cessation of austerity like that of Agnihotra etc.

because austerity appears as a duty only for one who has ideas of duality.

And by this is refuted the ability of remaining established in Brahman, during the intervals while performing rites and duties, as also the statement that this (establishment in Brahman) has not been prohibited for others.

Therefore, the man of Realisation alone, who has ceased from rites and duties, is meant by the word parivrāja-kah (monk), and hereby is refuted the needlessness of Realisation.

Again, as for the statement that the word

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parivrājakah is not used conventionally for the phrase 'one remaining established in Brahman'—like the words 'barley and pig'—, that has been rebutted since remaining established in Brahman is possible for him (the monk) alone, and not for anyone else. Besides, the statement that conventional words do not depend on any etymological meaning—that is not so, because such words as grhasthah (householder), takṣah (carpenter), parivrājakah (monk), are met with. For, words derivable etymologically are seen to be used conventionally. For instance, the words—grhsthah, etymologically meaning somebody staying in a house; parivrājakah meaning a traveller; and takṣah a wood-cutter—, are used conventionally for a householder, and a mendicant, who belong to particular stages of life, while takṣah conventionally means a certain caste, viz carpenter. It cannot be said that words are used only in their etymological sense, because this is not supported by usage. So, here also, it should be the case that, since the result is stated to be Immortality in its primary sense, the word brahmasamsthah, one remaining established in Brahman, has been used to mean a parivrājakah alone, who has given up all rites and duties along with their accessories, who has gone beyond all stages of life, and who is called a paramahaṃsa.

And hence, it follows that this alone is the monasticism mentioned in the Vedas, and not the acceptance of sacred thread, three staves (tied into one), water-pot,1 etc. The Vedas also state, 'Shaven-headed, not

1People belonging to the fourth stage of life, called mendicants, have this insignia, but the paramahaṃsas, monks, renounce even these.

accepting any gift’ (Jā.5), ‘Without association’; and in the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad it is stated, ‘(He spoke of the most sacred thing) to the people who had gone beyond the stages of life’ (VI.21). And also on the authority of such Smṛti texts as, ‘Without praising anybody and without making any salutation’, ‘Therefore, the monks, who have seen That which is beyond this world, do not undertake rites and duties. Therefore, the knower of Reality has no outer sign and no insignia for recognition’, etc. (it can be so concluded).

As for the renunciation of rites and duties, admitted by the Sāṅkhyas, that is wrong since they accept the idea of differences of actions, accessories, and results, as true. And as for the admission of non-agentship by the Bauddhas as a result of their accepting non-existence of everything, that also is wrong because such a position will be tantamount to their acceptance of the existence of the person making the assertion of non-agentship. As for the recourse to inactivity taken by the ignorant people, owing to their indolence, that too is wrong because their idea of agentship has not been eliminated by correct knowledge. Therefore, it is proved that monasticism—remaining established in Brahman—, as characterised by ceasing to perform rites and duties, is only for the man who has the realisation of Unity, originating from the Upaniṣads which are the valid means of knowledge. Hereby it follows by implication that, when a householder realises Unity, he has to resort to monasticism as a matter of course.

Opponent: By renunciation, will he not incur the guilt of abandoning his fire (in which he has to pour oblations everyday), for the Śruti says, ‘He who gives

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[II. 23. 1

up the fire becomes a killer of the progeny of the gods’?

Vedāntin: No. Since that giving up is caused by Pro-

vidence itself, that fire becomes abandoned after the

realisation of Unity, on the authority of the Vedic text,

‘(Thus) vanishes the fire-hood of fire’ (VI.4.1). So the

householder does not incur any guilt by becoming a

monk.

प्रजापतिलोकानभ्यतप्तेभ्योऽभितप्तेभ्यस्त्रयीव

विद्या सम्प्रास्रवत्तामभ्यतपत्तस्याऽऽभितप्ताया

एतान्यक्षराणि सम्प्रास्रवन्त भूर्भुवः स्वरिति

॥ २ ॥

2. Prajāpati meditated with regard to the worlds.

From them that were meditated on, issued the knowl-

edge of the three Vedas. He meditated with regard to

that. From that (knowledge) which was meditated on,

issued these letters, which were bhūḥ, bhuvah, and

svah.

With a view to ascertaining That, being established

in which one gets Immortality, the text says: Prajā-

patih, Virāṭ, or Kaśyapa; abhyatapat, undertook aus-

terities, i.e. meditated; lokān, with regard to the

worlds, with the purpose of getting their essence.

Tebhyah, from them; abhitaptebhyah, that were medi-

tated on; samprāsravat, issued, i.e. flashed in the mind

of Prajāpati; trayī vidyā, the knowledge of the three

Vedas, which was their essence. Abhyatapat, he medi-

tated; tām, on that, as before. Tasyāḥ, from that;

abhitaptāyāḥ, which was meditated on; samprā-

sravanta, issued; etāni, these; akṣarāṇi, letters; iti,

which were bhūḥ, bhuvah, svah, which are called

vyāḥṛtis.

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157

तान्यभ्यतपत्स्थेभ्योऽभितप्तेभ्य ओंकार: सम्प्रास्रवत्तथाङ्कुनाङ्क सर्वाणि पर्णानि संतृण्णान्येवमोड्कारेण सर्वी वाक्संतृण्णोद्कार एवेदङ्क सर्वमोड्कार एवेदङ्क सर्वम्

॥ ३ ॥ इति त्रयोविंश: खण्ड: ॥२३॥

3. He meditated with regard to them. From them which were meditated on, issued Om. For instance, as all leaves are held together by (their) midribs, in this way all the words are joined together by Om. Om is indeed all these. Om is indeed all these.

Abhyatapat, he meditated; tāni, with regard to them, i.e. the letters (vyāhṛtis). Tebhyah, from them abhi-taptebhyah, which were meditated on; sampprāsravat, issued; omkārah, Om. That is Brahman. In what way? sarvāṇi, all; parṇi, leaves, parts of the leaves; samtrṇṇāni, are held together, i.e. pervaded; śaṅkunā, by (their respective) midribs; evam, in this way; sarve, all; vāk, speech, words; samtrṇṇāḥ, are joined together; omkāreṇa, by Om, which is Brahman and is a symbol of the supreme Self. This is in accordance with the Vedic text, 'Indeed, the letter a is all that is speech'1, etc. Moreover, all those that have names are merely the appearances of the supreme Self. From this it follows that omkārah, Om; is eva, indeed; sarvam, all; idam, these. The repetition is for showing honour. The statement about the origin of the worlds etc. is meant for praising Om.

'Om is constituted by three letters, a, u, m. Since the vowel a pervades all speech, therefore Om also is all-pervasive.

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SECTION 24

ब्रह्मवादिनो वदन्ति यद्यसूनं प्रातःसवनं रुद्राणां

माध्यंदिने सवनमादित्यानां चै विश्वेषां च देवानां

तृतीयसवनम्॥ १॥

क तर्हि यजमानस्य लोक इति स यस्तं न विद्यात्कथं

कुर्यादथ विद्वान्कुर्यात्॥ २॥

1-2. People who discuss about Brahman say: Since the first savana (part of the day) belongs to the Vasus, the middle savana belongs to the Rudras, and the third savana belongs to the Ādityas and Viśvedevas, where, in that case, is the world of the yajamāna (the performer of the sacrifice)? He who does not know that, why should he perform (a sacrifice)? Therefore, one who is possessed of the knowledge shōuld perform (the sacrifice).

In connection with the meditation on the sāmas, Om had been treated as a part of rites and duties. There, the Upaniṣad desisted from that topic, and then glorified Om because it is the symbol of the supreme Self and hence the cause of Immortality. After that, now, with a view to giving instructions about the sāma, the oblation, the mantra, and the rising up, which are parts of the very sacrifice under discussion, the Upaniṣad says:

Brahmavādinah, people who discuss about Brahman; vadanti, say; yat, that which is well-known as; prātah savanam, the morning savana (early part of the

II. 24. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 159

day during the Soma-sacrifice)¹; vasūnām, belongs to the (eight) Vasus. This world, connected with the morning savana, is under the rulership of those presiding deities of the savana. Similarly, the intermediate world is ruled over by the (thirteen) Rudras who are the presiding deities of the midday savana. And the third world is ruled over by the (twelve) Ādityas and the Viśvedevas, who are the presiding deities of the third savana. So, there remains no other world for the sacrificer.

Therefore, kvah, where; tarhi, in that case; is the lokah, world; yajamānāsya, of the sacrificer, for acquiring which he undertakes the sacrifice? The idea is that no world exists. A Vedic text says, ‘Whosoever makes a sacrifice, verily he does it for acquiring a world.’ And in the absence of any world, saḥ, he, the sacrificer; yaḥ, who; na vidyāt, does not know; tam, the means—consisting of the sāma, the oblation, the mantra (and) the rising up—for making a world one’s own; katham, how can that ignorant man; kuryāt, perform the sacrifice? The meaning is that his agentship cannot be possible in any way. Since it (the text) is meant for the praise of the knowledge of sāma etc. therefore the agentship of the ignorant man who is conversant only with rites, is not prohibited. If the sentence be taken to mean both praise of the knowledge of sāma etc. and prohibition of the agentship of the ignorant man, then, this will lead to (the fault of giving) a double meaning

¹During a Soma-sacrifice, the day on which the Soma-juice is extracted, poured into fire as libation, and the remnant is drunk by the priests, sacrificer and others, is divided into three parts with names as mentioned in the text.

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[II. 24. 2

of the same sentence. And in the earlier part dealing with the story of Uṣasti, we have adduced the reason in favour of performance of rites even by an ignorant man. Atha, therefore; vidvān, one who is possessed of the knowledge of the means, viz sāma etc. which will be spoken of; kuryāt, should perform this.

पुरा प्रातरनुवाकस्योपाकरणाज्जघनेन गाहपत्यस्यो- दद्मुख उपविश्य स वासवं सामाभिगायति ॥३॥

3. Before beginning the singing of the Prātar-anuvāka, having sat behind the Gārhapatya-fire, facing northward, he sings the sāma over which the Vasus preside.

What is that which has to be known? That is being stated: Purā, before; upākaranāt, beginning he chant); prātar-anuvākasya, of the sastra1 named Prāta-ranuvāka; sah, he; upaviśya, having sat; jaghanena, behind; gārhapatyasya, the Gārhapatya-fire2; udan-mukhah, facing northward; abhigāyati, sings; vāsavam sāmam, the sāma over which the Vasus preside (or the sāma in honour of the Vasus).

लोऽकद्वारमपावार्णू३ पश्येम त्वा वयङ्स्राऽ३३३- हु३ङम् आऽ३ ज्याऽयोज३आ३२१९१ इति ॥४॥

1See note under I. 7. 5.

2Lit. the fire belonging to the grhapati (the master of the house-hold, i.e. the sacrificer), in which the oblation is poured by him and his wife.

II. 24. 6] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 161

4. ‘Please open the door of the world. We shall see you for getting a kingdom.’1

‘O fire, apāvarṇu, please open; lokadvāram, the door of the world for securing this world, the earth. Through that door, paśyema, we shall see; tvām, you; rājyāya, for getting a kingdom.’2

अथ जुहोति नमोऽग्रये पृथिवीक्शिते लोकक्शिते लोकं मे यजमानाय विन्दैष वै यजमानस्य लोक एतास्मि ॥ ५॥

अत्र यजमानः परस्तादायु: स्वाहापजहि परिघ-मित्युक्त्वोत्तिष्ठति तस्मै वसवः प्रातःसवनं समप्रयच्छन्ति ॥ ६ ॥

5-6. Then he pours the oblation (with the mantra):

‘Salutation to fire who reside in this earth, who live in the world. Please acquire the world for me who am the sacrificer. This indeed is the world for me, the sacrificer. I, the sacrificer, shall come to this world after death. Svāha.’ (Then) ‘Remove the bar (of the door leading to the world)’—by uttering (this mantra), he stands up. (As a result of this) to him the Vasus offer the Prātaḥsavana.

Atha, then; juhoti, he pours the oblation with this mantra; ‘Namaḥ, salutation; agnaye, to fire; we bow down to you, pṛthivīkṣite, who live in the earth; lokakṣite, who live in this

1The word hum in the text is one of the meaningless stobhas used in a sāma song.

2For the enjoyments available on earth.

11

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[II. 24. 6

earthly world. Vinda, please acquire; lokam, the

world; me yajamānāya, for me who am the sacrificer.

Eṣah vai, this indeed; lokah, is the world; yajamāna-

sya, of the sacrificer. I, yajamānaḥ, the sacrificer; etā

asmi, shall come; atra, here, to this world; parastāt,

after; āyuṣaḥ, life, i.e. after being dead.’ By uttering

the word svāhā, he pours the oblation. ‘Apajahi, re-

move; parigham, the bar shutting the door of the

world.’ Iti uktvā, uttering this; uttiṣṭhati, he stands up.

Thus, the world connected with the morning savana is

purchased from the Vasus with these. Thereafter,

they, vasavaḥ, the Vasus; samprayacchanti, give; prā-

taḥsavanam, (the world connected with) the morning

savana; yajamānāya, to the sacrificer.

पुरा मध्यन्दिनस्य सवनस्योपाकरणाद्यजमानोऽग्रेप्राञ्च-

स्योदङ्मुख उपविश्य स रौद्रं सामाभिगायति ॥७॥

लो॒कद्वारमपावृणु॒३ पश्येम त्वा वयं ३३३३

हुऽम् आ३३ जायॊ३आ३२११ इति ॥ ८॥

7. Before the commencement of the midday savana,

having sat behind the Agnīdhriya-fire, facing north-

ward, he sings the sāma presided over by the Rudras.

8. ‘Please open the door of the world. We shall see

you for getting the (enjoyments in the) world of Virāṭ.’

Tathā, similarly, he, the sacrificer; upavisya, having

sat; jaghanena, behind; agnīdhriyāsya, the Agnīdhri-

ya-fire (known also as) the Dakṣiṇāgni; udañmukhaḥ,

facing northward; abhigāyati, sings; raudram, the sāma

qver which the Rudras preside; vairājyāya, for attain-

ing (the enjoyments in) the world of Virāṭ1.

‘The word vairājyāya is translated by some as, ‘for attaining the

II. 24. 12] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 163

अथ जुहोति नमो वायवेदन्तरिक्षक्षिते लोकक्षिते लोकं मे यजमानाय विन्दैष वै यजमानस्य लोक एतास्मि ॥ ९॥

अत्र यजमानः परस्तादायुषः स्वाहापजहि परिधिम- त्युक्त्वोत्तिष्ठति तस्मै रुद्रा माध्यन्दिनं सवनं समप्रयच्छन्ति ॥ ९०॥

9. Then he pours the oblation by uttering the mantra, 'Salutation to air living in the world (and) in the intermediate-space. Please acquire the world for me, the sacrificer. This indeed is the world for me, the sacrificer.

10. 'I, the sacrificer, shall come to this world after death. Svāhā.' (Then) 'Remove the bar (of the door leading to the world)'. By uttering (this mantra) he stands up. (As a result of this) the Rudras offer (the world connected with) the midday savana to him.

'Living in the intermediate-space', etc, is to be explained as before.

पुरा तृतीयसवनस्योपाकरणाज्जघनेनाहवनीयस्योदङ्मुख उपविश्य स आदित्यं स वैश्वदेवं सामाभिगायति ॥ ११॥

लो॒ऽकद्वारमपावार॒णू॒ऽ३ प॒श्य॒म॒ त्वा॒ व॒य॒ स्वा॒रा ३३३३ हुर॒म् आ॒ऽ३ज्यार्ँय॒ऽआ॒ऽ२१११ इति ॥ १२॥

आदित्यमथ वैश्वदेवं लो॒ऽकद्वारमपावार॒णू॒ऽ३ प॒श्य॒म॒

state of Virāṭ'. The commentator is silent on this point, though he mentions under II. 24. 9-10, 14-15, that the texts are to be explained as in II. 24. 4. There the word rājyāya, (lit.) for getting a kingdom, is explained by Ānanda Giri as, 'for getting the enjoyments that are available on earth'. Hence this departure.

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[II. 24. 11

त्वा वयꣳ सामप्राङ्‌ङ्‌हुरम् आङ् रेज्याङ्‌योऽ-

आङ्‌३२९१९ इति ॥ १३॥

11. Before the commencement of the third savana, having sat behind the Āhavanīya-fire, facing northward, he sings the sāma over which the Ādityas and the Viśvedevas preside.

12. ‘Please open the door of the world. We shall see you for getting sovereignty.’ This is the sāma presided over by the Ādityas.

13. Then the sāma presided over by the Viśvedevas: ‘Please open the door of the world. We shall see you for getting an empire.’

Similarly, upaviśya, having sat (behind); āhavanīyasya, the Āhavanīya-fire; udanmukhaḥ, facing northward; abhigāyati, he sings one after the other; the sāma songs ādityam, presided over by the Ādityas; and vaiśvadevam, the Viśvedevas; svārājyāya, for getting sovereignty; and sāmrājyāya, for getting an empire.

अथ जुहोति नम आदित्येभ्यश्च विश्वेभ्यश्च देवेभ्यो

दिविक्षिद्भ्यो लोकक्षिद्भ्यो लोकं मे यजमानाय विद्धत

॥ १४॥

एष वै यजमानस्य लोक एतस्पात्र यजमान:

परस्तादायुष: स्वाहापहत परिग्रमित्युत्त्वोत्ति ष्ठति ॥ १५॥

14. He then pours the oblations by uttering the mantra: ‘Salutation to the Ādityas and the Viśvedevas, who live in the heavenly world. Please acquire the world for me, the sacrificer.

II. 24. 16] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 165

15. 'This indeed is the world for me, the sacrificer. I shall come to this world after death. Svāhā.' (Then) 'Remove the bar of the door.' By uttering this mantra he stands up.

'Divikṣitabhyaḥ, who live in the heavenly world', etc. and the rest are to be explained as before. The only difference is that the verbs vindata and apahata are used in the plural. This1 is meant for the yajamāna because there are the indicative words 'etā asmi, I am desirous of coming'.

तस्मा आदित्याश्च विश्वे च देवास्तृतीयसवन᐀सम्प्रयच्छन्त्येष ह वै यज्ञस्य मात्रां वेद य एवं वेद य एवं वेद ॥ १६॥ इति चतुर्विशः खण्डः ॥ २४॥ इति छान्दोग्योपनिषदि द्वितीयोऽध्यायः ॥ २ ॥

16. To him the Ādityas and the Viśvedevas offer (the result of) the third savana. This one indeed, who knows thus, who knows thus, knows the true nature of the sacrifice.

Eṣaḥ, this one, the sacrificer; ha vai, indeed; yaḥ evam veda, who knows thus, who knows the sāma etc. as have been spoken of; veda, he knows; mātrāṃ, the true nature; yajñāsya, of the sacrifice as stated above. 'He who knows thus', is repeated to show that the chapter has concluded.

1This refers to all the acts of sitting behind the fire, pouring oblation, standing up etc.

CHAPTER III

SECTION I

ओं। असौ वा आदित्यो देवमधु तस्य द्यौरेव

तिरश्‍चीनव‍ऋशोऽन्तरिक्षमपूपो मरीचय: पुत्रा: ॥ १ ॥

1. Om. The yonder sun is surely the honey of the

gods. Of it, heaven is surely the bent bamboo. The

intermediate-space is the hive. The rays are the off-

springs.

The connection of the part starting with, ‘Om. The

yonder sun’, etc. with the earlier part (is this): At the

end of the preceding chapter it was said, ‘Knows the

true nature of the sacrifice’; and the sāma, the homa,

the mantras, and the rising up, which are parts of the

sacrifice and connected with it, were enjoined for at-

taining a special result. And the sun, which is the result

of the accomplishment of all the sacrifices, shines in

its great glory. That one who is such (the sun), and is

the result of the actions of all the creatures, is directly

depended upon by all. So, after the statement about

the sacrifice, the Upaniṣad starts with the text, ‘The

yonder sun is surely the honey of the gods’, etc. with

the idea, ‘I shall enjoin the meditation on the sun which

is the product of that (sacrifice) and which is the best of

the fruits sought after by men.’

Asau ādityah, the yonder sun; is vai, surely; deva-

madhu, honey for the gods because it delights them

like honey. How the sun causes delight to the Vasus

and others because of its being the result of all the

sacrifices, will be spoken of (by the Upaniṣad). How does it become the honey?

The answer to that is: Tāsya, of that; of that honey which is like the honey of the bees; dyauh, heaven; eva, itself; is the tiraścīna, bent; vaṃśah, bamboo, like the bent bamboo in the case of a bee-hive, because the sky seems to have a curved shape. And antarikṣam, the intermediate-space; is apūpah, the honeycomb; it seems to be hanging down, attached to heaven which is like a bamboo. Therefore, through its similarity with the honeycomb and because of its being the support of the sun which is the honey, the intermediate-space is the beehive. Marīcayah means the rays, (i.e.) the water (moisture?) in the rays, which is sucked up from earth by the sun. This is declared by the Vedic text, ‘These shining rays are surely water.’ Since these (waters) exist within the rays that are in the beehive—in the intermediate-space—, therefore, they seem to be lodged there like the putrāḥ, offsprings born of the eggs of bees. Since the offsprings of the bees exist within the cells of the beehive, they (waters) are the offsprings as it were.

तस्य ये प्राच्यो रश्मयस्त एवास्य प्राच्यो मधुनाड्य:। ऋच एव मधुकृत ऋग्वेद एव पुष्पं ता अमृता आपस्ता वा एता ऋच: ॥ २॥

2. Of that (sun), those which are the eastern rays, they themselves are its eastern cells. The Ṛk-mantras are verily the bees. The Ṛg-Veda is indeed the flower. Those waters are the nectars. They, which are verily these Ṛk-mantras—

Ye, those; that are prāñcaḥ raśmayaḥ, the eastern rays, the rays issuing eastward; tasya, of that sun which is the receptacle of the honey, and is thus honey itself; tāḥ eva, they themselves (the rays); are like asya, its; prācyaḥ, eastern—since they extend eastwards; madhunādyāḥ, veins of honey, i.e. the cells holding honey. In that context, ṛcaḥ, the Ṛk-mantras; eva, are verily; madhukṛtaḥ, the bees. They are called the bees since, like bees, they make the red-coloured honey that is in the sun. That from which they make honey by collecting juices, that is Ṛg-Veda, which is puṣpam eva, surely the flower, comparable to a flower. In this context, since the Ṛg-Veda, consisting of the Ṛk verses and the Ṛk-brāhmaṇas, collectively called the Ṛg-Veda, is (a collection of) mere words, yeilding of the juice in the form of enjoyable things is not possible from them. Therefore, by the word Ṛg-Veda here is meant the rite enjoined in the Ṛg-Veda. For, from that indeed, the issuing out of the honey-juice in the form of results of rites is possible.

As is done by the bees, honey is prepared by the Ṛk-mantras by taking up āpaḥ, the water from the rites enjoined by the Ṛg-Veda, which are comparable to flowers. What are those waters? The answer given is: (They are) tāḥ, those which, in the form of Soma, clarified butter and milk are poured into the fire in connection with rites; and turn into amṛtāḥ, nectars1, through the process of heating etc. (That is to say) they turn into nectar, the cause of Immortality, in the form of very juicy āpaḥ, water. When used in rites, tāḥ, they;

1Amṛta means the unseen result produced from the oblations, which become the cause of Liberation (Immortality) through successive stages.

III. 1. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 169

which are eva, verily; etāḥ, these; ṛcaḥ, Ṛk-mantras, taking up those juices, like bees collecting from flowers—

एतमृग्वेदमभ्यतपंस्तस्याभितप्तस्य यशस्तेज इन्द्रियं वीर्यमनाद्यं रस आजायत ॥३॥

3. Heated up this Ṛg-Veda. From that which was heated up, issued the juice in the form of fame, lustre, vigour of the organs, strength, and eatable food.

Abhyatapan, heated up, as it were; etam, this; ṛg-vedam, Ṛg-Veda, the rites enjoined by the Ṛg-Veda, which are comparable to the flowers. It is reasonable that, when a rite is performed with the help of the Ṛk-mantras, which take the form of such parts of the rite as śastra etc. (see foot-note under I.7.5), then, the rite yields the juice that produces honey, as do the flowers when they are sucked by the bees.

The Upaniṣad speaks of that fact thus: Tasya, of that Ṛg-Veda; abhitaptasya, which was heated up—which is that juice that was the result of heating up by the Ṛk-mantras likened to the bees? That is being said:— yaśaḥ, fame; tejah, bodily lustre; indriyam, being not deprived of the organs endowed with vigour; vīryam, strength; annādyam, that which is food and is also eatable; that by the use of which everyday, the gods continue to exist is eatable food. This rasaḥ, juice; ajāyata, issued from the rites in the form of sacrifice etc.

तद्वयक्षरत्तदादित्यमभितोष्रयत्तद्वा एतददादित्यस्य रोहितं रूपम् ॥४॥ इति प्रथमः खण्डः ॥ १ ॥

4. It flowed profusely and settled on a side of the sun.

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[III. 1. 4

sun. That verily is this, which is this red appearance (aspect) of the sun.

Tat, that, counting from fame and ending with eat-able food; vyakṣarat, flowed profusely. And having gone, āśryat, settled down; abhitah, on a side, on the eastern side; ādityam, of the sun. Rites and duties are performed by human beings for the attainment of results in the form of fame etc. indeed, with the hope, ‘We shall enjoy the honey called the result of actions, which remains collected in the yonder sun.’ This is like the preparation of a field by cultivators. By the words, ‘tat vai etat, that is verily this’, the Upaniṣad directly points that out for arousing faith. What is that? Yat, that which; etat, is this; rohitam, red; rūpam, appearance; ādityasya, of the sun, seen when it is rising up.

SECTION 2

अथ येऽस्य दक्षिणा रश्मयस्ता एवास्य दक्षिणा मधुनाड्यो यजूंष्येव मधुकृतो यजुर्वेद एव पुष्पं ता अमृता आप:

1. Then, those which are its southern rays, they themselves are its southern honey-cells. The Yajur-mantras are indeed the bees. The Yajur-veda is indeed the flower. Those waters (juices) are the nectars.

Atha, then; ye, those which are; asya, its; dakṣināḥ, southern; raśmayaḥ, rays, etc. are to be explained as before (in III.1.2). Yajūṃṣi, the Yajur-mantras which are used in the rites enjoined by the Yajur-Veda; are madhukṛtaḥ, the bees—like the bees—, as shown

III. 3. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 171

earlier. The rites enjoined by the Yajur-Veda is puṣ-pam, the flower, comparable to a flower. Tāh, they; amṛtāh, the nectars—Soma etc.; eva, verily are the waters.1

तানি वा एतानि यजूंष्येतं यजुषदैवाभितप्त-स्याभितप्तस्य यशस्तेज इन्द्रियं वीर्यमन्नादः रसौजायत

॥ २॥

2. They which are verily these Yajur-mantras, heated up this Yajur-Veda. From that which was heated up issued the juice in the form of fame, lustre, vigour of the organs, strength and eatable food.

तद्वयक्षरत्तदादित्यमभितोऽश्रयत्तद्वा एतदादित्यस्य शुक्लं रूपम् ॥ ३ ॥ इति द्वितीय: खण्ड: ॥ २ ॥

3., It flowed profusely and settled on a side of the sun. That verily is this which is this white appearance of the sun.

Tāni vai etāni, they which are verily these; yajūṃṣi, Yajur-mantras; abhyatapan, heated up; yajurvedam, the Yajur-Veda etc. is similar to the earlier text. Etat, this; śuklam rūpam, white appearance; ādityasya, of the sun that is seen, is the honey.

SECTION 3

अथ येडस्य प्रत्यच्चो रश्मयस्ता एवास्य प्रतीच्यो मधुनाड्य: सामान्येव मधुकृत: सामवेद एव पुष्पं ता अमृता आप: ॥ १॥

1See note under III.1.2

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[III. 3. 1

1. Then those which are its western rays, they themselves are its western honey-cells. The Sāma-mantras are indeed the bees. The Sāma-Veda is verily the flower. Those waters (juices) are the nectars.

ताि वा एताि सामान्येतर्ः सामवेदमभ्यतप॒स्तस्याभितप्तस्य यशस्तेज इन्द्रियं वीर्यमन्नाद्यं रसोज्जायत

॥ २ ॥

2. They which are verily these Sāma-mantras, heated up this Sāma-Veda. From that which was heated up issued fame, lustre, vigour of the organs, strength and eatable food.

तद्र्यक्षरत्तादित्यमभितोऽश्रयत्तद्रा एतदादित्यस्य कृष्णं रूपम् ॥ ३ ॥ इति तृतीय: खण्ड: ॥ ३ ॥

3. It flowed profusely and settled on a side of the sun. That indeed is this which is this black appearance of the sun.

Atha, now; ye, those which are its; pratyañcah, western; raśmayah, rays, etc. is to be explained as before. Similarly, the honey of the sāmas is etat, this; krṣṇam, black; rūpam, appearance; ādityasya, of the sun.

SECTION 4

अथ य ए॒तस्योद॒चो र॒श्मयस्ता एवास्योद॒ीचो मधु-

नाड॒योडथर्वाङ्गिरस एव मधुकृत इतििहासपुराणं पुष्पं ता अमृता आप: ॥ १ ॥

1. Then, those which are its northern rays, they

themselves are its northern honey-cells. The mantras seen by Atharvā and Aṅgirā are verily the bees. The Itihāsa and Purāṇa is the flower. Those waters (juices) are the nectars.

Atha, then; those which are its udanḍaḥ, northern rays, etc. is to be explained as before. Atharvaṅgirasah are the mantras seen by Atharvā and Aṅgirā, and applied in rites. They are madhukṛtaḥ, the bees. Itihāsapurāṇam, Itihāsa and Purāṇa; is puṣpam, the flower. Their, (i.e.) of Itihāsa and Purāṇa, use is enjoined as parts of the rites called Aśvamedha (Horse-sacrifice) during the nights called Pāriplava.'

ते वा एतेऽथर्वाङ्गिरस एतदितिहासपुराणमभ्यतपंस्तस्याभितप्तस्य यशस्तेज इन्द्रियं वीर्यमन्नाद्यं रसोदजायत ॥ २ ॥

2. They which are verily these mantras seen by Atharvā and Aṅgirā, heated up this Itihāsa and Purāṇa. From that which was heated up issued the juice in the form of fame, lustre, vigour of the organs, strength and eatable food.

'The word Itihāsa means the books containing Vedic anecdotes illustrating virtue, prosperity, enjoyment and Liberation. Purāṇa comprises Vedic stories and mythologies about primary and secondary creations, cycles of changes in creation, and history of dynasties. During a Horse-sacrifice, which spread over many days, there was the possibility of the sacrificer becoming fatigued. For avoiding this it was enjoined as a compulsory duty and a part of the rite that, priests should narrate to him these anecdotes and mythologies. Ānanda Giri says that the current Itihāsas and Purāṇas, as the stories contained in books like Mahābhārata, Viṣṇupurāṇa, etc. may also be accepted in this context.

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[III. 4. 3

तद्व्यक्षरत्तदादित्यमभितोऽश्रयतत्तद्वा एतद्यदेतदादित्यस्य परं कृष्णं रूपम् ।। ३ ।। इति चतुर्थ: खण्ड: ।। १७८ ।।

3. It flowed profusely and settled on a side of the sun. That indeed is this which is this deep black appearance of the sun.

Etat, this; param, deep; krṣṇam, black; rūpam, appearance; ādityasya, of the sun is the honey. This is the meaning.

SECTION 5

अथ येऽस्योर्ध्वा रश्मयस्ता एवास्योध्व्वा मधुनाढ्यो गुह्या एवादेशा मधुकृतो ब्रह्मैव पुष्पं ता अमृता आप: ।। १ ।।

1. Then, those which are its upward rays, they themselves are its upper honey-cells. The secret injunctions are indeed the bees. Om is indeed the flower. Those waters are the nectars.

ते वा एते गुह्या आदेशा एतद्ब्रह्माभ्यतपस्तस्याभितप्तस्य यशस्तेज इन्द्रियं वीर्यमन्नाद्यं रसोऽजायत ।। २ ।।

2. 'They which are verily these secret injunctions heated up this Om. From that which was heated up issued the juice in the form of fame, lustre, vigour of the organs, strength and eatable food.

तद्व्यक्षरत्तदादित्यमभितोऽश्रयतत्तद्वा एतद्यदेतदादित्यस्य मध्ये क्षोभत इव ।। ३ ।।

III. 5. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 175

3. It flowed profusely and settled on a side of the sun. That indeed is this which is this that seems to stir inside the sun.

Atha, then; ye, those which are its, etc. are to be understood as before. Guhyāh, the secret, mystical; ādeśāh, injunctions about the door-keepers and others, and the meditation with regard to the accessories of rites; are eva, indeed; madhukṛtah, the bees. Since this is a context of words (viz Ṛk-mantras, Sāma-mantras, etc.) brahma means Om. This Om is eva, indeed; puṣpam, the flower. The rest is to be explained as before.

This honey iva, seems; kṣobhate, to stir; ādityasya madhye, inside the sun—to a man of concentrated mind it seems to be in commotion.

ते वा एते रसाना᳚ रसा वेदा हि रसास्तेषामते रसास्तानी वा एतान्यमृतानाममृतानि वेदा हामृतास्तेषामेतान्यमृतानि ॥४॥ इति पञ्चमः खण्डः ॥ ५ ॥

4. They that are such, are the juices of the juices. Since the Vedas are the juices, of them these are the juices. Those very things that are such, are indeed the nectars of nectars. The Vedas indeed are the nectars. Of them these are the nectars.

Te vai ete, they that are such, the aforesaid different appearances like red etc.; rasāḥ, are the juices; rasā-nām, of the juices. Of which juices? The answer is: Vedāḥ, the Vedas; are rasāḥ, the juices, essences; hi, because they have issued out of the worlds. Even of these juices (the Vedas) in the form of rites, the particular juices such as red etc. are the quintessences. This

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[III. 5. 4

is the meaning. Similarly, (they) are amṛtāni, the nectars; amṛtānām, of the nectars. Vedāḥ, the Vedas; are hi, indeed; amṛtāḥ, the nectars since they are eternal. Teṣām, of them; etāni, these appearances that are red etc.; are amṛtāni, the nectars. The statement that they are ‘the juices of juices’, is meant as a praise of the rite, of which the result is such excellent nectars.

SECTION 6

तद्यत्त्रथमममृतं तद्वसव उपजीवन्त्यग्निना मुखेन न वै देवा अश्नन्ति न पिबन्त्यतेदेवामृतं दृष्ट्वा तृप्यन्ति ॥ १ ॥

1. Through fire which is the chief (among them), the Vasus enjoy that which is the first nectar among these. The gods certainly do not eat or drink. They become contented by seeing this very nectar.

Tat, there (among the nectars); yat, that which is; prathamam, the first; amṛtam, nectar indicated by the red appearance; tat, that; vasavah, the Vasus who are the presiding deities of the morning savana; upajīvanti, enjoy; agninā mukhena, through fire which is the chief among them, i.e. with fire as their chief. From the statement that the juice issued in the form of eatable food, the conclusion reached is that they eat by taking morsels. That is being negated by saying devāḥ, the gods; vai, surely; na, do not; aśnanti, eat; (or) na, do not; pibanti, drink. How then do they enjoy? This is being answered: Tṛpyanti, they become contented; dṛṣṭvā, by seeing, perceiving, feeling through all the organs; etat eva, this very; amṛtam, nectar that has been spoken of as appearing red. For the verb dṛś, to

III. 6. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 177

see, is used in the sense of experiencing through all the organs.

Objection: Well, has it not been stated that (they become contented) by seeing the red appearance? How then, does the appearance become the object of other organs?

Answer: Not so because fame etc. is realisable through ear etc. Fame is realised through the ear. Lustrous appearance is an object of the eye. Vigour of the organs is inferable from acts of perceiving objects. Strength is physical enthusiasm and liveliness. Eatable food is that which, being enjoyed everyday, becomes the cause of sustaining the body. The juice is certainly all that consists of these, by seeing which all become contented. That 'the gods become contented by seeing' means that they become contented by experiencing everything through their own organs. And having become settled in the sun, they (the juices) are free from the defects of bad smell etc. of the bodily organs.

त एतदेव रूपमभिसंविशन्त्येतस्मादूपादुद्यन्ति ॥ २ ॥

2. They retire into this very appearance. From this appearance they emerge.

Is it that they enjoy the nectar without any effort? No. How then? Looking at etat, this; eva, very rūpam, appearance; they understand, 'Now is not the occasion for our enjoyment', and they abhisamviśanti, retire into, become indifferent. When indeed, the occasion for the enjoyment of that nectar arises, then, etasmāt, from this (appearance), i.e. for the enjoyment of this

178

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[III. 6. 2

nectar; (they) udyanti, emerge, i.e. become enthusi-

astic. For it is not seen in the world that enjoyment is

available for those who lack enthusiasm, who do not

undertake action and are lazy.

स य एतदेवममृतं वेद वसूनामेव को भूत्वाग्रिनैव

मुखेनैतदेवामृतं दृष्ट्वा तृप्यति स एतदेव रूपमभिसंविश-

त्येतस्माद्रूपादुदेति ॥३॥

3. He who knows this nectar thus, becomes one

among the Vasus themselves, and becomes contented

by seeing this very nectar through fire itself which is the

chief. He retires into this very appearance. He rises up

from this appearance.

Saḥ yaḥ, any one who; veda, knows; etat, this; evam,

thus as described—the flowing out of honey that has

risen from the flowers which are the rites enjoined by

the Ṛg-Veda, (on being) heated up by the Ṛk-mantras

which are the bees; its settling down on the sun; the red

appearance of the nectar, and the existence (of this

nectar) in the eastern rays which are the eastern honey-

cells; its enjoyment by the deities (called) Vasus; its

enjoyment by the knower of this, through fire which is

the chief (among the Vasus), by virtue of his having

become one of them; the contentment by merely see-

ing; becoming enthusiastic when the occasion for his

enjoyment arises; and retirement (into the appear-

ance) after the expiry of that time—, he also perceives

everything in that very way like the Vasus.

स यावदादित्यः पुरस्तादुदेता पश्चादस्तमेता वसूनामेव

III. 7. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 179

तावदाधिपत्यं स्वाराज्यं पर्येता ॥४॥ इति षष्ठ: खण्ड: ॥ ६ ॥

4. For as long as the sun will take to rise in the East and set down in the West, he will attain the rulership and the sovereignty that the Vasus themselves have.

How long does the knower enjoy that nectar? That is being said: The period of enjoymentment of the Vasus is for yāvat, as long as; ādityah, the sun; udetā, will (take to) rise; purastāt, in the East; (and) astametā, set down; paścāt, in the West. Tāvat, for that long only; saḥ, he, the knower; paryetā, will attain fully; ādhipatyam, the rulership; svārājyam, sovereignty; vasūnām, that the Vasus have. Not like the performer of mere rites, who goes to the Lunar region and becomes a non-indepen-dent food (object of enjoymentment) of the gods. What then? This man acquires rulership and the state of being a sovereign.

SECTION 7

अथ यदद्वितीयममृतं तदुद्रा उपजीवन्तीनद्रेण मुखेन न वै देवा अश्नान्ति न पिबन्त्यतदेवामृतं दृष्ट्वा तृप्यन्ति ॥ १॥

त एतदेव रूपमभिसंविशन्त्येतस्मादूपादुदयन्ति ॥ २ ॥

स य एतदेवममृतं वेद रुद्राणामेवैको भूत्वेन्द्रेणैव मुखेनैतदेवामृतं दृष्ट्वा तृप्यति स एतदेव रूपमभिसंविश-त्येतस्मादूपादुदेति ॥३॥

1. Now, that which is the second nectar, that is

enjoyed by the Rudras with Indra as their chief. The gods certainly do not eat or drink. They become contented by seeing this very nectar.

2. They retire into this very appearance. From this appearance they emerge.

3. He who knows this nectar thus, becomes one among the Rudras themselves, and becomes contented by seeing this very nectar, through Indra himself who is the chief. He retires into this very appearance. He rises up from this appearance.

Atha, now; yat, that which is; dvitīyam, the second; amṛtam, nectar; tat, that; rudrāḥ, the Rudras; upa-jīvanti, enjoy, etc, is to be explained as before.

स यावदादित्य: पुरस्तादुदेता पश्चादस्तमेता द्विस्तावद्दक्षिणत उदेतेत्तरतोऽस्तमेता रुद्राणामेव तावदाधिपत्यं स्वाराज्यं पर्येता ॥४॥ इति सप्तम: खण्ड: ॥७॥

4. For as long as the sun will take to rise in the East and set down in the West, it will take double of that (time) to rise in the South and set down in the North. For that long will he (the man of knowledge) attain rulership and sovereignty that the Rudras themselves have.

Dvistāvat, twice as long as, double of that period; that ādityah, the sun; udetā, will (take to) rise; purastāt, in the East; and astametā, set down; paścāt, in the West; it will take to rise dakṣiṇatah, in the South; and astametā, set down; uttaratah, in the North. The time for enjoyment rudrāṇām, of the Rudras lasts for that long.

III. 8. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 181

SECTION 8

अथ यत्तृतीयममृतं तदादित्या उपजीवन्ति वरुणेन मुखेन न वै देवा अश्नन्ति न पिबन्त्येतदेवामृतं दृष्ट्वा तृप्यन्ति ॥ १॥

त एतदेव रूपमभिसंविशन्त्येतस्मादूपादुद्ग्रान्ति ॥ २ ॥

स य एतदेवममृतं वेदादित्यानामेवैको भूत्वा वरुणेनैव मुखेनैतदेवामृतं दृष्ट्वा तृप्यति स एतदेव रूपमभिसंविशत्येतस्मादूपादुदेति ॥ ३ ॥

1. Now, that which is the third nectar, that is enjoyed by the Ādityas with Varuṇa as their chief. The gods certainly do not eat or drink. They become contented by seeing this very nectar.

2. They retire into this very appearance. From this appearance they emerge.

3. He who knows this nectar thus, becomes one among the Ādityas themselves, and becomes contented by seeing this very nectar through Varuṇa himself who is the chief. He retires into this very appearance. He rises up from this appearance.

स यावदादित्यो दक्षिणत उदेतोत्तरतोडस्तमेता द्विस्तावत्तपश्चादुदेता पुरस्तादस्तमेतादित्यानामेव तावदाधिपत्यं स्वाराज्यं पर्येता ॥ ४ ॥ इत्यष्टमः खण्डः ॥ ८ ॥

4. For as long as the sun will (take to) rise in the East and set down in the West, it will take double of that

182 CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD [III. 8. 4

(time) to rise in the South and set down in the North. For that long will he (the man of knowledge) attain rulership and sovereignty that the Ādityas themselves have.

SECTION 9

अथ यच्चतुर्थममृतं तन्मरुत उपजीवन्ति सोमेन मुखेन न वै देवा अश्नन्ति न पिबन्त्यतदेवामृतं दृष्ट्वा तृप्यन्ति ॥ १ ॥

त एतदेव रूपमभिसंविशन्त्येतस्माद्रूपादुद्यान्ति ॥ २ ॥

स य एतदमृतं वेद मरुतामेवैको भूत्वा सोमेनैव मुखेनैतदेवामृतं दृष्टा तृप्यति स एतद्रूपमभिसंविशत्येतस्माद्रूपादुदेति ॥ ३ ॥

स यावदादित्यः पश्चादुदेता पुरस्तादस्तमेता दृष्टावदुत्तर उदेता दक्षिणतोऽस्तमेता मरुतामेव तावदाधिपत्यं स्वाराज्यं पर्येता ॥ ४ ॥ इति नवमः खण्डः

1. Now, that which is the fourth nectar, that is enjoyed by the Maruts with Soma as their chief. The gods certainly do not eat or drink. They became contented by seeing this very nectar.

2. They retire into this very appearance. From this appearance they emerge.

3. He who knows this nectar thus, becomes one among the Maruts themselves, and becomes contented by seeing this very nectar through Soma himself who is

III. 10. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 183

the chief. He retires into this very appearance. He rises up from this appearance.

4. For as long as the sun will (take to) rise in the East and set down in the West, it will take twice that (time) to rise in the South and set down in the North. For that long will he (the man of knowledge) attain rulership and sovercignty that the Maruts themselves have.

SECTION 10

अथ यत्पज्चमममृतं तत्साध्या उपजीवन्ति ब्रह्मणा मुखेन

न वै देवा अश्नन्ति न पिबन्त्येतदेवामृतं दृष्ट्वा तृप्यन्ति

॥ १ ॥

त एतदेव रूपमभिसंविशन्त्येतस्माद्रूपादु दयन्ति ॥ २ ॥

स य एतदेवमृतं वेद साध्यानामेवैको भूत्वा ब्रह्मणैव

मुखेनैतदेवामृतं दृष्ट्वा तृप्यति स एतदेव

रूपमभिसंविशत्येतस्माद्रूपादु दयति ॥ ३ ॥

स यावदादित्य उत्तरत उदेता दक्षिणतोऽस्तमेता

दिस्तावदूर्ध्व उदेतार्डस्तमेता साध्यानामेव तावदाधिपत्यं

स्वाराज्यं पर्येता ॥ ४ ॥ इति दशमः खण्डः ॥ १० ॥

1. Now, that which is the fifth nectar, that is enjoyed by the Sādhyas (a class of celestial beings) with Brahmā as their chief. The gods certainly do not eat or drink. They become contented by seeing this very nectar.

2. They retire into this very appearance. From this appearance they emerge.

3. He who knows this nectar thus, becomes one among the Sādhyas themselves, and becomes contented by seeing this very nectar through Brahmā himself who is the chief. He retires into this very appearance. He rises up from this appearance.

4. For as long as the sun will (take to) rise in the South and set down in the North, it will take twice that (time) to rise on high and set down below. For that long will he (the man of knowledge) attain rulership and sovereignty that the Sādhyas themselves have.

Similarly, the sun will rise westward, northward, and upward, and set down in the opposite directions, taking twice the time in the successive moves as that it took in the earlier ones.

This view does not accord with the Paurāṇika view because the followers of the Purāṇas say that, there is equality of the periods for the rising and setting of the sun in the four regions, in the four sides presided over by Indra, Yama, Varuṇa, and Soma. For, the time taken to orbit round the top of the Meru mountain, which lies North of the Mānasa Lake, is the same (in the four regions).

This objection is met by the teacher Draviḍācārya in this way: The regions succeeding heaven (of Indra) exist for twice as long as the earlier ones. And ‘rising up of the sun’ means its coming within the range of vision of the dwellers of the regions concerned, and ‘setting down’ means the termination of such a vision. In reality, there is no such rising up and setting down, since in the absence of the dwellers of that region the sun will not be perceived as either rising up or setting down

with regard to them, although the sun be moving along the very same path, because there is absence of either coming within or going out of sight. Thus, the region of Yama (Death) exists for a time twice as long as that of heaven. Therefore, with regard to the people residing in the region of Yama, it is said that the sun seems to rise in the South and set down in the North. This also said from the point of view of our understanding. With regard to the succeeding regions also, this is to be understood in the same way.

The Meru exists northward in relation to all beings. When the sun is at its zenith in heaven, then, it will be seen as rising up in the region of Death. When it is at the zenith in Death's region, it will be seen as rising in Varuṇa's region; so also in the next region, since the orbit for moving around is the same. For the dwellers of the region Ilāvṛta, for whom the rays of the sun are shut out by the wall of mountains around Meru, the sun seems to rise on high and set down below. For, the rays of the sun enters through the opening at the top of the mountains. Similarly, from the doubling of the time of enjoyment, it can be inferred that, for the immortals who enjoy the nectar (produced from) Ṛk-mantras etc. there is a doubling of powerfulness in the succeeding groups (of gods). Becoming enthusiastic or retiring etc. is the same for the man of knowledge as for the deities Rudras and others.

SECTION II

अथ तत् ऊर्ध्व उदेत्य नैवोदेता नास्तमेतैक्ल एव मध्ये स्थाता तदेश श्लोक: ॥ १ १ ॥

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CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[III. 11. 1

1. Then, after that, having transcended (all these phases) and risen, verily he (the sun) will not rise, he will not set down. He will remain established only in himself, alone. With regard to this here is a verse:

In this way, by rising and setting, having helped the creatures to enjoy the results of their own actions, and when that enjoyment of the results of actions has exhausted, having withdrawn those creatures into himself—

Atha, then; tataḥ, after that, after the period of helping the creatures; ūrdhvaḥ, (san), having transcended; and udetya, risen in the Self, i.e. being established in himself owing to the absence of all these creatures for (helping) whom he rises up; naiva udetā, he will neither rise up; na astametā, nor set down. Sthātā, he will remain established; eva, only; madhye, in himself; ekalā, alone without a second, without any division.

As to that, some enlightened person who had behaved like the Vasus and others, and had taken part in enjoying the red nectar etc. and then, by following the process stated above had realised his identity with the sun as his own Self, became absorbed in the Self, and having seen this mantra, he awoke from his absorption and said to someone who had questioned him: ‘Even in the world of Brahman from where you have come, does the sun wear out the lives of creatures by revolving through nights and days, as it does to us in this world?’ When he was questioned thus, he said—. ‘Tat, as to that, with regard to the question as it was put and the answer as given; here occurs eṣaḥ ślokaḥ, this

III. 11. 3] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 187

verse, which was uttered by that Yogi. This declara-

tion is of the Upaniṣad.

न वै तत्र न निम्लोच नोदियाय कदाचन ।

देवास्तेनाहं सत्येन मा विराधिषि बह्मण ।। इति ।।२।।

2. ‘Surely there is not. There it does not set down, it

does not rise up at any time. O gods, may I not come

into conflict with Brahman because of (uttering) that

Truth.’

‘The world of Brahman from where I come, tatra,

there; vai, surely; na, does not exist what you question

about. Indeed, there the sun, na, does not; nïmlocah,

go down; and also na, does not; udīyāya, rise; kadā-

cana, at any time whatsoever, from any where.’ Being

told that it was unreasonable that the world of Brah-

man should be devoid of rising up and setting down (of

the sun), he affirmed by swearing as it were, ‘Devāh, O

gods, you hear as witnesses, the way I speak the truth.

Tena, by (uttering) that; satyena, Truth; mā, may I not;

virādhiṣi, come into conflict; brahmaṇā, with Brah-

man, i.e. may not Brahman be non-realisable to me.’

न ह वा अस्मा उदेति न निम्लोचति सकृद्विवा हैवास्मै

भवति य एतामेवं ब्रह्मोपनिषदं वेद ।। ३ ।।

3. It (the sun) certainly does not rise up nor does it

set down for him who knows this mystic teaching about

Brahman. For him it is surely daylight forever.

The Śruti affirms that he has spoken the truth.

Asmai, for this one, for the knower of Brahman, as

described above; (the sun) na ha vai udeti, certainly

188 CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD [III. 11. 3

does not rise up; na nimlocati, nor does it set down. But, asmai, for this one, for the knower of Brahman; it is surely divā, daylight; sakṛt, forever because of Self- effulgence. Yaḥ, he who; veda, knows; etam, this; brahma-upaniṣadam, mystic teaching about Brahman, as stated above; evam, in this way as stated by the scripture—the three things beginning from ‘the bamboo’ (the bent bamboo, the honeycomb, and the honey-cells), and the relation (of the Vasus and others) with the respective nectars, and all else that we have said—, that man who knows in this way, becomes identified with the eternal and unborn Brahman, which is not limited by periods of rising up and setting down.

तद्धैतद्ब्रह्मा प्रजापतये उवाच प्रजापतिरमंवच मनुः प्रजाभ्यस्तद्वेतदुद्दालकायारुणये ज्येष्ठाय पुत्राय पिता ब्रह्म प्रोવાચ ॥४॥

4. Brahmā said this that was such to Prajāpati; Prajāpati jāpati to Manu; Manu to his progeny. To the eldest son Uddālaka Āruṇi, his father spoke of this Brahman that was such.

Brahmā, Hiraṇyagarbha; uvāca, said; prajāpataye, to Virāṭ (who is also called) Prajāpati; tat ha etat, this that was such, the knowledge of the honey. He again, manave, to Manu; and Manu narrated prajābhyah, to his progeny, Ikṣvāku and others. In this way, the knowledge is praised by saying that it comes down through such a distinguished tradition, Brahmā onward. Moreover, jyeṣṭhāya putrāya, to the eldest son; uddālakāya āruṇaye, to Uddālaka Āruni; pitā, his father; provāca, spoke of; brahma, the knowledge of Brahman.

III. 11. 6] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 189

इदं वाव तद्न्येष्ठाय पुत्राय पिता ब्रह्म प्रबूवीत्प्रणाय्याय वान्तेवासिने ॥ ५॥

5. Of that Brahman which is such, a father should speak to his eldest son or to a competent disciple (living in his house).

Anyone else also pabrūyāt, should speak of; tat, that; brahma, Brahman; idam vāva, which is such as spoken above; jyeṣṭhāya putrāya, to his eldest son who is fit to receive this most cherished thing; vā, or; to a praṇāyyāya, competent; antevāsine, disciple.

नान्यस्मै कस्मैचन यदाप्यस्मा इमामद्भिः परिगृहीतां धनस्य पूर्णां दद्यादेतदेव ततः भूय इत्येतदेव ततः भूय इति ॥ ६ ॥ इत्येकादशः खण्डः ॥ ११ ॥

6. He should not impart to anyone else whosoever, even though he is offered this (earth) surrounded by water and filled with wealth. This indeed is greater than that; This indeed is greater than that.

Na dadyāt, he should not impart; anyasmai kasmai, to anyone else whosoever. For, the competent teachers to whom many may come (for learning), only two are enjoined as competent. Why again, has a limitation been made about competence with regard to this knowledge? This being answered: Even though any one, dadyāt, should offer to the teacher; imām, this, the whole earth; parigrhītām, surrounded; adbhiḥ, by water; and pūrṇam, filled; dhanasya, with wealth, filled with objects of enjoyment, as a price for this knowledge, even that is not a sufficient price for this;

190

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[III. 11. 6

because etat eva, this indeed, which is the imparting of

knowledge of honey; is bhūyaḥ, greater, has greater

results; tataḥ, even than that gift. The repetition of ‘etat

eva tataḥ bhūyaḥ, this indeed is greater than that’, is to

show regard.

SECTION 12

गायत्री वा इदᐞ सर्वᭂ भूतᐞ यदिदᐞ किज्च वागवै गायत्री

वागवा इदᐞ सर्वᭂ भूतᐞ गायति च त्रायते च ॥१॥

1. Gāyatrī is verily all these beings that there are.

Speech indeed is Gāyatrī. Speech indeed sings of all

these creatures and protects them.

Since this knowledge of Brahman is thus productive

of a great result, therefore, it has to be spoken of in

other ways as well. Hence the text, ‘Gāyatrī’, etc. is

started with. And Brahman is spoken of through Gāya-

trī because It, which is devoid of all qualifications and is

attainable through the process of negation of attri-

butes, in the form, ‘not this, not this’, etc. is difficult to

be comprehended (as such). Although there are many

metres still, Gāyatrī itself is accepted as the door to the

knowledge of Brahman because of its pre-eminence. In

a sacrifice Gāyatrī has got pre-eminence because: it

brought the Soma-juice for the gods; it pervades the

other metres by adopting letters from other metres

(three from Jagatī, one from Trṣṭup)1; and it spreads

1Once upon a time, the gods engaged the three metres, Gāyatrī,

Trṣṭup, and Jagatī, for getting Soma for themselves. But due to

inability, Trṣṭup and Jagatī returned without reaching the goal. But

III. 12. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 191

over all the three savanas. Further, since Gāyatrī is

essential to the Brāhmaṇas, and since the great rever-

ence for it is well-known, one cannot attain anything

higher, including Brahman Itself as spoken of, by re-

jecting Gāyatrī which is like one’s own mother. There-

fore, Brahman is spoken of with the help of Gāyatrī.

Gāyatrī vai: the word vai is used for emphasis. Sar-

vam, all; idam, these; bhūtam, beings, this totality of

living things, moving or not moving, all that is Gāyatrī

itself. Since Gāyatrī is a mere metre, it is not logical

that it should be identified with all living things. Hence

the text presents Gāyatrī as vāk, speech, which is the

source of Gāyatrī and which is of the nature of sound.

Vāk vai gāyatrī, speech indeed is Gāyatrī. Vāk, speech;

vai, indeed; is sarvam, all; idam, these; bhūtam, crea-

tures (living things) because, though speech is of the

nature of sound, it sings of all creatures—expresses

their names as, ‘That one is a cow’, ‘This one is a

horse’—, and it protects by saying, ‘Do not be afraid of

that; what is this fear that you have?’, and so on. Thus

one is protected by speech, by being forbidden from all

Gāyatrī alone could reach the kingdom of Soma, and by defeating

the protectors of Soma-juice, brought it to the gods. When Trṣṭup

and Jagatī became fatigued and retreated, they left some of their

letters behind—one of the former and three of the latter. Gāyatrī

picked up these letters and added them to herself. The story occurs in

the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa.

The metre Gāyatrī has 24 letters divided into four feet of six letters

each, whereas the feet of other metres have greater numbers of

letters. As greater numbers are made up of smaller numbers, the

number of letters of each foot of Gāyatrī gets included in the num-

bers of the letters of other metres. This is how Gāyatrī pervades the

other metres. (See Ānanda Giri.)

kinds of fear. Since speech sings (speaks) about creatures and protects them, therefore, in fact, it is Gāyatrī that talks of them and protects them, for Gāyatrī is non-different from speech. Gāyatrī derives its name from gāna, singing, and trāna, protecting.

या वै सा गायत्रीयं वाव सा येयं पृथिव्यस्याऽ हीदं सर्वं भूतं प्रतिष्ठितमेतामेव नातिशीयते ॥ २ ॥

2. That Gāyatrī which is such, that is surely this which is this earth, because this aggregate of all beings is established on this. It (the aggregate) does not transcend this very one (earth).

Yā vai sā, that which is; sā gāyatrī, that Gāyatrī which has these qualities and is identified with all beings; sā, that; vāva, surely; is iyam, this; yā, which is; pṛthivī, earth. How again, is this earth (called) Gāyatrī? That is being said: Because of its connection with all beings. How again, is there the connection with all beings? Hi, because sarvam bhūtam, the aggregate of all beings, moving and not moving; pratiṣṭhitam, is established; asyām, on this earth. (The aggregate) na, does not; atiśīyate, transcend; etām eva, this very earth. As Gāyatrī is connected with beings through singing and protecting, similarly the earth is connected with beings because of their habitation there. Therefore, Gāyatrī is the earth.

या वै सा पृथिवीयं वाव सा यदिदमस्मिन्पुरुषे शरीरमस्मिन्न्हीमें प्राणाः प्रतिष्ठिता एतदेव नातिशीयन्ते ॥ ३ ॥

3. That earth which is such, that is surely this which is the body that a man has, because on this are established these vital forces. They do not transcend this very one (body).

Yā vai sā, that which is the earth, i.e. the Gāyatrī (identified with the earth); iyam eva sā, that is surely this. Which is it? Yat idam, which is; śarīram, the body, the aggregate of the elements and the organs; puruṣe, possessed by a man when living, because a body is an earthly thing. How is the body equated with Gāyatrī? The answer is: Hi, because; asmin, on this; ime prāṇāḥ, these vital forces meant by the word bhūtāḥ (elements); pratiṣṭhitāḥ, are established. So, like the earth, the body is Gāyatrī because the vital forces na ati-śīyante, do not transcend; etat eva, this very body.

यद्वै तत्पुरुषे शरीरमिदं वाव तद्यदिदमस्मिन्नन्तः पुरुषे हृदयमस्मिन्ही मे प्राणा: प्रतिष्ठिता एतदेव नातिशीयान्ते ॥४॥

4. That indeed which is a man's body, that is verily this, which is this that is the heart within a man, because these vital forces are established on this. They do not transcend this very one (heart).

Yat vai tat puruṣe śarīram, that indeed which is a man's body, the Gāyatrī; idam vāva tat, that is verily this. That which is this hṛdayam, heart called a lotus; antaḥpuruṣe, within a man, that is Gāyatrī. How? The answer is: Hi, because; ime, these; prāṇāḥ, vital forces; pratiṣṭhitāḥ, are established; asmin, on this (heart). So, like the body, the heart is Gāyatrī. And the vital forces

na atiśīyante, do not transcend; etat eva, this very one.

This is on the strength of the Upaniṣadic text, ‘The vital force indeed is the father, the vital force is the mother (VII.15.1), and ‘not injuring all beings’ (VIII.15.1), where the vital force is spoken of as a being (bhūta)1.

सैषा चतुष्पदा षडविधा गायत्री तत्तदूचाभ्यनूक्तम्

॥ ५॥

5. That Gāyatrī which is such has four feet, (and) is of six kinds. That fact is spoken of by a Ṛk-mantra.

Sā, that; eṣā gāyatrī, Gāyatrī which is such; catuṣpadā, has four feet—it is a kind of metre having six letters in a foot; and is ṣadvidhā, of six kinds. As a being, speech, earth, the body, the heart and the vital force, it assumes six forms. Although speech and vital force were indicated (earlier) for some other purpose2 still, they are (different) forms of Gāyatrī because, otherwise it becomes impossible to make up the number ‘six kinds’. Tat, for expressing this idea; etat, this Brahman called Gāyaṭrī, which inheres in Gāyatrī and has been spoken of with the help of Gāyatrī; is also abhyanūktam, spoken of, revealed; ṛcā, even by a Ṛk-mantra.

1We have translated the word bhūta as ‘being’ (moving or not moving), following Śaṅkara in III.12.2. Ānanda Girī points out that if the word prāṇa can be connected with bhūta, then, Gāyatrī can be identified with ‘body’, etc. through their connection with bhūta (as shown above). For adducing authority, Śaṅkara quotes: ‘The vital force indeed is the father, the vital force is the mother’, where ‘father’ and ‘mother’ are living beings (bhūtas).

2For the purpose of showing the connection of Gāyatrī with all beings (see III.12.1,3).

III. 12. 8] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 195

तावानस्य महिमा ततो ज्यायांश्च पुरुषः । पादोऽस्य सर्वा भूतानि त्रिपादस्यामृतं दिवि॥ इति ॥ ६॥

6. His greatness extends that far. The Purusa (all-pervading Being) is greater than that. All things are (covered by) one of His feet. The Immortal three-footed one is (established) in His own effulgence.

Tāvān, that far extends; mahimā, the greatness; asya, of Him, of the whole of Brahman called Gāyatrī—as far as Gāyatrī has been explained as consisting of four feet, having six forms, being an expression of Brahman, and a foot of Brahman. Therefore, tatah, as compared with what is called Gāyatrī, which is characterised as an expression and which depends merely on speech; puruṣah, the all-pervading Being—the word (puruṣah) having been derived in the sense of ‘that which fills up everything’, and ‘which sleeps (exists) in the heart’—, who is the highest Reality by nature, and who is changeless; jyāyān, is greater. Asya, of Him who is such; sarvā (sarvāṇi), all; bhūtāni, things —fire, water, food, etc. including all beings whether moving or not; are pādah, one foot. Tripād, He who is possessed of three feet; and who is amṛtam, Immortal, who is called Puruṣa, and who takes the form of Gāyatrī as a whole; is, i.e. is established asya, in His own; divi, effulgence, in His own Self.

यद्वै तद्ब्रह्मोदिदं वाव तद्योदयं बहिधा पुरुषादाकाशो योऽयं वाव स बहिधा पुरुषादाकाशः ॥ ७॥

अयं वाव स योड्यमन्तः पुरुष आकाशो यो वै सोऽन्तः पुरुष आकाशः ॥ ८॥

196

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[III. 12. 9

अयं वाव स योऽयमन्तर्हृदय आकाशस्तदेत-

त्पूर्णामप्रवर्तति पूर्णामप्रवर्तिनीः श्रियं लभते य एवं वेद

॥ ९ ॥ इति द्वादशः खण्डः ॥ १२॥

7-9. That indeed which is Brahman, is surely this

which is the space outside a person. That space indeed

which is outside a person, is surely this which is the

space within the person. That indeed which is the space

within a person, is surely the space that is within the

heart. That which is this (space within the heart) is

all-pervading and without movement. He who knows

thus, attains a glory which is full and indestructible.

Yat, that; brahma, Brahman which has been spoken

of with the help of Gāyatrī, as the three-footed Immor-

tal one; tat, that; vāva, is surely; idam, this; yah,

which is, ayam, this; ākāśah, space; bahirdhā, outside; puru-

ṣāt, a person. Yah, that indeed which has been spoken

of as; bahirdhā puruṣāt ākāśah, the material space

outside a person; sah, that; is vāva, surely; ayam, this;

yah, which is; ākāśah, the space; antaḥ, within; puruṣe,

a person. (That indeed which is the space within a

person) saḥ, that is; vāva, surely; ayam, this; yaḥ,

which is; ākāśah, space; antaḥ hṛdaye, with-

in the heart, within the lotus of the heart.

Objection: How can the space that is one be divided

into three?

Answer: The answer is: (When a person is in) the

space perceived by the outer organs during the waking

state, (he) is seen to have an abundance of sorrow. As

compared with that the sorrow is less for a seer of

dreams who is in the space inside the body, which is the

place for dreams. Again, in the space within the heart,

III. 13. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 197

'One does not desire anything, dœs not see any dream (Mā.5). Hence, the place of deep sleep is the space that is free from all kinds of sorrow. Therefore it is reasonable to speak of a three-fold division of a single space

Starting with the space outside a person, that it has been narrowed down to the space within the heart is meant for the praise of the place where the mind is to be concentrated. As for instance, 'Although the worlds are three, Kurukṣetra is spoken of as the best. Of that again, half is Kurukṣetra and half is Prthūdaka.' Brahman that is such and is spoken of as the space within the heart, is pūrṇam, full, all-pervasive.

Although the mind is to be concentrated within the space in the heart, it is not to be thought that It (Brahman) is delimited by the heart alone. Apravarti means that which does not move from or to anywhere, that which is possessed of the quality of indestructibility.

The space within the heart is not possessed of the quality of limitation and destruction as other things are. One yaḥ, who; veda, knows; evam, thus, knows Brahman as described—as full and possessed of the quality of indestructibility—, he gains the perceivable, secondary result consisting of śriyam, glory; which is pūrṇam, full; and apravartinīm, indestructible.

The meaning is that he attains identity with That (Brahman) here itself while still living.

SECTION 13

तस्य ह वा एतस्य हृदयस्य पञ्च देवसुष्यः: स

योजस्यप्राड्सुषि: स प्राणस्तच्चक्षुः: स आदित्यस्तदेतज्जोङ्नाद्यमित्युपासीत तेजस्व्यन्नादो भवति य एवं वेद ॥ १ ॥

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CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[III. 13. 1

1. Of that very heart which is this (indicated above), there are five doors protected by the gods. That which is its eastern door, that is Prāṇa,1 that is the eye, that is the sun. That which is such is to be meditated on as brightness and as the cause of food. He who knows thus, becomes bright and a consumer of food.

The text now starts with the words, ‘Tasya ha vai, of that very’, etc. for enjoining the qualities of ‘being possessed of door-keepers’ etc. as a part of the meditation on Brahman which is called Gāyatrī. As in the world, the door-keepers of a king become helpful in reaching the king when they are made serviceable through propitiation, so also is the case here. Tasya, of that, i.e. of the heart under discussion; etasya, of this one, of the one that has been indicated just earlier; there are pañca, five, in number; devasuṣayah, doors of the gods, doors leading to the heavenly world. They are called the doors of the gods because they are protected by the gods, viz Prāṇa, the sun, and others. Asya, of this heart, of the abode which is the heavenly world2; yah prāṇsuṣih, that which is its eastern door, the hole, the door that stands facing East; sah, that is; prāṇah, Prāṇa. The particular form of air that exists there (in the heart) and moves through that door, that is called Prāṇa because it moves eastward (prāk aniti). Tat, that is; cakṣuh, the eye (which is) identified, non-different from that (Prāṇa). So also, sah, that; is ādityah, the sun. And on the strength of the Vedic text,

1According to Ānanda Giri, in this context, Brahman is spoken of as Prāṇa, Apāna, Vyāna, Udāna and Samāna.

2Svargalokam means the Self, and His abode is the svargaloka-bhavanam.—A. G.

‘The sun indeed is the external Prāṇa’ (Pr.III.8), it follows that the sun exists in the heart owing to the fact of its being established on the eye (as its presiding deity) and being the perceiver of colour and form. Indeed, in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (III.9.20) it is stated, ‘On what does the sun rest? On the eye’, etc. The self-same deity which is the air called Prāṇa, is the eye and also the sun because of their coexistence. And it will be stated later that, ‘When oblation is poured with the words “svāhā to Prāṇa”, it pleases all this’ (see V.19).

Since tat etat, that which is this Brahman called Prāṇa, is the protector of the door to heaven, one who is desirous of attaining the heavenly world should meditate on It as possesed of the two qualities of brightness and being the cause of food—it (Prāṇa) being bright in the form of the eye and the sun, and also because the sun is the cause of food. Thereby he becomes tejasvī, possessed of brightness; and annādah, an eater of food, (i.e.) free from diseases. He who knows thus, has this secondary result. And the primary result is that the door-keeper, having been made serviceable through meditation, becomes the cause of his reaching the heavenly world.

अथ योस्य दक्षिणः सुषिः स व्यानस्तच्छ्रोत्रं स चन्द्रमास्तदेतच्छ्रीश्च यशश्चेत्युपासीत श्रीमान्यशस्वी भवति य एवं वेद ॥ २ ॥

2. Then, that which is its southern door, that is Vyāna. That (Vyāna) is the ear, that is the moon. That which is such is to be meditated on as prosperity and

fame. He who knows thus, becomes prosperous and famous.

Atha, then; that which is its dakṣiṇah, southern; suṣih, door, the particular form of air that exists there; sah, that, is vyānaḥ, Vyāna. It is called Vyāna because it moves (aniti) when performing works requiring strength (vīryavat); or because it moves by controlling (vigrhya) Prāṇa and Apāna; or because it moves in various ways. And that is śrotram, the organ of hearing verily connected with that. Similarly that is candramāḥ, the moon, on the authority of the Vedic text, ‘By the ear (of Virāṭ) are created the directions and the moon.’ Their coexistence is to be explained as before. Tat, that (Brahman called Vyāna); etat which is such; is śrīḥ, prosperity. The ear and the moon are the causes of knowledge and food (respectively); therefore prosperity springs from them. And to the possessor of knowledge and food comes yaśaḥ, fame1. Since they are the causes of fame, (they themselves) are called fame. Therefore, upāsīta, one should meditate on that (Brahman) through these two qualities, etc. are to be explained as before.

अथ योडस्य प्रत्यड्‌दक्षिणः स उद्गानः सा वागुद्ग्रिस्तद्ब्रह्मवर्चसमन्नाद्यमित्युपासीत ब्रह्मवर्चस्यान्नादो भवति य एवं वेद ॥ ३ ॥

3. Then, that which is its western opening, that is Apāna. It is speech, it is fire. That which is such should be meditated on as lustre arising from good behaviour

1Fame is that which becomes known to oneself. See commentary on III.13.4

III. 13. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 201

and study of the Vedas, and as food for eating. One who knows thus, becomes possessed of the lustre arising from good behaviour and study of the Vedas, and of food for eating.

Atha, then; that which is its pratyāṅsuṣih, western opening, the particular form of air which resides there; that is apānah, Apāna because it moves (aniti) downward while excreting (apanayan) urine, stool, etc. And sā, that is; vāk, speech because of its connection with that (Apāna). So also, that is agnih, fire (because fire is the presiding deity of speech). Tat etat, that (Brahman called Apāna) which is such; is brahmavarcasam, lustre arising from good behaviour and study of the Vedas, since good behaviour and study of the Vedas are connected with fire. Apāna becomes annādaḥ, the eater of food because it is the cause of swallowing food. The remaining portion is to be explained as before.

अथ योड्योदरपुषिः स समानस्तन्मनः स पर्जन्यस्तदेतत्कीर्तिश्च वृष्टिश्चेत्युपासीत कीर्तिमान्‌वृष्टि-मान्भवति य एवं वेद ॥४॥

4. Then, that which is its northern opening, that is Samāna. That is the mind, that is the cloud. That which is such, is to be meditated on as fame and gracefulness (of body). He who knows thus, becomes famous and graceful (in body).

Atha, then; yaḥ asya, that which is its; udāṅsuṣih, northern opening, the particular form of air that exists there; saḥ, that; is samānaḥ, Samāna because it distributes (nayati) food and water equally all over the body. That is manaḥ, the mind, the internal organ which is

connected with that (Samāna). Saḥ, that is; parjanyaḥ, the cloud, the deity identified with rain. And water comes from clouds, in accordance with the Vedic text, ‘Water and Varuṇa are created by the mind (of Virāṭ).’ That (Brahman called Samāna) which is such; is kīrtiḥ, fame, since mind, i.e. knowledge, is the source of fame. The word kīrtiḥ, means fame that circulates even without one’s knowledge. And fame (of one’s self) that can be known through one’s own organs is yaśaḥ. Vyustih is (physical) lustre, bodily grace. Since from that also there is possibility of fame, therefore, it too is fame. The remaining portions are as before.

अथ योस्स्योध्वः सुषिः स उदानः स वायुः स आकाशस्तदतदैश्वर्यै महश्वत्युपासीताजिस्वो महस्वान्भवति य एवं वेद ॥ ५ ॥

Then, that which is its ūrdhvaḥ susiḥ, upward opening, that is; udānaḥ, Udāna because it moves upward (ut) beginning from the sole of the foot, and because it moves while performing actions for rising up. Saḥ, that; is vāyuḥ, air, and also space which is the abode of that (air). Tat etat, that (Brahman) called Udāna which is such; is ojaḥ, vigour; and mahaḥ, greatness, because of air and space being the causes of vigour and vastness. The remaining portion is to be understood as before.

III. 13. 6]

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

203

ते वा एते पञ्च ब्रह्मपुरुषाः स्वर्गस्य लोकस्य द्वारपा: स य एतानेवं पञ्च ब्रह्मपुरुषान्स्वर्गस्य लोकस्य द्वारपान्वेदास्य कुलेऽवीरो जायते प्रतिपद्यते स्वर्ग लोकं य एतानेवं पञ्च ब्रह्मपुरुषान्स्वर्गस्य लोकस्य द्वारपान्वेद ॥ ६॥

6. They indeed, who are these five persons of Brahman, are the door-keepers of the heavenly world (of Brahman within the heart). He who thus knows these five persons of Brahman, as the door-keepers of the heavenly world, a hero is born in his family. He who knows thus these five persons of Brahman, as the door-keepers of the heavenly world, attains the heavenly world.

Te vai ete, these persons as mentioned; are indeed pañca, five—owing to their connection with the five openings (they are five)—persons of Brahman which resides in the heart. They are dvārpāḥ, the door-keepers; svargāsya lokāsya, of the heavenly world, of the region of the heart, like the door-keepers of a king. By these which move outward through eye, ear, speech, mind, and vital force, the doors to the attainment of Brahman residing in the heart remains closed. For it is certainly a perceivable fact that, the mind does not get settled in Brahman within the heart because it remains fully engaged with false āttachment to external things, due to its having no control over the organs. Therefore it has been truly said that the five persons of Brahman are the door-keepers of the heavenly world. Therefore, saḥ yaḥ, he who; evam, thus; veda, knows, meditates on, wins over by meditating on; etān, these (five persons of Brahman who are) possessed of

204

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[III. 13. 6

the quality stated above; dvārapān, the door-keepers; svargasya lokasya, of the heavenly world; pratipadyate, he attains; svargam lokam, the heavenly world—Brahman residing in the heart—, just as someone reaches a king, unhindered by the door-keepers, having won them over through adoration. Moreover, asya kule, in his family, i.e. (in the family) of the man of knowledge; jāyate, is born; vīrah, a heroic son, owing to (his ) serving heroic persons. By repaying the debt (to the forefathers)1, he (the son) becomes the cause of his (father's) engagement in meditation on Brahman. Thereby the son becomes the cause for the attainment of the heavenly world by the father, through successive stages. Thus the sole result is only the attainment of the heavenly world:

अथ यदतः परो दिवो ज्योतिदीप्यते विश्वतः पृष्ठेषु सर्वतः पृष्ठेष्वनुत्तमेषूतमेषु लोके᳚ष्विदं वाव तद्यदिदमस्मिन्नन्तः पुरुषे ज्योति᳚ः ॥७॥

7. Now, that Light which shines beyond this heaven, beyond the whole creation, beyond everything, in the highest worlds which are unsurpassingly good, it is certainly this which is the light within a person.

Now, the heavenly world which a man having this knowledge attains through the meditation on the heroic persons, and which has been spoken of in, ‘The Immortal three-footed one is established in His own

1It is obligatory on a man to have a son so that the line may continue, and śrāddha etc. in honour of the forefathers may not cease. Unless this obligation is fulfilled, i.e. unless this debt to the forefathers is repaid, they cannot reach Brahman.

III. 13. 7] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 205

effulgence’ (III.12.6)—, that which is such has to be made an object of the organs of sight and hearing, through some ground of inference. As for instance, fire etc. is known through such a ground of inference as smoke etc. Through such a process alone will one get a firm conviction with regard to the thing spoken of (above) that it is really so, and the conviction of non-difference also will arise.

Therefore, the text says yat, that; jyotih, Light; dīpyate, shines—It is said to be shining because It is self-effulgent and ever-shining, (and also) because light in the form of burning of fire etc. cannot be meant here; parah (should be param1 by transference of gender), beyond; atah, this; divah, heaven. Sarvatah pr̥stheṣu, beyond everything, is an explanation of viśvatah pr̥stheṣu beyond the whole creation. The meaning is that It is beyond the range of transmigration. Indeed the region of transmigration itself is ‘everything’ (sarva), because that which is beyond transmigration is one and it has no division. Since the word anuttameṣu might grammatically be taken to mean ‘the worlds that are not good’, mistaking it to be a compound of the tatpuruṣa class, therefore the word ‘uttameṣu, in the good ones’, is added. (So anuttameṣu means ‘in the unsurpassingly good’.) Uttameṣu lokeṣu, in the highest worlds, in the worlds starting with Satya (Maha, Jana, Tapa, etc.)—the word uttameṣu being used because Hiranyagarbha and others (presiding over these worlds) who are products, are proximate to the supreme Lord. Idam vāva tat, It is certainly this; yat idam, which is this; jyotih, light; antah, within; asmin

1 Because it qualifies jyotih which is neuter.

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puruṣe, this person, (and) which is understood through

such grounds of inference as heat and sound, perceived

through the eyes and the ears. What is felt (as hot

things etc.) through touch by the skin, that is certainly

perceived by the eye, because the skin firmly confirms

the experience (of the eye). Moreover form and touch

are inseparable.

तस्यैषा दृष्टियत्रैतदस्मिञ्छरीरे सङ्स्पर्शेनोष्णिमानं

विजानाति तस्यैषा श्रुतियत्रैतत्कर्णावपिगृह्या निनदमिव

नदथुरिवाग्रेरिव ज्वलत उपशृणोति तदेतद्दृष्टं च श्रुतं

चेत्युपासीत चक्षुषः श्रुतो भवति य एवं वेद य एवं वेद

॥ ८ ॥ इति त्रयोदशः खण्डः ॥ १३ ॥

8. This is the perception of That, when one feels in

this way by touch the heat in the body. Of That this is

the hearing when one closes one’s ears and hears di-

rectly in this way a sound like rumbling, like bellowing,

like that of burning fire. That which is such is to be

meditated on as seen and heard. He who knows thus,

becomes sought for being seen,

and famous.

How again, does the ground of inference tasya, of

that Light become an object of perception (lit. vision)

through touch? The answer to this is: Yatra, when;

vijānāti, one knows (feels); (etat is an adverb meaning

‘in this way’) samsparśena, by touch, by touching with

the hand; asmin śarīre, in this body; uṣṇimānam, the

heat concomitant with form, (i.e. knows) the feeling of

touching warmth, that heat certainly is a ground for

infering the light of the conscious Self which has en-

tered into the body for the manifestation of name and

III. 13. 8] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 207

form, because there is no exception to this. Warmth never goes away from a living body. It is well-known that a person is felt to be warm when living, and cold when dead. Moreover, from the text that, at the time of death 'warmth (merges) into the supreme Deity' (VI.15.2), it is understood that warmth is inseparable from the supreme Deity. So heat is an incontrovertible ground of inference, as smoke is of fire. Therefore, this is the perception, direct experience (visualization) as it were, i.e. the means of experiencing that supreme Deity. Similarly tasyu, of that Light; eṣā śrutih, this is the hearing, the means of hearing, which also is being spoken of: When a person wants to know through hearing, the ground of inference of the Light, then, the sound that one hears karnau apigrhya, (apidhāya), by closing the ears by putting his fingers into the ears; (etat is an adverb meaning 'in this way') upaśṛnoti, hears directly within the body; that sound ninadam iva, which is like the rumbling of a chariot; nadathuh iva, which is like the bellowing of an ox; or again, agneh iva jvalatah, like the sound of fire burning outside. Tat etat, that Light which is such; upāsīta, should be meditated on; drṣṭam ca śrutam ca, as seen and heard, because of Its grounds of inference being, 'that which is seen' and 'that which is heard'. From that kind of meditation (one bhavati, becomes) cakṣuṣyah, sought for being seen; and śrutah famous. That which is the result of meditation in connection with the quality of touch that is being applied to form, by saying, 'He becomes sought for being seen', because form and touch occur in association. Besides, to be of graceful appearance is desirable. Thus, the result of the meditation will be appropriate, but not so if softness etc. felt by touch are

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meant. However, for him who evam veda, knows thus,

the unseen result has been spoken of as the attainment

of the heavenly world. The repetition of 'he who knows

thus' is for showing respect.

SECTION 14

सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म तज्जलानिति शान्त उपासीत। अथ

खलु ऋतुमय: पुरुषो यथाकृतुरस्मिँल्लोके पुरुषो भवति तथेत: प्रेत्य भवति स क्रतुं कुर्वीत ॥ १ ॥

1. All this is Brahman. (This) is born from, dissolves

in, and exists in That. Therefore, one should meditate

by becoming calm. Because a person is identified with

(his) conviction, (therefore) just as the conviction a

man has in this world, so does he become after depart-

ing from here. Therefore he should shape his

conviction.

Again, of that very Brahman—which is three-

footed, immortal, possessed of infinite qualities, pos-

sessed of infinite powers, and is to be meditated on in

diverse ways—, the text now wants to enjoin a medita-

tion on It as possessed of special qualities and powers.

Sarvam, all;—khalu is an indeclinable word used

here for embellishment of the sentence—; idam, this,

this world diversified through names and forms, (and)

which is the object of direct perception etc. has Brah-

man as its origin. The word Brahman derivatively

means that which is the oldest. How can all be Brah-

man? Therefore, the text says, 'Tajjalān':— Because

all (creation), through a succession of fire, water, food,

etc. is born from that Brahman, therefore it is called

tajja; and it is talla because, through a reverse process

of that very order of birth, it gets merged in that very

Brahman, becomes wholly identified with that; (and it

is tadana because) it continues to live, to function on

that very Brahman during the state of (its) existence.

Thus, the world, in the three states, is non-different

from Brahman because it is not perceived apart from

It. Therefore this world is surely That itself. And in the

sixth chapter we shall speak of how this world is That

only, which is One without a second.

Further, since all this is Brahman, therefore, upā-

sīta, one should meditate on Brahman which is all

= (this), as possessed of the qualities that will be stated;

śāntah, by becoming calm, by becoming self-con-

trolled, free from attachment, aversion etc. How

should one meditate? Kurvīta, he should shape;

kratum, his conviction, determination, a firm belief

that this is such only and not otherwise. The words, 'He

should shape (his) conviction', has to be connected

with the remote words, 'He should meditate on'.1

What again, is the purpose to be served by shaping

the conviction? Or how is that conviction to be shaped?

The text starting with atha (khalu), because, etc. is

meant for establishing how the shaping of the convic-

tion is a means for the attainment of the desired result.

The words atha khalu are used in the sense of 'be-

cause'. Because puruṣah, a person; is kratumayah,

identified with the kind of conviction that he enters-

tains;'(therefore) yathākratuh puruṣah bhavati, just as

the conviction a man has, just as the sort of conviction

1The connection between the two portions is explained by Ā. G.

by saying that the meditation is to be carried on till it takes the form

of such a conviction.

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he entertains; asmin loke, in this world, while living here; tathā, so; bhavati, does he become; itah pretya, after departing from here, from the body, (i.e.) after death. The idea is that he becomes identified with the result that accords with his conviction. For thus is it found in the scripture: ‘With whatever ideas in his mind a man leaves his body at the end’ (B.G.VIII.6), etc. Since this is the procedure found in the scriptsures, therefore, he, having this knowledge, should shape his conviction (after) the conviction that we shall speak of. Thus, since on the authority of the scriptures it becomes reasonable that the result accords with the conviction, therefore, that conviction has to be shaped. How?

मनोमयः प्राणशरीरो भारूपः सत्यसङ्कल्प

आकाशात्मा सर्वकर्मा सर्वकामः सर्वगन्धः सर्वरसः सर्वमिदमभ्यात्तोडवाक्यानादरः ॥ २ ॥

2. (He) appears like the mind, has Prāṇa as the body, has the form of consciousness, is of true resolves, is of the nature like space, is the performer of all actions, is possessed of all good desires, is possessed of all good smells, is possessed of all good essences, pervades all this, is devoid of speech, is free from hankering.

(The Self) manomayah, appears like the mind. The mind is that through which one thinks; it engages with objects through its own functions. As possessed of that mind, He becomes identified with it. Like it, He appears to be engaged in and detached (from objects)1.

‘Although the Self is free, it seems to act like the mind because of Its identification with the mind.

Therefore indeed, prāṇaśarīrah, He has prāṇa as the body. On the authority of the Upaniṣadic text, ‘That which is prāṇa is knowledge. That which is knowledge is prāṇa’ (Kau.III.3), prāṇa means the subtle body made up of the two powers of knowledge and action. That which has this (prāṇa) as its body is prāṇaśarīrah. This is also supported by another Vedic text, ‘He appears like the mind, He is the carrier of the body in the form of the vital force (prāṇa)’ (Mu.II.2.7). Bhārū-pah, one who has the form of consciousness. Bhā means lustre in the form of consciousness. He who got this form is bhārūpah. Satyasaṅkalpah, one having true resolves, whose resolves are never falsified. The meaning is that the resolutions of God are not infructuous as in the case of ordinary people because, in the case of an ordinary man, his resolution is retarded through a cause that leads to a false result, and the Upaniṣad will say, ‘Because they are deflected by falsehood’ (VIII.3.2).

Ākāśātmā, one whose nature is like that of space. God’s likeness to space consists in His all-pervasiveness, subtleness, and freedom from form, etc. (He is) sarvakarmā, the performer of all actions. Since the whole cosmos is a creation of God, therefore, He who has this whole universe as His work is sarvakarmā. The Śruti says, ‘He is the maker of all’ (Br.IV.4.13). Sarvakāmah, he who has all faultless desires (one possessed of all good desires). This is supported by the Smṛti, ‘In all the beings, I am desire that is not opposed to virtue’ (B.G. VII.11).

Objection: Since the Smṛti says, ‘I am desire’, therefore the bahuvrīhi-samāsa here (in the word sarva-kāmah, as already shown) is inadmissible.

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Answer: No. Since kāma, desire, is something that has to be produced, therefore, if the bahuvrīhi (which gives the meaning as, ‘He who has all faultless desires’) is rejected, and the karmadhāraya (which gives the meaning as, ‘He is all desires’) is accepted, then, the contingency will arise of the Deity becoming subject to somebody else’s action, like (articulation of) sound etc. Therefore, the Smṛti’s statement, ‘I am desire’, has to be taken in the sense of the bahuvrīhi, as done in the case of sarvakāmah. Sarvagandhah, one who is possessed of all pleasant smells. This is supported by the Smṛti, ‘(I am also) the pure smell on earth’ (B.G. VII. 9). Similarly, the word rasah, essence (in sarvarasah), is also to be understood in the same way because from the Sruti it is known that perception of impure smell and essence is caused by association with sin; ‘Therefore, through that one smells both the fragrant and the fetid, because this has been afflicted with vice’ (I.2.2). And God cannot have any touch of sin. No such fault as ignorance etc. can logically exist (in Him). Abhyāttah, He pervades; sarvam, all; idam, this, the world. The root at, having the meaning of ‘to pervade’ (with the suffix kta added to it) is in the nominative sense. Similarly, He is avākī, devoid of the organ of speech. Vāk is that through which one speaks. Vāka is the same as vāk; or it may be that the word vāka is derived from the root vac by adding the suffix ghañ to it in the instrumental case. He who is possessed of that vāka is vākī; he who is not vākī is avākī. And the negation of the organ of speech here, is by way of indicating negation of other organs as well. From the mention of smell, essences, etc. it may be assumed that God has organs

III. 14. 3] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 213

like those of smell etc. for perceiving smell etc. Therefore, by the negation of the organ of speech, they also are negated. This is supported by the mantra: ‘Without hands and feet He moves and grasps. He sees without eyes. He hears without ears’ (Śv. III.19). Anādarah, He is without hankering because hankering to get a thing that one does not have is possible for a man with unfulfilled desires. But God can have no hankering in the least after anything, since He is desireless and ever-contented.

एष म आत्मान्तर्हृदयेऽणीयान्त्रीहेर्वा यवाद्वा सर्षपाद्वा श्यामाकाद्वा श्यामाकतण्डुलाद्द्रेष म आत्मान्तर्हृदये ज्यायान्पृथिव्याज्ज्यायानन्तरिक्षाज्ज्यायानेभ्यो लोकेभ्यः ॥ ३ ॥

Eṣah, this; ātmā, Self; me, of me, as possessed of the qualities already stated; antarhrdaye, within the heart, within the lotus of the heart; aṇīyān, is smaller; vrīheh, than paddy; vā, or; yavāt, than barley, etc. which examples are used to show that It is extremely subtle. When the text says that It is minuter than tiny things like Śyāmāka or śyāmākatandula, the kernel of Śyāmāka, it may be apprehended that the Self is atomic in size. For refuting this the text starts thus: Eṣah, this;

214 CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD [III. 14. 3

ātmā, Self; me, of mine; antarhrdaye, within the heart; jyāyān, is greater; prthivyāh, than the earth etc. Having shown that the Self is greater than things great in size, the text beginning with, ‘appears like the mind’, etc. and ending with, ‘greater than these worlds’, shows Its infinitude.

सर्वकर्मा सर्वकामः सर्वगन्धः सर्वरसः सर्वमिदमभ्यात्तोऽवाक्यनादर एष म आत्मान्तर्हृदय एतद्ब्रह्मैतमितः प्रेत्याभिसम्भवितास्मीति यस्य स्याद्दा न विचिकित्सास्तीति ह स्माह शाण्डिल्यः शाण्डिल्यः ॥४॥

4. ‘This Self of mine within the heart, is the performer of all actions, is possessed of all good desires, is possessed of all good smells, is possessed of all good essences, pervades all this, is devoid of speech, (and) is without hankering. This is Brahman. After departing from here (this body), I shall become identified with This (Brahman). He who has this belief truly, and has no doubt, (he will attain Brahmanhood). This is what Śāṇḍilya said in days of yore. Śāṇḍilya (said this).

Just as when somebody says, ‘Bring the king’s man, or the person having a cow with variegated colours’, the qualifying words do not become the objects of the act of bringing, similarly, it may be concluded here also

‘From the assertion that the Self is greater than all things, what is meant is that It is infinite. This fact becomes clear when the present paragraph is read along with the earlier one starting with, manomayah.

इति चतुर्दशः खण्डः ॥ १४ ॥

that God is to be meditated on as characterised by the qualities mentioned, (but) not as one actually possessed of those very qualities. Therefore, ‘Sarvakarmā, He is the performer of all actions’, etc. is repeated for precluding that (erroneous conclusion). Hence God is to be meditated on as possessed of the qualities of ‘appearing like the mind’, etc. For this very reason the text does not establish one in sovereignty (in full identity with Brahman), as it does in the sixth and seventh chapters by saying, ‘Thou art That’ (VI.8.7); ‘The Self indeed is all this’ (VII.25.2). This is supported by the indicative text, ‘This Self of mine . . . , this is Brahman. After departing from here I shall become identified with This (Brahman).’ Not that one’s innermost Self is meant here, because (the word) mama, mine, is used in the sixth case, in the sense of showing some relationship. And in the text, ‘I shall become identified with This’, the subject and the object are shown separately.

Objection: Well, is it not a fact that, even in the sixth chapter, a separation in time is shown by saying ‘Then I shall attain . . .’?

Reply: No. (What is meant there is) not a separation in time, but that a man continues to live so long as the past actions, which have started producing results (in this life), are not exhausted. Because, otherwise the meaning of the sentence, ‘Thou art That’, will be nullified. Even if the word ‘Self’ be taken in the sense of one’s innermost Self, and the subject under discussion be ‘Brahman (which) is certainly all this’, and ‘This Self of mine within the heart (which) is this Brahman’, still, when it is said, ‘I shall become identified with this Self

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after departing from this body’, the statement is made without eliminating a slight trace of difference.1

A man of such knowledge, who has addhā, the true conviction, ‘After death I shall attain the Self, in accordance with my conviction’—and has na vicikitsā, no doubt with regard to the result of his coviction, in the form, ‘I shall not become so after death’—, he, the man of knowledge, attains godliness in that very way.

The ṛṣi named Śāṇḍilya, iti āha sma, said this in days of yore. The repetition of ‘Śāṇḍilya’ is for showing honour.

SECTION 15

अन्तरिक्षोदरः कोशो भूमिबुद्धो न जीर्यति ।

दिशो ह्यस्य प्रकृतयो द्यौरस्योत्तरं बिलम् ।

स एष कोशो वसुधनास्तस्मिन्नविश्वमिदं श्रितम् ॥ १ ॥

1. The treasury which has the intermediate-space as its inside, and the earth as its bottom, does not get exhausted. The directions themselves are its corners, heaven is its upper opening. This treasury which is such, is the vault for the results of actions. In it is held this universe.

It has been said, ‘a hero is born in his family’. The mere birth of a heroic son does not become the cause of saving the father, because of the other Vedic text,

1Lest it be assumed that the non-qualified Brahman is to be meditated on, Śaṅkarācārya explains that in the present context, the qualified Brahman is the object of meditation.

Therefore, they (the Brāhmaṇas) speak of the educated son as being conducive to the (attainment of) (the virtuous) world (by the father)’ (Br. I.5.17). Therefore the meditation on the ‘treasury’ is begun for showing how, he (the son) can have a long lease of life. This had not been said immediately after the section (13) where the birth of a heroic son was spoken of, because of being concerned with a very honoured meditation (which intervened). That is begun now itself.

Kośah, the treasury, so called because of the similarity of possessing various kinds of merits; which has antarikṣam, the intermediate space; as udaram, its inside—that which has the intermediate space as its interior is antariksa-udaram—; and that (which) also has bhūmibudhnah, the earth as its bottom; na jīryate, does not get exhausted because it is made up of the three worlds. For it lasts for a period of a thousand yugas (infinitely long time). Asya; of this; diśah, the directions; hi, themselves; are sraktayah, the corners. Of this, dyauh, the heaven; is uttaram bilam, the upper opening. Eṣah, this; saḥ kośah, treasury which is such, is vasudhānaḥ, the vault for the results of actions, because it holds vasu, wealth, in the form of the results of the people’s actions. Tasmin, in it; śritam, is held; idam, this; viśvam, universe—all the results of actions of creatures, along with accessories of such actions, which are known through such means of knowledge as direct perception etc.

तस्य प्राची दिगजुहूनीम सहमानां नाम दक्षिणा राझी नाम

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प्रतीची सुभूता नामोदीची तासां वायुरवत्सः स य एतमेवं वायूं दिशां वत्सं वेद न पुत्ररोदं रोदिति सोऽहमेतमेवं वायूं दिशां तत्सं वेद मा पुत्ररोदं रुदम् ॥ २ ॥

2. Of that the name of the eastern side is Juhū, the southern is named Sahamānā, the western is called Rājñī, the northern is called Subhūtā. Air is their son. He who knows this air as the son of the directions, he has not to cry for the loss of a son. 'I who am such, have thus known this air as the son of the directions. May I not have to cry for the loss of a son.'

Tasya, of that which is such; prācī dik, the eastern side, the part on the eastern side; juhūr nāma, is called Juhū. People pour their oblations in this direction, facing East. Hence it is called Juhū. Dakṣinā, the southern side; nāma, is named Sahamānā, because in this realm of death creatures suffer (sahante) the results of their vicious deeds. Similarly, pratīcī, the western side; nāma, is called Rājñī because this region is presided over by the king (rājñā) Varuṇa, or because it has connection with the evening glow. Udīcī, the northern side is called Subhūtā because it is presided over by Śiva, Kubera and others, who are possessed of majesty. Tāsām, of those directions; vāyuh, air; vatsah, is the son because air blows from the directions; for the eastern winds etc. are so seen. Saḥ yaḥ, whosoever, hankering after a son with a long life; evam, thus; veda, knows; vāyum, air as possessed of the aforesaid quality; as diśām vatsam, the son of directions; na roditi, he has not to cry; putra-rodam, the wail for the loss of a son. The meaning is that (his) son does not die. Since the knowledge about the treasury, the directions (and) the

III. 15. 3] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 219

son is possessed of such a quality, therefore saḥ aham, I who am such, desiring a (long) life for the son; veda, know; evam, thus; etam, this; vāyum, air; diśām vat-sam, as the son of the directions. Therefore, mā, may I not; rudam, have to cry; putrarodam, the wail for the loss of a son; i.e. may it not be my lot to cry for the death of a son.

अरिष्टं कोशं प्रपद्येऽमुनामुना प्राणं प्रपद्येऽमुनामुनामुना भूः प्रपद्येऽमुनामुनामुना भुवः प्रपद्येऽमुनामुनामुना स्वः प्रपद्येऽमुनामुनामुना ॥ ३ ॥

3. 'I take shelter in the indestructible treasury for the sake of this one, this one, this one. I take shelter in the vital force for the sake of this one, this one, this one. I take shelter in the earth for the sake of this one, this one, this one. I take shelter in the intermediate-space for the sake of this one, this one, this one. I take shelter in heaven for the sake of this one, this one, this one.'

'Prapadye, I take shelter; in the ariṣṭam, indestructible; kośam, treasury as described for the sake of longevity of my son.' 'Amunā amunā amunā, for the sake of this one, this one, this one —with this the name of the son is repeated thrice. Similarly, 'prapadye, I take shelter; prāṇam, in the vital force; amunā, for the sake of this one, etc. I take shelter bhūḥ, in the earth, for the sake of this one, etc. I take refuge bhuvah, in the intermediate-space for the sake of this one, etc. I take shelter svah, in heaven for the sake of this one.' In every case, the name of the son is uttered thrice after saying, 'I take shelter in'.

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स यदवोचं प्राणं प्रपद्य इति प्राणो वा इदँसर्वं भूतं यदिदं किञ्च तमेव तत्प्रापत्सि ॥४॥

4. ‘When I said this, “I take shelter in the vital force”, (I said) “The vital force is indeed all this that exists. Thereby, I take refuge in that itself.” ’

‘Yat, when; saḥ, I; avocam, said; “prāṇam, in the vital force”;—iti, this, is meant as a word of introduction for the sake of explanation—; prāṇaḥ, the vital force; vai, is indeed; idam sarvam, all this; bhūtam, universe; yat idam kiñca, whatever “exists.” The text will say, “As spokes are inserted in a hub” (VII.15.1). Therefore, “tat, thereby, by having taken refuge in the vital force; prāpatsi, I shall have taken shelter in; tam eva, that very thing which is all.” ’

अथ यदवोचं भूः प्रपद्य इति पृथिवीं प्रपद्येऽन्तरिक्षं प्रपद्ये दिवं प्रपद्य इत्येव तदवोचम् ॥ ५॥

5. ‘Then, when I said this, “I take refuge in the earth”, thereby I surely said this: “I take refuge,in the earth, I take refuge in the intermediate-space, I take refuge in heaven.” ’

Similarly, ‘by saying iti, this; “Prapadye, I take refuge; bhūḥ, in the earth”; tat avocam, thereby I said; “Prapadye, I take refuge in the three worlds, counting from earth.” ’

अथ यदवोचं भुवः प्रपद्य इत्यग्रिं प्रपद्ये वायूं प्रपद्य आदित्यं प्रपद्य इत्येव तदवोचम् ॥ ६॥

III. 16. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 221

6. ‘Then, when I said, “I take refuge in intermediate-space”, thereby I surely said this: “I take refuge in fire, I take refuge in air, I take refuge in the sun.”’

‘Atha, then; yat, when; avocam, I said; iti, this; “Prapadye, I take refuge in; bhuvah, the intermediate-space”; tat avocam, thereby I said; “Prapadye, I take refuge in fire,”’ etc.

अथ यदवोचं स्वः प्रपद्य इत्यृग्वेदं प्रपद्ये यजुर्वेदं प्रपद्ये सामवेदं प्रपद्य इत्येव तदवोचं तदवोचम् ॥७॥ इति पञ्चदश: खण्ड: ॥१५॥

7. ‘Then, when I said this, “I take refuge in heaven”, thereby I said, thereby I surely said this: “I take refuge in Ṛg-Veda, I take refuge in Yajur-Veda, I take refuge in Sāma-Veda.”’

‘Atha, then; yat avocam, when I said; iti, this; “Prapadye, I take refuge in; svah, heaven”; tat avocam iti eva, thereby I surely said this; “Prapadye, I take refuge in Ṛg-Veda,”’ etc. After having meditated on the inexhaustible treasury mentioned above, together with the son of the directions, he shall recite the mantras stated above. The repetition of, ‘tat avocam, thereby I said’, is for showing regard.

SECTION 16

पुरुषो वाव यज्ञस्तस्य यानि चतुर्विꣳशतिवर्षाणि तत्प्रातःसवनं चतुर्विꣳशत्यक्षरा गायत्री गायत्रं प्रातःसवनं

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तदस्य वसवोऽध्यायत्ताः प्राणा वाव वसव एते हीदꣳ सर्व वासयन्ति ॥ १ ॥

1. A man indeed is a sacrifice. Those which are his twentyfour years, they are the morning savana. Gāya-

trī has twentyfour letters; the morning savana is associated with Gāyatrī. The Vasus are associated with

that (morning savana) of this (sacrifice that is man). The vital forces are indeed the Vasus because these

make all this abide.

The meditation and the recitation of the mantras for the longevity of a son have been stated. Now, after

that, enjoining a meditation and recitation of a mantra for his (father's) own long life, the text says: Indeed,

one who is himself living can become related with such results as son etc. not otherwise. Therefore a person

thinks of himself as a sacrifice. Puruṣah, a man, a living person having a body and organs, as is certainly well-

known; vāva, is indeed—the word being used for certitude; yajñah, a sacrifice. A person is actually a sacri-

fice. This is the meaning. Thus indeed, through similarities, his identity with a sacrifice is being es-

tablished. How? Tasya, of him, of a man; yāni, those which are; caturviṁśati varṣāṇi, the twentyfour years

of life; tat, that; is prātah savanam, the morning savana (II.26.1) of the sacrifice called ‘Man’. Through what

similarity?

The answer is: The metre Gāyatrī is caturvimśati-akṣarā, has twenty-four letters. Prātahsavanam, the

morning savana of the ritualistic sacrifice; is indeed gāyatram, associated with the metre Gāyatrī. There-

fore, a man is endowed with twenty-four years of life

which are thought of as the morning savana. Hence he is spoken of as a sacrifice because of a similarity with the ritualistic sacrifice. So also, looking upon the succeeding two periods of a man's life as two savanas has to be spoken of on the ground of similarity with the number of letters in the metres Tr̥ṣṭup and Jagatī. Moreover, vasavah, the gods Vasus; anvāyattāḥ, are associated with; tat, that morning savana; asya, of this sacrifice called man, just as they are in the case of a ritualistic sacrifice. The idea is that they, being the deities of the savana, are the masters (of the sacrifice called man). It may be concluded that Agni and others, who are the Vasus in a ritualistic sacrifice, are so even in the sacrifice called man. Therefore it is being specified—Prāṇāḥ, the vital forces, as well as speech etc. and air etc.; vāva, are indeed; vasavah, the Vasus; hi, because; ete, these; vāsayanti, cause to abide; idam sarvam, all this, all creatures beginning from man. For so long as the vital forces stay in the body, do all continue to abide (to live, vasati), not otherwise. Therefore (the prānas are called Vasus) due to (their) abiding (vasanāt), and causing to abide (vāsanat).

तं चेदेतस्मिंस्त्वमि किञ्चिदुपपेत्स भूयात्प्राणा वसव इदं मे प्रातःसवनं माध्यन्दिनं सवनमनुसन्तनुतेति माहं प्राणानां वसूनां मध्ये यज्ञो विलोप्सीयेत्युत्तैव तत एत्यगदो ह भवति ॥२॥

2. If something should afflict him during this age, he should say thus: 'O vital forces who are the same as the Vasus, please unite this morning savana of mine with the midday savana. May I, who am the sacrifice, not

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cease to exist among the vital forces which are the Vasus.' He certainly gets beyond it, and surely becomes cured.

Cet, if; kiñcit, anything, any disease that may cause an apprehension of death; upatapet, should afflict, cause pain; tam, to him who has been equated with a sacrifice; etasmin vayasi, in this age which has been equated with the morning savana; then, saḥ, he, the man who has been equated with a sacrifice; brūyāt, should say, should recite this mantra, thinking of himself as a sacrifice: “Prāṇāḥ vasavah, O vital forces who are the same as the Vasus; anusaṇtanuta, please unite; idam, this; prātaḥ savanam, morning savana; me, of mine, of me who am the sacrifice; mādhyaṃdinam sava-nam, with the midday savana.' The meaning is: 'Please make it united with the midday savana (which is thought of as the middle age).' Mā, may not; aham, I; yajñaḥ, who am the sacrifice; vilopsīya, cease to exist, i.e. get disunited from; madhye, among you; prāṇā-nām, the vital forces; vasūnām, who are the same as the Vasus, the presiding deities of the morning savana.' The word iti, thus, stands for the conclusion of the mantra. With the help of reciting the mantra and the meditation, ut-eti, he goes beyond, gets freed; tataḥ, from that, from that affliction; and getting released, bhavati ha, surely becomes; agadah, cured.

अथ यानि चतुश्चत्वारि॑शद॒क्षराṇि तन्माध्य॑न्दिन॒ᳶ सवनंᳶ

चतुश्चत्वारि॑ᳶशद॒क्षराᳶ त्रि॑ष्टु॒ᳶपᳶ माध्य॑न्दिनᳶᳵ सवनᳶᳵ

तदस्य रुद्रा अन्वायत्तः प्राणा वाव रुद्रा एते हिᳶᳵ सर्वᳶᳵ

रोदयन्ति ॥ ३ ॥ १ ॥

atha yāni catuscatvāriṃśadakṣarāṇi tanmādhyandinaṃ savanaṃ catuścatvāriṃśadakṣarā triṣṭupraiṣṭubhaṃ māādhyandinaṃ savanaṃ tadasya rudrā anvāyattāḥ prāṇā vāva rudrā ete hīdaṃ sarve rodayantīti || 3 || 1 ||

3. Then, those that are the forty-four years (which follow) are the midday savana. The (metre) Tr̥ṣṭup has forty-four letters, (and) Tr̥ṣṭup is used in the midday savana. With that (savana) of his are surely associated the Rudras. The vital forces are surely the Rudras because these make all cry.

Atha, then; yāni, those that are, catuhcatvāriṅśat, fortyfour; varṣāṇi, years—this portion is to be explained as before. Prāṇāḥ, the vital forces; vāva are surely; rudrāḥ, the Rudras because they cry (rudanti), and rodayanti, make others cry. Indeed, they become cruel during the middle age. Therefore they are Rudras.

तं चेदेतस्मिन्वयसि किज्चिदुपतपेत्स ब्रूयाद्रुद्रा इदं मे माध्यन्दिनं सवनं तृतीयसवनमनुसन्तनुतेति माहं प्राणानाꣳ रुद्राणाꣳ मध्ये यज्ञो विलोप्सीयेत्युदैव तत् एत्यगदो ह भवति ॥४॥

4. If something should afflict him during this age, he should say thus: ‘O vital forces! who are the same as the Rudras, please unite this midday savana of mine with the third savana. May I, who am the sacrifice, not cease to exist among the vital forces which are the Rudras.’ He certainly gets beyond it, and surely becomes cured.

अथ यान्यष्टाचत्वारि᳚शदर्शाणि तत्तृतीयसवनमष्टाच- त्वारि᳚शदक्षरा जगती जागतं तृतीयसवनं तदस्यादित्या अन्वायत्ता: प्राणा वावादित्या एते हीद᳚ꣳ सर्वमाददते ॥ ५ ॥

तं चेदेतस्मिन्वयसि किज्चिदुपतपेत्स ब्रूयात्प्राणा 15

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आदित्या इदं मे तृतीयसवनमायुरनुसन्तनुतेति माहं प्राणानामादित्यानां मध्ये यज्ञो विलोप्सीयेत्युत्तैव तत एत्यगदो हैव भवति ॥ ६ ॥

5. Now, those that are the forty-eight years (which follow), are the third savana. The (metre) Jagatī has got forty-eight letters, (and) Jagatī is used in the third savana. The Ādityas are associated with that (savana) of his. The vital forces are surely the Ādityas because they take up all this.

6. If something should afflict him during this age, he should say thus: 'O vital forces! who are the Ādityas, please unite this third savana of mine with the span of life. May I, who am the sacrifice, not cease to exist among the vital forces which are the Ādityas.' He certainly gets beyond it, and surely becomes cured.

Similarly, ādityāḥ, the Ādityas; are prāṇāḥ, the vital forces; hi, because; they ādate, take up (grasp); idam, this, the aggregate of sound etc. Therefore they are the Ādityas. Tṛtīyasavanam, the third savana; anusantanutā, please connect with; āyuḥ, the span of life. The idea is, 'Please complete my āyuḥ, whole span of life of a hundred and sixteen years, i.e. please complete the sacrifice.' The rest is to be explained as before.

एतद्ध स्म वै तद्विद्वानाह महिदास ऐतरेय: स किं म एतदुपतपसि योजयमनेन न प्रेष्यामीति स ह षोडशं वर्षशतमजीवत्प्र ह षोडशं वर्षशतं जीवति य एवं वेद ॥ ७ ॥ इति षोडश: खण्ड: ॥ १६ ॥

7. Having known that which is such, Mahīdāsa, son of Itara, said, 'Why do you afflict me with this penance? Will you not send me away with this (knowledge)?' He lived for a hundred and sixteen years. He who knows thus lives for a hundred and sixteen years.

III. 17. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 227

of Itarā, said thus in the days of yore: ‘You (disease) who are such, why do you inflict this (affliction) on me who am such that I will not die owing to this?’ He lived for one hundred and sixteen years. Anyone who knows thus, lives hale and hearty for one hundred and sixteen years.

By way of showing that the meditation is sure of its result, the text cites an example:

Mahīdāsah, a person Mahīdāsa; aitareyah, who was the son of Itarā; tat vidvān, having known that; etat, which is such—the knowledge of the sacrifice; ha sma vai āha, said in days of yore; ‘Tvam, O you disease; sah, who are such; kim upatapasi, why do you inflict; etat, this affliction; me, on me; yah aham, who am the sacrifice; tat na preṣyāmi, I shall not die, depart; anena, owing to this, by this affliction caused by you?’ The idea is, ‘Your endeavour, therefore, is useless!’ Iti, thus; āha sma vai, he said in days of yore—this is to be connected with the aforesaid (Mahīdāsa). He, having this conviction, ajīvvat, lived; for ṣoḍaśam varṣaśatam, a hundred and sixteen years. Anyone else also, who has this conviction; yah, who; veda, knows; evam, thus, i.e. knows the aforesaid fulfilment of a sacrifice; he prajīvati, lives hale and hearty1 for a hundred and sixteen years.

SECTION 17

स यदशिशिषति यतिपपासति यज्ञ रमते ता अस्य दीक्षा:

॥ ९ ॥

1The prefix pra indicates the absence of affliction like disease etc., i.e. a hale and hearty life.—A.G.

228 CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD [III. 17. 1

1. That he becomes hungry, that he becomes thirsty, that he does not feel happy—they constitute his initiation (into a sacrifice).

The indication of the similarity of a man with a sacrifice, in the text, ‘That he becomes hungry’, etc. is surely to be connected with the earlier portion.

Yat, that; āśīṣiṣati, he becomes hungry, wants to eat, similarly, pipāsati, he wants to drink, feels thirsty; yat, that; na ramate, he does not feel happy owing to not getting desirable things etc.—when he feels this kind of unhappiness; tāḥ, they constitute; asya, his; dīkṣā, initiation like that of (the initiation into) a ritualistic sacrifice, owing to the similarity of sorrow.

अथ यदश्नाति यत्पिबति यद्रमते तदुपसदैति ॥ २ ॥

2. Then, that he eats, that he drinks, that he feels happy—they become similar to the upasads1.

Atha, then; yat, that; aśnāti, he eats; yat, that; pibati, he drinks; yat, that; ramate, he feels happy on getting desirable things etc.; tat, they; eti, become; upasadaiḥ, similar to the upasads. The upasads have joy owing to the vow of drinking milk. And he has the consolation that the days when a little food is allowed are near at hand. Because of this (factor of happiness) there is similarity between eating etc. and the upasads.

1Upasad is an Iṣṭi-sacrifice (oblation in the form of clarified butter poured in a Vedic fire) which has to be performed twice or more daily, for three days, following the day of initiation until the Soma sacrifice commences. For the first two days he drinks only milk twice a day, reducing the quantity gradually. On the third day he drinks only the remnant of the libation. In addition, he has to undergo other

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अथ यद्धसति यज्जक्षति यन्मैथुनं चरति स्तुतशस्त्रैरेव तदेति ॥ ३ ॥

Atha, then; yat, that; hasati, he laughs; yat, that; jakṣati, he eats; yat, that; maithunam carati, he lies with his wife; tat, they; eti, become; similar to stuta-śastraih eva, the hymns and the śastras themselves because of the similarity of association with sound.

अथ यत्तपो दानमार्जवमहिंसा सत्यवचनमिति ता अस्य दक्षिणा: ॥ ४ ॥

Atha, then; yat, those that are; tapah, austerity; dānam, charity; ārjavam, sincerity; ahimssā, non-injury; satya-vacan, speaking of truth; tāh, they are; asya, his; dakṣināḥ, offerings to the priest and others, because of the similarity of enhancing virtue.

तस्मादाहुः सोष्यत्यसोष्टेति पुनरुत्पादनमेवास्य तन्मरणमेवावभृथ: ॥ ५ ॥

1See not under I.7.5

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been born'. That verily is the beginning of this one. (His) death surely is the finishing bath.

Since a sacrifice has been equated with man, tasmāt, therefore; when his mother will be giving birth to him, then others āhuḥ, say with regard to his mother; that soṣyati, she will give birth. And when she has given birth, then (they say) asoṣṭā, she has given birth, she has attained fulfilment—just as in the case of a ritualistic sacrifice it is said, 'Devadatta will extract (soṣyati) the Soma juice', 'Yajnadatta has extracted (asoṣṭā) the Soma juice'. Therefore, because of the similarity of the words also, a man is equated with a sacrifice. Tat, that association which the sacrifice called man comes to have with the words soṣyati1 (will extract; will give birth) and asoṣṭā (has given birth; has extracted); is verily his punarutpādanam, beginning, just as that of a ritualistic sacrifice. Moreover, that which is asya maraṇam, the death of this man considered a sacrifice; that is eva, surely; avabhrthaḥ, the finishing bath (after a sacrifice), because of the similarity of completion.

तद्धैतद्घोर आङ्गिरसः कृष्णाय देवकीपुत्रायोक्त्वोवाचापिपास एव स बहूव सोढनतवेलायामेतत्‌त्रयं प्रतिपद्येताक्षितमस्यच्युतमसि प्राणसंसितमसीति तत्रैते द्वे ऋचौ भवतः ।। ६ ।।

6. Ghora Āṅgirasa, after imparting this meditation that was such to Kṛṣṇa, son of Devakī, said, 'At the

'The verbal root sū is used both in the sense of giving birth and extraction. The former is used in the case of a man's birth, and the latter in the case of extraction of Soma juice. Hence the similarity.

time of death one should repeat these three mantras: "You are undecaying. You are unchanging. You are the vital force made completely fine." ' He (Kṛṣṇa) verily became free from thirst. With regard to that here are two Ṛk-mantras:

Ghorah, Ghora by name; āṅgirasah, belonging to the line of Aṅgirasa; uktvā, after imparting; tat ha etat, this meditation on (man as) sacrifice, which was such; kṛṣṇāya, to Kṛṣṇa; devakīputrāya, the son of Devakī, (and) who was his disciple; uvāca, said—this is connected with etat trayam, these three, etc. which is stated later. And sah, he (Kṛṣṇa), after having heard about the meditation; eva, verily; babhūva, became; apipā-sah, free from thirst for other kinds of meditations. In this way, this meditation has a speciality since it removed the thirst of Kṛṣṇa, son of Devakī, for other kinds of meditations. Thereby the knowledge of man as a sacrifice is eulogised.

After imparting this knowledge to Kṛṣṇa, son of Devakī, what did Ghora Āṅgirasa say? That is being narrated: Sah, he who is possessed of the knowledge of the sacrifice as stated; pratipadyeta, should recite; etat trayam, these three mantras. Which are they? 'Asi, you are; akṣitam, undecaying or uninjured.' This is one of the Yajur-mantras. From the force of the context it follows that this is said by accepting the unity of the Person in the sun and the vital force. Similarly, addressing that very Person (in the sun and the vital force), he says, 'Asi, you are; acyutam, unchanging—you are unchanging by your own nature.' This is the second Yajur-mantra. 'Asi, you are; prāṇasaṁśitam, the vital force which has been made completely fine, and is

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subtle.' This is the third Yajur-mantra. Tatra, with regard to that; bhavatah, there occur; ete, these; dve, two; ṛcau, Ṛk-mantras, which are meant as a praise of the meditation and not for recitation, because that will go against the number three mentioned in 'trayam pratipadyeta, one should recite (these) three mantras'. Otherwise the number will be five.

आदिप्रतिस्य रेतसः ज्योति: पश्यन्ति वासरम्। परो यदिध्यते दिवि ॥७॥

7. In the supreme Brahman which is the oldest and is the source of the world, they (the knowers of Brahman) visualize everywhere that supreme Light which shines like the all-prevading daylight.

उदयं तमसस्परि ज्योति: पश्यन्त उत्तरंस्वः पश्यन्त उत्तरं देवं देवत्रा सूर्यमगन्म ज्योतिरुत्तममिति ॥ ८॥ इति सप्तदशः खण्डः ॥ १७॥

8. Having realised the Light (in the sun), which is the dispeller of ignorance, (and) which is non-different from the Light within our hearts—having visualized the Light which is higher than other lights—, we have attained the Sun, the Light that is the best of all lights, bright among the lights.

The t following ā in the word āt, as also the word it are meaningless. Paśyanti, they see; jyotih, the Light; pratnasya, of the ever-lasting One, i.e. of the oldest One; retasah, of the source, of the seed of the world, of that source which is called Existence. The ā (in ādit), after dropping the associates (t and it), has to be carried over and connected with paśyanti, see, visualize. What

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is that Light which they see? It is vāsam, the day, the daylight as it were; it is the all-pervasive Light of Brahman. The meaning is that the knowers of Brahman, who have closed their eyes, who have become pure in heart through such spiritual disciplines as celibacy, which are the means for detachment, ā-paśyanti, see the Light everywhere. Parah should be param because it qualifies (the neuter word) jyotih. (They see) param jyotih, the supreme Light; yat, which; idhyate, shines; while existing divi, in the luminous, transcendental Brahman, set ablaze by which Light the sun spreads its rays, the moon shines, lightning flashes, the planets and the stars twinkle.

Moreover, another seer of the mantra, while visualizing the Light described above, said [—ut is to be connected with aganma; udaganma means 'we have attained'; pari is to be connected with the word paśyantah, (in which case the meaning will be) 'after having realised the Light'; or (if read separately) pari means beyond, and tamasah means 'of darkness characteristic of ignorance'—]: Vayam, we; udaganma, have attained; jyotih, the Light; uttaram, which is the supreme Light in the Sun; tamasah pari, beyond the darkness of ignorance. Or (with the alternative reading) paripasyantah, having realised; jyotih, the Light; which is uttaram, the dispeller; tamasah, of ignorance; vayam, we; udaganma, have attained the supreme Light. That Light is svah (svam), is our own, is established in our own hearts; and the light that is in the sun is the same. While seeing the Light which is uttaram, supreme or higher than other lights, we have attained that.

Whom did we attain? The answer is: That sūryam,

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Sun, who is called so because of being the activiser of the juices, rays, and the vital forces of the world; and who is devam, bright; devatrā, among the lights—Him we have attained. Oh! We have attained jyotih uttaram, the Light that is the best of all lights. This is the meaning. The portion, ‘we have attained’ has to be supplied. This is that Light which has been praised in the two Ṛk-mantras, (and) which has been revealed by the three Yajur-mantras (above). The repetition of jyotiruttamam is for showing the conclusion of (the meditation) imagining (man as) a sacrifice.

SECTION 18

मनो ब्रह्मोत्युपासीतेत्यध्यात्ममथाधिदैवतमाकाशो ब्रह्मो- त्युभयमादिष्टं भवत्यध्यात्मं चाधिदैवतं च ॥ १ ॥

1. The mind is to be meditated on as Brahman. This is on the personal plane. Then follows the meditation on the divine plane. Space is Brahman. Both these become enjoined, the personal and the divine.

Expressing partially the qualities of Brahman, it has been said that God ‘appears as the mind’ (III.14.2) and has His ‘nature like space’ (ibid). Now, for enjoining the meditation on mind and space as Brahman in Its totality, the text begins by saying, ‘The mind . . . is Brahman’, etc.

The word manah is derived in the sense of that through which one thinks, and it means the internal organ. Upāsīta, one should meditate on that (mind); brahma iti, as Brahman, the Supreme. Iti adhyātmam,

III. 18. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 235

this is on the personal plane. This is the meditation with regard to oneself. Atha, then; we shall speak of adhi-daivatam, the meditation on the divine plane with regard to the gods. Upāsīta, one should meditate; on ākāśah, space; brahma iti, as Brahman. In this way ubhayam, both; adhyātmam ca adhidaivatam ca, the meditations on the pèrsonal and the divine planes; bhavati, become; ādiṣṭam, enjoined. Since space and mind are subtle, and since Brahman is realised by the mind, and also since space is all-pervasive, subtle and without any limiting adjunct, therefore, mind and space are fit for being meditated upon as Brahman.

तदेतच्चतुष्पाद्ब्रह्म वाक्पादः प्राणः पादश्वक्षः पादः श्रोत्रं पाद इत्यध्यात्ममथाधिदैवतमपि: पादो वायु: पाद आदित्य: पादो दिश: पाद इत्युभयमेवादिष्ट भवत्यध्यात्मं चैवाधिदैवतं च ॥२॥

Tat, that; etat, which is this Brahman called mind; is catuspādbrahma, Brahman with four feet. How does Brahman called the mind, have four feet? This is being stated: Vāk, (organ of) speech; prāṇah, organ of smell; cakṣuh, eye; śrotram, ear—these are the feet. Iti adhyātmam, this is on the personal plane. Atha, then follows; adhidaivatam, the divine. Brahman called space

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has these: agniḥ, fire; vāyuḥ, air; ādityah, sun; diśaḥ, directions—(as its feet). In this way, Brahman with four feet, ubhayam eva, in both these aspects; on adhy-ātmam, the personal; and adhidaivatam, the divine planes; ādiṣṭam bhavati, becomes enjoined (for meditation).

वागेव ब्रह्मणश्चतुर्थः पादः सोजऽप्रिना ज्योतिषा भाति च तपति च भाति च तपति च कीर्त्या यशसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेन य एवं वेद ॥ ३ ॥

3. Speech indeed is the fourth foot of Brahman. That shines and emits heat through the light of fire. He who knows thus, shines and emits heat through fame and lustre of the knowledge of Brahman1.

As to that, in relation to the other three feet, speech indeed is the fourth foot of mind considered as Brahman. For, like cows and others moving on their feet, the mind, through speech, goes to and settles on the object to be spoken of. So speech is like a foot of the mind. Similarly, prāṇāḥ, the organ of smell is a foot because through it also, the mind moves towards an object of smell. Similarly the eye is a foot, ear is a foot. Thus, on the personal plane, the mind considered as Brahman is possessed of four feet. So also on the divine plane, fire, air, sun, and the directions, which appear like the feet of a cow attached to its belly, are the four feet of space considered as Brahman. Therefore, fire etc. are said to be the feet of that space. Thus, both the possession of four feet on the personal and the divine planes become enjoined.

1Brahmanvarcas, lustre of the knowledge of Brahman, also means lustre arising from good behaviour and knowledge of the Vedas.

Among them vāk eva, speech indeed; is caturthah, the fourth; pādah, feet; brahmaṇah, of the mind considered as Brahman. Sah, that foot; bhāti ca, shines; tapati ca, and emits heat; agninā, through fire, which is the light on the divine plane. Or the meaning may be that speech, being enkindled by consuming oil, clarified butter, etc. which are fire by nature, shines and emits heat, i.e. becomes enthusiastic for speaking. The result for the man who has (this) knowledge is: Yah, he who; veda, knows; evam, thus; bhāti, shines; tapati ca, and emits heat; kīrtyā, through fame; and brahmavarcasena, through lustre of the knowledge of Brahman.

प्राण एव ब्रह्मणश्चतुर्थः पादः स वायुनाज्योतिषा भाति च तपति च भाति च तपति च कीर्त्या यशसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेन य एवं वेद ॥४॥

4. The organ of smell indeed is the fourth foot of Brahman. That shines and emits heat through the light of air. He who knows thus, shines and emits heat through fame and lustre of the knowledge of Brahman.

Similarly prāṇah eva, the organ of smell indeed; is caturthah, the fourth; pādah, foot; brahmaṇah, of Brahman. Sah, that organ of smell shines and emits heat; vāyunā, through air, for smelling.

चक्षुरेव ब्रह्मणश्चतुर्थः पादः स आदित्येन ज्योतिषा भाति च तपति च भाति च तपति च कीर्त्या यशसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेन य एवं वेद ॥ ५॥

5. Eye indeed is the fourth foot of Brahman. That shines and emits heat through the light of the sun. He

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who knows thus, shines and emits heat through fame and lustre of the knowledge of Brahman.

Similarly, the eye (is enthused) by the sun for perceiving forms (and colours).

श्रोत्रमेव ब्रह्मणष्चतुर्थ: पाद: स दिग्भ्योऽनुंतिषा भाति च तपति च भाति च तपति च कीर्त्या यशसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेन य एवं वेद य एवं वेद ॥ ६ ॥ इत्यष्टादश: खण्ड: ॥ १८॥

6. The ear indeed is the fourth foot of Brahman. That shines and emits heat through the light of the directions. He who knows thus, he who knows thus, shines and emits heat through fame and lustre of the knowledge of Brahman.

The ear (is enthused) by the directions for perceiving sounds. The result of the knowledge is the same in all cases, and the unseen result is the attainment of Brahman. The repetition of ‘He who knows thus’, is for the conclusion of the meditation.

SECTION 19

आदित्यो

ब्रह्मैतददर्श इत्यादेश: तस्योपव्याख्यानं तदभवत्तत्समभवत्तदण्डं निरवर्तत तत्सं- त्सरस्य मात्रामश्रयत तन्निरभिद्यत ते आण्डकपाल रजतं च सुवर्ण चाभवतम् ॥ १ ॥

1. The sun is Brahman. This is the instruction. Of that the explanation is: In the beginning all this was indeed unmanifest (non-existent). That became manifest. That sprouted. That took the shape of an egg.

III. 19. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 239

That remained in a static condition for a period of a year. That split up. Those two halves of the egg became gold and silver.

The sun has been spoken of as a foot of Brahman. Hence, this text begins for (enjoining) meditation on that sun as Brahman in its totality. Ādityah, the sun; is brahma, Brahman; iti, this; ādeśah, is the instruction. Tasya, of that; upavyākhyānam, the explanation is being given for the sake of praise. Agre, in the beginning, during the condition before creation; idam, this, this world as a whole consisting of name and form; āsīt, was; asat, unmanifest, without the manifestation of name and form; not that it was really non-existent, for an origin from non-existence is denied in the text, 'How can existence come out of non-existence?' (see VI.2.2).

Objection: Well, from the use of the words 'asat eva, non-existent indeed', may it not be that this is an alternative position?

Reply: No because, unlike as in the case of action, option is not admissible with regard to the nature of a thing.

Objection: How then, was this 'non-existent indeed'?

Reply: Have we not already said that, because of the non-manifestation of name and form, It seemed as though not existent?

Objection: Is not the word eva used for the purpose of emphasis?

Reply: Truly so. But it does not emphasise non-existence of substance.

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Objection: What then?

Reply: It emphasises the non-existence of manifest names and forms. It is seen that the word ‘sat, existent’ is used with regard to things which have their names and forms manifest. Generally that manifestation of names and forms of the world is dependent on the sun, for in the absence of the sun this would become blind- ing darkness. Nothing whatsoever would be perceived. From this it follows that in the eulogistic sentence, ‘Although this world did exist before creation still, it was surely non-existent,’ the sun is being eulogised so that it can become fit for being looked upon as Brah- man. Indeed, the word sat, existent, is used in the world because of the (existence of the) sun. It is like saying, ‘This line of the king has surely ceased to exist’, when a king Pūrṇavarman, possessed of all good qual- ities, ceases to exist. Moreover, since it (the Upaniṣad) is concerned with the instruction of the sun being Brah- man, what is sought to be established here is not the existence or the non-existence of the world. The Upa- niṣad will conclude by saying in the end, ‘he who meditates on the sun as Brahman’.

Tat, that which was called unmanifest, steady and unruffled before creation, as though non-existent, which was about to become an existing product; āsīt, became; sat, existent, in which activity has started slightly. From that, tat, it, being set in motion; sama- bhavat, slightly differentiated1, through the manifesta- tion of a little name and form, like the sprouting of a seed. Then, gradually becoming more solidified even than that, tat, it took the shape of; āṇḍam, an egg, from

1Took the form of the subtle elements.—A. G.

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(the state of) water1. Āṇḍam (standing for aṇḍam) is a Vedic use. That egg aśayata, remained in a static condition without changing its nature; mātrām, for the period; samvatsarasya, of one year, which duration is well-known. After that period of one year, tat, that; nirabhidyata, split up like an egg of a bird. Of that split egg te, those two; kapāle, halves; abhavatām, became; rajatam ca suvarṇam ca, silver and gold.

तद्यद्रजतं सेयं पृथिवी यत्सुवर्ण# सा द्यौर्यज्जरायू ते पर्वता यदुल्बं समेघो नीहारो या धमनयस्ता नद्यो यद्वास्तेयमुदकं स समुद्रः ॥ २ ॥

2. Among them that which was silver, that is this earth. That which was gold, that is heaven. That which was the thick (outer) membrane, they are the mountains. That which was the thin (inner) membrane, that is the mist together with the clouds. Those which were the arteries, they are the rivers. That which was the water in the bladder, that is the sea.

Tat, among them, among those two halves; yat, that which was; rajatam, silver; sā, that; is iyam, this; prthivī, earth. By the word ‘earth’, the lower half of the egg is meant. Yat, that which was; suvarṇam, gold, the golden half; sā, that; is dyauh, heaven. By the word ‘heaven’, the upper half of the egg is meant. That which was jarāyu, the outer membrane at the time of splitting up of the egg into two; te, they; became parvatāḥ, the mountains.

‘From the five gross elements including water, which were formed by the compounding of the five subtle elements.

16

mountains. That which was ulbam, the thin membrane; that became nīhārah, the mist; sameghah, together with the clouds. Yah, those which were; dhamanayah, the arteries and the veins in the body of the issue that was born; tāh, they; are nadyah, the rivers. That which was his vāsteyam udakam, water in the bladder; sah, that is; samudrah, the sea.

अथ यत्तदजायत सोऽसावादित्यस्तं जायमानं घोषा उलूलवोऽनूदतिष्ठन्सर्वाणि च भूतानि सर्वे च कामास्तस्मात्तस्योदयं प्रति प्रत्यायनं प्रति घोषा उलूलवोऽनूतिष्ठन्ति सर्वाणि च भूतानि सर्वे च कामा:

॥ ३ ॥

3. Then, that which took birth is the yonder sun. When he was being born arose sounds spreading far away, as also all beings and all (desired) things. Therefore, according to the rising and setting of the sun, arise sounds spreading far away, as also all beings and all (desired) things.

Atha, then; yat tat, that which; ajāyata, took birth in the form of an embryo in that egg; sah, that is; asau, the yonder; ādityah, sun. Tam jāyamānam any, when he, the sun, was being born; udatiṣṭhanta, arose; ghoṣāh, sounds; ulūlavaḥ (ulūravaḥ), sounds spreading far away', as is the case in this world at the birth of the first son of a lordly person; ca, and; sarvāṇi, all; bhūtāni, beings, moving and not moving; ca, and; sarve, all; kāmāḥ, the desired things of those beings, like wife,

'The sound ulū, expressing delight, as is the custom in some parts of India.—A. G.

III. 19. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 243

cloth, food, etc. Since desired things follow the birth of the sun, tasmāt, therefore; even today anutiṣṭhanti, arise; ulūlavah, sounds spreading far away; udayam prati, according to the rising; (and) pratyāyanam prati, in accordance to the setting down; or pratyāyanam may mean returning again and again; tasyā ādityasya, of that sun; ca, and; sarvāṇi bhūtani, all beings; ca, and; sarve kāmāḥ, all desired things. This is indeed well-known at the time of rising etc. of the sun.

स य एतमेवं विद्वानादित्यं ब्रह्मोत्युपास्तेऽभ्याशो ह यदेनं साधवो घोषा आ च गच्छेयुरुप च निम्रेडेरनिम्रेडेरन् ॥४॥

इत्येकोनविंश: खण्ड: ॥१९॥ इति छान्दोग्योपनिषद्

तृतीयोऽध्याय: ॥१३॥

4. He who having known this one thus, meditates on the sun as Brahman, to him come quickly beautiful sounds, and give him delight, give him delight.

Saḥ, he; yaḥ, who, anyone whosoever; vidvān, having known; etam, this one; evam, thus, as possessed of the glory described; upāste, meditates; on ādityam, the sun; brahma iti, as Brahman, he attains His nature. This is the idea. Moreover, the seen result for a knower of That is this: Enam prati, to this man; āgaccheyuḥ, come; (yat is an adverb meaning ‘in a way that is’) abhyāśaḥ, quickly; sāḍhavah, beautiful; ghoṣāḥ, sounds, the beautyfulness of the sounds consisting in no sin accruing through their enjoyment; ca, and; upanimrederan, give him delight. Not only do the sounds come, they also delight him. This is the idea. The repetition of nimrederan is to denote the conclusion of the chapter, and to show regard.

CHAPTER IV

SECTION I

ओं जानश्रुतिह पौत्रायण: श्रद्धादेयो बहुदायी बहुपाक्य आस स ह सर्वत आवसथान्मापयाज्चक्र सर्वत एव मेध्नम्तस्नन्तिति ॥ १ ॥

1. Om. There was in days of yore, a descendant of Jānaśruta, the grandson of his (Jānaśruta's) son, who offered gifts respectfully, gave plentifully, and cooked for many. He had rest-houses constructed in all places, with the idea, ‘They (the people) will indeed eat my food everywhere.’

The superimposition of the idea of being the feet of Brahman on air and the vital force was described earlier. Now, after that the following text is begun for their being directly meditated on as Brahman. The story is meant for easy comprehension as also for showing the process of imparting knowledge, and accepting it. Moreover, respect, gift of food, pridelessness, etc. are revealed by the story as being disciplines for the acquisition of knowledge.

Jānaśrutih, a descendant of Jānaśruta; (ha is used to indicate a past incident); pautrāyaṇah, the grandson of his (Jānaśruta's) son; was himself śraddhādeyah, one who offered gifts respectfully to Brāhmaṇas and others; bahudāyī, one who was used to offer plentifully; bahupākyaḥ, one in whose house cooking was plentifully done everyday, i.e. one in whose house

IV. 1. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 245

plenty of food was cooked for those who came to eat. Āsa, there lived in a certain place, at a certain time, Jānaśruti Pautrāyaṇa who was possessed of such qualities. Saḥ, he; māpayāñcakre, had constructed; sarvataḥ, in all places, in all directions, villages and towns; āvasathān, rest-houses, those places where people come and stay; with the idea: People staying in those rest-houses, eva, surely; atsyanti, will eat; me, my; annam, food; sarvataḥ, everywhere.

अथ ह हंसो निशायामतिपेतुसतदैवꣳ हंसो हंꣳसमभ्युवाद हो हंस्य भल्लाक्ष भल्लाक्ष जानश्रुते: पौत्रायणस्य सꣳ दिवा ज्योतिरातꣳ तꣳमा प्रसादꣳक्षीस्तत््वा मा प्रधाक्षीरिरिति ॥२॥

Such being the case, when the king was on the terrace during that summer, atha, then; (some) haṁsāḥ, swans; atipetuḥ, came flying; niśāyām, at night. Either some ṛṣis or gods, being pleased with the virtues of the king in distributing food, took the forms of swans, and came flying within the sight of the king. Tai, then, at that time, among those flying swans, one that was flying behind another, abhyuvāda, said to; haṁsaḥ, the swan flying ahead; addressing thus: ‘Ho ho ayi, O, O; bhallākṣa1 bhallākṣa, you of good sight, you of good sight,’

1 Bhallākṣa is derived from bhadra and akṣa, meaning good sighted, and it ironically indicates shortsightedness. See Ā.G.

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sight’. The repetition is for showing eagerness, as one

would say, ‘Look, look, how strange it is.’ By addres-

sing him as bhallākṣa, he indicates (ironically) that he

was shortsighted. Or, being repeatedly admonished by

it (the swan in the front), which was proud of having

the fullest knowledge of Brahman, (and) suffering due

to that, it (the swan behind) angrily gives expression to

that, saying, ‘Bhallākṣa, O shortsighted one!’

‘Jyotih, the lustre; jānaśruteḥ, of Jānaśruti; pautrā-

yaṇasya, Pautrāyaṇa, arising from the power of dis-

tribution of food etc.; ātatam, spreads all around, it

extends far; samam, like; divā, (the light of) heaven,

i.e. it touches heaven.’ Or the meaning may be that it is

samam, similar to; divā, daylight. ‘Mā, may you not;

prasāṅkṣiḥ, touch, get into contact with; tat, that light.

Mā, may not; tat, that, that light; pradhākṣiḥ, burn,

burn you up owing to contact with it.’ The word pra-

dhākṣiḥ has to be transferred from the second person

to the third person as pradhākṣīt.

तमु ह परः प्रत्युवाच कम्वर एनमेतत्सन्तं सयुग्वानमिव रैक्वमात्थेति यो नु कथं सयुग्वा रैक्व इति ॥ ३ ॥

3. To him the other replied: ‘Lo, who is he that is of

this kind, of whom you have spoken this as though he

were like Raikva associated with a cart?’ ‘Who is this

Raikva who is associated with a cart?’

Tam, to him who had spoken thus; paraḥ, the other,

the preceding bird; pratyuvāca, replied; ‘Are, Lo, this

king is inferior and pitiable. Kamu enam santam,

being

Bhallākṣa can also be derived from bhalla and akṣa, meaning ‘one

whose sight is sharp like a spear’.

IV. 1. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 247

possessed of what greatness', (—by this he condemns the king—), 'ādha, have you said; etat, this sentence; evam, thus with great respect about this one; iva, as though; (he is) raikvam sayugvānam, Raikva associated with a cart?' One who is saha, associated with, yugvā, a cart, is sayugvā. 'You have spoken of this one (the king) as though of him (Raikva).' It is inappropriate to speak of this one thus, that he is like Raikva—this is the idea. And the other swan said, 'Kathām nu, of what kind; is that sayugvāraikvah, Raikva associated with a cart; yah, who is spoken of by you?' To him who had spoken this, Bhallākṣa said, 'Hear of what kind that Raikva is.'

यथा कृताविजितायाधरेया: संयन्न्येवेनं; सर्वतदभिसमैति यत्किञ्च प्रजा: साधु कुर्वन्ति यस्तद्धेद यत्स वेद स मयैतदुक्त इति ॥४॥

4. 'As the inferior ones get included in kṛta when it becomes the winner, so all virtuous deeds performed by people get included in this one. Anyone else also who knows what he (Raikva) knows, he is also like Raikva. Thus has he been spoken of by me.'

In the world during a game of dice, yathā, as; kṛtā vijitāya, when kṛta, the well-known (face of the dice bearing) the number four, wins in the case of people engaged in the game of dice; then, into that winner, samyanti, enter; adhareyāḥ, the lower ones—the numbers three, two and one, which are respectively called tretā, dvāpara, and kali. That is to say, since the numbers three, two and one are comprehended in the kṛta having the number four, they enter into it. As is this

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illustration, evam, so; enam, in this Raikva, who is comparable to the kṛta; sarvam, all, which are comparable to tretā etc.; abhisamaiti, become included.

What is that (which becomes included)? Yat kim ca, whatsoever; sādhu, good, moral, virtuous deeds; pra-jāḥ, all people; kurvanti, perform in this world, all that becomes included in the virtue of Raikva, and in the result of his merit get included the results of the virtuous deeds done by all creatures. This is the idea. So also anyone else yaḥ, who; veda, knows; tat, that which was to be known by him. What is that which is to be known?

Yat, that which; saḥ, he, Raikva; veda, knew. Anyone else yaḥ, who; veda, knows; tat, that which is to be known, into him also, the virtuous deeds of all the creatures enter together with their results, as in the case of Raikva. The verb abhisamaiti, get included, is to be understood here. Saḥ, he, the knower of this kind, though being other than Raikva, becomes like Raikva comparable to kṛta. Etat, thus has he been; uktaḥ, spoken of; mayā, by me.

तदु ह जानश्रुतिः पौत्रायण उपशुश्राव स ह सज्जिहान एव क्षत्तारमुवाचाद्गिरे ह सयुग्वानमिव रैक्वमात्थेति यो नु कथं सयुग्वा रैक्व इति ॥ ५॥

यथा कृतायविजितायाधरेयाः संयत्येवमेनं सर्वे तदभिसमैति यत्किञ्च प्रजा: साधु कुर्वंनित यस्तद्वेद यत्स वेद स मयैतदुक्त इति ॥ ६॥

5-6. Jānaśruti Pautrāyaṇa overheard this talk, and he, as soon as he got up, told the charioteer (or cham-berlain)1, ‘Lo my child, you have spoken as though I

1According to V. S. Apte and Monier Williams, kṣattā means: a

IV. 1. 6] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 249

am like Raikva associated with a cart?’ (The charioteer asked) ‘Of what kind is Raikva of the cart, of whom you speak?’ (Quoting the swan, Jānaśruti said) ‘As the inferior ones get included by the kṛta when it becomes the winner, so all virtuous deeds performed by people get included in this one. Anyone else also who knows what he (Raikva) knows, he is also like Raikva. He has been spoken of by me thus.’

The king Jānaśruti Pautrāyaṇa, who was on the terrace, upaśuśrāva, overheard; tat u ha, this kind of talk of the swan, which was like an insult to himself, and eulogistic of some other man of knowledge like Raikva and others. Brooding over that very sentence of the swan again and again, he spent the rest of the night. After that, when he was aroused from sleep by the eulogistic words of the minstrels, the king said kṣattāram, to the charioteer; sañjihānah eva, as soon as he left his bed or was awakened; ‘Are, Lo; aṅga, my child; did you āttha, speak of me (as being); raikvam iva, like Raikva; sayugvānam, of the cart?’ The suggestion being: ‘He (Raikva) is praiseworthy, but not I’, or ‘Going to that Raikva of the cart, āttha, tell him of my intention to see him.’ Then, in that (second) sense the word iva should be said to be used for emphasis, or meaningless.

door-keeper; a chamberlain; a charioteer; a person born of a Śūdra man and a Kṣtriya woman, etc. But Ā.G. equates him, the kṣattā, to a stutikartā, while Śaṅkara is silent on the point, though he seems to make a distinction between minstrels (bandī) and kṣattā. So Ā.G. perhaps means that the kṣattā joined the minstrels in the song though he held some other post. Or the kṣattā might have been some sort of a manager or announcer in the group of minstrels.

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And that charioteer, having understood the intention of the king who desired that Raikva be brought to him, answered, ‘Katham, of what kind; is Raikva sayugvā, of the cart; yah nu, of whom you speak?’ Having been told so by the king, and being desirous of knowing his (Raikva's) characteristics so that he might bring him, the charioteer said, ‘Of what kind is Raikva of the cart?’ And he, the king, repeated the very speech of the swan Bhallākṣa.

स ह क्षत्तिन्विष्य नाविददमिति प्रत्येयाय तं होवाच यत्रारे ब्राह्मणस्यान्वेषणा तदेनमच्छेति ॥७॥

7. That charioteer returned after searching, thinking: ‘I have not found him.’ To him he said, ‘Oh! Go for him where a Brāhmaṇa has to be found out.’

Remembering his (the king's) words, saḥ ha kṣattā, that charioteer, after having gone to a town or a village; and anviśya, having searched for him; pratiyeyāya, returned; iti, thinking; ‘Na avidam, I have not found out, I have not known Raikva.’ Tam, to him, to the charioteer; (the king) uvāca ha, said; ‘Are, Oh!; tat, there; rccha, go, search for him; yatra, where; anveṣaṇā, a search should be made; brāhmaṇasya, of a knower of Brahman—in such solitary places as a remote forest, bank of a river, etc.’ The idea is, ‘You should make the search there.’

सोऽधस्ताच्छकटस्य पामानं कषमाणमुपोपविवेश तं हाभ्युवाद त्वं नु भगवः सयुग्वा रैक्व इत्यहं हाराम इति ह प्रतिजज्ञे स ह क्षत्ताविददमिति प्रत्येयाय ॥ ८॥ इति प्रथमः खण्डः ॥ १ ॥

इति प्रथमः खण्डः ॥ १ ॥

IV. 2. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 251

8. He sat down near a person who was seated under a cart and was scratching his itches, and he accosted him with, ‘Are you, Sir, Raikva of the cart?’ He affirmed by saying, ‘Lo, I am indeed.’ The charioteer returned with the idea, ‘I have known.’

On being told so by the king, the charioteer, having made a search for him in solitary places, and having seen a person śakatāsya adhastāt, under a cart; kaṣam-āṇam, scratching; pāmānām, itches; upaviveśa, sat down; upa, nearby with humility, thinking, ‘This one surely is Raikva of the cart.’ And abhyuvāda, accosted; tam, him; ‘Tvam nu, are you; bhagavah, sir; sayugvā raikvah, Raikvah of the cart?’ Having been asked so, pratijajñe, he affirmed; Are, Oh; aham, I am so’, using the word are for showing indifference. Saḥ, he; kṣattā, the charioteer; having identified him, pratyeyāya, returned with the idea; ‘Avidam, I have known.’ This is the meaning.

SECTION 2

तदु ह जानश्रुतिः पौत्रायणः षट् शतानि गवां निष्कमश्वतर्यरथ तददाय प्रतिचक्रम तं ह अब्रुवाद ॥ १ ॥

1. Following that (report of the charioteer), Jāna-śruti Pautrāyaṇa took with himself six hundred heads of cattle, a necklace, a chariot drawn by she-mules, and went out. Him he accosted with:

Jānaśruti Pautrāyaṇa, tat u ha, following that very report (of the charioteer), and having understood that the ṛṣi wanted to enter the life of a householder, as also

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his desire for wealth; praticakrame, went out, proceeded-

towards Raikva; tadādāya, taking with himself; that

wealth consisting of ṣaṭ śatāni, six hundred; gavām,

heads of cattle; niṣkam, a necklace; aśvatarīratham,

a chariot drawn by two she-mules. And having

approached tam, him; abhyuvāda, accosted with:

रैक्वेमानि षट् शतानि गवामयं निष्कोड्यमश्वतरीरथोऽनु

म एतां भगवो देवतां शाधि यां देवतामुपास्स इति ॥ २ ॥

2. 'O Raikva! Here are six hundred heads of cattle,

this necklace, this chariot drawn by she-mules. Sir,

please instruct me about that deity on whom you

meditate.'

'Raikva, O Raikva; imāni, these; ṣat satāni, six hun-

dred; gavām, heads of cattle have been brought by me

for you. And ayam, this is; niṣkah, a necklace; and this

is aśvatarīratham, a chariot drawn by she-mules. Please

accept this wealth and bhagavah, sir; anuśādhi,

instruct; mām, me; etām, about this; devatām, deity;

yām, on which; you upāsse, meditate. Please favour me

with the instruction about the deity.' This is the

meaning.

तमु ह पर: प्रत्युवाचाह हरेत्वा शूद्र तवैव सह

गोभिरस्त्वति तदु ह पुनरेव जानश्रुति: पौत्रायण: सहस्रं

गवां निष्कमश्वतरीरथं दुहितरं तदादाय प्रतिचक्रमे ॥ ३ ॥

3. To him the other replied, 'O Śūdra, let the char-

iot, together with the necklace, as also the cows be with

you yourself.' As a result of that Jānaśruti Pautrāyaṇa

returned again, taking with him a thousand heads of

cattle, a necklace, a chariot drawn by she-mules, and his daughter.

Tam, to him, to the king who had spoken thus; parah, the other, Raikva; pratyuvāca, replied—. Aha is an indeclinable word which has no meaning here—(though elsewhere it is used to convey the sense of rejection)—because the word eva (in the sense of ‘yourself’) has been used separately. ‘Let hāra-itvā, the vehicle (itvā) together with the necklace (hāra) (–that is what is meant by hāretvā); gobhih saha, as also the cows; astu, remain; tava eva, with you yourself.’ The idea is, ‘Śūdra, O Śūdra, I have no need of this which is not sufficient for my purpose.’

Objection: It has been said earlier, ‘He said to the minstrel. . . .’ Being associated with a minstrel, does it not follow that he is a king? Moreover, since he had approached the Brāhmaṇa for acquiring knowledge, and since a Śūdra has no competence (for this knowledge), how is this inconsistent statement, ‘O Śūdra!’, made by Raikva?

Reply: As to this the teachers say: From hearing the words of the swan, sorrow entered into him (the king). He is one overwhelmed by that sorrow. Or, from hearing the greatness of Raikva, he hurried to Raikva1. The ṛṣi addressed him as ‘Śūdra’, revealing thereby his knowledge of something not witnessed personally. Or, he (Jānaśruti) approached him (Raikva) like a Śūdra

‘According to this interpretation, the word śūdra is derived from the combination of the two words śucā and dravati. The king dravati, becomes overwhelmed, śucā, with sorrow on hearing the words of the swan. Or, after hearing the report of the charioteer, the king dravati, hurries (to Raikva), śucā, with sorrow (in his heart).

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who would try to get knowledge by offering wealth only, but not service. Not that he was a Śūdra by caste itself.

Others however, say that he (Raikva) called him (the king) a Śūdra, out of anger because he had brought insufficient wealth. As an indication of this, it is seen that knowledge is imparted after the bringing of sufficient wealth. Tat u ha, as a result of that, having understood the intention of the ṛṣi; Jānaśruti Pautrāyaṇa praticakrame, returned; punah, again; ādāya, taking with him; tat, that wealth (of); sahasram, one thousand; gavām, heads of cattle; and in addition, duhitaram, his own daughter who would be acceptable to the ṛṣi as his wife.

तं हाभ्युवाद रैक्वेदं सहसं गवामयं निष्कोडयमश्वतरीरथ इयं जायायं ग्रामो यस्मिन्नास्सीड्वेव मा भगवान् शाधीति ॥४॥

तस्या ह मुखमुपोद्गृह्यणुवाचाजहारमः शूद्राननेव मुखेनालापयिष्यथा इति ते हैते रैक्वपर्णा नाम महावृषेषु यत्रास्मा उवास तस्मै होवाच ॥५॥ इति द्वितीयः खण्डः ॥२॥

4. To him (the king) said, ‘O Raikva, here are a thousand heads of cattle, this necklace, this chariot drawn by she-mules, this wife, this village where you live. Please do instruct me, sir.’

5. Considering her face (Raikva) said, ‘O Śūdra, you have brought these; through this very face you will make me speak.’ These are those villages called Raik-vaparnā in the country of Mahāvṛṣa, where he lived,

IV. 2. 5] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 255

(and which were given) to him. To him he (Raikva) imparted.

'Raikva, O Raikva; idam, here are; sahasram, a thousand; gavām, heads of cattle; ayam, this; niṣkah, necklace; ayam, this; aśvatarīrathah, a chariot drawn by she-mules; iyam, this; jāyā, wife, my daughter brought to be (your) wife; and ayam, this; grāmah, village; yasmin, wherein; āsse, you live, that is also dedicated to you by me. Accepting all these eva, please do; anuśādhi, instruct; mām, me; bhagavah, O sir.'

He (Raikva) upodgrhnan, considering, i.e. knowing; mukham, the face; tasyāh, of her, of the king's daughter who was brought for becoming the wife, as the (sufficient) means for, as the medium for imparting knowledge—because the (means of) imparting of knowledge is known from (a verse), 'A celibate, a giver of wealth, an intelligent man, one following Vedic injunctions, one who is dear, and one who imparts knowledge in exchange for it, these six are my mediums'—having known thus, uvāca, he said; 'Ājahāra, you have brought; imāh, these cows and other kinds of wealth, this is well done.' This (last part of the sentence) is understood. The word sūdra is only a repetition of its earlier use, but not having some other reason in view as in the earlier case.

'Anena eva mukhena, through this very face which is a means for imparting knowledge; ālāpayiṣhyathā, you will make me speak, i.e. make me converse.' Te ha ete, these are those villages; raikvaparṇāh nāma, known as Raikvaparṇā; mahāvṛṣeṣu, in the land of Mahāvṛṣa; yatra, where, in which villages; Raikva uvāsa, lived. Those villages asmai, to him, to Raikva,

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[IV. 2. 5

gifted. Tasmai, to him, to the king who had given wealth; saḥ, he, Raikva; uvāca, imparted the knowledge.

SECTION 3

वायुर्‌वै सम्वर्गो यदा वा अग्निरुद्वायति वायुमेवाप्येति यदा सूर्योऽस्तमेति वायुमेवाप्येति यदा चन्द्रोऽस्तमेति वायुमेवाप्येति ।। १ ।।

1. Air indeed is the place of merger. When fire goes out it repairs into air alone. When the sun sets it repairs into air indeed. When the moon sets it repairs into air only.

Vāyuḥ, air, the external air; vāva, indeed is; samvargah, the place of merger. The word vāva is used for emphasis. The word samvarga is used in the sense of ‘absorbing’, or ‘taking in’, or ‘swallowing up’. It (air) is called samvarga since it makes gods, viz fire and others who will be spoken of, become identified with itself. Hence, the quality called ‘absorption’ is to be meditated on as air. This follows from the illustration of ‘being included in ḳrta’ (IV.1.4).

How does air become the place of merger? The answer to that is: Yadā, when; agniḥ, fire; udvāyati, goes out, is extinguished, is at rest; then, that fire apyeti, repairs; vāyum eva, into air alone, it attains identity with the nature of air. Similarly, yadā, when; sūryaḥ, the sun; astameti, sets down; apyeti, it repairs, vāyum, into air indeed. When candrah, the moon; astameti, sets down; apyeti, it repairs; vāyum, into air only.

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Objection: How can it be that the sun and the moon repair into air when they still retain their own forms?

Reply: That defect does not arise because the setting down or going out of vision is caused by air. The sun is made to set verily by air, for movement is produced by air. Or, the sun and the moon, which are forms of fire, have to repair into air at the time of dissolution when they lose their own nature.

यदाप उच्चुष्यन्ति वायुमेवापियन्ति वायुर्हैवैतांस्- वांसंवृङ्क्त इत्यधिदैवतम् ॥ २ ॥

2. When waters dry up, they surely repair into air, because it is air indeed that swallows up all these. This is on the divine plane.

Similarly, yadā, when; āpaḥ, waters; ucchuṣyanti, dry up; then they eva, verily; apiyanti, repair; vāyum, into air; hi, since; vāyuḥ, air; eva, indeed; samvr̥ṅkte, swallows up; etān sarvān, all these, fire etc. which are very powerful. So the meaning is that air is to be meditated on as possessed of the qualities of swallowing up. Iti, this much, the meditation on the deities with regard to merger, has been stated; adhidaivatam, on the divine plane.

अथाध्यात्मं प्राणो वाव सम्वर्ग: स यदा स्वपिति प्राणमेव वागप्येति प्राणं चक्षुः प्राणं श्रोत्रं प्राणो होवैतन्सर्वांसंवृङ्क्त इति ॥ ३ ॥

3. Then follows the meditation on the personal plane. The vital force is indeed the place of merger. When he (a person) sleeps, his speech surely repairs into the vital force, the eyes into the vital force, the ears

17

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[IV.3.3

into the vital force, the mind into the vital force. For it

is the vital force which surely swallows up all these.

Atha, then this meditation; adhyātman, on the per-

sonal plane, on oneself as the place of merger is stated.

Prāṇah, the vital force residing in the mouth; vāva, is

indeed; samvargah, the place of merger. Yadā, when;

sah, he, a person; svapiti, sleeps; then vāc, speech; eva,

surely; apyeti, repairs; prāṇam, into the vital force, as

fire does into air. Cakṣuh, the eyes (repair) into the

vital force; śrotram, the ears into the vital force; man-

ah. the mind into the vital force; hi, because; it is

prāṇah, the vital force; which vai, surely; samvr̥ṇkte,

swallows up; sarvān etān, all these, viz speech etc.

तौ वा एतौ द्वौ संवर्गौ वायुरेव देवेषु प्राणः प्राणेषु

॥४॥

4. These two which are such, are surely the two

places of merger—air indeed in the case of gods, the

vital force in the case of the organs.

Tau etau, these two which are such; are vai, surely;

dvau, the two; samvargau, places of merger, possessed

of the quality of swallowing up;—vāyuh, air; eva, in-

deed; deveṣu, in the case of gods; prāṇah, the vital

force in the mouth; prāṇeṣu, in the case of the organs

of speech etc.

अथ ह शौनकं च कापेयमभिप्रतारिणं च काक्षसेनि

परिविष्यमाणौ ब्रह्मचारी बिभिक्षे तस्मा उ ह न ददतुः

॥५॥

5. Then, once upon a time, a Brahmacārin begged

IV. 3. 6] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 259

of Śaunaka Kāpeya and Abhipratārin Kāḳṣaseni, when . they were being served with food. To him they did not give.

Atha, then is begun this story for the eulogy of these two (meditations on the places of merger). The word ha is used to indicate a past incident. Brahmacārī, a person considering himself eminent among the knowers of Brahman; bibhikṣe, begged of; śaunakam, son of Śunaka; ca kāpeyām, and (who was) Kāpeya, belonging to the line of Kapi; ca, and; abhipratāriṇam, Abhipratārin by name; kāḳṣasenim, who was the son of Kakṣasena; pariviṣyamānau, who were being served with. food by cooks. Thinking that the Brahmacārin was only posing to be a knower of Brahman, tasmai, to him; u ha na dadatuḥ, they did not give, being curious to know what this one would say.

स होवाच महातमनश्चतुरो देव एकः कः स जगार भुवनस्य गोपास्तं कापेय नाभिपश्यन्ति मर्त्योऽभिप्रतारिन्बहुधा वसन्तं यस्मै वा एतद्रं तस्मा एतन्न दत्तामिति ॥ ६ ॥

6. He said, ‘The one deity called Prajāpati, who is the protector of the universe, has swallowed up the four great ones. O Kāpeya, O Abhipratārin, the mortals do not know Him who exists in various forms. This food has not been given to Him indeed for whom it is meant.’

Saḥ, he, the Brahmacārin; uvāca ha, said, ‘Devaḥ ekah, the one deity; called kaḥ, Prajāpati; jagāra, has swallowed up; caturah mahātmanah, the four great

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[IV. 3. 6

ones'—(the two words being used in the plural of the acquisitive case)—as air he swallowed fire etc. and as the vital force he swallowed speech etc. Some think that kah sa jagāra is a question meaning, 'Who is he who swallowed?' Goptā, the protector; bhuvanasya, of the universe—the word being derived in the sense of 'the place where creatures are born', and it stands for all the worlds counting from earth. This is the meaning.

'Kāpeya, O Kāpeya; abhipratārin, O Abhipratārin; martyāḥ, the mortals or non-discriminating people; na, do not; abhipaśyanti, know Him who is Prajāpati; vas-antam, existing; bahudhā, in various forms'—in the personal, divine, and the material planes. 'Etat, this; annam, food; na dattam, has not been given; tasmai, to that Prajāpati; vasmai vai, for whom indeed; day after day, etat, this food is collected and sanctified for eating.'

तदु ह शौनकः कापेयः प्रतिमन्वानः प्रत्येयायात्म

देवानां जनिता प्रजानां हिरण्यदःष्ट्रो बभसोऽनसूरि-

मर्हान्तमस्य महिमानमाहुरनद्यमादो यदन्नमत्ति वैं वयं

ब्रह्मचार्ज्जेदमुपास्महे दत्तास्मै भिक्षामिति ॥७॥

7. Śaunaka Kāpeya, having thought over those sentences, approached him, 'O Brahmacārin, we fully meditate on this one who is the soul of the gods and the progenitor of creatures, who has golden teeth, who is capable of eating, who is not unintelligent. They say His majesty is very great. Without being eaten, He eats that which is not food.' 'Give him alms.'

Śaunaka Kāpeya, pratimanvānāḥ, having thought over in his mind; tat u ha, those sentences of the Brahmacārin; pratyeȳāya, approached the Brahmacārin;

IV. 3. 7] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 261

macārin. And having gone, he said, ‘We know Him about whom you have said that the mortals do not know.' How?

(He is) ātmā, the Self of all that moves and does not move. Moreover, having withdrawn (and) swallowed (fire etc.) into Himself, he is janitā, the creator; devānām, of the gods, viz fire etc. In the form of air on the divine plane, He is the creator of fire etc. and on the personal plane, in the form of the vital force (He is the creator) of speech etc. and prajānām, of creatures. Or the meaning is: He is ātmā, the soul; devānām, of the gods—of fire and others—and of speech etc. He is the janitā, progenitor; prajānām, of creatures, moving or not. Hiraṇyadamṣṭraḥ, He is possessed of golden teeth, of undecaying teeth, i.e. of unbroken teeth. Babhasaḥ, He is capable of eating; anasūri, He is not unintelligent—sūri means intelligent, asūri is unintelligent, and anasūri is not unintelligent. The meaning is that He is intelligent. The knowers of Brahman āhuh, say; asya, His, Prajapati’s; mahimānam, majesty; is mahāntam, very great, incomparable; because anadyamānaḥ, while himself remaining uneaten by others; atti, He eats; yat, that which; is na annam, not food, the forms of gods like fire and others, and speech etc. The word vai has no meaning. ‘Brahmacārin, O Brahmacārin; vayam, we; ā-upāsmahe, fully meditate on; idam, this one, Brahman as described.’ The word vayam has to be connected with the remote word upāsmahe. Others interpret thus: Vayam, we; na, do not; upāsmahe, meditate on; idam, this one.’ What then? ‘We

‘The composite word brahmacārinnedaṃ is split up in two ways: brahmacārin-a-idam and brahmacārin-na-idam, giving two meanings.

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[IV. 3. 7

meditate on the supreme Brahman.’

He told the servants, ‘Dat­ta, give; bhikṣām, alms;

asmai, to him.’

तस्मा उ ह ददुस्ते वा एते पञ्चान्ये पञ्चान्ये दश

सन्तस्तकृतं तस्मात्सर्वासु दिक्षु सैषा

विराड्नादी तयेदं सर्व दुष्टं सर्वमस्येदं दृष्टं

भवत्यन्नादो भवति य एवं वेद य एवं वेद ॥८॥

॥ ३ ॥

8. To him they did give. These that are five and

different from the other (group), and these that are five

and different from the other (group), make up ten.

They constitute that kṛta. Therefore these ten existing

in ten directions, are food indeed, and they are kṛta.

That is what is Virāṭ, the eater of food. By Him all this

is perceived. He who knows thus, he who knows thus,

for him all things become perceived, and he becomes

an eater of food.

They indeed, u ha, did; daduh, give alms; tasmai, to

him. Te, those; vai, indeed; ete, who are these, viz fire

and others who are swallowed, and air who is their

swallower; make up pañca, five; who are anye, differ-

ent from speech etc. Similarly, anye, different from

them; pañca, are the five on the personal plaie, (viz)

speech etc. and the vital force. All of them together

become ten in number. Santah, becoming; daśa, ten,

they constitute that kṛta. One (of the die-faces) has got

four figures; so also (are fire etc. and speech etc.) four

in number. As one (of the die-faces) has got three

figures, so also the other three (viz fire etc. and speech

etc. after leaving out one from each of the groups, are

three in number). (And they are food.) As one (of the

die-faces) has got two figures, so also the other (viz fire etc. and speech etc. after leaving out two from each group) are two. As one (of the die-faces) has got the number one, so also (each of) the other (viz air and vital force) is (one). (And they are the eaters). In this way, becoming ten in number, they constitue that kṛta.

Since this is so, tasmāt, therefore; even sarvāsu di-kṣu, in all the ten directions; the group starting with fire, and the group starting with speech are annam, food; eva, indeed, because of the similarity of the number ten. For the Vedic text says, 'The metre Virāṭ has got ten letters', and 'Virāṭ is food'. Therefore (fire etc. and speech etc.) are food indeed because of being ten in number. Hence these daśa, ten; are surely kṛtam, kṛta.

We have already said that the die-face called kṛta, which has got four figures, gets all the other lower figures included in it. Sā, that; eṣā, who is this deity; called virāṭ, Virāṭ, being possessed of the number ten, is food; as also annādī, an eater of food since it is similar to kṛta in that the number ten becomes included in kṛta. Hence Virāṭ is both food and an eater of food.

Similarly the man of knowledge, having become identified with the ten deities, becomes food as Virāṭ, and an eater of food as kṛta,' because of the number

'It has already been said that the inferior number 3 of treta, 2 of dvāpara, 1 of kali become included in the bigger number 4 of Kṛta. Thus Kṛta becomes the eater, and the others its food. So the numbers of the eater and of food make up 10. On the other side, air and the group of four, starting with fire, make up 5; and the vital force together with the group starting with speech, make up 5. These put together amount to the number 10. So here also, the number of 'eater' and 'food' is ten. Through the identity of the number 10, the

ten. Sarvam, this whole universe consisting of 'food' and 'the eater of food'; drșțam, is perceived as existing in the ten directions; tayā, by him, who is possessed of the number ten of kṛta. Asya, to him, to a knower of this kind who has become identified with the number of kṛta; sarvam, all, all things associated with the ten directions; bhavati, become; drșțam, perceived. Moreover, yah veda evam, he who knows thus, who perceives as stated above; bhavati, becomes; annādah, the eater as well. 'He who knows thus'-this repetition is used for indicating the completion of the meditation.

SECTION 4

सत्य कामो ह जाबालो जबालां मात्रमामन्त्रयाज्चक्रे ब्रह्मचर्यं भवति विवत्स्यामि किंगोत्रो न्वहमस्मीति ॥ १ ॥

1. Once upon a time, Satyakāma Jābāla accosted his mother Jabālā with, 'Honourable mother, I wish to live

earlier ones are identical with the latter, i.e. the two groups under air and vital force, in their combination become identical with Krta. In the case of air etc. we can arrive at the number 10 in another way: Fire, sun, moon and water make up 4; fire, sun and moon make up 3; fire and sun constitute 2; fire is 1. So 4+3+2+1=10. The same process is to be understood in the case of speech etc. whereby they also become 10.

The metre Virāṭ has got ten letters, and the Veda also says that Virāṭ is food. So through the identity of this number ten, fire etc. and speech etc. (which are food of air and vital force) can be conceived of as identical with Virāṭ as food. Those which are food as Virāṭ, are also the eaters as Kṛta.

The universe is not different from the deity Virāṭ; therefore he who perceives his own identity with them (fire etc.), perceives everything.

IV. 4. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 265

(in a teacher's house) as a celibate. Of what gotra (lineage) am I?'

The whole universe consisting of speech etc. and fire etc. has been praised as 'food' and 'the eater of food'. Now, by thinking of it (the universe) as a whole (from the point of view of its Cause), and then dividing it into sixteen parts, the idea of Brahman has to be enjoined with regard to it. Hence this text is begun. The story is meant for showing that faith and austerity are accessories of meditation on Brahman. Ha indicates a past incident. Satyakāmah, Satyakāma by name; jābālah, the son of Jabālā; āmantrayāñcakre, accosted; his own mātaram, mother; jabālām, Jabālā; 'Bhavati, O honourable mother; vivatsyāmi, I wish to live in a teacher's house; brahmacaryam, as a celibate to undertake scriptural study. Kim, of what; gotrah, lineage; nu asmi aham, am I, what is the lineage of myself as I am?'

सा हैनमुवाच नामेत्तद् तात यद्गोत्रस्त्वमसि बहहं चरन्ती परिचारिणी यौवने त्वामलभे साहमेतज्ज वेद यद्गोत्रस्त्वमसि जबाला तु नामाहमस्मि सत्यकामो नाम त्वमसि स सत्यकाम एव जाबालो ब्रुवीथा इति ॥ २ ॥

2. She said to this one: 'O my son, I do not know this, the lineage to which you belong. I got you in my youth when I was busy performing many duties, and remained engaged in serving. Being as I was, I do not know this as to which lineage you belong. But my name is Jabālā and your name is Satyakāma. So you speak of yourself as Satyakāma Jābāla.'

When Jabālā was asked thus, sā, she; uvāca ha, said;

enam, to this one, her son; ‘Tāta, O my son; aham, I; na, do not; veda, know; etat, this; yat gotram, the lineage to which; tvam, you; asi, belong.’ ‘Why don’t you know?’ Being asked so, she said, ‘Aham, I; bahu carantī, while performing many kinds of service in the house of my husband, serving many guests and visitors; paricāriṇī, I remained engaged in my duties. My mind being occupied with service, I had no idea of asking about your lineage. Ālabhe, I got; tvām, you; during that time yauvane, in my youth. At that very time your father departed. So I became desolate. Sā, being in that condition as I was; aham, I; na, do not; veda, know; etat, this; gotrah, the lineage; yat, to which; tvam, you; asi, belong. Tu, but; aham asmi, I am; jābālā, Jābālā; nāma, by name; tvam, you; asi, are, satyakāmah, Satyakāma; nāma, by name. Sah, such as you are; tvam, you; bruvīthāh, tell the teacher, ‘I am eva, surely, Satyakāma Jābāla’, if you are asked by the teacher.’ This is the idea.

स ह हारिद्रुमतं गौतममेत्योवाच ब्रह्मचर्यं भगवति वत्स्याम्युपेयां भगवन्तमिति ॥ ३ ॥

3. He, having approached Haridrumata Gautama, said, ‘I shall live as a celibate with you, the worshipful one. Therefore, I have come to you, the venerable one.’

Sah, he, Satyakāma; etya, having approached; haridrumatam, the son of Haridrumata; (and) gautamam, belonging to the lineage of Gautama; uvāca, said; ‘Vat-syāmi, I shall live with you; bhagavati, the worshipful one; brahmacaryam, as a celibate. Therefore upeyām, I have come to you, the venerable one.’

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267

I have come as a disciple; bhagavantam, to the vener-

able one.’

तं होवाच किंगोत्रो नु सोम्म्यासीति स होवाच

नाहमेतद्वेद भो यद्गोत्रोऽहमस्म्यपृच्छं मातरं सा मा

प्रत्यब्रवीद्‌बहं चरन्ती परिचारिणी यौवनं त्वामलभे

साहमेतज्ज्ञ वेद यद्गोत्रस्त्वमसि जबाला तु नामाहमस्मि

सत्यकामो नाम त्वमसीति सोज्हं सत्यकामो जाबालोऽस्मि

भो इति ॥४॥

4. To him, he said, ‘To what lineage do you, the

good looking one, belong?’ He said, ‘Sir, I do not know

this as to which lineage I belong. I asked my mother.

She replied to me, “I got you in my youth when I was

busy performing many duties and remained engaged in

serving. Being as I was, I do not know this as to which

lineage you belong. But my name is Jābālā, and your

name is Satyakāma.” Sir, such as I am, I am Satyakāma

Jābāla.’

To him who had told so, Gautama uvāca ha, said;

‘Kim gotraḥ, to what lineage; nu asi, do you belong;

saumya, O good looking one?’ A disciple whose family

and lineage are known is to be initiated. Being asked

thus, Satyakāma replied. Saḥ, he; uvāca ha, said;

‘Bhoḥ, O sir; aham, I; na veda, do not know; etat, this;

yat gotraḥ, as to which lineage; asmi, I belong. But

apṛccham, I asked; mātaram, my mother. Sā, she, my

mother, being asked by me; pratyabravīt, replied;

mām, to me. ‘‘When I was busy performing’’, etc.—to

be explained as before. I remember her words. Bhoḥ,

O sir; saḥ aham, such as I am; asmi, I am; satyakāmaḥ

jābālaḥ, Satyakāma Jābāla.’

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[IV. 4. 5

तं होवाच नैतद्ब्राह्माणो विवक्तुमर्हति समिधं सोम्याहरोप त्वा नेष्टे न सत्यादगा इति तमुपनीय कुशानामबलानां चतुःशता गा निराकृत्योवाचेमाः सोम्यानुसंब्रजेतिताभिप्रस्थापयन्नुवाच नासहस्रेणावर्तेयेति स ह वर्षगणं प्रवास ता वेदा सहस्रं सम्पेदुः ॥५॥ इति चतुर्थः खण्डः ॥४॥

5. To him he said, ‘A non-Brahmin will not be able to say this. Fetch faggots for sacrifice, O good looking one. I shall initiate you since you did not depart from truth.’ After initiating him, he, having separated four hundred heads of cattle from among the thin and weak ones, said, ‘O good looking one, you follow them.’ While driving them on he said, ‘I shall not return without a thousand.’ He lived in exile for years. When they became a thousand—.

Tam, to him; Gautama uvāca ha, said; ‘Abrāh-maṇah, a non-Brāhmin; na arhati, will not be able; vivaktum, to say; etat, this clearly in a truthful way, because the Brāhmins are straightforward by nature, not others. Since na agāh, you did not depart; satyāt, from truth, which is a virtue of the Brāhmin-caste; therefore upaneṣye, I shall initiate; tvām, you, who are a Brāhmin. Therefore āhara, fetch; samidham, faggots for sacrifice, for your investiture; saumya, O good looking one.’ Saying so and upanīya, after initiating; tam, him; nirākṛtya, having separated catuhśatāh, four hundred; gāh, heads of cattle, kṛśānām abalānām, from among the thin and weak herds of cattle; uvāca, said; ‘Saumya, O good looking one; anusamvraja, you follow; imāh, these cattle.’ Being told so, abhiprasthā-payan, while driving; tāḥ, them towards the forest;

IV. 5. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 269

uvāca, he said; ‘Na āvarteya, I shall not return; āsahas-rena, without a thousand; without a full thousand.’

After saying so, (and) having entered into a forest full of grass and water, and free from troubles, saḥ, he; provāsa, lived in exile; varṣagaṇam, for many years, for long years. Being looked after well, yadā, when; tāḥ, they, the cattle; sampeduh, became, completed the number; sahasram, a thousand—.

SECTION 5

अथ हैनमृषभोऽभ्युवाद सत्यकामः इति भगव इति ह प्रतिशुश्राव प्राप्ताः सोम्य सहस्रं समः प्राप्य न आचार्यकुलम्॥ १ ॥

1. Then, to this one a bull said, ‘O Satyakāma.’ He responded saying, ‘Yes, revered sir.’ ‘O good looking one, we have reached the number one thousand. Lead us to the house of the teacher.’

To favour him who had attained perfection through faith and austerity, the god air associated with the directions, having become pleased entered into a bull, i.e. assumed the nature of a bull. Atha, then; enam, to this one; ṛṣabhaḥ, a bull; abhyuvāda ha, said, by addressing him as Satyakāma. That Satyakāma pratiśrāva, acknowledged him, gave reply; saying ‘Bhagavaḥ, yes, revered sir.’ (The bull said), ‘Saumya, O good looking one; prāptāḥ sma, we have reached; sahasram, a thousand. Your promise is fulfilled. Therefore, prāpaya, lead; naḥ, us; ācāryakulam, to the teacher’s house.’

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[IV.5.2

ब्रह्मणश्च ते पादं ब्रवाणीति ब्रवीतु मे भगवानीति तस्मै होवाच प्राची दिक्कला प्रतीची दिक्कला दक्षिणा दिक्कलोडीची दिक्कलैष वै सोम्य चतुष्कलः पादो ब्रह्मणः प्रकाशवान्नाम ॥ २ ॥

2. (The bull said) 'I wish to tell you of one foot of Brahman.' (Satyakāma said) 'Please tell me, revered sir.' To him he said: 'The eastern side is one part, the western side is one part, the southern side is one part, the northern side is one part. O good looking one, surely this is one foot of Brahman, consisting of four parts and called the Manifested'.

Moreover, 'Bravāṇi, I wish to tell you; pādam, of one foot: brahmaṇaḥ, of Brahman, of the supreme Brahman.' Being told so, he (Satyakāma) replied, 'Bravītu, please tell me; bhagavān, revered sir.' Being told so, the bull uvāca ha, said; tasmai, to him, to Satyakāma; 'Brahmaṇaḥ, of Brahman; prāci dik, the eastern side; kalā, is one part, a quarter of one foot; similarly pratīcī dik, the western side is one part; dakṣiṇā dik, the southern side is one part; udīcī dik, the northern side is one part. Saumya, O good looking one; this is vai, surely; pādaḥ, one foot; brahmaṇaḥ, of Brahman; catuṣkalāḥ, consisting of four parts—that which consists catasraḥ, four, kalā, parts is catuṣkalah; and nāma, having the name; prakāśavān, the Manifested. Similarly the subsequent three feet also of Brahman consist of four parts.

स य एतमेवं विद्धा॑श्चतुष्कलं पादं ब्रह्मणः

'Some translate the word prakāśa as light, but then the meanings of this paragraph and of IV. 7.3 become indistinguishable.

IV. 6. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 271

प्रकाशवानित्युपास्ते प्रकाशवानस्मिल्लोके भवति प्रकाशवतो ह लोकाज्जयति य एतमेवं विद्वा᳚श्र्चतुष्कलं पादं ब्रह्मणः प्रकाशवानित्युपास्ते॥३॥ इति पञ्चमः खण्डः॥५॥

3. He who having known in this way, this one foot of Brahman, consisting of four parts, meditates on it as the Manifested, becomes renowned in this world.

He who having known in this way, this one foot of Brahman, consisting of four parts, meditates on it as the Manifested, wins the manifested worlds.

Saḥ yaḥ, he who, anyone who; vidvān, having known; evam, in this way; etam, this; pādam, one foot; brahmaṇaḥ, of Brahman; catuskalam, consisting of four parts; upāste, meditates on it; iti, as; prakāśavān, the Manifested, as possessed of the quality of manifestation, for him this is the result: Bhavati, he becomes; prakāśavān, renowned, i.e. famous; asmin loke, in this world. This is the meaning. So also the unseen result is, he who having known in this way, this one foot of Brahman, consisting of four parts, meditates on it as the Manifested, jayati ha, he wins, reaches after death; prakāśavataḥ lokān, the manifested worlds associated with gods and others.

SECTION 6

अग्रिष्टे पादं वक्तेति स ह श्रोभूते गा अभिप्रस्थापयाज्चकार ता यत्राभि सायं बभूवस्तत्राम्रिमुपसमाधाय गा उपरुध्य समिधमाधाय पश्चादग्रे: प्राडुपोपविवेश॥१॥

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[IV. 6. 1

1. (The bull said) 'Fire will tell you of one foot.'

When the next day dawned he drove on the herds of

cattle. At whatever time and place they gathered to-

gether at nightfall, then and there, having stopped the

cattle, he lighted up a fire, and having brought faggots,

sat behind the fire and near it, facing East.

(By saying) 'Agnih, fire; vaktā, will tell; te, you;

pādam, of one foot', that bull stopped. Śvah bhūte,

when the next day dawned; sah, he, Satyakāma, after

having finished his obligatory duties, abhi-prasthā-

payāñ-cakāra ha, drove; gāh, the herds of cattle to-

wards the teacher's house. Tāh, they, moving slowly,

proceeded towards the teacher's house. Yatra, at what-

ever time and place; sāyam, at nightfall; they abhi-

saṁbabhūvuh, gathered together; tatra, then and

there; he, uparuddhya, having stopped; gāh, the herds

of cattle; and agnim upasamādhāya, having lighted up

a fire; and ādhāya, having brought; samidham, fag-

gots; upaviveśa, sat; paścāt, behind; and upa, near;

agneḥ, the fire; prāñ, facing East, while thinking of the

words of the bull.

तमग्रिरभ्युवाद सत्य कामः इति भगव इति ह

प्रतिशुश्राव ॥ २ ॥

2. Fire accosted him, saying, 'O Satyakāma.' He

responded with, 'Yes, revered sir.'

Agnih, fire; abhyuvāda, accosted; tam, him; addres-

sing him as 'O Satyakāma.' To him that Satyakāma

pratiśuśrāva, responded, answered with; 'Bhagavah,

yes, revered sir.'

ब्रह्मणः सोम्य ते पादं ब्रवाणीति ब्रवीतु मे भगवानिति तस्मै होवाच पृथिवी कलान्तरिक्षं कला द्यौः कला समुद्रः क्लैष वै सोम्य चतुष्कलः पादो ब्रह्मणोऽन्त-वान्नाम॥ ३ ॥

3. (Fire said) 'O good looking one, I wish to tell you of one foot of Brahman.' (He said) 'Please tell me, revered sir.' To him he said, 'Earth is one part, intermediate-space is one part, heaven is one part, ocean is one part. O good looking one, of Brahman this is surely one foot called the Limitless, having four parts.'

स य एतमेवं विद्धि:श्चतुष्कलं पादं ब्रह्मणोऽन्त-वानित्युपास्तेऽन्तवत्त्वानमल्लोक भवत्यन्तवतो ह लोकाज्जयति य एतमेवं विद्धि:श्चतुष्कलं पादं ब्रह्मणोऽन्तवानित्युपास्ते॥ ४॥ इति षष्टः खण्डः॥ ६ ॥

4. He who having known in this way, this one foot of Brahman, consisting of four parts, meditates on it as the Limitless, he becomes limitless in this world.' He

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[IV. 6. 4

who having known thus, this one foot of Brahman, consisting of four parts, meditates on it as the Limitless, he wins everlasting worlds.

He, yah, anyone whosoever; upāste, meditates on; pādam, the foot as described, as possessed of the quality of unlimitedness; he bhavati, becomes so indeed, possessed of that quality; asmin loke, in this world. After death jayati, he wins; anantavatah ha lokān, everlasting worlds. ‘He who’, etc. is to be explained as before.

SECTION 7

हं सस्ते पादं वक्तेति स ह श्रोभूते गा अभिप्रस्थापयाज्जकार ता यत्राभि सायं बभूवुसतत्राप्रिमुपसमाधाय गा उपरुध्य समिधमाधाय पश्चादग्रे: प्राडुपोपविवेश ॥ १ ॥

1. (Fire said) ‘The swan will tell you of one foot.’ When the next day dawned he drove on the herds of cattle. At whatever time and place they gathered at nightfall, then and there, having stopped the herds of cattle, he lighted up a fire, and having brought faggots, sat behind and near the fire, facing East.

Fire stopped after saying, ‘Hamsah, the swan; vaktā, will tell you; of pādam, one foot.’ ‘Swan’ means the sun because of whiteness and similarity of moving overhead. ‘When the next day, he’, etc. is to be explained as before.

IV. 7. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 275

तँ हँस उपनिपत्याभ्युवाद सत्यकामः इति भगव इति ह प्रतिशुश्राव ॥ २ ॥

ब्रह्मणः सोऽप्य ते पादं ब्रवाणीति ब्रवीतु मे भगवानिति तस्मै होवाचाग्रिः कला सूर्यः कला चन्द्रः कला विद्युत्क्लैष वै सोऽप्य चतुष्कलः पादो ब्रह्मणो ज्योतिष्मान्नाम ॥ ३ ॥

स य एतमेवं विद्धाःश्चतुष्कलं पादं ब्रह्मणो ज्योतिष्मानित्युपास्ते ज्योतिष्मानस्मिँल्लोके भवति ज्योतिष्मतो ह लोकाज्जयति य एतमेवं विद्धाःश्चतुष्कलं पादं ब्रह्मणो ज्योतिष्मानित्युपास्ते ॥ ४ ॥ इति सप्तमः खण्डः ॥ ७ ॥

276

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[IV. 7. 4

4. He who having known in this way, this one foot of Brahman, consisting of four parts, meditates on it as the Effulgent, becomes effulgent in this world. He who having known in this way, this one foot of Brahman, consisting of four parts, meditates on it as the Effulgent, he wins the effulgent worlds.

The result attained by the knower is: Asmin loke, in this world; bhavati, he becomes; jyotiṣmān, effulgent. Dying, jayati, he wins; lokān, the worlds; jyotiṣmatāḥ, full of effulgence as of the moon and the sun etc. The remaining portion is to be explained as before:

SECTION 8

मद्गुश्टे पादं वक्तेति स ह श्रोभूते गा अभिप्रस्थापयाज्चकार ता यत्राभि सायं बभूवस्तत्राप्रिमुपसमाधाय गा उपरुध्य समिधमाधाय पश्चादग्रे: प्राडुपोपविवेश ॥ १ ॥

1. (The swan said) 'The diver-bird will speak of one foot.' When the next day dawned he drove on the herds of cattle. At whatever time and place they gathered at nightfall, then and there, having stopped the herds of cattle, he lighted up a fire, and having brought faggots, sat behind the fire and near it, facing East.

The swan also stopped after saying, 'Madguḥ, the diver-bird; vaktā, will tell you; of pādam, one foot.' Madgu is an aquatic bird, and (here) because of association with water, he is the vital force. 'When the next day dawned, he', etc. is to be explained as before.

IV. 8. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 277

तं मद्गुरुपनिपत्याभ्युवाद सत्यकामः इति भगव इति ह प्रतिशुश्राव।। २।।

2. Flying near, that diver-bird accosted him with, ‘O Satyakāma.’ He acknowledged saying, ‘Yes, revered sir.’

ब्रह्माणः सोप्य ते पादं ब्रवाणीति ब्रवीतु मे भगवानीति तस्मै होवाच प्राणः कला चक्षुः कला श्रोत्रं कला मनः क्लैष वै सोप्य चतुष्कलः पादो ब्रह्मण आयतनवान्नाम ।। ३ ।।

3. (The diver-bird said) ‘O good looking one, I wish to tell you of one foot of Brahman.’ (He said) ‘Please tell me, revered sir.’ To him he said, ‘The vital force is one part, the eye is one part, the ear is one part, the mind is one part. O good looking one, of Brahman this is surely one foot named Āyatanavān (Possessed of an Abode) having four parts.

And that diver-bird, (identified with) the vital force, spoke of the meditation regarding himself. Prāṇah, the vital force is one part, etc. . . . (of the foot of Brahman) named Possessed of an Abode. The mind is called the abode of enjoyments acquired by all the organs. The foot to which it belongs, that is named the foot Āyatanavān, Possessed of an Abode.

स य एतमेवं विद्धाःश्चतुष्कलं पादं ब्रह्मण आयतनवानित्युपास्त आयतनवानस्मिल्लोके भवत्यायतनवतो ह लोकाज्जयति य एतमेवं विद्धाःश्चतुष्कलं पादं ब्रह्मण आयतनवानित्युपास्ते।। ४ ।। इत्यष्टमः खण्डः ।। ८ ।।

He who meditates on this four-parted foot of Brahman as Possessed of an Abode becomes possessed of an abode in this world; he wins abodes (in the world of Brahman). He who meditates on this four-parted foot of Brahman as Possessed of an Abode.

278

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[IV. 8. 4

4. He who having known in this way, this one foot of Brahman, consisting of four parts, meditates on it as Possessed of an Abode, he becomes possessed of an abode in this world. He who having known thus, this one foot of Brahman, consisting of four parts, meditates on it as Possessed of an Abode, wins worlds that are spacious.

Yah, he who; upāste, meditates on that foot in that very way; bhavati, becomes; āyatanavān, possessed of an abode, of a shelter; asmin loke, in this world. Similarly, after death, jayati, he wins; lokān, worlds; āyatanavatah, that are indeed spacious. ‘He who having known in this way’, etc. is to be understood as before.

SECTION 9

प्राप हाचाय॑कुलं तमाचार्योऽभ्युवाद सत्यकाामः इति भगव इति ह प्रतिशुश्राव॥ १ ॥

1. He reached the teacher's house. The teacher addressed him saying, ‘O Satyakāma.’ He responded saying, ‘Yes, revered sir.’

He, having thus become a knower of Brahman, prāpa ha, reached; ācārya-kulam, the teacher's house. Tam, him; ācāryah, the teacher; abhyuvāda, addressed saying, ‘O Satyakāma.’ Pratiśuśrāva, he responded saying; ‘Bhagavah, yes, revered sir.’

ब्रह्मविदिव वै सोम्य भाषि को नु तवानुशशासेत्यन्ये मनुष्येभ्य इति ह प्रतिजज्ञे भगवांस्त्वेव मे कामे ब्रूयात्॥ २ ॥

Brahmaavid ivai va Somya bhaasi ko nu tva anuśaasetyaanye manuşyeebhya iti ha pratijajñe Bhagavaamstveva me kamee bruuyaat|| 2 ||

IV. 9. 3] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 279

2. 'O good looking one, you shine verily like a knower of Brahman. Who may it be that instructed you?' He confirmed saying, 'Some ones other than human beings. But it is you, revered sir, who should instruct for fulfilling my wish.'

'Soumya, O good looking one; bhāsi, you shine; vai, verily; iva, like; brahmavit, a knower of Brahman.' A knower of Brahman is possessed of tranquil organs and a smiling face; he is without care, and contented. Therefore the teacher said, 'You appear like a knower of Brahman.' Considering in his mind, 'Kah nu, who may it be', he said, 'Who anuśaśāsa, instructed; tvām, you?' And that Satyakāma said, 'Anye, some ones, manusyebhyah, than human beings—the gods instructed me', his intention being, 'Who else that is a human being would dare to instruct me who am your disciple!' Therefore pratijañe ha, he confirmed that they were other than human beings. 'Bhagavān tu eva, it is you indeed, revered sir; brūyāt, who should instruct; me kāme, for fulfilling my wish. Of what account is that spoken by others! I do not attach much importance to that.' This is the idea.

श्रुतं हवै मे भगवद्दृशेभ्य आचार्यद्र्शैर्विद्या वेदिता साधिष्ठं प्रापतीति तस्मै हैतदेवोवाचात्र ह न किचन वीयायेत वीयायेत ।। ३ ।। इति नवमः खण्डः ।। ९ ।।

3. 'For it has been certainly heard by me from the venerable ones like you that, knowledge acquired from the teacher alone surely becomes the best.' To him he imparted this. As to this nothing remained left out.

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CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[IV.9.3

Moreover, 'Hi, for; śrutam, it has been heard—to me it remains a thing already heard with regard to this matter; bhagavat-drśebhyah, from venerable ones like you, from knowers of truth who are of your status; that vidyā, knowledge; viditā, acquired; ācāryāt ha eva, from the teacher alone; surely prāpayati, becomes; sādhisṭham, the best. Therefore, you the venerable one alone, should speak.' Being told so the teacher uvāca ha, imparted; etat, this, the very knowledge that was imparted by the gods; tasmai, to him. Atra ha, as to this; na kiñcana, nothing whatsoever, not even a bit of the knowledge consisting of sixteen parts; viyāya, remained left out. The repetition of viyāya, nothing left out, is to indicate the end of the meditation.

SECTION 10

उपकोसलो ह वै कामलायनः सत्यकामे जाबाले ब्रह्मचर्यमुवास तस्य ह द्वादश वर्षाण्यग्रीनपरिचचार स ह स्मान्यान्तेवासिनः समावर्तय॔स्त॔ ह स्मैव न समावर्तयति ॥ १ ॥

1. Once upon a time, the son of Kamala, well-known as Upakosala, stayed as a celibate with Satyakāma Jābāla. He served his (Jābāla's) fires for twelve years. He (Jābāla) on his part, while affirming graduation by the other students, did not certify him alone as a graduate.

The text starts again with the idea, 'I shall speak in another way, of the knowledge of Brahman and the

IV. 10. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 281

path of departure of the knower of Brahman, and the meditation on fire. ' The story is meant to show as before that faith and austerity are the disciplines for acquiring the knowledge of Brahman.

Kāmalāyanah, the son of Kamala; ha vai, well-known as; upakosalah, Upakosala; uvāsa, stayed; satyakāme jābāle, with Satyakāma Jābāla; brahmacaryam, as a celibate. Paricacāra, he served; agnīn, the fires; tasya, of his, of the teacher; dvādaśavarṣāṇi, for twelve years. Ha is to indicate a past incident. Saḥ, he, the teacher; after making anyān, the other Brahmacārins acquire the Vedic knowledge; samāvartayan ha sma, while affirming (their) graduation; tam eva, him alone, only Upakosala; na, did not; samāvartayati ha sma, certify as a graduate.

तं जायोवाच तप्तो ब्रह्मचारी कुशलमग्रीन्परिचचारीन्मा त्वाप्रयः परिप्रवोचनप्रबूढास्मा इति तस्मै हाप्रोच्यैव प्रवासाच्चक्रे॥ २ ॥

2. To him (his) wife said, 'The Brahmacārin, endowed with austerity, has served the fires well. May not the fires admonish you. Impart to him.' Without instructing him, he left home.

Tam, to him, to the teacher; jāyā, the wife; uvāca, said; 'Taptah brahmacārī, the Brahmacārin endowed with austerity; paricacārit, has served; agnīn, the fires; kuśalam, well. And you, venerable sir, are not certifying graduation of a devotee of the fires. So, understanding that, 'He is not graduating our devotee.' mā, may not; agnayaḥ, the fires; paripravacan, admonish;

tvām, yòu. Therefore prabrūhi, impart; asmai, to him, to Upakosala, the knowledge that he wished for.' Al-

though he was thus spoken to by the wife, pravāsān-cakre, he left home; tasmai aprocya eva, without in-

structing him.

स ह व्याधिनानशितुं दद्हे तमाचार्यजायोवाच

ब्रह्मचारिन् किं नु नाश्नासिति स होवाच बहव

इमेऽस्मिन्पुरुषे कामा नानात्यया व्याधिभिः प्रतिपूर्णोऽस्मि

नाशिष्यामिति॥३॥

3. He resolved to fast out of sorrow. The wife of the teacher told him, 'O Brahmacārin, take food. Why

don't you eat?' He said, 'In this person there are these many desires which tend towards many things. I am

filled with sorrows. I shall not eat.'

Sah, he, Upakosala; vyādhinā, out of sorrow, mental sorrow; dadhre ha, resolved in his mind; anaśitum,

not to eat. Tam, to him sitting silently in the room for fires; ācārya-jāyā, the wife of the teacher; uvāca, said;

'Brahma-cārin, O Brahmacārin; aśāna, take food. Kim nu, why, for what reason; na aśnāsi, do you not eat?'

Sah uvāca ha, he said; 'Asmin puruṣe, in this person, who is a common man with unfulfilled wishes; there are

ime, these; bahavah, many; kāmāh, desires—thoughts of duty, sorrows, i.e. mental sorrows caused by non-

accomplishment of what should be done; nānātyayāḥ, tending in various directions towards what should be

done. Asmi, I am; paripūrṇaḥ, filled with them. There-

fore na aśiṣyāmi, I shall not eat.'

अथ हाप्रयः समूdire तप्तो ब्रह्मचारी कुशलं नः पर्यचारीडन्नास्मै प्रभवामेति तस्मै होचुः प्राणो ब्रह्म कं ब्रह्म खं ब्रह्मेति॥४॥

स होवाच न विजानाम्यहं यद्पाणो ब्रह्म कं च तु खं च न विजानामीति ते होचुर्यद्वाव कं तदेव खं यदेव खं तदेव कमिति प्राणं च हास्मै तदाकाशं चोचुः॥५॥ इति दशमः खण्डः॥१०॥

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[IV. 10. 5

And to him they spoke of the vital force and of that Space (associated with it).

Saḥ, he, the Brahmacārin; uvāca ha, said; ‘Aham, I; vijānāmi, know; yat, that which is spoken of by you thus: “Prāṇaḥ brahma, the vital force is Brahman”, because it is a well-known thing.’ This term (Prāṇa) is conventionally used for a particular form of air1, the existence of which makes life possible and the departure of which causes its cessation. Hence it is proper that it should be Brahman. ‘Thus, it being a well-known object, I know that the vital force is Brahman. Tu, but; na vijānāmi, I do not know; kam ca kham ca, Ka and Kha.’

Objection: Is it not that the words Ka and Kha are also well-known objects since they mean happiness and space? Due to what is the Brahmacārin’s ignorance?

Vedāntin: Certainly the Brahmacārin thinks, ‘How can bliss be Brahman, since “bliss” meant by the word Ka has only momentary existence; and how can “space” meant by the word Kha be Brahman, since it is devoid of consciousness? How again, can the words of the venerable ones be meaningless?’ That is why he said, ‘I do not know.’

To him, to the Brahmacārin who had spoken thus, te, they, the fires; ūcuḥ ha, said; ‘Yat, that; vāva, verily which we spoke of as kam, Bliss; tat eva, that is surely; kham, Space.’ Thus Bliss being qualified by Space becomes distinguished from bliss arising from the contact of objects and the senses, as a lotus qualified by the adjective ‘blue’, becomes distinguished from red lotus etc. That which we spoke of as Space by the word Kha,

1A particular form of Cosmic energy.

that you should know to be the same as Bliss (Ka).

Thus, when Kha, Space, becomes qualified by Ka,

Bliss, the material, insentient space becomes elimi-

nated, just as in the case of a 'blue lotus'. (The meaning

is that) the Bliss which exists in Space (is Brahman),

but not so the other (bliss) that is human; and the space

that is the abode of Bliss (is Brahman), but not so the

other which is material (space).

Objection: If it is intended that Space is to be

qualified by Bliss, then, one of the two should be the

adjective, and it should be said, 'That which is Ka is

verily Kha.' The other portion of the sentence is

redundant. Or, in the sentence, 'That which is Kha, is

verily Ka', the earlier one (Space) should be the

adjective.'

Vedāntin: Have we not said that the intention is to

distinguish both Bliss and Space (which are Brahman)

from happiness and space (as understood) in the

world?

Objection: When Space is qualified by Bliss, do not

both of them become distinguishable by implication?

Vedāntin: Quite so. But then it becomes an injunc-

tion of meditation only on that Space which is qualified

by Bliss; the meditation on that Bliss which is a quality

of Space, and is used as its adjective will not become

enjoined as an object of meditation, because the pur-

pose of an adjective is completed by delimiting its

substantive. Therefore Bliss also is qualified by Space

for the sake of being meditated on.

'Either of the two words, Bliss and Space, should be the noun

while the other should be taken as the adjective. But both words

should not be alternately turned into an adjective and a noun.

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[IV. 10. 5

Objection: How is it ascertained?

Vedāntin: Because, in the text, ‘Bliss is Brahman’, the word Bliss (Ka) is also associated with the word Brahman. If the intention was that Space qualified by the quality of Bliss is to be meditated on, then, the fires would have first said, ‘Bliss (ful) Space is Brahman.’ But they did not speak thus. What then? (They said) Bliss is Brahman, Space is Brahman. Therefore, for the removal of the confusion of the Brahmacārin, it is quite proper to indicate that, of the two words Bliss and Space, each is a substantive or an adjective in relation to the other, by saying yat, that which; is vāva, verily; kam, Bliss, etc.

Therefore, for our understanding of that sentence which was spoken of by the fires, the text says this: ‘Asmai, to this one, to the Brahmacārin; they spoke of prāṇam ca, the vital force (and of the Space associated with it).’ The compound tadākāśah, is to be split up as (tasya) its (ākāśah) Space. What is meant is the Space within the heart, which is associated with the vital force through its being the abode (of the latter). From the mention of being possessed of the quality of Bliss, it follows that Space possessed of the quality of Bliss is Brahman; and the vital force existing there (in the Space within the heart) is Brahman from the very fact of its association with Brahman. In this way the fires spoke of the vital force and Space as Brahman, by associating them together.

SECTION II

अथ हैनं गार्हपत्योऽनुशशास पृथिव्यप्तेजोऽनिलमादित्य इति

IV. 11. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 287

य एष आदित्ये पुरुषो दृश्यते सोऽहमस्मीति ॥ १ ॥

1. Then, the Gārhapatya-fire instructed this one: 'Earth, fire, food, and sun. The Person that is seen in the sun, that am I. I am that very one.'

The fires collectively had spoken of Brahman to the Brahmacārin. Atha, then, each of them started to speak about the meditation with regard to each one of themselves. As to that, the Gārhapatya-fire first anuśaśāsa ha, instructed; enam, this one, this Brahmacārin: 'Prthivī, earth; agnih, fire; annam, food; ādityah, sun—these four are my limbs. Among them eṣah puruṣah, this Person; yah, that; dṛśyate, is seen; āditye, in the sun; sah, that; aham asmi, am I, the Gārhapatya-fire. And that which is the Gārhapatya-fire, sah, that; eva, very one; aham asmi, am I, the Person in the sun.' This is being said in the reverse way in the sentence, 'Sah eva aham asmi, I am that very one.' As earth and food become associated by virtue of their being things of enjoyment, not so is the relation between the Gārhapatya-fire and the sun. They (sun and fire) have the common qualities of being eaters, ripeners and illuminators. Therefore, among these two there is absolute identity. But earth and food become related to these two by way of being things of enjoyment.

स य एतमेवं विद्वानुपास्तेऽपहते पापकृत्यां लोकी भवति सर्वमायुरेति योगजीवति नास्यावरपुरुषः क्षीयन्त उप वयं तं भुज्जामोऽस्मिᳫश्च लोकेऽमुष्मिᳫश्च य एतमेवं विद्वानुपास्ते ॥ २ ॥ इत्येकादशः खण्डः ॥ १ १ ॥

288 CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD [IV. 11. 2

2. 'He who having known this thus, meditates (on it), he destroys sinful deeds, becomes a dweller in the world (of fires), gets a full span of life, lives brilliantly, (and) his successors do not become extinct. He who meditates having known this thus, we protect him in this world as also in the other.'

Saḥ yaḥ, he who, anyone who; vidvān, having known; etam, this, the Gārhapatya-fire; evam, thus divided into four parts as food and the eater of food, as stated above; upāste, meditates (on it); apahate, he destroys; pāpa-kṛtyām, sinful deeds; bhavati, becomes; lokī, a dweller in the world of fires belonging to us, as we ourselves are; eti, he gets; sarvam āyuḥ, a full span of life of a hundred years in this world; jīvati, lives; jyok, brilliantly. The idea is that he does not remain unknown. Asya, of him; avarapuṣāḥ, the successors, the persons born in the line of this man of knowledge; na kṣīyante, do not become extinct. The idea is that his lineage is not cut off. Moreover, vayam, we; upabhuñ-jāmaḥ, protect; tam, him; asmin loke, in this world too, while alive; amuṣmin ca, and in the other world. He who meditates having known this thus, on what has been spoken of already, to him comes this kind of result. This is the idea.

SECTION 12

अथ हैनम्वाहार्यपचनोऽनुशशासापो दिशो नक्षत्राणि चन्द्रम इति या एष चन्द्रमसि पुरुषो दृश्यते सोऽहमस्मि स एवाहमस्मीति ।। १९ ।।

1. Then, the fire Anvāhārya Pacana (Dakṣiṇāgni)

IV. 12. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 289

instructed this one: 'Water, directions, stars and the moon. This Person that is seen in the moon, that am I. I am that very one.'

Atha, then; the fire anvāhārya pacana, Dakṣināgni; anuśāsāsa ha, instructed; enam, this one; 'Āpah, water; diśah, directions; nakṣatrāṇi, stars; candramā, moon—these are my four limbs. I, Anvāhārya Pacana exist by dividing myself into four parts. Among them eṣah, this; puruṣah, person; yah, who; drśyate, is seen; candramasi, in the moon; sah, that; asmi, am; aham, I. 'I am that very one' is to be explained as before (in 11.1). Anvāhārya Pacana and the moon are identical because of (their) relationship with the southern direction. The relation of water and the stars is from the point of view of their being food as explained before, because it is well-known that the stars are (food) objects of enjoyment to the moon. Just as the earth is the food of Gārhapatya-fire, so also water is the food of Dakṣināgni, since it (water) is the producer of food.

स य एतमेवं विद्वानुपास्तेऽपहते पापकृत्यां लोकी भवति सर्वमायुरेति ज्योग्जीवति नास्यावरपुरुषः क्षीयन्त उप वयं तं भुज्जामोऽस्मिँश्च लोकेऽमुष्मिँश्च य एतमेवं विद्वानुपास्ते॥ २॥ इति द्वादशः खण्डः॥ ११ ॥

2. 'He who having known this thus, meditates on it, becomes freed from sinful deeds, becomes a dweller in the world (of fires), gets a full span of life, lives brilliantly, (and) his successors do not become extinct. He who meditates having known this thus, we protect him in this world as also in the other.'

This is to be explained as before (in 11.2).

19

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[IV. 13. 1

SECTION 13

अथ हैनमाहवनीयोऽनुशशास प्राण आकाशो

द्यौर्विद्युदिति य एष विद्यति पुरुषो दृश्यते सोजहमस्मि स

एवाहमस्मीति॥१॥

1. Then, the fire Ahavanīya instructed this one thus: 'Vital force, space, heaven, lightning. This Person that is seen in lightning, that am I. I am that very one.'

Atha, then; āhavanīyah, the fire Āhavanīya; anuśā-

sāsa ha, instructed; enam, this one; 'Prāṇah, vital force; ākāśah, space; dyauh, heaven; vidyut, lightning—of me also these are the four limbs. Eṣah, this; puruṣah, Person; yaḥ, that; dṛśyate, is seen; vidyuti, in lightning; saḥ, that; asmi, am; aham, I, etc. are to be explained as before because of their similarity. Light-ning and Āhavanīya-fire have relationship with heaven and space from the point of view of being things of enjoyment, because they (heaven and space) are the abodes (of lightning and Āhavanīya-fire respectively). The rest is to be understood as before.

स य एतमेवं विद्वानुपास्त उपहृत्य पापकृत्यां लोके᳚मुषि

सर्वमायुरेति योगजीवति नास्यावरपुरुषः क्षीयन्त उप वयं

तं भुज्जामोऽस्म᳚ङ्‌श्च लोकेऽमुष्म᳚ङ्‌श्च य एतमेवं

विद्वानुपास्ते॥२॥ इति त्रयोदशः खण्डः॥१३॥

2. 'He who having known this thus, meditates on it, becomes freed from sinful deeds, becomes a dweller in the world (of fires), gets a full span of life, lives brilliantly, (and) his successors do not become extinct. He

IV. 14. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 291

who meditates having known this thus, we protect him in this world as also in the other.'

SECTION 14

ते होचुस्तेमाॅलौषा सोम्य तेऽस्मिँल्लोकेऽविद्या चाचार्यस्तु ते गतिं वक्तेत्याजगाम हास्याचार्यस्तमाचार्यो-ऽध्युवादोपकोसल इति ॥ १ ॥

1.. They said, 'O good looking one. Upakosala. to you (has been imparted) this knowledge about our-selves as also the knowledge of the Self. But the teacher will tell you of the path.' His teacher came. The teacher addressed him saying, 'O Upakosala.'

Again, te, they; collectively ūcuḥ, said; 'Saumya, O good looking; upakosala, Upakosala; te, to you (has been imparted), yours has been; eṣaḥ, this; asmad-vidyā, knowledge about ourselves, i.e. the knowledge about the fires; ca, and; ātma-vidyā, knowledge of the Self stated above in, 'Vital force is Brahman, Bliss is Brahman, Space is Brahman' (10.4). Tu, but; ācāryaḥ, the teacher; vaktā, will tell; te, you; gatim, the path for acquiring the result of the knowledge.' Saying so, the fires became silent. Asya, his; ācāryaḥ, the teacher; ājagāma ha, came back in due course. And ācāryaḥ, the teacher; abhyuvāda, addressed; tam, him, the disciple; thus: 'O Upakosala.'

भगव इति ह प्रतिशुश्राव ब्रह्माविद इव सोऽस्य ते मुखं भाति को नु त्वानुशशासेति को नु मानुशिष्याद्भो इतीहापेव निह्नुत इमे नूनमीदृशा अन्यादृशा इतीहाप्रीनभ्यूदे किं नु सोम्य विल्ल टेडवोचन्निति ॥ २ ॥

2. He responded thus, 'Venerable sir.' 'O good looking one, your face shines like that of a knower of Brahman. Who is it indeed that instructed you?' 'Sir, who can instruct me?' In this way he suppressed as it were. 'These ones (the fires) who are thus now, had surely a different appearance.' In this way he spoke of the fires. 'O good looking one, what indeed did they tell you?'

Pratiśuśrāva ha, he responded thus; 'Bhagavah, venerable sir.' 'Saumya, O good looking one; te, your; mukham, face; bhāti, shines, appears bright; iva, like; brahmavidah, that of a knower of Brahman. Kah nu, who is it indeed; anuśaśāsa, that instructed; tvā, you?' Being told so he replied, 'Kah nu, who indeed; anuśiṣyāt, can instruct; me, me, O venerable sir, when you were out?' Iti, in this way; apanihnute, he suppressed; iva, as it were. The word apa is connected with the remote word nihnute. The idea is that he did not actually suppress, nor did he speak truly of what the fires had said. How?

'Ime, these ones, the fires who were served by me; nūnam, surely spoke. For (though) shuddering as it were at your sight, they are now īdrśāh, seen like this; anyadṛśah, they were otherwise of a different appearance earlier.' Thus, iha, in this matter; abhyūde, he spoke; agnīn, of the fires, by pointing at them in an indirect way. 'Saumya, O good looking one; kim, what; kila, indeed; te, they, the fires; avocan, did say; tubhyam, to you?' Being asked thus—

इदमिति ह प्रतिजज्ञे लोकान्वाव किल सोप्य तेडवोचत्रहं तु ते तद्रक्ष्यामि यथा पुष्करपालाश आपो न शिलिष्यन्त

IV. 15. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 293

एवमेवविदि पापं कर्म न श्लिष्यत इति ब्रवीतु मे भगवानिति तस्मै होवाच॥३॥ इति चतुर्दश: खण्ड:॥ १४॥

3. He acknowledged saying, ‘This.’ ‘O good looking one, they surely spoke of the worlds only. But I shall speak to you of That, to the knower of which a sinful act does not get attached, as water does not stick to a lotus leaf.’

‘Venerable sir, please tell me.’ To him he said:

‘They (the fires) said idam, this. Iti, in this way; pratijajñe, he acknowledged, said a little by way of a hint, but not the whole of it as had been spoken of by the fires. Therefore, the teacher said, ‘Saumya, O good looking one; te, they; kila, surely; avocan, spoke of; lokān, the worlds, earth etc.; vāva, only, but not of Brahman as a whole. Tu, but; aham, I; vakṣyāmi, shall speak of; tat, that Brahman; te, to you, of which you want to hear. Hear the greatness of the knowledge of that Brahman of which I am speaking. Yathā, as; āpaḥ, water; na śliṣyante, does not stick; puṣkara-palāśe, to a lotus-leaf; evam, similarly; evam vidi, to a man who thus knows Brahman of which I shall speak; pāpam karma, a sinful act; na śliṣyate, does not get attached.’ To the teacher who had spoken thus, Upakosala said, ‘Bhāgavān, venerable sir; bravītu, please tell; me, me.’ The teacher uvāca ha, said; tasmai, to him:

SECTION 15

य एषोऽक्षिणि पुरुषो दृश्यत एष आत्मेति होवाचैतदमृतमभयमेतद्ब्रह्मेति तद्यदप्यास्मिन्सर्पिरोन्दनकं वा सिञ्चति वर्मणि एव गच्छति॥ १॥

294

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[IV. 15. 1

1. He said thus: ‘This Person that is seen in the eye,

this is the Self. This is deathless, fearless. This is Brah-

man. If anybody pours clarified butter or water on It,

that flows surely to the eye-lashes.’

Eṣaḥ puruṣaḥ, this Person, the Witness of vision;

yaḥ, that; dṛśyate, is seen; akṣini, in the eye by those

who have withdrawn their organs (from objects), who

are endowed with such disciplines as celibacy etc., the

calm ones and the discriminating ones, in accordance

with the other Vedic text, ‘Eye of the eye’ (Ke. I.2),

(He is the Self).

Objection: Does not what the fires had spoken of

become falsified because, in the sentence, ‘But the

teacher will tell you of the path’, they had said that the

teacher will be the speaker of the path only? And does

it not also amount to ignorance of the fires about the

future?

Vedāntin: This defect does not arise because, by

speaking of the Seer in the eye, the teacher only reiter-

ates that blissful Space (of which the fires had spo-

ken). ‘Eṣaḥ ātmā, this is the Self of creatures’; iti uvāca

ha, he said thus. ‘Etat, this, i.e. the Reality of the Self

of which I have spoken; is amṛtam, deathless, inde-

structible; therefore abhayam, fearless, because fear is

possible for him only who has apprehension of destruc-

tion. Since there is absence of that, It is fearless.

Hence, etat brahma, this is Brahman, the Great, the

Infinite.

Moreover, the greatness of this Brahman, of the

Person in the eye, is this: Yadyapi, should anyone;

siñcati, pour; sarpīḥ, clarified butter; udakam vā, or

IV. 15. 3] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 295

water; asmin, on it, on the eye; tat, on the location of the Person; then gacchati, it flows; vartmanī eva, to the eye-lashes only; it does not become attached to the eye, as water (does not) to a lotus-leaf. The idea is that, since the location itself has got this greatness, what need one speak of the unsullied state of Him who is located (there), the Person in the eye!

एतᳫं संयद्वाम इत्याचक्षत एतᳫं हि सर्वाणि वामान्यभिसंयन्ति सर्वाण्येनᳫं वामान्यभिसंयन्ति य एᳫं वेद॥ २ ॥

Ācaksate, they call; etam, Him the Person as described earlier; samyadvāma iti, the goal of all attractive things. Why? Since sarvāṇi, all things; that are vāmāni, sought after, prayed for, (that are) attractive; abhisamyanti, proceed towards; etam, Him. Therefore (He is) samyadvāmah, the goal of all attractive things. Similarly, sarvāṇi, all; vāmāni, attractive things; abhisamyanti, proceed towards; enam, this one; yaḥ evam veda, who knows thus.

एष उ एव वामनीरेष हि सर्वाणि वामानि नयति सर्वाणि वामानि नयति य एᳫं वेद॥ ३ ॥

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[IV. 15. 3

Eṣāh, This one; u, again; eva, is indeed; vāmanīh, the Bestower of merits; hi, because; eṣah, This one; nayati, carries (bestows), takes to, makes available to the creatures; sarvāṇi, all; vāmāni, merits, results of virtuous deeds in accordance with their merits—making them (the merits) their own virtues. The result for the knower (of this) is: Yah evam veda, he who knows thus; nayati, carries (bestows); sarvāṇi, all; vāmāni, merits.

एष उ एव भामनीरेष हि सर्वेषु लोकेषु भाति सर्वेषु लोकेषु भाति य एव वेद॥४॥

4. This one again, is indeed called the Bestower of lustre because This one shines in all the worlds. He who knows thus, shines in all the worlds.

Eṣah, This one; u, again; eva, is indeed; bhāmanīh, the Carrier (Bestower) of lustre; hi, since; eṣah, This one, in the forms of sun, moon, fire, etc.; bhāti, shines; sarveṣu lokeṣu, in all the worlds. This is according to the Vedic text, 'All this shines through His lustre' (Ka. II.2.15). Therefore, He is the Carrier (Bestower) of lustre since He carries (bestows) lustre. That one also yaḥ evam veda, who knows thus; bhāti, shines; sarveṣu lokeṣu, in all the worlds.

अथ यदु चैवास्मज्छव्यं कुर्वन्ति यदि च नार्चिषमेवाभिसंभवन्त्यर्चिषोऽहरह्न आपूर्यमाणपक्षमापूर्यमाणपक्षाद्यान् षडुदङ्ङेति मासाँस्तान्मासेभ्यः संवत्सरादित्यमादित्याच्चन्द्रमसं चन्द्रमसो विद्युतं तत्पुरुषोऽमानवः स एनान् ब्रह्मा गमयत्येष देवपथो ब्रह्मपथ

IV. 15. 5] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 297

एतेन प्रतिपद्माना इमं मानवमावर्तं नावर्तन्ते॥ ५॥ इति पञ्चदश: खण्ड: ॥ १५॥

5. Now, if again, in the case of this one they perform the last rites or they do not, they verily reach light. From light he goes to day, from day to the bright fortnight, from the bright fortnight he goes to the six months during which the sun moves northward, from these months to the year, from the year to the sun, from the sun to the moon, from the moon to lightning. Some superhuman person leads those who are there to Brahma. This is the divine path, the path of Brahma. Having reached there, they do not return to this whirl of Manu. They do not return.

Atha, now, the path of the knower of Brahman as described, is being spoken of. Yat, if; ca, again; kurvanti, they, the priests-perform; śavyam, the last rites, rites regarding a dead body; asmin, in the case of this one, in the case of a man of this kind of knowledge, when he passes away; ca, or; yadi, if; they na, do not perform (those rites), (then) under all conditions whatever, a knower of this kind is not debarred, it is not that he does not reach Brahma even because of that non-performance of the last rites. Nor again, by the performance of the last rites does he attain some better world. This is in accordance with another Vedic text, 'It neither increases nor decreases through work' (Br. IV. 4.23).

Knowledge is being praised by showing disregard for the last rites. However, it does not mean that the last rites are not to be performed for a knower of this kind. In the case of others, indeed, if the last rites were not to

be performed, some obstacle to the commencement of the result of rites is inferred, for it is shown here that only in the case of a man of knowledge, whether the last rite is performed or not performed, there will be no obstacle in the commencement of the result of knowledge. Those who meditate on the blissful Space as the Person in the eye, possessed of the qualities of being the goal of all attractive things, the Bestower of merits, (and) the carrier of lustre, and (also meditate) on the knowledge of the fires together with the vital force, they eva, verily; abhisambhavanti, reach; arciṣam, light, the deity identified with light, under all conditions, irrespective of the performance or non-performance of any other (e.g. funeral) rite for them.

Arciṣah, from light, from the deity of light; (he goes) ahah, to day, to the deity identified with day. Aḥnaḥ, from day; āpūryamāṇapakṣam, to the bright fortnight, to the deity of the bright fortnight. Āpūryamāṇa-pakṣāt, from the bright fortnight; tān ṣat māsān, to those six months; yān udan் eti, during which the sun moves northward; i.e. to the deity of the northern solstice. Tebhyah, from those months; samvatsaram, to the year, to the deity of the year. Samvatsarāt, from the year; ādityam, to the sun. Ādityāt, from the sun; candramasam, to the moon; candramasaḥ, from the moon; vidyutam, to lightning. Purusaḥ amānavaḥ, some superhuman being—one born in the region of Manu is mānavaḥ, a human; he who is not a mānavaḥ is amānavaḥ, a superhuman being—; that person coming from the world of Brahmā; gamayati, leads; tat enān, those who are there; brahma, to Brahmā, to Hiraṇyagarbha', residing in the world called Satya.

IV. 15. 5] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 299

Since there is mention of a goer, of the place to be reached, and leadership for going, it (going, leading, etc.) becomes illogical with regard to the attainment of Brahman which is absolute Existence. In the latter case it is proper to say, ‘Having become Brahman he attains Brahman’ (Br. IV. 4.6). The text will speak of the attainment of absolute Existence (in the sixth chapter) that comes through the eradication of all differences. Moreover, there is no other unseen path which can serve (a man who has not realised the absolute Brahman) for proceeding1 (to It),2 because there is the other Vedic text, ‘He (God, the supreme Self) who has not been realised does not protect (help) this one (to reach the Supreme).

Eṣah, this; devapathah, is the divine path. It is called the divine path because it is indicated by deities who are competent to lead along the path of light etc. The goal to be reached is Brahmā, and being associated with that Brahmā, this path is called brahmapathah, the path of Brahmā. Etena pratipadyamānāh, people proceeding along this path to Brahmā; na āvartante, do not return; imam, to this; āvartam, whirl; mānavam, of Manu, the creation that is associated with Manu. The word āvarta meaning a whirl (circling round) is used because people circle round here, riding on the wheel of birth and death, which is like the rotating device (with pockets for lifting water). The repetition of ‘He

1There are two readings of the Bhāṣya: na ca adrṣṭo mārgo gama-nāya upatiṣṭhate, and na ca adrṣṭo mārgo agamanāya upatiṣṭhate. We have followed the first reading.

2Since there is no other unseen path, therefore there can be no non-going by him (along the Devayāna Path).

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[IV. 15. 5

does not return’, is to show the conclusion of the mediation together with its result.

SECTION 16

एष ह वै यज्ञो योडयं पवत एष ह यज्ञिदः सर्व पुनाति यदेष यज्ञिदः सर्व पुनाति तस्मादेष एव यज्ञस्तस्य मनश्च वाक् च वर्तनी॥ १॥

1. This one that blows, this is surely a sacrifice. This, when moving, sanctifies all this. While moving it sanctifies all this, therefore it is indeed a sacrifice. Of it speech and mind are the two paths.

Since in the context of meditation there is a connection with the Path (instructed in the earlier portion), and since this and the earlier portions belong to the Āraṇyaka part of the Veda, and since, if any defect arises in a sacrifice, then, as an expiation the Vyāhṛtis and the silence of the priest called Brahmā versed in these, are also to be enjoined, therefore this text commences.

Eṣah ha, this, this air; yah pavate, that blows; ayam, this; vai, is surely; yajñah, a sacrifice. Ha and vai are two indeclinable words indicating well-known facts. In the Vedas it is well-known that a sacrifice has air as its basis, as stated in the Vedic text, ‘Svāhā vātedhāh1, offering is made in the air by uttering the word Svāhā’ (Tai. Sam. I. 1.13.3); ‘This indeed is the sacrifice that

1That which is dhīyate, offered, vāte, in air, by uttering svāhā.—Ā.G.

IV. 16. 2] CHÂNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 301

blows', etc. Air indeed is associated with action because its nature is that of movement. And moreover, it is found in the Vedic text, 'Air indeed is the beginner of a sacrifice, air is its basis.'

Esah, this (air); yan, when moving; punāti, sanctifies, purifies; idam sarvam, all this, the world. Indeed there can be no sanctification in the case of a non-mover1, for it is seen that removal of defect is possible for a person who moves2, but not for one who does not move. Yat, since; eṣah, this; yan, while moving; punāti, sanctifies; idam sarvam, all this; tasmāt, therefore; eṣah, this; eva, indeed; is yajñah, a sacrifice because it purifies. Tasya, of that which is (air), which is a sacrifice having this distinction; vāᶰk, speech engaged in uttering the mantras; ca, and; manaḥ ca, mind engaged in the knowledge of things as they are—these two, viz speech and mind; are vartanī, two paths. They are the two paths by which a sacrifice is spread and along which it proceeds, because there is this other Vedic text, 'That which is a sacrifice is surely a successive movement of speech and mind, activated by Prāṇa and Apāna' (Ai. Br. 25.8). Therefore, since a sacrifice proceeds through speech and mind, speech and mind are called the paths of a sacrifice.

तयोरन्यतरां मनसा स᭠स्करोति ब्रह्मा वाचा होताध्वर्युरुद्गातान्यतरां स यत्रोपाकूते प्रातरनुवाके पुरा परिधानीयाया ब्रह्मा व्यववदति॥ २ ॥

'One who does not perform the enjoined actions—rites and duties.—Ā.G.

2Purification is possible for one who refrains from prohibited action, and undertakes those that are enjoined.—Ā.G.

2. (The priest) Brahmā sanctifies one of these two with (his) mind. Hotā, Adhvaryu and Udgātā sanctify the other with speech. When he, the Brahmā, breaks his silence while the (śastra called) Prātarānuvāka is begun before the hymn Paridhānīya—

The priest called Brahmā samskaroti, sanctifies; tayoh anyatarām, one of the two, one of those two paths; manasā, with (his) mind possessed of discriminative knowledge. Hotā, Adhvaryu and Udgātā—these three priests also sanctify, anyatarām, the other one, the path constituted by speech; vācā, with speech itself. This being so, the two paths, speech and mind, have to be sanctified in a sacrifice. Then, yatra, when; upākṛte prātarānuvāke, the śastra called Prātarānuvāka is begun; purā, before; paridhānīyāḥ, the hymn Paridhānīya; then, if saḥ, he who is; brahmā, the priest Brahmā; vyavavadati, breaks his silence in this interval—

अन्यतरामेव वर्तनीं संःस्करोति हियतेऽन्यतरा स यथैकपाद्वजन्तो वैकेन चक्रेण वर्तमानो रिष्यत्येवमस्य यज्ञो रिष्यति यजमानोऽनुरिष्यति स इष्ट्वा पापीयान्भवति ॥३॥

3. He sanctifies only one of the two paths while the other gets destroyed. As a person moving on one foot, or a chariot moving on one wheel, gets destroyed, similarly his sacrifice gets destroyed. When the sacrifice gets destroyed the sacrificer gets destroyed accordingly. By performing the sacrifice he becomes a great sinner.

IV. 16. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 303

Then samskaroti, he sanctifies; eva, only; anya-tarām, one of the two paths, viz speech. Anyatarā, the other one of the paths, viz mind which has not been sanctified by Brahmā; hīyate, gets destroyed, becomes faulty. That sacrifice, not being able to proceed along one of the two paths, viz speech alone, gets destroyed. Like what? That is being said: Yathā, as; ekapād vra-jan, a person moving on a road on one foot; vā, or; as a rathah, chariot; ekena cakreṇa vartamānah, moving on one wheel; riṣyati, gets destroyed; evam, similarly; yajñah, the sacrifice; asya, of this man; riṣyati, gets destroyed by a bad Brahmā. Yajñam riṣyantam, when the sacrifice gets destroyed; yajamānah, the sacrificer; anu-riṣyati, gets destroyed accordingly because the sacrificer’s life is dependent on the sacrifice. Therefore it is reasonable that he should get destroyed when the sacrifice is destroyed. Iṣṭvā, by performing that sacrifice of such a kind; sah he; bhavati, becomes; pāpī-yān, a great sinner.

अथ यत्रोपाकृते प्रातरनुवाके न पुरा परिधानीयाया ब्रह्मा व्यववदत्युभे एव वर्तनी सँस्कुर्‌वैन्ति न हीयतेऽन्यतरा॥ ४ ॥

4. Again, when the Brahmā does not break his silence when the śastra called Prātarānuvāka is started, until the hymn Paridhānīya is begun, then, they indeed sanctify both the paths; neither of the two gets destroyed.

Atha, again; yatra, when; brahmā, the Brahmā having the knowledge, persists in his silence, continues without using his speech; na vyavavadati, does not break his silence until the hymn Paridhānīya starts;

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[IV. 16. 4

then, in that way all the priests eva, indeed; samskurvanti, sanctify; ubhe vartanī, both the paths. Also anyatarā, neither of the two; na hīyate, gets destroyed. Like what?

स यथोभयपादव्रजनथो उभाभ्यां चकाभ्यां वर्त्मान: प्रतितिष्ठत्येवमस्य यज्ञ: प्रतितिष्ठति यज्ञं यजमानोऽनुप्रतितिष्ठति स इष्ट्वा श्रेयान्भवति॥५॥ इति घोडश: खण्ड:॥१९६॥

5. As a man walking on both feet, or a chariot moving on both wheels, remains intact, similarly his sacrifice remains intact. When the sacrifice remains well-established the sacrificer also remains well-established accordingly. By performing the sacrifice he becomes greater.

In answer the text gives two illustrations which are opposite of the earlier ones. Evam, thus; yajñah, the sacrifice; asya, of this one, of the sacrificer; pratitiṣṭhati, remains intact by continuing in its own two paths; i.e. without being destroyed it remains in its own identity. Anu, in accordance with; yajñam pratitiṣṭhantam, the sacrifice remaining well-established; yajamānāḥ, the sacrificer; pratitiṣṭhati, remains well-established. Saḥ, he, the sacrificer; bhavati, becomes; śreyān, greater; iṣṭvā, by performing the sacrifice which is associated with a Brahmā who has the knowledge of silence.

SECTION 17

प्रजापतिलोकाभ्यतपत्तेषां तप्यमानानां रसान्प्रावृहदॄपृथिव्या वायुमन्तरिक्षादादित्यं दिव:॥१॥

IV. 17. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 305

1. Prajāpati brooded over the worlds He extracted their juices when they were being brooded over from earth, air from space, the sun from heaven.

The silence of Brahmā has been enjoined here. When that duty (of silence) of Brahma is violated, or if any other duty of the priests, Hotā and are undertaken, then, an expiation in the form of performing the Vyāhṛti-sacrifice has to be undertaken. Therefore the Vyāhṛtis are to be enjoined. Hence the text says: Pra-jāpatih, Prajāpati; abhyatapat, brooded over; lokān, the worlds, undertook an austerity in the form of meditation, brooding over the worlds for the sake of extracting their juices. Teṣām, of them, of the worlds; tapya-mānānām, which were being brooded over, he; (Prajāpati) prāvrhat, extracted, i.e. took up; rasān, the juices in the form of their quintessences. Which ones (did he take up)? (He took up) agnim, fire; pṛthivyāḥ, from earth as its juice; antarikṣāt, from space; vāyum, air; ādityam, the sun; divaḥ, from heaven.

स एतास्निस्रो देवता अभ्यतपत्तासां तप्यमानानां रसान्प्रावृहद्ग्रे᳚र᳚चो वायोर्यजूं᳚षि सामन्यादित्यात्॥ २ ॥

2. He brooded over these three deities. He extracted their juices when they were being brooded over—Ṛk-mantras from fire, Yajur-mantras from air, Sāma-mantras from the sun.

Again, in that very way he abhyatapat, brooded over; etāḥ, these; tisraḥ, three; devatāḥ, deities—fire and others. From them also he took up their quintessences (in the form of) the knowledge of the three Vedas.

स एतां त्रयीं विद्यामभ्यतपत्तस्यास्तप्यमानाया रसान्प्रावृहद्भूरित्यृग्भ्यो भुवरिति यजुर्भ्यः स्वरिति सामभ्यः॥ ३ ॥

Sah, he; again, abhyatapat, brooded over; trayīm vidyām, the knowledge of the three Vedas. He took up rasān, the juices; tasyāh tapyamānāyāh, from that Vedic knowledge when it was being brooded over—the Vyāhrti called Bhūḥ from the Ṛk-mantras, the Vyāhrti called Bhuvah from the Yajur-mantras, the Vyāhrti called Svah from the Sāma-mantras. Therefore indeed, these great Vyāhṛtis are the quintessences of the worlds, the gods and the Vedas.

तद्यदुक्तो ऋष्येद्भूः स्वाहेत गाह्हपत्ये जुहुयादूचामेव तद्रसेनर्चा वीर्येण च यज्ञस्य विरिष्टं सन्दधाति॥४॥

Yadi, if; tat, there, in that sacrifice; riṣyet, any injury occurs; ṛktah, because of the Ṛk-mantras; then juhuyāt, he should make an oblation; gārhapatye, in the Gārhapatya-fire; ‘Bhūḥ Svāhā’

IV. 17. 6] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 307

Gārhapatya-fire; iti, with the mantra, 'Bhūḥ Svāhā.' That is the expiation in that case. How? (Tat, meaning 'in that way', is an adverb which qualifies the verb) sam̀dadhāti, he cures; ṛcām eva rasena, by the juice of the Ṛk-mantras themselves; ṛcām vīryeṇa, (and) by the power of Ṛk-mantras; ṛcām viriṣṭam, the disconnection in the form of an injury that is caused by Ṛk-mantras; yajñāsya, in the sacrifice.

अथ यदि यजुष्टो रिष्येद्भवः स्वाहेति दक्षिणाग्रौ जुहुयाद्यजुषामेव तद्रसेन यजुषां वीर्येण यजुषां यज्ञस्य विरिष्टं सन्दधाति॥ ५॥

Atha yadi, then, should there be; any riṣyet, lapse; yajuṣṭaḥ, from the Yajur-mantras; then juhuyāt, he should make an oblation; dakṣiṇāgnau, in the Dakṣiṇāgni-fire; iti, with the mantra, 'Bhuvaḥ Svāhā.'

अथ यदि सामतो रिष्येत्स्वाहेत्याहवनीये जुहुयात्साम्नामेव तद्रसेन साम्नां वीर्येण साम्नां यज्ञस्य विरिष्टं सन्दधाति॥ ६॥

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[IV. 17.6

of the Sāma-mantras, he cures the injury to the sacri-

fice caused by the Sāma-mantras.

Similarly, in the case of an injury owing to the Sāma-

mantras, juhuyāt, he should make an oblation; āha-

vāniye, in the Āhavanīya-fire; iti, with the mantra;

`Svah Svāhā.' Thereby, as before, samdadhati, he

cures the sacrifice.

But when the injury is caused by Brahmā, then, he

should pour oblations in the three fires with the three

Vyāhṛtis, because that injury occurs with regard to the

knowledge of the three Vedas. This is according to the

Vedic text, 'How does one acquire the position of a

Brahmā?' Through the knowledge of the three Vedas

indeed' (Ai. Br. 25.8). Or some other rule' has to be

sought for in the case of an injury caused by Brahmā.

तद्यथा लवणेन सुवर्ण* सन्दध्यात्सुवर्णेन रजत* रजतेन

त्रपु त्रपुणा सीस* सीसेन लोहं लोहेन दारु दारु

चर्मणा ॥ ७ ॥

7. This is as one would join gold with the help of

borax, silver with the help of gold, tin with the help of

silver, lead with the help of tin, iron with the help of

lead, timber with the help of iron, (and) timber with

the help of leather.

Tat yathā, this is as; sandadhyāt, one would join;

suvarṇam, gold; lavanena, with the help of salts like

borax etc. because that is an agent for softening hard

'Brahmā is known as the master of Vedic knowledge. So any lapse

caused by him will get rectified by the very power of his Vedic

knowledge.—Ā.G.

(metals); one would join rajatam, silver which is difficult to bind; suvarṇena, with the help of gold; simi-larly trapu, tin; rajatena, with the help of silver; sīsam, lead; trapunā, with the help of tin; lohan, iron; sīsena, with the help of lead; dāru, timber; lohena, with the help of iron; (and) dāru, timber; carmanā, with the help of leather, by binding with leather.

एवमेषां लोकानामासां देवतानामस्यास्त्रिय्या विद्याया वीर्येण यज्ञस्य विरिष्टं सन्दधाति भेषजकृतो ह वा एष यज्ञो यत्रैवंविदब्रह्मा भवति॥८॥

8. In this way, with the power of these worlds, of those gods, and of this knowledge of the three Vedas, one rectifies the lapse in a sacrifice. Such a sacrifice where there is a Brahmā with this kind of knowledge, is indeed cured as though by medicine.

Evam, in this way; saṁdadhāti, one cures; yajñasya viriṣṭam, the injury to a sacrifice; vīryeṇa, with the power, by the valour called ‘juice’; eṣām lokānām, of these worlds; āsām devatānām, of those gods; asya trayyā vidyayā, of this knowledge of the three Vedas. Eṣah yajñah, this sacrifice; ha vai, stands surely; bheṣa-jakṛtah, cured by medicine—this sacrifice becomes cured as a sick man is by a well-trained physician. Which is that? It is that sacrifice, yatra, where, in which sacrifice; bhavati, there is; brahmā, a Brahmā; evam-vit, possessed of this knowledge—a knower of the Vyā-hṛtis and the expiation as stated above. This is the idea.

एष ह वा उदक्प्रवणो यज्ञो यत्रैवंविदब्रह्मा भवत्येवंविद उदक्प्रवणः॥

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[IV. 17. 9

ह वा एषा ब्रह्माणमनुगाथा यतो यत आवर्तते तत्तद्गच्छति॥ ९ ॥

9. This sacrifice in which one possessed of this knowledge becomes a Brahmā, indeed inclines northward. Here is surely a Gāthā1 with regard to the Brahmā who is possessed of this knowledge: ‘He goes to all those places wherever this sacrifice gets retarded.’

Moreover, eṣah, this; yajñah, sacrifice; yatra, in which; evamvit, one possessed of this knowledge; brahmā bhavati, becomes a Brahmā; ha vai, is surely; udakpravanah, inclined northward. This sacrifice slopes down northward and rises southward, i.e. it becomes the cause of winning the Northern Path. Eṣah ha vai, here is surely; gāthā, a Gāthā; evam vidam brahmāṇam anu, with regard to the priest Brahmā possessed of this knowledge, which is meant as a praise for the Brahmā:

Tat etat gacchati, he goes to all those places, i.e. protects through expiation, by curing the injury; yatah yatah, from wherever, from whichever place of rites of the priests; the sacrifice āvartate, turns back (becomes retarded) by becoming injured.

मानवो ब्रहौवैक ऋत्विक्कुरून्वाभिरक्षत्येवंविद्ध वै ब्रह्मा यज्ञं यजमानं सर्वांश्चर्त्विजोऽभिरक्षति तस्मादेवंविदमेव ब्रह्माणं कुर्वीत नानेवंविदम्॥ ९०॥ इति सप्तदशः खण्डः॥ १७॥ इति छान्दोग्योपनिषदि चतुर्थोऽध्यायः॥ ४ ॥

1A verse not belonging to the Vedas but to the legends.

10. The Brahmā holding on to his silence is the only one priest who protects the other performers, like a mare protecting the fighters. The Brahmā who is possessed of such knowledge protects the sacrifice, the sacrificer and all the priests. Therefore one should accept as Brahmā only one who is possessed of such knowledge, not one who is not possessed of such knowledge.

Brahmā is mānavaḥ since he holds on to his silence, or because he is thoughtful, or because he is possessed of knowledge. Therefore Brahmā eva, is the only; ekah, one; ṛtvij, priest; who abhirakṣati, protects; yajñam, the sacrifice; yajamānam, the sacrificer; ca, and; sarvān, all; ṛtvijah, the priests, since he removes the defects incurred by them; just as aśvā, a mare; abhirakṣati, protects; kurūn, the performers, the warriors, the riders. Since a Brahmā has to be a man of knowledge possessed of such distinction, tasmāt, therefore; kurvīta, one should appoint; brahmāṇam, a Brahmā; evam vidam eva, only one who is possessed of this kind of knowledge, who knows the aforesaid Vyāḥṛtis etc.; never anevam vidam, a person who is not possessed of such knowledge. The repetition of 'not one who is not possessed of such knowledge', is to indicate the conclusion of the chapter.

CHAPTER V

SECTION I

ओं। यो ह वै ज्येष्ठं च श्रेष्ठं च वेद ज्येष्ठश्च ह वै श्रेष्ठश्च भवति प्राणो वाव ज्येष्ठश्च श्रेष्ठश्च॥ १ ॥

1. Om. Anyone who indeed knows the oldest and the greatest, surely becomes the oldest and the greatest. The vital force is indeed the oldest and the greatest.

Om. It has been said that the result of meditation on the qualified Brahman is the progress along the Northern Path. Now, in the fifth chapter, after reasserting that very path for the householder conversant with the five fires, and the celibates who are possessed of faith and engaged in other forms of meditation, the text is begun with the intention that, the path of transmigration connected with the southern direction, characterised by smoke etc. and consisting in returning to this earth in the case of those who are performers of mere rites, as also a third course which is fraught with greater sorrow, have to be stated so as to generate a spirit of renunciation.

The vital force is greater among the organs of speech etc. The vital force has been referred to many times in the earlier chapters in such sentences as, ‘The vital force is indeed the place of merger’ (IV.3.3), etc. How can that (vital force) be the greatest among speech etc. when, without distinction, action is done by them all

V. 1. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 313

collectively? And how should it be meditated on? Hence the following text is begun for enjoining its qualities of being the greatest etc.

Yah ha, anyone who; vai, indeed; veda, knows; jyeṣṭham, the oldest, the first by age; ca, and; śreṣṭham ca, the greatest in qualities; he bhavati, becomes; ha vai, surely; jyeṣṭhaḥ ca śreṣṭhaḥ ca, the oldest and the greatest. Tempting a person with the result and there-by drawing his attention, the text says: Ca, and; prāṇaḥ, the vital force; vāva, is indeed; jyeṣṭhaḥ, the oldest in age among speech etc. because when a person is in the womb, the vital force due to which the foetus grows, is realised to be functioning even before speech etc. Speech etc. start functioning after the location and formation of the organs like eye etc. come into existence. Thus the vital force becomes the oldest in age. As for its superiority, the text will establish that with the illustration of 'a good house' etc. Therefore, in this aggregate of body and organs, the vital force is certainly the oldest and the greatest.

यो ह वैं वसिष्ठं वेद वसिष्ठो ह स्वानां भवति वाग्वाव वसिष्ठः ॥ २ ॥

2. He who indeed knows the richest becomes the richest among one's own. Speech indeed is the richest.

Yah, he who; ha vai, indeed; veda, knows; vasiṣṭham, the greatest among those who provide accommodations, the greatest among those who provide shelters, the richest; bhavati ha, he indeed becomes similarly the richest etc.; svānām, among his own, among the kindred.

314 CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD [V. 1.2

Who is the richest? The answer is, vāk, speech; vāva, is indeed; vasiṣṭhah, the richest, because people who speak well can defeat other speakers, and they are the richest also. Therefore speech is the richest.

यो ह वै प्रतिष्ठां वेद प्रति ह तिष्ठत्यस्मिँश्च लोकेऽमुष्मिँश्च चक्षुरेव प्रतिष्ठा॥३॥

3. He who indeed knows the basis becomes firmly established in this world as also in the other. The eye is surely the basis.

Yah, he who; ha vai veda, indeed knows; pratiṣṭhām, the basis; pratiṣṭhati ha, he becomes firmly established; asmin loke, in this world; ca, and; amuṣmin ca, in the other. What then is the basis? The answer is, cakṣuh, the eye; vāva, is surely; pratiṣṭhā, the basis because by seeing through the eye one remains well-established on plain and difficult grounds. Therefore the eye is the basis.

यो ह वै सम्पदं वेद सँ हास्मै कामाः पद्यन्ते दैवाश्च मानुषाश्च श्रोत्रं वाव सम्पत्॥४॥

4. He who indeed knows prosperity, his desires, both divine and human, become fulfilled. The ear is surely prosperity.

Yah, he who; ha vai veda, indeed knows; sampadam, prosperity; asmai, for him; kāmāḥ, desires; daivāḥ ca mānuṣāḥ ca, both divine and human; sampadyante ha, become fulfilled. What then is prosperity? The answer is, śrotram, the ear; vāva, is surely; sampat, prosperity, since the Vedas and the knowledge of their meaning

V. 1. 6] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 315

are acquired through the ear, and then rites are per-

formed. From that results fulfilment of desires. Thus,

being the cause of fulfilment of desires, the ear is surely

prosperity.

यो ह वा आयतनं वेदायतनँ ह स्वानां भवति मनो ह

वा आयतनम्॥ ५॥

5. He who indeed knows the abode becomes a shel-

ter for his kindred. The mind is surely the abode.

He who indeed knows āyatanam, the abode; bhavati

ha, becomes; āyatanam, a shelter; svānām, for his

kindred, i.e. he becomes a refuge for them. What is

that abode? The answer is, manah, the mind is surely;

āyatanam, the abode. The mind is the repository of

objects in the form of perceptions, collected by the

sense-organs for the enjoyer. Therefore it is said that

the mind is surely the abode.

अथ ह प्राणा अहं श्रेयसि व्यूदिरेजहँ श्रेयानस्म्यहं

श्रेयानस्मीति॥ ६॥

6. Once upon a time, the organs disputed amongst

themselves regarding self-superiority, saying, 'I am the

superior', 'I am the superior'.

Atha ha, once upon a time; prāṇāḥ, the organs

which, being thus possessed of the stated qualities;

vyūdire, disputed, made various contradictory state-

ments; having this purpose of aham-śreyasi, self-

supremacy in view; iti, saying: 'Aham, I; asmi, am;

śreyān, the superior; aham, I; asmi, am; śreyān, the

superior'

ते ह प्राणाः प्रजापतिं पितरमेत्योचुर्भगवन्को नः श्रेष्ठ इति तान्होवाच यस्मिन्न् उत्क्रान्ते शरीरं पापिष्ठतरमिव दृश्येत स वः श्रेष्ठ इति॥७॥

Te ha, they, while quarrelling thus; etya, having approached; prajāpatim, Prajāpati, their father, their creator; ūcuh, said, for the sake of ascertaining their superiority; 'Bhagavan, O venerable sir; kah, who; nah, among us; is śreṣṭhah, the greatest, superior in qualities?' They asked thus. Tān, to them; the father uvāca ha, said; 'Yasmin utkrānte, following whose departure; this śarīram, body which is very despicable even while living; dṛśyate, appears; pāpiṣṭhataram, more despicable even than that, very much despicable when it becomes dead—the dead body is seen to be untouchable and impure—; sah, he; is śreṣṭhah, the greatest; vah, among you.' This is what he said in an indirect way to avoid paining any of them.

सा ह वागुच्चक्राम सा संवत्सरं प्रोथ्य पर्येत्योवाच कथमशकतर्ं मज्जीवितुमिति? यथा कला अवदन्तः प्राणन्तः प्राणेन पश्यन्तश्चक्षुषा शृण्वन्तः श्रोत्रेण ध्यायन्तो मनसैवमिति प्रविष्ट ह वाक्॥८॥

prāṇantah, living; prāṇena, with the vital force; paśyantaḥ, seeing; cakṣuṣā, with the eye; śṛṇvantaḥ, hearing; śrotreṇa, with the ear; dhyāyanto, meditating; manasā, with the mind; evam iti, in this way.' Thus vāc, Speech; praviśa ha, re-entered.

V. 1. 9] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 317

without speaking—living with the help of the vital force, seeing through the eye, hearing through the ear, thinking with the mind—, in this way.' Speech entered (into the body).

When the organs were thus told by their father, sā ha vāk, that which was speech; utcakrāma, left (the body). Having left the body and proṣya, having lived in exile, having desisted from its own function; samvatsaram, for a year only; uvāca, said to the other organs; paryetya, after returning; 'Kathañ, how; aśakata, were you able; jīvitum, to live, to hold yourselves; rte, without; mām, me?' They said, 'As dumb people', etc.

Yathā, as, as in the world; kalāḥ, dumb people live; avadantaḥ., without speaking with the organ of speech. How? Prāṇantaḥ, living; prāṇena, with the help of the vital force; paśyantaḥ, seeing; cakṣuṣā, through the eye; śṛṇvantaḥ, hearing; śrotreṇa, through the ear; dhyāyantaḥ, thinking; manasā, with the mind. That is to say, in this way (they live) by performing the actions of all the (other) organs. In a similar way we lived. This is the meaning. Understanding its own inferiority among the organs, vāk, speech; praviveśa ha, entered (into the body), i.e. it became engaged again in its own function.

चक्षुरोंच्चक्राम तत्संवत्सरं प्रोष्य पर्येत्योवाच कथमशक्कर्त्ते मज्जीविषितुमिति? यथान्धा अपश्यन्तः प्राणन्तः प्राणेन वदन्तो वाचा शृण्वन्तः श्रोत्रेण ध्यायन्तो मनसैवमिति प्रविवेश ह चक्षुः॥ ९ ॥

9. The eye left (the body). Living in exile for a year, it said after returning. 'How were you able to live

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without me?' '(We lived) as blind men do without seeing—living with the help of the vital force, speaking through the speech, hearing through the ear, thinking with the mind—, in this way.' The eye entered.

श्रोत्रं होवचक्राम तत्संवत्सरं प्रोश्य पर्येत्योवाच

कथमशकतर्ते मज्जीवितुमिति? यथा बन्धिरा अश्रणवन्तः

प्राणन्तः प्राणेन वदन्तो वाचा पश्यन्तश्चक्षुषा ध्यायन्तो

मनसैवमिति प्रविवेश ह श्रोत्रम्॥ १० ॥

10. The ear left (the body). Living in exile for a year, it said after returning, 'How were you able to live without me?' '(We lived) as deaf men do without hearing—living with the help of the vital force, speaking through the speech, seeing through the eye, thinking with the mind—, in this way.' The ear entered.

मनो होवचक्राम तत्संवत्सरं प्रोश्य पर्येत्योवाच

कथमशकतर्ते मज्जीवितुमिति? यथा बाला अमनसः

प्राणन्तः प्राणेन वदन्तो वाचा पश्यन्तश्चक्षुषा शृण्वन्तः

श्रोत्रेणैवमिति प्रविवेश ह मनः॥ ११ ॥

11. The mind left (the body). Living in exile for a year, it said after returning, 'How were you able to live without me?' '(We lived) as children do without the mind—living with the help of the vital force, speaking through the speech, seeing through the eye, hearing through the ear—, in this way.' The mind entered.

Śrotram ha utcakrāma, the ear left (the body).

Cakṣuh ha utcakrāma, the eye left (the body).

Manaḥ, the mind; utcakrāma, left the body etc. '(We lived) yathā, as; bālāḥ, children (live); amanasah,

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without the mind, i.e. (live) with an undeveloped mind. The remaining portion is to be explained as before (in V. 1.8-10).

अथ ह प्राण उच्चिक्रमिषन् यथा सुहयः

षड्वाशिषट्कूनसौखददवामितरान्प्राणान्समखिदत् ताँहाभिसम-त्योचुर्भगवन्नोधि त्वं नः श्रेष्ठोऽसि मोत्क्रमीरेति॥ १२ ॥

12. Then, that vital force, wishing to leave (the body), pulled out the other organs as a spirited horse pulls out the pegs to which its legs have been tied. Getting together they told him, ‘O venerable sir, please be the ruler. You are the greatest among us. Please do not depart.’

Thus, speech and others having been examined, atha, then; sah prāṇah1, that chief vital force; uccikramiṣan, wishing to leave,—what did he do? That is being said: Yathā, as in the world; suhayah, a spirited horse; samkhidet, pulls out; pad-vīśa-śaṅkūn, the pegs to which its legs have been tied, on being whipped by a rider for testing; evam, so; samakhidat, it pulled out; itarān prānān, the other organs, speech etc. Those organs becoming shaken, becoming incapable of continuing in their own positions; abhisametya, having collected together round the chief vital force; ūcuh, said; tam, to him; ‘Bhagavan, O venerable sir; edhi, please be the ruler, be our master; because tvam asi, you are; śreṣṭhah, the greatest; nah, among us. And mā, please do not; utkramīh, depart from this body.

अथ हैनं वागुवाच यदहं वरिष्ठोऽस्मि त्वं

1The vital force with its five-fold functions.

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तद्वसिष्ठोजसीत्यथ हैनं चक्षुरुवाच यदहं प्रतिष्ठास्मि त्वं

तत्रतिष्ठासोति ॥ १३ ॥

अथ हैनꣳ श्रोत्रमुवाच यदहꣳ सम्पदस्मि त्वं

तत्सम्पदसीत्यथ हैनं मन उवाच यदहमायतनमस्मि त्वं

तदायतनमसीति ॥ १४ ॥

13-14. Then, the speech said to this one: ‘That I am (seem to be) the richest, that is because you are the richest.’

Then the eye said to this one: ‘That I am (seem to be) the basis, that is because you are the basis.’

Then the ear said to this one: ‘That I am (seem to have) prosperity, that is because you have prosperity.’

Then the mind said to this one: ‘That I am (seem to be) the abode, that is because you are the abode.’

Atha, then, like merchants carrying presents to a king; vāk, speech and others, while establishing the supremacy of the vital force by their own actions, uvāca, said; enam, to this one: How? The speech first said, ‘Yat, that; aham, I; asmi, am (seem to be); vasiṣṭhah, the richest, (yat is used as an adverb meaning ‘That I am possessed of the quality of being the richest’)—, (that is because) tvam, you are; tat vasiṣṭhah, the richest, being possessed of that quality.’ The idea is that (actually) ‘You are possessed of that quality.’ Or the word tat also is an adverb (modifying the verb ‘are’). The meaning is, ‘That quality of being the richest, which is of your making, which belongs to you, has been considered as mine due to my ignorance.’ It is to be construed similarly in the subsequent cases of eye, ear, and mind.

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न वै वाचो न चक्षूंषि न श्रोत्राणि न मनांसित्याचक्षते प्राणो ह्येवैतानि सर्वाणि भवति॥ १५॥

इति प्रथमः खण्डः॥ १॥

15. People do not speak of them as organs of speech, eyes, ears, minds. They certainly speak of them as the vital forces. It is the vital force indeed that becomes all these.

This is a statement of the Upaniṣad that, what has been stated by speech etc. with regard to the chief vital force is reasonable, because in the world either the ordinary people or those versed in the scriptures, ācakṣate, refer to the organs of speech etc.; na vācah, not as the organs of speech; na cakṣūṃṣi, not as the eyes; na śrotrāṇi, not as the ears; na manāṃsi, not as minds. What then? They eva, certainly; ācakṣate, speak of them; as prāṇāḥ, the vital forces; hi, because; prāṇaḥ, the vital force; eva bhavati, indeed becomes; sarvāṇi, all; etāni, these aggregate of organs, viz speech etc. Therefore, what has been said by the organs of speech etc. to the chief vital force is proper indeed. In this way the Upaniṣad wants to conclude the topic under discussion.

Objection: How can it be reasonable that like sentient people the organs disputed with one another vying to establish their individual superiority? Because by rejecting speech there is no possibility for each one, eye etc. to talk. Neither is it reasonable that they should go out of the body and then enter again, or go to Brahmā, or praise the vital force.

Reply: As to that the consciousness of speech etc. is established on the authority of the scriptures, on the

21

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ground of their being presided over by sentient deities like fire and others.

Objection: If it be argued that this contradicts the view of the logicians owing to the simultaneous existence of many conscious beings in the same body?

Reply: Not so, because of the admission of God as the efficient cause. The logicians who accept the existence of God, admit that like a chariot etc. the orderly functioning of the personal organs such as mind etc. and of the external things like earth etc. is possible only under the rulership of God. Moreover, it is not admitted by us that the deities like fire and others, sentient though they are on the personal plane, are fit to be agents or enjoyers. What then? Of those (deities) who are indeed possessed of bodies and organs, and who are the different forms of the one deity, the vital force, and who are possessed of millions of different forms on the personal, material, and the divine planes, God is admitted to be the regulator by the mere fact of His being their overlord1. In accordance with the mantra-text, 'Having no hand and foot, He moves and grasps; He sees without having any eye, He hears without having any ear' (Śv. III.16), indeed He has no organs. And the followers of the Śvetāśvatara branch recite such other texts as, 'He saw Hiranyagarbha as he was being born' (ibid IV.12), 'In the beginning He created Hiranyagarbha' (ibid III.4). We shall speak of the soul who is the enjoyer associated with the results of actions, as different from them (the presiding deities).

And the story of the organs of speech etc. here is

1By saying that God is their overlord, it is not denied that the inferior gods have their own fields of activity under Him.

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imagined so that learned people may ascertain the greatness of the vital force through the process of agreement and difference. As in the world people engaged in a dispute regarding each other's greatness, ask someone experienced in judging a particular quality, 'Who among us is the greatest in qualification?' (and) then, they are told by him, 'Each one of you try to accomplish that work individually. He is the greatest among you by whom that work will be done.' Being told so they exert accordingly to ascertain the greatness of oneself or of somebody else. Similarly the Upaniṣad has concocted this action in the case of speech etc. so that a man of knowledge may understand the greatness of the vital force by noticing that life continues in spite of the absence of any one among the organs of speech etc. but not so in the absence of the vital force. Similar is a text of the followers of the Kauśītaki section of the Veda: 'We see dumb people living without speech, we see blind people living without eyes, we see deaf people living without ears, we see children living without thinking. A man lives when his hand is cut off, a man lives when his thigh is cut off', etc. (Kau. III.3).

SECTION 2

स होवाच किं मेन्न भविष्यतीति यत्किज्चिदिममा श्रभ्य आ शकुनिभ्य इति होचुस्तद्धा एतदनस्यानमनो ह वै नाम प्रत्यक्ष्ष न ह वा एवंविदि किज्चनान्नं भवतीति॥ १ ॥

1. He said, 'What will be my food?' They said, 'Whatever there is as this food for all, upto dogs and birds (will be your food).' That indeed which is this is

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the food of Ana (the vital force). Ana is its (vital force's) direct name. Indeed, to a man who has such knowledge, nothing becomes uneatable.

Saḥ, he, the chief vital force; uvāca ha, said; 'Kim, what; bhaviṣyati, will be; me, my; annam, food?' As though imagining the chief vital force as the questioner, and imagining the organs of speech etc. as the respondents, the Upaniṣad says: 'Yat, whatever is well-known in this world; as idam, this food as a whole, that is the food for all creatures; ā-śvabhyah, upto the dogs, including the dogs; and ā-śakunibhyah, upto the birds, including the birds, that is your food'; ūchuh, said the organs of speech etc. Everything is food for the vital force. In order to establish that the vital force is the eater of all food, the Upaniṣad desists from the story and says in its own form as a Vedic text: Tat, that; vai, indeed; etat, which is all this; annam, food eaten by creatures; is food anasya, of Ana, the vital force. The meaning is that it is really eaten by the vital force. Ana is used pratyakṣam, as the direct; nāma, name of the vital force, in order to show that the vital force is possessed of the quality of comprehending all kinds of endeavour within itself. For when Ana is preceded by such prefixes as pra it comes to mean only a special kind of activity'. So in this way, by using the word Ana mentioned. It is the direct name of the eater of all foods.

Evam vidi vai, indeed to a man of such knowledge, to a knower of the vital force as described—he who

'The root an means 'to act'. So an is the common name for all kinds of activities of the vital force, whereas Prāṇa, Apāna, Samāna, Udāna and Vyāna stand for particular kinds of its activities.

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knows, 'I, existing as the vital force of all beings, am indeed the eater of all food'—, to him who has this knowledge; kiñcana, anything whatsoever, whatever is food for being eaten by all creatures; na bhavati ha, does not become; anannam, uneatable, i.e. to such a man all things become food because the man of knowledge becomes identified with the vital force. This is supported by another Vedic text which starts with, 'This (the sun) indeed rises from the vital force, and it sets down in the vital force' (Br. I.5.23), and ends with, 'The sun surely rises from a man of such knowledge, and it sets down in a man of such knowledge.'

स होवाच किं मे वासो भविष्यतीत्याप इति होचुस्तस्माद् एवद्विश्यन्: पुस्नाच्चोणिश्टाच्चाद्भि: परिदधति लब्धुको ह वासो भवत्यनग्रो ह भवति ॥ २ ॥

2. He said, 'What is my garment?' They said, 'Water.' Therefore people while eating (do) thus: They dress up the vital force with water in the beginning and at the end. He becomes a receiver of garment. He becomes freed from being naked.

Sah, he, the vital force; uvāca ha, said again. The concoction (of the story) continues as before. 'Kim, what; bhavisyati, will be; me, my; vāsah, garment?' The organs of speech etc. ūcuh ha, said: 'Āpah, water.' Since water is the garment of the vital force, therefore asiṣyantah, people, the Brāhmins of realisation, while eating—when they are about to eat and when they have finished eating; do etat, this. What?

Purasāt, before eating; ca, and; upariṣṭāt, after eating; paridadhati, they offer a garment, dress up the

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chief vital force with water which is like a garment. Bhavati ha, he becomes; lambhukah, a receiver; vāsaḥ, of garment, i.e. he becomes a possessor of garment. And bhavati, he becomes anagnah, freed from being naked. The freedom from nakedness is implied in the very fact of his getting a garment. Therefore the meaning of 'he becomes freed from nakedness' is that he gets an upper-cloth. What is enjoined here by saying 'he dresses up (the vital force) with water' is that one should merely look upon, as the garment of the vital force, the well-known sipping of water for purification by a man while starting to eat and when he has finished eating. No additional sipping of water is enjoined. Just as food eaten by creatures of the world, is enjoined to be merely looked upon as the food of the vital force, so is it here because the questions and answers in, 'What will be my food?' (and) 'What will be my garment?' etc. are similar. If the sipping of water be a fresh injunction for that purpose (of freeing from nakedness), then, even such food as worms, (which have been stated in the earlier paras) as being the food of the vital force will become enjoined for being eaten (by a person)! Since the meditation and the meaning, and the questions and answers in both the cases are similar, and since the context is meant for the purpose of meditation, therefore it is not proper to imagine the logic of 'a woman being half young and half old'. As for the objection that the well-known sipping of water cannot be meant for purification and also for the removal of the nakedness of the vital force, we do not say in that sense that the sipping of water is meant for both the purposes. What then? We say that the water which is the means for

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sipping for purification, is enjoined to be looked upon as the garment of the vital force. In that case it is illogical to argue that there is the defect of the sipping of water serving both the purposes.

Objection: May it not be that such a meditation is to be performed on a sipping of water which is actually meant for providing a garment?

Reply: No. In the sentence meant for meditating upon the sipping as the garment, if a fresh injunction for sipping water to provide a garment be enjoined, and there again, an injunction is given for looking upon the sipping as meant for the removal of nakedness, then, there will arise the defect of one sentence conveying two ideas because there is no authority to the effect that the sipping is meant for that (for becoming the garment) and also for some other purpose.

तद्धैतत्सत्यकामो जाबालो गोश्रुतये वैैयाघ्रपद्यायो-

क्वोवाच यदप्येतच्छुष्काय स्थानवे ब्रूयाज्जायेतन्ने-

वास्मज्जाखा: प्ररोहेयु: पलाशानीति ॥ ३ ॥

3. Satyakāma Jābāla, after having told this that is such to Gośruti, the son of Vyāghrapāda, said: ‘Should anyone say this to a dry stump, branches will surely grow on it, and leaves will sprout.’

This meditation on the vital force as stated is being eulogised. How? Satyakāma Jābāla, uktvā, after having told; etat, this meditation on Prāṇa; tat ha, that is such; gośrutaye, to one named Gośruti; vaiyāghrapādāya, who was the son of Vyāghrapāda; uvāca, said something also, viz the sentence that is going to be stated. What is it that he said? The answer is: ‘Yadapi,

should anyone, a knower of the vital force; brūyāt, say; etat, this, this meditation; śuṣkāya sthānave, to a dry stump; then śākhāh, branches; jāyeran eva, will surely grow; asmin, on this stump; and palāśāni, leaves; pra-roheyuh, will sprout.' What need be said (of the result) if it were narrated to a living person!

अथ यदे महज्जिगमिषेदमावास्यां दीक्षित्वा पौर्णमास्या᳒ रात्रो सर्वौषधस्य मन्धं दधिमधुनोरुपमध्य ज्येष्ठाय श्रेष्ठाय स्वाहेत्यग्रावाज्यस्य हुत्वा मन्थे सम्पातमवनयेत्॥४॥

4. Then, if one wants to attain greatness, (in that case) after having been initiated during the new moon day, one should stir the pulp of all herbs in curd and honey, and having offered an oblation at the prescribed place in the fire (with the mantra), 'Svāhā to the oldest, Svāhā to the greatest', one should drop the residue into the mash-pot (called Mantha).

Now is begun this rite called Mantha for a man who knows the meditation on the vital force as stated above.

Atha, then; yadi, if; jigamiṣet, one wants to attain, reach, i.e. desires to have; mahat (mahatva), greatness; for him this rite is prescribed. For, when one has greatness, prosperity approaches him because to him who is possessed of greatness wealth comes as a matter of course. Then follows performance of rites, and from that he will attain the path of the manes or of the gods. Thus, this rite is (enjoined) for a man who wants greatness having this purpose in view, but not for one who wants to enjoy things. For him (the former) this injunction about time etc. is being stated. Dīkṣitvā, having

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been initiated; amāvāsyāyām, during the new moon day, observing such disciplines as sleeping on the ground, becoming possessed of such virtues as speaking the truth, observing continence, etc. which are forms of austerity like those of an initiated person, he starts the rite paurnamāsyām rātrau, the full moon night. This is the meaning; not that he has to accept all the rites connected with initiation, because the rite called Mantha is not subsidiary to initiation. And according to another Vedic text, ‘he takes up the vow of Upasad’ (Br. VI.3.1), it is known that he takes up merely the austerity of drinking milk in a regulated way, which is a cause of purification.

Collecting as far as one can sarvauṣadhasya, all kinds of herbs, a little bit of all the herbs growing in villages or forests, removing their barks, mashing them raw and placing them in a vessel made of copper (or fig wood) in the shape of a ladle or a bowl (as is mentioned in another Vedic text); and then, upamathya, having stirred them; dadhimadhunoh, in curd and honey, and placing them in front; and hutvā, having made an offering; ājyasya, of the oblation in the prescribed place; agnau, in the fire, in the Āvasathya-fire; with the mantra, ‘Svāhā to the oldest, Svāhā to the greatest’; avanayet, he should drop; manthe, into the mash-pot; sampātam, the residue sticking to the ladle.

वसिष्ठाय स्वाहेत्यग्रावाज्यस्य हुत्वा मन्थे सम्पातमवनयेत्प्रतिष्ठायै स्वाहेत्यग्रावाज्यस्य हुत्वा मन्थे सम्पातमवनयेत्सम्पदे स्वाहेत्यग्रावाज्यस्य हुत्वा मन्थे सम्पातमवनयेदायतनाय स्वाहेत्यग्रावाज्यस्य हुत्वा मन्थे सम्पातमवनयेत्॥ ५॥

5. After having made an offering with the mantra, 'Svāhā to the richest', he should drop the residue (into the mash-pot).

After having made an offering with the mantra, 'Svāhā to the basis', he should drop the residue (into the mash-pot).

After having made an offering with the mantra, 'Svāhā to prosperity', he should drop the residue (into the mash-pot).

After having made an offering with the mantra, 'Svāhā to the abode', he should drop the residue (into the mash-pot).

The remaining portion is to be explained as before. Hutyā, having made each offering separately, with the mantra, 'Svāhā vasiṣṭhāya, to the richest; pratiṣṭhāyai, to the basis; sampade, to prosperity; āyatanāya, to the abode; avanayet, he should drop (each time); sampātam, the residue in a similar manner.

अथ प्रतिसृप्याज्जलौ मन्थमाधाय जपत्यमो नामास्यमा हि ते सर्वमिदꣳ स हि ज्येष्ठः श्रेष्ठो राजाधिपतिः स मा ज्येष्ठचꣳ श्रेष्ठꣳ राज्यमाधिपत्यꣳ गमयत्वहमेवेदꣳ सर्व- मानीत॥ ६ ॥

6. Then, moving away a little and holding the mash-pot in both his hands, he recites the mantra, 'Your name is Ama since all these coexist with you. Such as you are, you are surely the oldest, the greatest, the luminous, the ruler. Being so, may you make me attain the states of being the oldest, the greatest, the luminous, and the ruler. May I myself become all these.' Thus.

V. 2. 7] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 331

Atha, then; pratiṣṭpya, moving away a little from the fire; and ādhāya, holding; mantham, the mash-pot; anjalau, in both his hands; japati, he recites this mantra; ‘Amah nāmāsi, your name is Ama—Ama is the name of the vital force—; hi, since; idam sarvam, all these; coexist amā, with; te, you. Since the vital force lives in the body with the help of food, therefore the content of the Mantha (mash-pot), the food of the vital force, is being praised as the vital force by saying, ‘Your name is Ama’. Why so? Since ‘Sarvam, all; idam, this, this world; exists surely amā, with you, who have become identified with the vital force, therefore, your name is Ama.’ Hence that pulp as identified with the vital force is surely jyeṣṭhah, the oldest; and śreṣṭhah, the greatest. So it is also rājā, the luminous; and adhipatih, the ruler, the protector of all by becoming their ruler. ‘Sah, such as you are, Mantha, the vital force; gamayatu, make me also attain the aggregate of your qualities of being the oldest etc. Aham eva, I myself; āsāni, may become; sarvam, all, all this world like the vital force.’ The word iti, thus, is used for indicating the end of the mantra.

अथ खल्वेतर्चा पच्छ आचामति। तत्त्वितुर्‌वृणीमह इत्याचामति। वयं देवस्य भोजनमित्याचामति। श्रेष्ठं सर्वधातममित्याचामति। तुर्ं भगस्य धीमहीति सर्व पिबति। निर्णय्ज्य कंसमं चमसं वा पश्चादग्रे: संविशति चर्मणि वा स्थण्डिले वा वाचंयमोऽप्रसाह:। स यदि स्त्रियं पश्येत्त्‌समृद्धं कर्मेति विद्यात्।॥७॥

7. Then he eats by (uttering) this Ṛk-mantra, foot by foot. He eats by uttering, ‘We pray for that (food) of

332 CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD [V. 2. 7

the progenitor'; he eats by uttering, 'Which is the food of the deity'; he eats by uttering, 'Which is the greatest sustainer of the entire world'. Washing the ladle or the bowl, he drinks all of it by uttering, 'Quickly we meditate on the real nature of the sun.' Behind the fire he lies down on an animal skin or on the bare ground of the sacrifice, controlling his speech and unperturbed. If he sees a woman (in dream) he should know that the rite has been successful.

Atha khalu, then; ācāmati, he eats; etayā ṛcā, by (uttering) this Ṛk-mantra as will be stated; pacchah, foot by foot. While uttering one foot of the mantra he eats one morsel. 'Vṛṇīmahe, we pray for; tat, that food in the form of the pulp; savituḥ, of the sun, of the progenitor of all, who is the creator of all.' This is said by identifying the vital force and the sun. '(We pray) for the food pertaining to the sun, by eating which food belonging to the sun, we shall attain the nature of the sun.' This is the idea. The word 'devasya, of the deity', is connected with the earlier word 'savituḥ, of the deity who is the sun'. Śreṣṭham, which is the best among all food. Sarva-dhātamam—which is dhātamam, the greatest sustainer, of sarvam, the entire world. Or the meaning is, that which is the greatest sustainer in an excellent way. In either sense it is an adjective of food. 'Turam, quickly;' dhīmahi, we think; bhagasya, of the

'That is to say, 'We pray for that food of the deity, the progenitor (the sun), which is the best and the greatest sustainer. By this we shall quickly attain the nature of the sun. We meditate on the real nature of the sun.' Most translators take 'quickly' as an adverb of 'we meditate'. But the two words do not seem to fit in. We therefore, take 'quickly' with 'attain'.

V. 2. 8] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 333

deity, of the real nature of the sun', the word svarūpam (real nature) being understood. The idea is, 'We do so after becoming purified in mind by eating a special food.' Or (the meaning is), 'We who have performed the rite for the acquisition of greatness, which is the cause bhagasyā, of prosperity, we meditate on that.' iti, with this; pibati, he drinks all the pulp; nirnijya, washing the vessel made of copper (or of fig-wood); of the shape of kamsam, bowl; vā, or; camasam, ladle. After drinking samviśati, he lies down; puścād agneh, behind the fire, with his head eastward; carmani vā, on an animal skin or; sthandile vā, on the ground of the sacrifice, on the bare ground; and vācamyamah, controlling his speech; and aprasāhạ̣, not perturbed as one is by seeing an evil dream as that of a woman etc. i.e. with his mind under control. When he is in such a state, then, yadi, if; saḥ, he; paśyet, sees in dream; striyam, a woman; then vidyāt, he should know; 'Karma, this rite of mine; samṛddham, has been successful.'

तदेष श्लोको यदा कर्मसु काम्येषु स्त्रियं स्वप्नेषु पश्यति सम्पदिं तत्र जानीयात्तस्मिन्स्वप्रनिदर्शने॥ ४१ ॥ इति द्वितीयः खण्डः॥ २ ॥

8. Pertaining to that here is a verse: 'In the course of rites meant for fulfilling some desire, when one sees in dream a woman, then, from the seeing of that dream, he should know success therein.'

Tat, pertaining to this matter; here occurs eṣaḥ, this; ślokah, verse, mantra as well:

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[V. 2. 8

'Yadā, when; karmasu, in the course of rites; kām-yeṣu, which are meant for fulfilling some desire; paś-yati, one sees; striyam, a woman; svapneṣu, in dreams, during seeing of dreams or in the course of dreams; jānīyāt, he should know; samṛddhih, success; tatra, therein. That is tasmin svapna-nidarśane, from the seeing of that commendable dream of a woman etc. he should know that the rite will be crowned with success. This is the idea. The repetition, 'from the seeing of that dream', is to indicate completion of the rite.

SECTION 3

श्वेतकेतुर्हारुणेयः पञ्चालानाᳫंसभितिमेयाय तᳫं

प्रवाहणो जैवलिरुवाच कुमारानु त्वाशिषत्पितेत्यनु हि भगव

इति ॥ १ ॥

1. Śvetaketu, grandson of Aruṇa, went to the assembly of the Pañcālas. To him Pravāhaṇa, son of Jīvala, said, 'O my boy, did your father instruct you?' 'Venerable sir, surely he did.'

The transmigratory stages, starting from Brahmā and ending with a clump of grass, are to be stated for the sake of generating renunciation among people who desire Liberation. Hence the story begins. Ha indicates a past incident. Śvetaketuḥ, one named Śvetaketu; who was āruneyaḥ, grandson of Aruṇa (—son of Aruṇa is Āruṇi, and his son is Āruṇeya); eyāya, went; samitim, to the assembly; pañcālānām, of the Pañcālas, of the country of the Pañcālas. Tam ha, to him who had come; pravāhaṇaḥ, a person named Pravāhaṇa; who

V. 3. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 335

was jaiyaliḥ, son of Jīvala; uvāca, said; ‘Kumāra, O my boy; pitā anu-śiṣat, did your father instruct; tvā, you, i.e. have you been taught by your father?’ Being told so, he said, ‘Bhagavaḥ, venerable sir; hi, surely; anu, I have been taught.’ This he said by way of a hint.

वेत्थ यदितोऽधि प्रजा: प्रयन्तीति? न भगव इति। वेत्थ यथा पुनरावर्तन्तऽ इति? न भगव इति। वेत्थ पथोर्देवयानस्य पितृयाणस्य च व्यावर्तनाऽ इति? न भगव इति॥ २ ॥

2. ‘Do you know where the creatures go upto from here?’

‘No, venerable sir.’

‘Do you know how they return again?’

‘No, venerable sir.’

‘Do you know where the path of the gods and the path of manes part?’

‘No, venerable sir.’

To him he said, ‘If you have been instructed, then vettha, do you know; adhi, the upper world; yat, where; prajāḥ, the creatures; prayanti, go; itaḥ, from here, from this world? Do you know that?’ This is the meaning. The other said, ‘Na bhagavaḥ, no, venerable sir, I do not know that of which you ask.’

‘If that be so, vettha, do you know; yathā, how; punaḥ, again; āvartante, they return?’ He answered, ‘Na bhagavaḥ, no, venerable sir.’ ‘Vettha, do you know; vyāvartanā, the point of parting; pathoḥ, of the two paths that go together; devayānāsya pitryānāsya ca, of the path of the gods and the path of the manes,

336

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[V.3.2

i.e. the point where they separate after proceeding

together?'

(He replied) ‘Na bhagavah, no, venerable sir.’

वेत्थ यथासौ लोको न सम्पूर्तर्त इति न भगव इति।

वेत्थ यथा पञ्चम्यामाहुतावाप: पुरुषवचसो भवन्ति?

नैव भगव इति॥ ३ ॥

3. ‘Do you know how that world does not become

filled?’

‘No, venerable sir.’

‘Do you know how water comes to be known by the

word “Person” after the fifth oblation?’

‘Surely not, venerable sir.’

‘Vettha, do you know; yathā, how, due to which

reason; asau, that; lokah, world connected with the

manes, after reaching which people come back; na

sampūryate, does not become filled up by the depar-

ture even of many (people from here)?’ He answered,

‘Na bhagavah, no, venerable sir.’ ‘Vettha, do you

know; yathā, how, the succession through which; āpah,

water which is produced from an oblation and is also

the material of the oblation; bhavati, comes to be

spoken of; puruṣavacasah, by the word “person”—

comes to be called a “person”; pañcamyām āhutau,

when the fifth oblation, when the oblation numbering

the fifth is offered—when (water) gradually has be-

come the sixth oblation?’ Being told so, he said, ‘Na

eva, surely not; bhagavah, venerable sir.’ The meaning

is ‘I surely know nothing about this matter.’

अथानु किमनुशिष्टोऽवोचथायो हीमां न विद्यात्कथं

सोजनुशिष्टो ब्रूवीतेति। स हायस्त: पितुरधर्मेयाय तं

V. 3. 4]

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

337

होवाचानुशिष्य वाव किल मा भगवानब्रवीदनु

त्वाशिषमिति ॥ ४ ॥

4. 'Why then, did you say, "I have been instructed"? For how can he who does not know these say that he has been instructed?' He being afflicted, went to his father's place. To him he said, 'Surely, without instructing me, you, venerable sir, said, 'I have instructed you.' '

'Atha, then, being thus ignorant; kim, why; anu avocatā, did you say; "I am anuśiṣthah, instructed"?; hi, for; yah, he who; na vidyāt, does not know; imāni, these—all the subjects asked about by me; katham; how; sah, he; brūyāt, can say to learned people; 'I have been anuśiṣthah, instructed"'? Thus, sah, he, Śvetaketu; āyastah (āyāsitah), being afflicted by the king; eyāya, went to; pituh, his father's; ardham, place. And tam, to him, to the father; uvāca ha, he said; 'Ananuśiṣya, without instructing, even without imparting instruction; bhagavān, you, venerable sir; abravīt, said at the time of completion of my study; "Anu-aśiṣam, I have instructed you; tvā you."'

पञ्च मा राजन्यबन्धुः प्रश्नानप्राक्षीतेषां नैकञ्चनाशकं

विवक्तुमिति स होवाच यथा मा त्वं तदैतदवदो यथाहमेषां

नैकञ्चन वेद यद्यहमिमानवेदिष्यं कथं ते

नावक्ष्यमिति ॥ ५ ॥

5. 'The friend of the Kṣatriyas asked me five questions. I was not able to answer even one of them.' He (the father) said, 'The way that you spoke to me of these things (questions) at that time (after returning),

22

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[V.3.5

that is just as I do not know any one of them. If I had known these, why should not I have told you?'

'Since rājan ya-bandhuh, he who has the Kṣatriyas as his friends, i.e. one who himself is a man of bad conduct; aprākṣīt, asked; pañca, five questions; teṣām, of them, of those questions; na aśakam, I was not able; vivaktum, to answer, to ascertain fully along with their meanings; ekañcana, even one.' Saḥ, he, the father; uvāca ha, said; 'My son. yathā, the way that; tvam, you; avadaḥ, spoke; mā, to me; etān, of these questions; tadā, then, as soon as you returned—"I was not able to answer even one of them"—, similarly you should know me.' The meaning is, 'You should know my ignorance about that subject. of which your ignorance is an indication.' How? 'Yathā, just as; na veda, I do not know; ekañcana, even one; eṣām, of (the answers to) these questions. My son, just as you do not know these questions, so I also do not know these.' This is the idea. 'So it is not proper to think of me other wise.' How can this be so? 'Just because I do not know. Yadi, if; aham, I; avediṣyam, had known these questions; katham, why should I have; na avakṣyam, not told; te, you who are my dear son, in the past at the time of the completion of the study?' Having said so—

स ह गौतमो राज्ञोऽधर्मेयाय तस्मै ह प्राप्तायाह राज्ञकार स ह प्रातः सभाग उदेयाय तँहोवाच मानुषस्य भगवन्गौतम वित्तस्य वरं वृणीथा इति। स होवाच तवैव राजन्मानुषं विचं यामेव कुमारस्यान्ते वाचमभाषथास्तामेव मे बूहीति स ह कृच्छ्र्री बभूव॥ ६ ॥

6. He, Gautama, went to the king's place. To him

V. 3. 6] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 339

who had reached there, the king showed due respect. He presented himself in the morning when the king attended the assembly. To him he said, 'O venerable Gautama, please ask for a gift of human wealth.' He said, 'O king, let human wealth remain with you alone. Please narrate to me that very speech which you delivered to my son.' He became sorrowful.

Saḥ, he, Gautama, belonging to the line of Gautama; eyāya, went; ardham, to the place; rājñaḥ, of the king Jāvali. Tasmai, to him, to Gautama; prāptāya, who had reached there; (the king) arhāñcakāru, showed due respect. And saḥ, he, Gautama, having stayed there, duly treated as a guest; udeyāya, presented himself next day in the morning; sabhāge, when the king attended the assembly. Or (reading sabhāgaḥ, for sabhāge, another meaning is derived): Bhāgaḥ is the same as bhajanam, i.e. worship, service. He who is attended upon with bhaga, with honour, is sabhāgaḥ, i.e. Gautama himself, who having been honoured by others presented himself before the king. Tam, to him, to Gautama; the king uvāca ha, said; 'Bhagavan, O venerable Gautama; vrṇīthā, please ask for; varam, a gift, desirable things, village etc.; mānuśasya vittasya, of human wealth, wealth related to human beings.'

Saḥ, he, Gautama; uvāca ha, said; 'Rājan, O king; let mānuśam vittam, human wealth; tava eva, remain with you alone. Yam eva, the very; vācam, speech consisting of five questions; which abhāṣathāḥ, you put; ante, to; kumārāsya, the boy, to my son; brūhi, please narrate; me, to me; tām eva, that very speech.' Being told so by Gautama, saḥ, he, the king; babhūva, became; kṛcchrī, sorrowful, (thinking) 'How can this be so?'

340

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[V.3.7

तँ ह चिरं वसत्याज्ञापयाज्ञकार तँहोवाच यथा मा त्वं गौतमावदो यथेयं न प्राक्तवत्तः पुरा विद्या ब्राह्मणानाच्छति तस्मादु सर्वेषु लोकेषु क्षत्रस्यैव प्रशासनमभूदिति तस्मै होवाच॥७॥ इति तृतीयः

खण्डः ॥ ३ ॥

7. He ordered him, 'Stay for a long time.' To him he said: `O Gautama, by the way you talked to me (it becomes confirmed) how, before you, this knowledge did not go to the Brāhmaṇas. Therefore, in the past, in all the worlds teachership was of the Kṣatriyas.' To him he imparted (the knowledge).

Having become sorrowful and thinking that a Brāhmin could not be refused, and that knowledge has to be imparted according to rules, he ājñāpayāñcakāra, ordered; tam, him, Gautama, 'Vasa ha, stay; ciram, for a long time.' That the king refused (to impart) knowledge at first, and afterwards ordered him by saying, 'Stay', for that he begs pardon of the Brāhmin by uttering the following sentence which gives the reason (for his initial hesitation to impart knowledge etc.). Tam, to him; the king uvāca ha, said; 'O Gautama, although you are a Brāhmin possessed of all knowledge; still yathā, from the way in which, through ignorance; tvam, you; avadah, said: mām, to me, 'Please tell me that very utterance which is characteristic of knowledge', from that you should know there is this thing to be said as to yathā, how; ayam, this; vidyā, knowledge; na gacchati, did not go; brāhmaṇān, to the Brāhmaṇas; prāk tvattah, before you. Moreover, the Brāhmaṇas did not instruct anyone with this knowledge.

V. 4. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 341

'Since it is thus well-known in the world, tasmāt u, therefore; purā, in the past; sarveṣu lokeṣu, in all the worlds; praśāsanam, teachership of students, by virtue of this knowledge, belonged only to the Kṣatriyas, only to the Kṣatriya caste. This knowledge has come up to date only through a succession of Kṣatriyas. Still, I shall tell you this. After being imparted to you it will go to the Brāhmaṇas. Therefore, whatever I said (earlier) deserves to be pardoned.' Having said so, the king uvāca ha, imparted the knowledge; tasmai, to him.

SECTION 4

असौ वाव लोको गौतमाग्रिस्स्यादित्य एव

समिद्धऽश्मयो धूमोऽङ्गारा नक्षत्राणि

विस्फुलिङ्गा: ।। १ ।।

1. O Gautama, the yonder world is indeed the fire. Of that the sun indeed is the fuel, the rays are the smoke, the day is the flame, the moon is the ember, the stars are the sparks.

The question, viz (as to why) 'the waters come to be known as the person after the fifth oblation', is being disposed off at the first instance, since following the disposal of that, the disposal of the remaining ones will be convenient. That which is the result of the two oblations' in the Agnihotra-fire, is stated in the Vājasaneyaka (Brāhmaṇa): 'To him the questions' are

'Oblations poured every day in the morning and in the evening into the Āhavanīya-fire. (See also B.S. III. 1.5-6)

'The questions put by Yājñavalkya to Janaka.

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[V.4.1

with regard to departure, the course of the two obla-

tions, the place of resting, enjoyment of the result,

return, and ascending towards the (desired) world.'

There itself the answers to those questions have been

given: 'When these two oblations are offered they go

up, they enter into the intermediate-space, they trans-

form the intermediate-space into Āhavanīya-fire1, the

air into fuel, the rays into white (pure) oblation. They

satisfy the intermediate-space, they rise up from

there', etc. After having satisfied the heavenly world as

before2, they return from there. After having entered

into this world and having satisfied it, they enter into a

man. Then, having entered into a woman they become

ready for appearing into this world.3

Only the commencement of the result of the two

oblations offered in the Agnihotra-fire, has been

shown there as taking place in this way. But here, by

saying, 'O Gautama, the yonder world is indeed the

fire', etc., that commencement of the results in the

form of the transformation of the two Agnihotra-

oblations into apūrva (unseen effect), is divided into

five parts, and it is enjoined to be meditated on as fire

so as to be a means for attaining the Northern Path.4

1The fire into which oblation is poured.

2As they had satisfied the intermediate-space before, so after

satisfying the yajamāna (sacrificer) in the heavenly world, by grant-

ing him the result of the sacrifice, they return with the sacrificer.

3Having entered this world, they identify themselves with paddy,

barley, etc. These are eaten by males and transformed into semen,

which enters a woman's womb. There the oblations take a human

form that is capable of performing sacrifices etc. After being born,

the person performs his duties and becomes ready for the other

world.

4The usual course should have been to follow the questions in the

V. 4. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 343

When the two oblations in the Agnihotra-sacrifice are offered with faith, in the morning and evening with such accessories as milk etc. and that Agnihotra is considered as Āhavanīya-fire, fuel, smoke, flame, ember and sparks, and as accessories like agent etc. of the sacrifice, then, the two oblations enter into heaven by ascending in succession through intermediate-space etc. And they become subtle and fit for being called 'water' because of their association with water, and fit for being called 'faith' because of their having been offered with faith. The place where they are poured is the fire, and all other things associated with them are called 'fuel' etc. And that thinking of the two oblations as 'fire' etc.—that too, is mentioned in that very way.'

Gautama, O Gautama; asau vāva lokaḥ, the yonder

order they were put by Pravāhaṇa Jaivali. But here the fifth question is being dealt with first, and the reason for this is being given by the commentator himself. According to Ānanda Giri the main reason is that the factual order is more important than the textual order. In the Vājaṣaneyaka Brāhmaṇa, it is stated that the heavenly world is the fruition of the Agnihotra-sacrifice through its unseen results. In that context Yājñavalkya puts six questions to Janaka. 'Departure' refers to the departure from this world of the two oblations poured in the Agnihotra-fire in the morning and in the evening. The 'course' refers to the movement towards the other world. The 'place of resting' refers to the settling of the oblation after reaching there. The 'enjoyment' refers to the satisfaction derived in that place of resting. 'Return' means the coming back to this world after the completion of the enjoyment. After returning they remain associated with persons. Now the questions arises, how does such a person ascend towards the yonder world (heaven)? When the person as a sacrifice, moves upward, the two oblations also do so in association with him. (Also see B.S. III. 1.5–6.)

'That is, as fire, fuel, smoke, flame, ember, and spark, in that order.

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[V. 4. 1

world indeed; is agnih, the 'fire', just as the Āhavanīya-

world. Tusya, of that, of the fire called heaven; ādit-

yah, the sun: eva, verily; is samit, the 'fuel', since the

yonder world shines by being lighted up by that (sun).

Therefore, the sun is called 'tuel' because it fully lights

up. Raśmayah, the rays; are dhūmah, the 'smoke' be-

cause they emerge from the sun, as smoke rises from

fuel. Ahah, the day; is arcilh, the 'flame', because of the

similarity of luminosity and because it is caused by the

sun. Since the embers appear after the flame subsides,

candramāh, the moon; is angārāh, the ember, because

it is revealed when the day ends. Because of the simi-

larity of being scattered all over, nakṣatrāṇi, the stars;

are visphulingāh, the sparks, as though they are parts

of the moon.

तस्मिनेतस्मिन्नग्रौ देवा: श्रद्धां जुह्वति तस्या आहुते: सोमो

राजा सम्भवति॥ २॥ इति चतुर्थ: खण्ड:॥ १४॥

2. In that fire which is such, the gods offer faith as an

oblation. From that oblation springs up the bright

moon.'

Tasmin, in that; etasmin, which is such; agnau, in

the fire, whose characteristics have been stated above;

devāḥ, the gods, the vital forces of the sacrificer, in the

forms of gods like fire and others, on the divine plane;

juhvati, pour (as oblation); śraddhām, faith in the form

of water—(the subtle water which is the result of the

'Also translated as King Soma, the word rāja having both the

meanings.

V. 4. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 345

oblations poured in the Agnihotra-sacrifice, is called faith because it is offered with faith)— , since it is mentioned in the Upaniṣad where water is thought of as an oblation, in the question. (Do you know how) after the fifth oblation, water comes to be called a "person"?' And it is well-known that faith indeed is water; those waters having started from faith (and being associated with special sanctifications) ascend upward.' (The gods pour as oblation, that faith in the form of water.) Tasyāh āhuteḥ, from that oblation; saṃbhavati, springs up; rāja somah, the bright moon, which is the result of the oblations of water called faith, poured in the fire of heaven.

As it has been stated that, the juices of the flowers in the forms of the Ṛk-Vedas etc. are collected by the bees in the form of the Ṛk-mantras etc. and they (the juices) bring about such results as fame etc. in the form of red colour etc. in the sun (III.1). similarly, these subtle waters called faith,.which are associated with the oblations of Agnihotra-sacrifice. bring the result in the form of the moon as the effect of the two oblations of Agnihotra-sacrifice, after entering into the heavenly world. And the sacrificers who pour oblations, who give the highest place to the oblations, who are filled with the thought of the oblations,' who are drawn by the act in the form of the oblation, and who are closely associated with faith which is identified with (subtle) water, they become one with the moon after entering into the heavenly world. Because the Agnihotra-sacrifice was performed by them for that purpose.

'Who praise the oblations, who follow them, and depend on them.—Ā.G.

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[V. 4. 2

Here however, what is intended to be stated principally (for the meditator) is indeed, not the moving up of the sacrificers, but the transformation of the oblation through (its) successive association with the five fires.

That (movement) of the ignorant persons through the path starting from smoke, as also the movement of the men of knowledge through the Northern Path earned through knowledge, will be spoken of later on.

SECTION 5

पर्जन्यो वाव गौतमाप्रिष्टस्य वायुरेव समिदभ्रं धूमो

विद्युदर्चिरशनिरङ्गारा हादनयो विस्फुलिङ्गा:॥ १ ॥

1. O Gautama, the deity of cloud is indeed the fire; of it, air is verily the fuel, cloud is the smoke, lightning is the flame, thunder is the ember, the rumblings of clouds are the sparks.

For stating the order of the second sacrifice it is being said: Gautama, O Gautama; parjanyah, the particular deity identifying himself with the causes of rainfall, of rain (i.e. clouds etc.); vāva, is indeed; agnih, the fire. Tasya, of it; vāyuh, air; eva, is verily; samit, the fuel. The fire called Parjanya is indeed inflamed by air, since rain is seen to fall when there is predominance of the easterly wind etc. Abhram, the cloud; is dhūmah, the smoke, since it is the effect of smoke (rising from the sacrifice), and since it looks like smoke; vidyut, lightning; is arcih, the flame, because of similarity in luminosity. Aśanih, thunder; is angārāh, the ember, because of the similarity of hardness or of association cause of the

V. 6. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 347

with lightning; hrādanayah, the rumblings of clouds; are visphulingāh, the sparks, because of the similarity of being scattered all over.

तस्मिन्नेतस्मिन्नग्नौ देवा: सोमंराजानं जुहति तस्या आहुतेरर्षँ सम्भवति॥ २॥ इति पञ्चम: खण्ड:॥ ५ ॥

2. In that fire which is such, the gods offer the bright moon as an oblation. Rain originates from that oblation.

Tasmin etasmin agnau, in that fire which is such; devāḥ, the gods; juhvati, offer as oblation; somam rājānam, the bright moon—as before (in V.4.2). Varṣam, rainfall; sam̐bhavati, originates; tasyāḥ āhuteḥ, from that oblation. Waters called faith, which in the second stage are transformed into the moon, turn into rainfall by coming in contact with fire in the form of (the deity of) cloud.

SECTION 6

पृथिवी वाग गौतमाप्रस्तस्‍या: संवत्सर एव समिद्दाक्षो धमो रात्रिरर्चिर्दिशोऽङ्गारा अवान्तरदिशो विस्फुलिङ्गा:॥१॥

1. O Gautama, the earth indeed is the fire; of that the year is verily the fuel, the sky is the smoke, night is the flame, the quarters are the embers, the intermediate directions are the sparks.

'O Gautama, the earth indeed is the fire', etc. is to be explained as before. Tasyāḥ, of that, of the fire called

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[V. 6. 1

the earth; samvatsarah, the year; eva, is indeed; samit, the fuel, since the earth, when enlivened by time in the form of the year, becomes fit for producing paddy, barley, etc. Ākāśah, the sky, is dhūmah, the smoke, because the sky appears to be as if rising up from the earth, as smoke does from fire. Rātriḥ, the night; is arciḥ, the flame—(just) as a flame is (bright) like the fire, so also is the night dark by nature, similar to the earth which is not self-luminous; diśaḥ, the (four) quarters; are angārāḥ, the embers, because of the similarity of ending.' Avāntaradiśaḥ, the intermediate directions; are visphulingāḥ, the sparks, because of the similarity of their smallness.

तस्मिन्नेतस्मिन्नग्रौ देवो वर्षं जुहोति तस्याहुतेः सम्भवति॥ २॥ इति षष्टः खण्डः॥ ६॥

2. In that fire which is such, the gods offer rainfall as an oblation; from that oblation grows food.

'In that fire which is such', etc. is to be explained as before (in V.4.2; 5.2). Tasyāḥ āhuteḥ, from that oblation; sambhavati, grows; annam, food—paddy, barley, etc.

SECTION 7

पुरुषो वाव गौतमाप्रिस्तस्य वागेव समित्प्राणो धूमो जिह्वाऽग्निश्चक्षुरङ्गारा: श्रोत्रं विस्फुलिङ्गा:॥ १॥

'Embers remain after a fire is extinguished, i.e. at the end of it; similarly, the quarters appear to be at the end of the visual horizon.

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349

1. O Gautama, man is indeed the fire, his speech is verily the fuel, outgoing breath is the smoke, the tongue is the flame, the eye is the ember, the ear is the spark.

Gautama, O Gautama; puruṣah, man; vāva. is indeed; agnih, the fire; tasya, his; vāk, speech; eva, is verily; samit, the fuel, since one becomes famous through one's speech, (i.e.) through the mouth, but not so a dumb man. Prāṇah, the outgoing breath; is dhūmah, the smoke, since it issues out of the mouth, like smoke; jihvā, the tongue; is arcih, the flame, because of redness; cakṣuh, the eye; is angārāh, the ember, being the locus of luminosity; śrotram, the ear; is visphulingāh, the spark, because of the similarity of being spread all over.'

तस्मिन्नेतस्मिन्नग्रौ देवा अन्नं जुह्वति तस्याहुते रेतः सम्भवति ॥ २ ॥ इति सप्तमः खण्डः ॥७॥

2. In that fire which is such, the gods offer food as oblation. From that oblation originates semen:

The rest is to be explained as before. (The gods) juhvati, offer as oblation; annam, food—paddy etc. which have been sanctified. Tasyāh āhuteh, from that oblation; sambhavati, originates; retah, semen.

SECTION 8

योषा वाव गौतमाग्निस्तस्या उपस्थ एव

'The ear hears sounds coming from all sides.

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[V. 8. 1

समिद्धादुपमन्त्रयते स धूमो योनिरर्चीयते॰दन्न᳖ᳱकरोति तेऽङ्गारा

अभिनन्दा विस्फुलिङ्गा:॥ १ ॥

तस्मिन्नेतस्मिन्नग्रौ देवाः रेतो जुह्वति तस्या आहुतेः गर्भः

सम्भवति॥ २॥ इत्यष्टमः खण्डः॥ ४॥

1-2. O Gautama, woman is indeed the fire . . . . In

that fire which is such, the gods offer semen as the

oblation. From that oblation the foetus comes into

being.

O Gautama, yoṣā, woman; is indeed the fire. Tasmin

etasmin agnau, in that fire which is such; devāḥ, the

gods; juhvati, offer as oblation; retah, semen. Tasyāḥ

āhuteḥ, from that oblation; garbhaḥ, the foetus; sam-

bhavati, comes into being.

Thus, through the stages of faith, moon, rainfall,

food and semen which are offered as oblations, (those)

waters themselves become the foetus. Among them

the waters themselves are intended to be spoken of as

the most important because of their close association

with the oblations. In this way, water comes to be

called a 'person' after the fifth oblation; not that the

waters by themselves can produce such effects as the

moon etc. Moreover, water does not exist in an unmix-

ed' form. Even when the elements (fire, water, earth)

get compounded still, they are seen to have special

names such as, 'this is earth', 'these are waters', 'this is

fire', which names are dependent on the predominance

of one of the elements. Therefore, indeed, all things

together that are productive of the moon etc. and are

associated with rites, are spoken of as 'water' owing to

'Not mixed up with earth and fire.

V. 9. 1]

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351

the predominance of water. Moreover, it is a matter of

experience that water predominates in moon1, rain,

food, semen, and bodies. Although the body is made of

earth still, water predominates in it. (Among those five

oblations) ‘water’ in the form of semen becomes the

foetus after the fifth oblation.

SECTION 9

इति तु पञ्चम्यामाहुतावापः पुरुषवचसो भवन्तीति स

उल्बावृतो गर्भो दश वा नव वा मासान्तः शयित्वा

यावद्वाथ जायते॥१॥

1.. Thus indeed, after the fifth oblation, waters come

to be called a person. Covered by a membrane, that

foetus having slept inside for ten or nine months or the

time needed, takes birth thereafter.

Iti tu, thus indeed; one question, ‘(Do you know

how) pañcamayām āhutau, after the fifth oblation;

āpah, water; puruṣavacasah bhavanti, comes to be call-

ed a person?’, has been explained. As for the state-

ment in the Vājasaneyaka portion of the Vedas that the

two oblations, when they return to this world from the

heavenly world, enter into this earth, a man, and a

woman, by stages, and then rise up for the other

world—, that has been stated here as a connected

topic. In this Upaniṣad also, it is stated in the first

question, ‘Do you know where the creatures go up to

from here?’ And of that, this is an introduction.

1It was believed that water predominated in the moon.

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[V.9.1

Saḥ, that; garbhaḥ, foetus, that particular fifth modification of the waters which are closely associated with the act of oblations and are mentioned by the name 'faith (śraddhā)'; ulbāvṛtaḥ, covered by the membrane; śayitvā, having slept; antaḥ, in the mother's womb; daśa vā nava vā, for ten or nine; māsān, months; vā, or; yāvat, for the time needed, whether longer or shorter; atha, thereafter; it jāyate, takes birth.

'Covered by the membrane', etc. is stated for generating dispassion. Indeed, it is pitiable to lie in the mother's womb which is filled with urine, stool, wind, bile, phlegm, etc. for the foetus which is besmeared with them, remains covered with the impure membrane within the womb, has for its seed impure blood and semen, grows by the infiltration of food and drinks of the mother, and which remains with restrained power, vigour, energy, valour, intelligence and action. Even more painful is birth or coming out from the womb, tortured as one is in the process. In this way the Upaniṣad teaches dispassion by stating that, one has to come out after lying in the mother's womb for such a long time as ten or nine months, even a moment of which is painful.

स जातो यावदायुषं जीवति तं प्रेतं दृष्टमितोदग्रय एवं हरन्ति यत एकेतो यतः सम्भूतो भवति॥२॥ इति नवमः खण्ड:॥९॥

2. After he is born, he lives as long as he is destined to live. When he dies for going to his merited world, then, they carry him verily to the fire, from which indeed he had come and from which he takes birth.

V. 10. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 353

Saḥ, he; who jātaḥ, is born; evam, thus; jīvati, lives; yāvat āyuṣam, for as long as he is destined to live, for as long a period as he has earned through his actions, performing rites and duties for coming and going, again and again, like a Persian Wheel (moving up and down), or moving horizontally like a potter's wheel. Tam, him, this one whose life has come to an end; pretam, who has died; for going to diṣṭam, the other world determined by his past deeds,—or determined by the Vedic rites or Vedic meditations, if he were competent for them when alive—, the priests, or his sons; haranti, carry from here, from his village; agnaye, to the fire for the last rites; yataḥ, from which fire; eva, indeed; itaḥ, (he) had come through the succession of oblations starting from faith; and yataḥ, from which five fires; sambhūtaḥ bhavati, he takes birth. To that very fire they carry him, i.e. they make him reach the fire which is his own source.

SECTION 10

तद्य इत्यं विदुः। ये चेमेडण्ये श्रद्धा तप इत्युपासते तेऽर्चिषमभिसंभवन्त्यर्चिषोडहरह आपूर्माणपक्षमापू-

माणपक्षाद्यान्‌षड्‌ड्ढौते मासाँस्तान् ॥ १ ॥

मासेभ्यः संवत्सरं संवत्सरादादित्यमादित्याच्चन्द्रमसं चन्द्रमसो विद्युतं तत्पुरुषोऽमानवः स एनान्‌ब्रह्मा गमयत्येष

देव्यानः पन्था इति॥ २ ॥

1-2. Among them who know thus, and those in the forest who practise with diligence, faith, and austerity, they reach the deity of flame. From the flame they

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[V. 10. 2

reach the day light; from day light to the bright fortnight; from the bright fortnight to the six months during which the sun moves northward; from those six months to the year, from the year to the sun, from the sun to the moon; from the moon to lightning. There a superhuman person leads them to Brahmā (Hiraṇyagarbha). This is the divine path.

The question ‘Do you know, where the creatures go up to from here?’ presents itself for disposal.

Tat, among them, among the competent house-holders who have risen up for reaching the other world; ye, those who; viduḥ, know; ittham, thus, those who know thus the meditation on the five fires as stated above—‘We have been born from fire, starting from heavenly fire, and have become identified with the five fires’—.

Objection: How is this known that, by the words ‘ittham viduḥ, (they know thus)’, the householders alone are mentioned, not the others?

Reply: The text will say that, among the householders those who do not know thus, but are engaged only in sacrifices, public welfare, and charity, they go to the moon through the smoke etc.; and the text will state that, for the hermits (Vānaprasthins) and mendicants, who are indicated by the word ‘forest’ and who practice śraddhā, faith, and tapah, austerity, for them is the journey through flame etc. along with those who ‘know thus’. In accordance with ‘the method of residue’ and the relationship with the oblations of the Agnihotra-sacrifice, the householders only are understood by the words ‘those who know thus’.

V. 10. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

355

Objection: How can 'the method of residue' be applicable, since there are the celibates also, who are not indicated by the words 'village' and 'forest' used in the Upaniṣad?

Reply: This defect does not arise, since it is well-known from Purāṇas and Smṛtis that, the Northern Path associated with the sun is for the Brahmacārins, the life-long celibates. So they also will travel along with the hermits. Since the Upakurvāṇa-Brahmacārins observe celibacy (in their guru's house) merely for the study of the Vedas, therefore they do not deserve to be mentioned specially.

Objection: If, on the authority of Purāṇas and Smṛtis, it is held that the means for attaining the Northern Path is to observe celibacy, then, it becomes useless to 'know thus'.

Reply: No, since it has usefulness in the case of the householders. For it is well-known that those householders who do not know thus, naturally travel by the Southern Path through smoke etc. Among them, those who know thus or know some other qualified Brahman, they proceed along the Northern Path, which is implied by the words: 'Now, if again, in the case of this one, they perform the last rites or they do not, they verily reach light'.

Objection: Well, is it not unreasonable that, although belonging to some stage of life is common to both the celibates and the householders, the celibates alone proceed along the Northern Path, and not the householders, even though the latter have the additional duty of performing such Vedic rites as Agnihotra etc.

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[V. 10. 2

Reply: There is no such fault, since they are impure. Because of their connection with friends and foes they surely have attraction and repulsion. Similarly they have merit and demerit, caused by compassion and cruelty. For them also are unavoidable such causes of impurity as cruelty, falsehood, simulation, noncelibacy, etc. Hence they are impure. Being impure they cannot go along the Northern Path. As for the others, since they are pure in mind owing to their abandonment of cruelty, falsehood, simulation, non-celibacy, etc. and since they are free from dross owing to avoidance of love and hatred for friends and foes, etc. it is proper that they should have the Northern Path. So also the followers of the Purāṇas say: ‘Those unintelligent people who had desire for children, went to the funeral place. Those intelligent people who did not desire for children, attained to immortality.’

Objection: If there is the same path as also the same result of immortality for the householders and hermits having this same knowledge, then, the knowledge of the hermits becomes useless. And in that case these Vedic texts will be contradicted: ‘There the travellers on the Southern Path do not go, nor also the men of austerity who have no knowledge’, and, ‘It, being unknown, does not protect this one’1 (Br̥. I.4.15).

Reply: No, since what is intended here by the word immortality is, living in a world which continues till

'It has been said that the celibates attain immortality by following the virtues of their own stage of life. Now, the objection arises that, if this be so, i.e. if one can get immortality by following the virtues of one's own stage of life, then, the householders also will get this immortality, and the acquirement of knowledge by the hermits will be useless.

dissolution of all objects. With regard to that itself the

followers of the Purāṇas say: 'By the word immortality

is meant the place which continues till the dissolution

of all objects' (V.P.II.8.95). The texts, 'The travellers

of the Southern Path do not go there', and 'He does not

protect this one who does not know', are used with

reference to that which is absolute Immortality. Hence

there is no contradiction.

Objection: Does it not contradict the Upaniṣadic

text, 'And they do not return' (Pr. I. 10), 'They do not

return to this whirl of Manu' (IV.15.5)?

Reply: Not so, because there are the qualifying

words, 'This whirl of Manu', and 'For them there is no

return here'. If indeed they had not to return in the

absolute sense, then, the words 'this whirl of Manu'

and 'here' would have become meaningless.

Objection: The words 'this' and 'here' are used by way

of citing specimens only.

Reply: No. Since by the word 'non-return' itself is

understood as non-return for ever, it becomes useless

to imagine them as mere specimens. Therefore, to

make the adjectives 'this', and 'here' meaningful, it has

to be understood that the return occurs elsewhere.

Besides, for those who have the firm conviction that,

'The Reality is only One, without a second', there is no

journey along the Path of the flame etc. after passing

through the opening on the top of the head, which fact

is supported by hundreds of Upaniṣadic texts such as,

'Being but Brahman, he is merged in Brahman (Br. IV.

4. 6); 'It knew only Itself as, "I am Brahman"; there

fore It became all' (Br. I. 4. 10); 'Of him the organs do

not depart' (Br. IV. 4. 6); 'Here Itself they merge'.

Objection: May not the meaning be understood to be

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[V. 10. 2

that, the organs, when they are about to depart from the individual being, do not actually depart, but they go with the individual?

Reply: No. In that case such specification as, 'Here Itself they merge' would become meaningless (in the case of a man of realisation). Besides (in the case of a man of non-realisation) the departure of the organs is obvious from the text, 'All organs follow (the vital force)' (Br. IV. 4. 2). Therefore, it is not to be apprehended that the organs depart (in the case of a man of realisation). Since liberation is different from the cycle of transmigration, therefore, if it is stated that 'the organs do not depart from him', in order to forestall the possible misconception that the organs return (to this world) along with (the liberated) jīvas (individual souls), even then the specific statement, 'They merge here itself' becomes meaningless. Moreover, there cannot reasonably be any journey nor jīva-hood for one from whom the organs have departed. Since the reality which is the Self is all-pervasive and has no parts, therefore Its mere relationship with the organs is the only cause of the differences of individual souls which are like sparks of fire. Therefore, if the Vedic texts are to be accepted as valid, then, when that (relationship) ceases, it cannot be imagined that there can be either the individual souls, or any journey. Besides, it cannot be imagined that the individual soul is like an atom that has separated from Reality, and that it can depart from It by making a hole in that which is Existence by nature. Therefore, it is understood that the statement, 'Going up through it, one attains immortality' (Ka. II. 3.16), refers to the departure of the worshipper of the qualified Brahman, along with the

V. 10. 3] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 359

organs through the hole on the top of the head; and the immortality (referred to) is only relative not absolute. (It is not absolute Liberation) because after the description (of the world of Hiraṇyagarbha, the qualified Brahman) as an ‘Unconquered City’, and as possessed of a ‘lake of exhilarating gruel’, there occurs the qualifying statement, ‘For them surely is this world of Brahman’ (VIII.5. 3–4).

Hence, the householders who have knowledge of the five fires, ye ca ime, and those who are these hermits and mendicants, together with the lifelong celibates; who upāsate, practice with deligence—the word upā- sate being used in the sense of ‘devoted to’, as in the text, ‘They remain devoted to acts of sacrifice, public welfare, charity, etc.’ (V. 10. 3)—; śraddhā, faith; and tapah, austerity; iti, etc., i.e. remain faithful and austere; and, according to another Upaniṣadic text (Br. VI. 2.15), also those that meditate on the Brahman living in the Satyaloka (the world of Truth), who is called Hiraṇyagarbha,—all of them abhisambhavanti, reach; arciṣam, the flame, the deity of flame.

The remaining portion is to be expounded like the explanation of ‘journey’ in the fourth (i.e. IV. 15. 5). Eṣah devayānaḥ, this divine path as explained, culminates in the Satyaloka, and it is not outside this universe, according to the mantra-text, ‘They lie between the father (heaven) and mother (earth)’ (Br. VI. 2. 2).

अथ य इमे ग्राम इष्टापूर्ते दत्तमित्युपासते ते धूममभिसंभवन्ति धूमाद्रात्रिः रात्रेरपरपक्षमपरपक्षाद्यान् षड्दक्षिणैति मासाँ स्तानैते संवत्सरमभिप्राप्नुवन्ति ॥ ३ ॥

3. Then those in the village, who remain devoted to

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[V. 10. 3

acts of sacrifice, public welfare, charity, etc. they reach smoke; from smoke to night, from night to the dark fortnight, from the dark fortnight to the six months during which the sun moves southward. These do not reach the year.

The word atha, then, is used to introduce the next topic. Ye ime, these; grāme, in the village, the house-holders—(the word ‘grāme, in the village’, is used as a special qualification for the householders in order to distinguish them from the forest-dwellers, just as the word ‘aranye, in the forest’, is a qualifying word for the forest-dwellers and mendicants to distinguish them from the householders—); who upāsate, remain devoted to; iṣṭāpūrte, sacrifice (Vedic rites like Agnihotra etc.), and public welfare (construction of ponds, wells, tanks, and rest-houses), etc.; dattam, charity, distribution of wealth according to one’s capacity to deserving persons outside the sacrificial place; iti, etc., i.e. (devoted to) this kind of conduct and helpfulness, etc. (the word iti having been used to indicate different kinds of activity); being devoid of knowledge, te, they; abhi-sambhavanti, reach, move towards; dhūmam, smoke, the deity of smoke. Being led by that deity, dhūmāt, from smoke; they reach rātrim, night, the deity of night; rātreḥ, from night; verily aparapakṣam, to the dark fortnight, the deity of the dark fortnight; aparapakṣāt, from the dark fortnight; ṣaḍmāsān, to the six months; yan, during which; the sun eti, moves, dakṣiṇam, southward; they reach those months which are presided over by the deities of the winter solstice. Since the deities of the six months move in a group, therefore the word ṣaḍmāsān is used in the plural.

V. 10. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 361

Ete, these, these ritualists who are under discussion; na, do not; prāpnuvanti, reach; samvatsaram, the year, the deity of the year.

Objection: How does the question of their reaching the year arise (at all), because of which the denial is made?

Reply: The question does arise because the summer and winter solstices are two parts of a single year. Among them (the two solstices) it has been said that, for those who proceed along the paths starting from flame, there is the attainment of the year from the months constituting the summer solstice, which are a part of the whole (year). So here also, after hearing that they reach the months of winter solstice, there arises the possibility of their reaching the whole year as in the earlier case. Hence is denied its attainment, by saying ‘They do not reach the whole year.’

मासेभ्य: पितृलोकं पितृलोकादाकाशमाकाशाच्चन्द्रमसमेष सोमो राजा तददेवानामन्नं तं देवा भक्षयन्ति॥४॥

4. From the months to the world of manes, from the world of manes to the interspace, from the interspace to the moon. This is the King Soma. That is food for the gods. Him the gods eat.

Māsebhyah, from the months; pitṛlokam, to the world of manes; pitṛlokāt, from the world of manes; ākāśam, to the interspace; ākāśāt, from the interspace; candramasam, to the moon. Who is that moon which is reached by them? It is that which is seen in the inter-space, and that is rājā, the King; soma, Soma of the Brāhmins; tat, that; is annam, food; devānām, for the gods; tam, him, the moon; devāḥ, the gods, Indra and

others; bhakṣayanti, eat as food. Therefore they, the ritualists, moving through the path of smoke etc. and becoming identified with the moon, are eaten by the gods.

Objection: Is not the performance of sacrifices etc. a source of evil, if they (the ritualists) turn into food and are eaten by gods?

Reply: This fault does not arise, since by the word 'food' is meant only a thing of enjoyment. For they are not eaten by gods in morsels. What then? They become merely things of enjoyment to gods, like wife, animals, servants, and others. And it is noticed that the word food (anna) is used for a thing of enjoyment, as in, 'To kings the wife is enjoyable (annam), animals are enjoyable (annam), the merchants are enjoyable (annam)', etc. Not that for those wives and others there is no enjoyment though they themselves are enjoyed by men. Hence, though the ritualists become enjoyable to the gods, they play happily with the gods. And in the lunar sphere are produced their bodies of water, which are fit for deriving enjoyment.

This has been said earlier that, when water referred to by the word 'faith' is offered as an oblation in the heavenly fire, it becomes King Soma (moon) (V. 4. 2). Those waters, associated with rites and pervaded by other elements, turn into the moon after reaching the heavenly world, and become the source of the bodies of the performers of rites etc. And when the last oblation in the form of offering the body in the funeral fire is made, when the body becomes burnt by fire, then, the waters rising from that body go up with the smoke by surrounding the sacrificer, and after having reached

V. 10. 5] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 363

the lunar sphere, become the producers of an external body, as though those waters are the materials taking the place of Kuśa-grass and earth (which are used in making images of clay). And he (the sacrificer) stays there, enjoying through that body the fruits of his sacrifices etc. (till the period due for the enjoyment of food is exhausted).

तस्मिन्यावत्सम्पातमुषित्वाथैतमेवाध्वानं पुनर्निवर्तन्ते यथेतमाकाशमाकाशाद्वायुर्भूत्वा धूमो भवति धूमो भूत्या्भं भवति ॥ ५ ॥

5. Having lived there till the exhaustion of the fruits, he again returns along the very path by which he had gone. He reaches the intermediate-space; from the intermediate-space he returns to air; becoming identified with air he turns into smoke; becoming smoke he turns into white cloud.

Sampāta means the cause through which they fall down, i.e. the exhaustion of the results of rites. Yāvat sampātam (means) till the exhaustion of the results of rites etc. which are the causes of enjoyment; uṣitvā, having lived; tasmin, there in the lunar world for that long; atha, then; nivartante, they return; punah, again; etam eva, to this itself; along adhvānam, the path which is going to be spoken of and by which he had gone. From the use of the words ‘they return again’, it is understood that earlier also they had, more than once, gone to the lunar sphere and returned from there. Therefore, by performing such rites and duties etc. as sacrifices etc. people go to the moon, and they return when the results are exhausted. They cannot stay there

even for a moment (more), owing to the exhaustion of the results of rites etc. which are the causes for their staying there, just as a lamp goes out when its oil is exhausted.

Opponent: As to that, does a man who goes to the lunar sphere return from there after the exhaustion of all the results, or does he do so with some residual results?

Reply: What are you driving at?

Opponent: If all the results of rites are exhausted, then, Liberation comes to the man when he is still in the lunar world itself.

Reply: Let the question as to whether he attains Liberation on the moon itself or not, be put off for a while. (If all the results of actions are exhausted on the moon itself) then, for one who comes from there to this world there will be no possibility of embodiment, enjoyment, etc. And there will be contradiction with the Smṛti text, ‘As a result of the remainder of that (he gets embodied).’ Is it not a fact that in the human world, over and above such activities as sacrifice, public welfare, charity etc. there is the possibility of many other activities consequent on the enjoyment with the body? And those results are not enjoyed in the lunar world. So they remain unexhausted. Only those results get exhausted owing to which he had ascended to the lunar world. Thus there is no contradiction. And the word ‘remainder’ (in the Smṛti), refers to the residue of all actions in general. Therefore, this defect of getting Liberation in the lunar world does not exist.

And the results of actions, which can be enjoyed in various incompatible kinds of bodies can, at a time,

V. 10. 5] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 365

lead to the birth of only one kind of a creature. Besides, it is not possible to enjoy the results of all actions in a single life. And it is mentioned in the Smṛti that a single sin like the killing of a Brāhmin becomes productive of many lives. Moreover, those extremely ignorant people who have attained the states of non-moving things, cannot start doing works that are meant for excellence. There will be no cause for any transmigration for those who, after entering into the wombs, have been aborted, since there will be no possibility for them to do any work. Therefore, all the results of actions cannot be enjoyed in a single life.

As for the statement (of another view) made by some people that, after the destruction of the locus of results of all actions, the (residual) results produce another body: with regard to that, it is not logical to say that some of the results of works stand by without becoming effective while some others bring about rebirth, since death is the revealer of all results of actions, like a lamp that reveals all objects within its range.

Vedāntin: That is wrong. For it is admitted that all things are identified' with the all-pervading Self (see Bṛ. on Madhu-Brahman). Since all things are identified with all-pervading Self, and since they are delimited by time, space, and causation, there can be no destruction or origin of anything in its totality. So also

'That is to say, the essence of all objects in this creation exists, to a greater or lesser extent, in those objects. Only, the cause of coming into existence and destruction of each object is different, depending on time, space and causation. Therefore, though a particular manner of destruction of a particular object is the cause of manifestation of particular results of action, it cannot be the cause of manifestation of all the results of action. Some results of action remain unmanifest, and they become manifest at a suitable time.

366

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[V. 10. 5

is the case with regard to the locus1 of actions and their results. As the various incompatible tendencies acquired by the experiences in earlier lives as man, peacock, monkey and others, do not get eliminated when a monkey-life is begun by those results of works that are due to bring about the monkey-life, so also is it reasonable that, the results of works which are due to commence another life do not get eliminated. If by the results of works that are due to produce a monkey-life, all the tendencies acquired through the experiences of previous lives be eliminated, then, when the monkey-life is commenced by the results of the tendencies that are to produce the monkey-life, the monkey that is just born would not get the skill of holding to the mother's belly when she jumps from one branch to another, since it has had no practice in this life. And it cannot be said that in the lives just preceding, it was nothing but a monkey. There is this supporting Śruti text, 'It is followed by knowledge, work and past experience' (Br. IV.4.2). Thus, just as in the case of tendencies, there is no total destruction of results of work, and hence there is the possibility for residual results. Since this is so, therefore it is logical that transmigration becomes possible owing to the results remaining as residue after the enjoyment of (other) results of actions.2

Which is that path to which they return? That is being said: Nivartante, they return; adhvanam, to the path; yathetam, by which they had gone.

1The results of action do not manifest themselves entirely or get destroyed entirely with the manifestation or destruction of any one particular locus (aggregate of body and organs).

2See B.G. IX. 20–1.

V. 10. 6] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 367

Objection: But, was not the order of going stated to be from the months to the world of manes, from the world of manes to the intermediate-space, from the intermediate-space to the moon, while the return is not so stated? What is the order then? (The order is) from intermediate-space to air etc. So, how is it said that 'they return as they had gone'?

Reply: There is no such fault because there is the similarity of reaching the intermediate-space as also the earth. Moreover, there is no rule here that it must be just like the going. They return through some other stages as well. But the rule is that they do return. Therefore the words, 'as they had gone by', are used only synecdochically. Therefore, they then reach the material ākāśam, intermediate-space. The waters that were productive of their bodies in the lunar world, cease to exist when the results of works which were the cause of enjoyment there get evaporated, like a lump of clarified butter when it comes into contact with fire. After vanishing they become subtle like ether in the intermediate-space. From the intermediate-space they become air. Having become air and staying in the air, they are carried hither and thither, and the individual soul whose results are exhausted, turns into air along with those waters. After becoming smoke it turns into white cloud having merely the form of being full of water.

अब्रं भूत्‍वा मेघो भवति मेघो भूत्‍वा प्रवर्षति त इह व्रीहियवा ओषधिवनस्‍पतयस्तिलमाषा इति जायन्तेऽतो वै खलु दुर्निश्‍प्रतिपतं यो यो ह्यन्नमत्ति यो रेतः सिञ्चति तद्भूय एव भवति ॥ ६ ॥

368

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[V. 10. 6

6. After becoming the white cloud it turns into (thick) cloud. After becoming the (thick) cloud it comes down as rain. Those individual souls are born here as paddy, barley, herbs, sesamum, black pulse, etc. It is certainly more difficult to come out of these. He takes birth in the very form of him whosoever eats food, whoever ejects semen.

Bhūtvā, after becoming; abhram, white cloud; bhavati, he turns into; meghah, (thick) cloud which is capable of pouring down. Then meghah bhūtvā, after becoming (thick) cloud; pravarṣati, he comes down as rain on high grounds. The meaning is that he, with his residual results of action, comes down in the form of pouring rain. Te, they (whose results of work have become attenuated); jāyante, are born; iha, here; iti, as; vrīhi-yava-oṣadhi-vanaspatayaḥ-tila-māṣāḥ, paddy, barley, herb, trees, sesamum, and black pulse. The plural (in jāyante) is used because the souls with attenuated results are many. But in the earlier stages as clouds etc. because the individual souls have the same form, they are indicated by the singular number. Since for those souls which come with rainfall, there are thousands of places like precipices of mountains, inaccessible regions, rivers, sea, forests, and deserts, where they can get deposited, ataḥ, therefore, because of this reason; vai khalu, it is certainly; durniṣprapataram, difficult to come out. For they reach a river by being carried by the current flowing down from the mountain slope, from there they go to the sea, then they are swallowed by aquatic animals like shark etc.; those again are eaten by others. There itself, again, they get dissolved in the sea along with the sea-animals, and are

V. 10. 6] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 369

sucked up along with the sea-waters as clouds, to fall down again as rainfall on desert land, rocky precipices, or inaccessible places, and remain there. By chance they are drunk by snakes, deers, etc. or by others. Those again are eaten by others. In this way, in such states they move in cycles. Sometimes they are born among (unmoving) things which are inedible, and dry up there itself. As even for those who are born among the edible, unmoving things, it is difficult indeed to get associated with bodies (of male creatures) that eject semen, since the unmoving things are numerous, hence is the difficulty of coming out. Or, it is more difficult to issue out of these existences like paddy, barley, etc.

In the word durniṣprataram is to be noted that one ta remains understood. The attainment of the states of paddy, barley, etc. is difficult (durniṣpratara), and association with a body that ejects semen is more difficult (durniṣpratatara). This is the meaning. When they are eaten by celibates, children, eunuchs, or the old, they dry up in the intermediate stage, since eaters of food are innumerable. If at any time they are eaten perchance by those who have become identified with the ejectors of semen, then, the results of the work of those who have become identified with the nature of ejectors of semen, reach the stage of fruition. How? Among those eating the food with which a soul remains associated, and yah, whoever; retaḥ siñcati, ejects semen into a woman in proper time; the associated1 soul who had entered into the mother's womb in the form of semen (from the father), bhavati, takes birth; tadbhūyah, in that very form, by adopting (bhūyaḥ) to a large

1The individual soul does not get transformed into the different stages of cloud etc. but remains merely associated with them.

24

extent the formation (tat) of his father's limbs, since the seed is potentially possessed of the form of the father. This is supported by another Upaniṣadic text, 'That which is the semen is extracted from all the limbs as their vigour' (Ai. II. 1.1). Therefore he verily assumes the form after the father. This is the meaning. Thus indeed, from a human being a human being is born, from a cow comes a calf, with that very form. The body does not take the form of any other class. Therefore, it is proper to say that he takes birth with that very form to a large extent.

But those who are different from the souls remaining in association (with barley, paddy etc.) and who, owing to their excessive sinful acts, assume the states of paddy, barley, etc. without ascending to the lunar world, (but) not the human form again—, for them coming out is not more difficult as it is in case of the souls, who are in association (with these things). Why? Because such bodies as paddy, barley, etc. are earned by them through their karma (results of actions).

Hence, when the cause of those means of enjoyment becomes eliminated, and their body in the form of a sheaf of paddy etc. get destroyed, then, according to their merit the individual souls move on from one new body to another, like a leech, indeed with consciousness'. This is supported by another Śruti text, 'Then the soul becomes endowed with consciousness, and goes to the body which is related to that consciousness' (Bṛ. IV. 4. 2). Although they go to a different body, with the organs withdrawn, still, he goes to another body, indeed along with consciousness.

As is the case 'Consciousness in the form of those particular tendencies which have become awakened for the next embodiment.

V. 10. 6] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 371

in dream, he goes with consciousness in the form of tendencies which are made potent by the merit earned by himself, which is established on the authority of the Upaniṣads. Similarly, the journey along the paths starting from flame or smoke, is owing to the consciousness made active as in dream, since the journey depends on those merits that have been awakened. But it is not logical that the associated souls, who take birth in the form of paddy, barley, etc. get connected along with their consciousness, to the father and the mother, because when paddy, barley, etc. are harvested, threshed, and ground, the associated souls cannot continue with consciousness.

Objection: Is it not reasonable that, for those also coming down from the moon there is the similarity of going to different bodies, like leeches, indeed along with consciousness? If that be so, then, for those who perform sacrifices, public welfare, etc. there will be the experience of suffering in terrible hell, after their return from the lunar world till they are born as a Brāhmaṇa and others. And in that case the inculcation of performing sacrifice, public welfare, etc. will have to be concluded as meant for evil only, and the Vedic text also will become invalidated since Vedic rites will be productive of evil.

Reply: No, since there is distinction1 as between ascending a tree and falling down from it. This is because, for a soul who wishes to go from one body to another, its merit becomes more active. It is logical

'When a man ascends a tree he does so with alertness. But when he falls from there, that happens accidentally, without his awareness. Similar is the case in ascending to the moon and dropping from there.—Ā.G.

372 CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD [V. 10. 6

that the soul should have consciousness, it being awakened by his merit, like a man climbing a tree for getting some fruit. Similarly there should be consciousness for those who move along the path of flame etc., as also for those who desire to reach the lunar world through the path of smoke etc. But there will be no such consciousness for those who happen to come down from the lunar world, like people falling from the top of a tree. And as in the case of people struck by a club, and fallen unconscious with their organs withdrawn due to the pain thereof, no awareness is noticed even though they are carried from place to place along with their own bodies, so also is the case with those who—with their organs rendered inactive, and their bodies made of water destroyed owing to the exhaustion of the merit calculated to produce heavenly enjoyment—, come down from the lunar world for the sake of other bodies such as that of a human being etc. Therefore, they descend, like unconscious people, to this earth through the stages of ether etc. but not separated from water which is the seed of another fresh body, and become connected with classes of unmoving things according to their merit; and since their organs are rendered inactive, they indeed remain devoid of active awareness. So, since their merit which is to bring forth another body does not become activated, therefore, when passing through such stages as harvesting, threshing, grinding, cooking, eating, turning into liquids, and ejection of semen, they indeed remain like an unconscious man. They continue in all the states without indeed, leaving their connection with the ‘water’ which is the source of fresh bodies. In

this way, the possession of consciousness, like a leech, is not contradicted. But in the intermediate stage there is unconsciousness verily as in the case of a man in stupor. Hence there is no defect.

And it cannot be inferred that, since they are associated with cruelty, the Vedic rites are the producers of both kinds of results (virtue and vice), because this cruelty is enjoined by scriptures. For, according to the Vedic text, ‘not injuring any creature, other than what is prescribed in the scriptures’ (VIII. 15.1), it is known that cruelty sanctioned by scriptures does not cause vice. Even if it is admitted that this is the producer of vice still, it is reasonable that the fault can be removed like the removal of poison by incantation. It cannot be reasonable that Vedic rites can be the producers of evil, as poison is not when swallowed with incantation.

तद्य इह रमणीयचरणा अभ्याशो ह यत्ते रमणीयां योनिमापद्येरब्राह्मणयोनिं वा क्षत्रिययोनिं वा वैश्ययोनिं वाथ य इह कपूयचरणा अभ्याशो ह यत्ते कपूयां योनिमापद्येरश्वयोनिं वा सूकरयोनिं वा चण्डालयोनिं वा॥७॥

7. Among them those who were performers of meritorious deeds here, they will attain good births indeed in a quick manner—birth as a Brāhmin, or birth as a Kṣatriya, or birth as a Vaisya. On the other hand, those who were performers of bad deeds here, they will attain bad births indeed in a quick manner—birth as a dog, or birth as a pig, or birth as a Caṇḍāla.

Tat, among them, among the associated souls (seeking rebirth); ye, those; who were ramanīya-caraṇāḥ,

performers of meritorious deeds, engaged in meritorious deeds; iha, here, in this world,—those are called performers of meritorious deeds whose actions had been virtuous, for those who are free from cruelty, untruthfulness and deception, are fit to be referred to as 'possessed of residual good results' (leading to the next birth); with that residual good result (which is productive of the next birth), (i.e.) with the virtuous deeds which remain as remnants after the enjoyment in the lunar world, te, they; abhyāśah, quickly; ha, indeed; (-yat, is an adverb meaning 'in the manner that is quick'—) āpadyeran, attain; yonim, birth; which is ramanīyam, good, free from cruelty etc.; brāhmaṇa-yonim, birth as a Brāhmin; vā, or; kṣatriya-yonim, birth as a Kṣatriya; vā, or; vaiśya-yonim, birth as a Vaiśya, in accordance with their own merit. Atha, on the other hand; ye, those; who are opposite of those stated above, kapūya-caraṇaḥ, performers of bad deeds, who return with the remnants of bad deeds; āpadyeran, they will attain; abhyāśaḥ ha yat, in a manner that is indeed quick; kapūyām, bad, indeed bad, without any connection with virtue, condemnable; yonim, birth; in accordance with the merit śva-yonim, birth as a dog; vā, or; sūkara-yonim, birth as a pig; vā, or; caṇḍāla-yonim, birth as a Caṇḍāla, surely in accordance with their own merits.

But those who are twice born, the performers of meritorious deeds, who follow their own duties and undertake sacrifices etc. they depart and return again and again through the path of smoke etc. like moving on a Persian-wheel. In case they take recourse to meditation, then, they go along the path of flame etc.

V. 10. 8] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 375

अथैतयो: पथोर्न कतरेण च न तानीमानि शूद्राण्यसकृदावर्तीनि भूतानि भवन्ति जायस्व प्रियस्वेत्येततृतियं स्थानं तेनासौ लोको न सम्पूर्यते तस्माज्जुगुप्सेत तदेष श्लोक: ॥ ८॥

8. On the other hand, through neither of these two paths are born those small creatures which transmigrate again and again. This third state is indicated by the words, ‘Be born and die’. Thereby the other world does not become filled up. Therefore this should be despised. In confirmation of it, occurs this verse:

If they are neither followers of meditation nor even performers of acts like sacrifice and public welfare, atha, then; they na, do not; proceed along katareṇa, either one or the other of these two paths indicated by flame, smoke, etc. as stated. Tāni, they; bhavanti, are born; as imāni, these; kṣudrāṇi, small; bhūtāni, creatures—gadflies, mosquitoes, insects etc.; asakṛt āvartīni, which transmigrate again and again. The meaning is that, those who have fallen from both the paths, surely are born and die, again’ and again. Their continuity in a succession of birth and death is being stated thus: By ‘jāyasva mriyasva, Be born and die’, is being stated the action directed by God. Their time is spent in mere birth and death. But they have no time either for work or for worthy enjoyment. As compared with the two paths stated earlier, this is the third state of transmigration as exemplified by these small creatures. Since even those who travel along the Southern Path return again, therefore, for those who are not competent for meditation and rites, there can surely be no

travelling along the Southern Path. Tena, thereby; asau lokah, the other world; na sampūryate, does not become filled up.

But as for the fifth question (by the King) it has already been explained while speaking of meditation on the five fires. The first question has been disposed of by the statements about the Northern and Southern Paths. The separation of the Southern and Northern Paths has also been explained thus: The consignment of the dead bodies into fire is common. The separation starts from there. Some go by the Northern Path and some others by the Southern. Again, uniting after the attainment of the six months of summer and winter solstices, they once more separate. Some reach the year, and some of them reach the world of manes from the (six) months. The return of the souls along with their residual merits from the lunar world, through the stages starting from intermediate-space etc. has also been stated. The non-filling up of the other world has been stated by the Upaniṣad in its own words: ‘Thereby the other world does not become filled up.’

Since this transmigratory course is thus painful, tas-māt, therefore; jugupseta, it should be despised. And also because the little creatures, whose time is consumed in experiencing pain originating from birth and death, and which are shoved into terrible darkness as though into a bottomless sea without any raft, from where it is difficult to come out, are without hope of crossing it—, for that reason also one should despise, be afraid of, be hateful of the course of transmigration, so that there may not be any falling into this kind of a terrible, vast sea of transmigration. Eṣah, this; ślokah,

V. 10. 10] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 377

verse expressing; tat, the above idea occurs for eulogizing meditation on the five fires.

स्तेनो हिरण्यस्य सुरां पिब॔श्च गुरोस्तल्पमावस॔ब्रह्महा चैते पञ्चर्चचारः पतत्यस्मै॔स्तैगिति ॥ ९ ॥

9. A stealer of gold, a drinker of wine, one sleeping on his guru's bed, and a killer of a Brāhmaṇa—these four, as also the fifth one who has dealings with them, meet with a fall.

Stenah, a stealer; hiraṇyasya, of gold belonging to a Brāhmaṇa; one piban, drinking; surām, wine (though being a Brāhmaṇa; ca, and; one avasan, sleeping; talpam, on the bed; guroh, of (his) guru, i.e. sleeping with the guru's wife; ca, and; brahmahā, a killer of a Brāhmaṇa; these catvārah, four; patanti, meet with a fall; ca, as also; pañcamah, the fifth one; who ācaran, has dealings; taih, with them.

अथ ह य एतानेवं पञ्चाग्रि॔वेद न सह तैर्‌प्याचरण्याप्नोति शुद्धः पूतः पुण्यलोको भवति य एवं वेद य एवं वेद॥ १०॥ इति दशमः खण्डः॥ १०॥

10. Again, anyone who knows these five fires thus, does not become besmeared with sin even though he mixes with them. Anyone who knows thus, anyone who knows thus, becomes unsullied, pure and a dweller in the world of virtue.

Atha ha, again; anyone yah, who; veda, knows; etān, these; pañcāgṅin, five fires as stated; evam, thus; sah, he; api, even though; ācaran, has dealings; saha, with;

378 CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD [V. 10. 10

taiḥ, them, with the great sinners; na, does not become; lipyate, besmeared; pāpmanā, with sin. Yaḥ evam veda, anyone who knows thus—knows all the subject matters asked through the five questions; remaining śuddhah, unsullied indeed; and pūtah, pure, having become purified through the knowledge of those five fires; bhavati, he becomes; punyalokaḥ, a dweller in the world of virtue, of the worlds of Pra-jāpati and others. The repetition of ‘He who knows’, etc. is for showing that all the questions have been answered.

SECTION I I

प्राचीनशाला औपमन्यवः सत्ययज्ञः पौलुषिरिन्द्रद्युम्नो भाल्लवेयो जनः शार्कराक्ष्यो बुडिल आश्वतराश्विस्ते हैते महाशाला महाश्रोत्रियाः समेत्य मीमाꣳसाꣳ चक्रुः को न आत्मा किं ब्रह्मेति॥ १ ॥

1. Prācīnaśāla—the son of Upāmanyu, Satya-yajña—the son of Puluṣa, Indradyumna—the son of Bhāllavi, Jana—the son of Śārkarakṣa, and Buḍila—the son of Āśvatarasva—these great householders and adepts in the Vedas, assembled together and conducted a discussion: Which is our Self? Who is Brahman?

In the text, ‘That is food for gods’, ‘Him the gods eat’ (V. 10.4), it has been stated that those who travel along the Southern Path become food as it were. And the painful course of transmigration in the form of small creatures has also been told. To avoid both of those defects, the succeeding text is begun for the attainment

V. 11. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 379

of the state of Vaiśvānara, the Eater, which fact is gathered from such indicative words as, 'You eat food, you see the desirable'. The story is meant for easy comprehension, and for showing the procedure of imparting knowledge.

Prācinaśālāḥ, Prācinaśāla by name; aupamanyavaḥ, the son of Upamanyu; satyayajñāḥ, Satyayajña by name; pauluṣiḥ, the son of Puluṣa, similarly indradyumnaḥ, Indradyumna by name; bhāllaveyaḥ—the son of Bhallava is Bhāllavi and his son is Bhāllaveya; jana, Jana by name; śārkarākṣyaḥ, the son of Śarkarākṣa; budilaḥ, Budila by name; āśvatarāśviḥ, the son of Aśvatarāśva; te ha ete, all those five indeed; were mahāśālāḥ, great householders, possessed of big houses; and mahāśrotriyāḥ, adepts in the Vedas, in its study and practice. They who were of this kind, sametya, having assembled some where; cakruh, conducted; mīmāmsām, a discussion. This is the idea.

How?

Kaḥ, which is; naḥ, our; ātmā, Self? Kim, who; is brahma, Brahman?

The words ātmā (Self) and Brahman are the adjectives and substantives of each other. The word Brahman rules out the Self limited by the body. And the word ātmā (Self) rules out the meditation on the sun etc. which are different from the Self as Brahman. The Self is indeed Brahman, and Brahman is surely the Self, without any duality. In this way it becomes established that the all-pervasive Vaiśvānara is Brahman, and he is the Self. This fact is obvious from such indicative sentences as, 'Your head will fall' (V.12.2); 'You would become blind' (5.13.2), etc.

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[V. 11. 2

ते ह सम्पादयाज्चकुरुुद्दालको वै भगवन्तोडयमारुणि:

सम्रतीममात्मानं वैश्वानरमध्येति तं हन्ताभ्यागच्छामेति तं

हाभ्याजग्मु: ॥ २ ॥

2. They decided (about their teacher). ‘O Vener-

able sirs, Uddālaka, son of Aruṇa now knows this Self

who is Vaiśvānara. If it pleases you, we shall go to him.’

They went to him.

Even while engaged in the discussion, not being able

to arrive at a conclusion, te ha, they; sampādayan

cakruh, decided about the teacher of the Self. ‘Bhaga-

vantah, O venerable sirs; ayam, this; āruṇih, the son of

Aruṇa; uddālakah vai, well-known as Uddālaka; sam-

prati, now; smarati, remembers, knows thoroughly;

ayam, this; ātmānam, Self; who is vaiśvānaram, the

Vaiśvanara sought for by us. Hanta, if it pleases you;

abhyāgacchāmah, we shall now go; tam, to him. Having

decided thus they abhyājagmuh, went; tam, to him.

स ह सम्पादयाज्चकार प्रक्ष्यन्ति मामिमे महाशाला

महाश्रोत्रियास्तेभ्यो न सर्वमिव प्रतिपस्ये हन्ताहम-

न्यमभ्यनूशासानीति ॥ ३ ॥

3. He decided (thus): ‘These great householders

and adepts in the Vedas will question me. I may not be

able to tell them everything. Let me tell them of some

other teacher.’

As soon as sah ha, he saw them; having understood

the reason of their coming, he sampādayāñcakāra,

decided.

How?

V. 11. 5] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 381

Ime, these; mahāśālāḥ, great householders; mahā-śrotriyāḥ, great adepts in the Vedas; praksyanti, will question; mām, me about Vaiśvanara. I, na iva, may not be; pratipatsye, able to answer; tebhyah, them; sarvam, everything. Therefore, hanta, let it be; that aham, I; abhyanuśāsāni, shall tell them; anyam, (of) some other teacher.

तान्होवाचाश्वपतिर्वै भगवन्नोडयं कैकेयः सम्प्रतीम-मात्मानं वैश्वानरमध्येति तँहन्ताभ्यागच्छामेति तँहाभ्याजग्मुः ॥ ४॥

4. To them he said: ‘O venerable sirs, this well-known Aśvapati, son of Kekaya, now surely knows of this Self who is Vaiśvanara. If it pleases you, we shall go to him.’ To him they went.

Having decided thus, tān, to them; uvāca ha, he said; ‘Bhagavantah, O venerable sirs; ayam, this; vai, well-known; aśvapatiḥ, Aśvapati; kaikeyaḥ, son of Kekaya; samprati, now; adhyeiti, knows fully; imam, this; āt-mānam, Self; who is vaiśvānaram, Vaiśvānara. ‘He knows’, etc. is to be explained as before.

तेभ्यो ह प्राप्तेभ्यः पथगर्हीणि कारयांचकार स ह प्राप्तः सज्जिज्ञान उवाच न मे स्तेनो जनपदे न कदर्यो न मद्यपो नानाहिताग्रिर्नाविद्वान् स्वैरी स्वैरिणी कुतो यक्ष्यमाणो वै भगवन्नोडहमस्मि यावदेकस्मा ऋत्विजे धनं दास्यामि तावदभगवद्भ्यो दास्यामि वसन्तु भगवन्त इति॥ ५॥

5. For them, when they had arrived, he arranged for adoration individually. After leaving his bed in the morning, he said (to them):

'In my kingdom there is no thief, no miser, no wine-bibber; none who does not perform sacrifice, none uneducated, no lewd person. How can there be any adulteress? O venerable sirs, I shall surely be performing a sacrifice. I shall give you as much wealth as I shall be giving to any single priest. Please stay on, venerable sirs.'

Tebhyah ha, for them; prāptebhyah, when they had arrived; the King kārayāñcakāra, arranged for; arhāni, adoration; pṛthak, individually, through the priests and servants. Next day, saḥ ha, he the king; sañjihānaḥ, after leaving his bed; prātaḥ, in the morning; uvāca, said, approaching them with modesty: 'Please accept this wealth from me.' Being rejected by them, he thought: 'They surely find fault with me because of which they do not accept wealth from me.' With this thought in mind, he said, for establishing his good conduct:—

Mama janapade, in my kingdom; there is na stenah, no thief, a stealer of others' wealth; na kadaryaḥ, no miser who does not give in charity in spite of having wealth; na madyapaḥ, no one who, being foremost among the twice-born, is yet a wine-bibber; na anāhitāgniḥ, none who does not perform sacrifices even though possessed of a hundred heads of cattle; na avidvān, no person who is not educated according to his status; na swairī, no lewd person who visits others' wives. Therefore, kutah, how can there be; any svairiṇī, adulteress? The idea is that there is no possibility of a voluptuous woman.

Being told by them, 'We are not seekers of wealth'; he thought, (They are not accepting the wealth because

V. 11. 7] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 383

it is too little, and said, ‘Bhagavantaḥ, O venerable sirs; aham, I; yakṣyamāṇaḥ vai asmi, shall surely be performing a sacrifice in a few days. Yāvat, as much; dhanam, wealth; as dāsyāmi, I shall give; eka-ekasmai ṛtvije, to any single priest, from the wealth set apart by me for that purpose; tāvat, that much; dāsyāmi, I shall give; also bhagavadbhyah, to you, individually. Vasantu, please stay on; bhagavantaḥ, O venerable sirs, and also watch my sacrifice.’

ते होचुर्येन हैवार्थेन पुरुषश्श्रेतॆ हैव वदेदात्मानमेवेंॆ वैश्वानरꣳ सम्प्रत्यध्येषि तमेव नो ब्रूहीति ॥ ६ ॥

6. They said, ‘One should speak of that very subject for which purpose indeed a person surely approaches. Now, you know this very Self which is Vaiśvānara. Tell us of Him indeed.’

Having been told so (by the King) te, they; ūcuh ha, said: ‘Vadet, one should speak; tam ha eva, that very subject; yena ha eva arthena, for which purpose indeed; puruṣaḥ, a person; caret, approaches, goes to someone. This indeed is the purpose of our coming. This is the custom followed by good people. We are the seekers of the knowledge of Vaiśvānara. Samprati, now; adhyeṣi, you know fully; imam, this; eva, very; ātmānam, Self; which is vaiśvānaram, Vaiśvānara. Therefore, brūhi, tell, naḥ, us; eva, indeed; of tam, Him.

तान्होवाच प्रातर्वꣳ प्रतिवक्तास्मीति ते ह समित्पाणयः पूर्वाह्णे प्रतिचक्रमिरे तान्हानुपनीयैवैतदुवाच ॥ ७ ॥

इत्येकादशः खण्डः ॥ ११ ॥

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[V. 11. 7

7. To them he said, ‘(Next) morning I shall answer.’

In the forenoon they approached him with faggots in hand. Even without initiating them, he said this:

Tān, to them; uvāca ha, he said; ‘Prātah, in the morning; prativaktā asmi, I shall be giving answers; vah, to you.’ Being told so, and becoming aware of the King’s intention; praticakramire, they approached the King next day; pūrvāhne, in the forenoon; samitpāṇa-yah, with faggots in hand. Although they were great householders, great adepts in the Vedas, and, Brāhmins still, in this way they abandoned their pride of being great householders etc. and for acquiring knowledge, approached with modesty the King, who was lower in caste. Others who are seekers after knowledge should behave similarly. And to them he imparted knowledge; eva, even; anupanīya tān, without initiating them. The import of the story is that, as he imparted knowledge to competent persons, so also should knowledge be imparted by others. The words ‘uvāca, he said; etat, this’, are to be connected with the knowledge of Vaiśvānara that is going to be spoken of.

SECTION 12

औपमन्यव कं त्वात्मानमुपास्स इति। दिवमेव भगवो राजञ्‍ञिति होवाचैष वै सुतेजा आत्मा वैश्वानरो यं त्वात्मानमुपास्से तस्मात्तव सुतं प्रसुतमासुतं कुले दूश्यते॥ १ ॥

1. ‘O son of Upanyu, which Self do you meditate on?’ He said, ‘O venerable King, (I meditate on) the heaven?’

V. 12. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 385

heaven indeed.' The King said, 'The Self on whom you meditate is indeed, the Self called “Vaiśvānara possessed of good light”. Therefore it is seen that in your line Soma juice is extracted, it is extracted abundantly, and it is extracted over many days.

It is being stated as to how he (the King) spoke: 'Aupamanyava, O son of Upamanyu, kam, whom; do tvam, you; upāsse, meditate on; as ātmānam, the Self called Vaiśvānara?' This he asked.

Objection: Is it not improper that, being a teacher, one should ask the student?

Reply: There is no such defect, since the procedure is seen to be like this in: 'You approach me with (tell me) that which you know. I shall tell you of things that are beyond them' (VII.1.1). Elsewhere also it is seen that, in the case of a student who does not comprehend, a question is put by the teacher for the sake of arousing comprehension, as in the question of Ajātaśatru: 'Where was It, and whence did it thus come?' (Br. II.1.16)

Uvāca ha, he said; 'Bhagavah rājan, O venerable King; I meditate on divam, heaven; eva, indeed, as Vaiśvānara.' The King (said): 'Yam tam ātmānam upāsse, the Self on which you meditate, one part of the Self that you meditate on; vai, is indeed; the ātmā, Self; called vaiśvānarah, Vaiśvānara; well-known to be sute-jāh, possessed of good light, because he is a part of the Self. Tasmāt, therefore, as a result of the meditation on Vaiśvānara as possessed of good light; dṛśyate, it is seen; that tava kule, in your line; sutam, juice is extracted in the form of Soma-juice during a rite; prasutam, (it is) extracted abundantly; and asutam,

25

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[V. 12. 1

extracted over many days.1 The idea is that, ‘persons belonging to your line are much devoted to rites’.

अत्स्यन्न पश्यसि प्रियमत्यन्न पश्यति प्रियं भवत्यस्य ब्रह्मवर्चसं कुले य एतमेवमात्मानं वैश्वानरमुपास्ते मूर्धा त्वेष आत्मेति होवाच मूर्धा ते व्यपतिष्यदन्नां नागमिष्य इति॥ २ ॥ इति द्वादशः खण्डः॥ १२ ॥

2. ‘You eat food and see the pleasant. He who meditates on this one as the very Self which is Vaiśvānara, he eats food and sees the pleasant, and in his lineage occurs the lustre of knowing Brahman. This is but the head of the Self’. He said, ‘Your head would have fallen if you had not come to me.’

Atsi, you eat; annam, food, having good power of digestion; and paśyasi, you see; priyam, the pleasant, the desirable—son, grandson, and others. Yah, who, anyone else also, who upāste, meditates (on this very Self); which is vaiśvānaram, Vaiśvānara; etam, as stated above; atti, he eats; annam, food; and paśyati, sees; priyam, the pleasant; and asya kule, in his lineage; bhavati, occurs; brahmavarcasam, the lustre of knowing Brahman—ritualism consisting in Soma-juice being extracted, extracted abundantly, and extracted over many days, etc. Eṣah, this; is tu, but; mūrdhā, the head; ātmanah, of the Self, of the Vaiśvānara. It is not the whole of Vaiśvānara. Therefore, on account of meditating on It as Vaiśvānara in its totality, te, your, —of you who have grasped wrongly; mūrdhā, head; vyapatisyat, would have fallen; yat, if; na āgamiṣyah,

1Soma-juice extracted for a sacrifice lasting for a day, or for many days as in Jyotiṣṭoma etc.—Ā.G.

V. 13. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 387

you had not come; mām, to me. You have done well that you have come to me.' This is the purport.

SECTION 13

अथ होवाच सत्ययज्ञं पौलुषि प्राचीनयोग्य कं त्वमात्मानमुपास्स इत्यादित्यमेव भगवो राजन्रिति होवाचैष वै विश्वरूप आत्मा वैश्वानरो यं त्वमात्मानमुपास्से तस्मात्तव बहु विश्वरूपं कुले दृश्यते॥ ९ ॥

Atha, then; uvāca ha, he said; satyayajñam pauliṣim, to Satyayajña, the son of Puluṣa; 'Prācīnayogya, O Prācīnayogya; kam, which; ātmānam, Self; do tvam, you; upāsse, meditate on?' Uvāca ha, he said; 'Bhagavaḥ rājan, O venerable King; eva, it is surely; ādityam, the sun.' The sun is called Viśvarūpa because it has various appearances, being possessed of white, blue and other colours; or because all the colours belong to it; or because all (external) colours belong verily to the sun. 'As the result of meditating on Him, tava kule, in your lineage; drśyate, are seen; bahu, many objects; of viśvarūpam, various colours—objects for enjoyment here and hereafter.

प्रवृत्तोऽश्वतरैरथो दासीनिष्कौत्स्यन्त्र पश्यसि प्रियमत्यन्तं

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[V. 13. 2

पश्यति प्रियं भवत्यस्य ब्रह्मवर्चसं कुलेऽ य एतमेवमात्मानं वैश्वानरमुपास्ते चक्षुष्म्वेदात्मान इति होवाचान्धोडभविष्यो यन्मां नागमिष्य इति॥२॥ इति त्रयोदशः खण्डः॥ १३ ॥

2. 'For you is ready a chariot with she-mules, maid servants, as well as a necklace; you eat food, see the pleasant. He who meditates on this very one as the Vaiśvānara-Self, eats food and sees the pleasant, and in his lineage occurs the lustre of knowing Brahman. This is but the eye of the Self.' He said, 'You would have become blind if you had not come to me.'

Moreover, 'At your command is aśvatarīrathah, a chariot drawn by a pair of she-mules; (as also) dāsī-niṣkah, maid servants, as well as a necklace. Atsi, you eat; annam, food', etc. is to be explained as before. 'The sun is tu, but; cakṣuh, the eye of Vaiśvānara (the Self). By meditating on it as the whole, abhaviṣyah, you would have become; andhah, blind; yat, if; na āgamiṣyah, you had not come; mām, to me' etc. is to be explained as before.

SECTION 14

अथ होवाचेन्द्रद्युम्नं भाल्लवेयं वैैयाघ्रपद्य कं त्वमात्मानमुपास्स इति वायुमेव भगवो राजन्निति होवाचैष वै पृथग्वर्त्मात्मा वैश्वानरो यं त्वमात्मानमुपास्से तस्मात्त्वां पृथग्बलय आयन्ति पृथग्प्रथश्रेणयोडनुयन्नि॥१॥

1. Then he said to Indradyumna, the son of Bhallavi. 'O Bhalavi, O Vaiyāghrapadya, which Self do you meditate on?' He said. 'O Venerable King, it is Vāyu.'

V. 14. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 389

surely air.’ (The King said) ‘The Self on which you meditate is indeed, the Vaiśvānara-Self that has diverse paths. Therefore, to you come various kinds of presents from different directions, and various rows of chariots follow you.’

Atha, then; uvāca ha, he said; indradyumna bhal-laveyam, Indradyumna, the son of Bhāllavi; ‘Vaiyā-ghrapadya, O Vaiyāghrapadya; kam, which; ātmā-nam, Self; tvam, you; upāsse, meditate on’, etc.—these are to be explained as before. Prthakvartmā means that air which has diverse paths, the air which exists with different kinds of movements like onward, upward, etc. ‘Tasmāt, therefore; as a result of meditating on Vaiśvānara as the Self that has diverse paths; tvām, to you; āyanti, come; balayah, presents such as cloth, food etc.; prthak, existing in different directions. And also prthak ratha-śreṇayah, various rows of chariots; anuyanti, follow; tvām, you.’

अत्स्यन्तं पश्यसि प्रियममत्यं पश्यति प्रियं भवत्यस्य ब्रह्मवर्चसं कुले य एतमेवमात्मानं वैश्वानरमुपास्ते प्राणस्वेष आत्मन् इति होवाच प्राणस्त उदक्रमिष्यद्‌न्‍ नागमिष्यदिति ॥ इति ॥ २ ॥ खण्डः ॥ १४ ॥

2. ‘You eat food, see the pleasant. He who meditates on this very one as the Vaiśvānara-Self, eats food, sees the pleasant, and in his lineage there occurs the lustre of knowing Brahman.’ He said, “This is but the vital force of the Self. Your vital force would have departed if you had not come to me.’

‘Atsi, you eat; annam, food’, etc. is to be explained

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[V. 14. 2

as before. Uvāca ha, he said; ‘Eṣah, this; is tu, but; prāṇah, the vital force; ātmanah, of the Self. Te, your; prāṇah, the vital force; udakramiṣyat, would have departed; yat, if; na āgamiṣyah, you had not come; mām, to me.’

SECTION 15

अथ होवाच जनं शार्कराक्ष्य कं त्वमात्मानमुपास्स इत्याकाशमेव भगवो राजन्निति होवाचैष वै बहुल आत्मा वैश्वानरो यं त्वमात्मानमुपास्से तस्मात्त्वं बहुलोसि प्रजया च धनेन च॥ १ ॥

1. Then he said to Jana, the son of Sārkarākṣya, ‘Which Self do you meditate on?’ He said, ‘O venerable King, it is surely on space.’ (The King said) ‘This Self on which you meditate is indeed the Vaiśvānara-Self that is vast. Therefore you are great, possessing progeny and wealth.

‘Atha, then; uvāca ha, he said; janam, to Jana,’ etc. is to be explained as before. ‘Eṣah, this; ātmā, Self; vaiśvānarah, Vaiśvānara; is vai, indeed; bahulah, vast. Space is possessed of vastness because it pervades everything, and it is meditated on as possessed of many qualities. ‘Tvam, you; asi, are; bahulah, great; prajayā, possessing progeny, in the form of son, grandson, etc.; ca, and; dhanena, possessing wealth—gold etc.

अत्स्यन्तं पश्यसि प्रियमस्त्यन्तं पश्यति प्रियं 'भवतस्य ब्रह्मवर्चसं कुले य एतमेवमात्मानं वैश्वानरमुपास्से

V. 16. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 391

सन्देहस्त्वेष आत्मन इति होवाच सन्देहस्ते व्यशीर्यद्यन्मां नागमिष्य इति॥ २॥ इति पञ्चदशः खण्डः॥ १५॥

2. 'You eat food, see the pleasant. He who meditates on this very one as the Vaiśvānara-Self, eats food, sees the pleasant, and in his lineage there occurs the lustre of knowing Brahman. This is but the middle-part of the Self.' He said, 'The middle-part of your body would have become emaciated if you had not come to me.'

`Eṣah, this; is tu, but; the sandehah, the middle-part, the middle-part of Vaiśvānara's body.' The root dih means growth, and the body becomes big by possessing flesh, blood, bones, etc. That 'sandehah', body; te, of yours; vyaśīryat, would have become emaciated; yat, if; na āgamiṣyah, you had not come; mām, to me.'

SECTION 16

अथ होवाच बुडिलमाश्वतराश्विं वैयाग्रपद्य कं त्वमात्मानमुपास्स इत्यप एव भगवो राजन्रति होवाचैष वै रयिरात्मा वैश्वानरो यं त्वमात्मानमुपास्से तस्मात्त्वं रयिमानुप�्टिमानसी॥ १ ॥

1. Then he said to Buḍila, the son of Aśvatarāśva, 'O Vaiyāghrapadya, which Self do you meditate on?' He said, 'O venerable King, it is on the waters.' (The King said) 'This Self on which you meditate is indeed, the Vaiśvānara-Self that is identified with wealth. Therefore you are wealthy and well-nourished.'

392

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[V. 16. 1

'Then he said to Buḍila, the son of Aśvatarāśva', etc. is to be explained as before. 'Eṣah, this; ātmā, the Self; vaiśvānarah, Vaiśvānara; is indeed identified with rayih, wealth.' Food comes from water, from that comes wealth. 'Tasmāt, therefore; tvam, you; asti, are; rayimān, wealthy; and puṣṭimān, well-nourished in body', because nourishment is due to food.

अत्स्यन्त्रं पश्यसि प्रियमत्यन्तं पश्यति प्रियं भवत्यस्य ब्रह्मवर्चसं कुले य एतमेवात्मानं वैश्वानरमुपास्ते बस्तिस्त्वेष आत्मन इति होवाच बस्तिरते व्यभेत्स्यदन्नां नागमिष्य इति॥ २ ॥ इति षोडशः खण्डः ॥ १६॥

2. 'You eat food, see the pleasant. He who meditates on this very one as the Vaiśvānara-Self, eats food, sees the pleasant, and in his lineage there occurs the lustre of knowing Brahman. This is but the bladder of the Self.' He said, 'Your bladder would have burst if you had not come to me.'

'Eṣah, this; is tu, but; bastih, the bladder where urine stores up; ātmanah, of the Self, of Vaiśvānara. Te, your; bastih, bladder; vyabhetsyat, would have burst; yat, if; na āgamisyah, you had not come; mām, to me.'

SECTION 17

अथ होवाचौद्दालकमारुणी गौतम कं त्वमात्मानमुपास्स इति पृथिवीमेव भगवो राजन्निति होवाचैष वै प्रतिष्ठात्मा वैश्वानरो यं त्वमात्मानमुपास्से तस्मात्त्वं प्रतिष्ठितोऽसि प्रजया च पशुभिश्च॥ १ ॥

V. 18. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 393

1. Then he said to Uddālaka, son of Aruṇa, ‘O Gautama, which Self do you meditate on?’ He said, ‘O venerable King, it is indeed on earth.’ (The King said) ‘This Self on which you meditate is indeed, the Vaiśvā-nara-Self that is identified with the two feet. Therefore you are well-established with progeny and animals.

‘Then he said to Uddālaka’, etc. is to be explained as before. Uvāca ha, he said; ‘Bhagavah rājan, O venerable King; prthivīm eva, it is indeed on earth.’ ‘Eṣah, this; vai, is indeed; pratiṣṭhā, the two feet; vaiśvānara-rasya, of Vaiśvānara.’

अत्स्यन्नं पश्यसि प्रियममत्यन्नं पश्यति प्रियं भवत्यस्य ब्रह्मवर्चसं कुले य एतमेवमात्मानं वैश्वानरमुपास्ते पादौ त्वेतावात्मन इति होवाच पादौ ते व्यम्लास्येतां यन्मां नागमिष्य इति।।१।। इति सप्तदशः खण्डः।।१७।।

2. ‘You eat food, see the pleasant. He who meditates on this very one as the Vaiśvānara-Self, eats food, sees the pleasant, and in his lineage there occurs the lustre of knowing Brahman. This is but the two feet of the Self.’ He said, ‘Your two feet would have become weak if you had not come to me.’

‘Te, your; pādau, two feet; vymlāsyetām, would have become weak; yat, if; na āgamiṣyah, you had not come; mām, to me’.

SECTION 18

तान्होवाचैते वै खलु यूयं पृथगिवेममात्मानं वैश्वानरं

394

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[V. 18. 1

विद्वा ंसोज्नमथ यस्वेतमेवं प्रादेशमात्रमभिविमानमात्मानं

वैश्वानरमुपास्ते स सर्वेषु लोकेषु सर्वेषु भूतेषु

सर्वेष्वात्मस्वन्न्रत्ति॥ ९ ॥

1. To them he said, 'You who are such and know

this Vaiśvānara-Self partially as it were, eat food. But

he who meditates on this Vaiśvānara-Self by identi-

fying himself with a part of Him only, eats food in all

the worlds, through all the creatures, through all the

constituents of a person.'

Tān, to them who had knowledge of Vaiśvānara as

stated; uvāca ha, he said; 'Ete yūyam, you who are

such;—(the words vai and khalu convey no meaning)

—you who vidvāmsah, know; imam, this; vaiśvānaram

ātmānam, Vaiśvānara-Self; prthak iva, partially as it

were, although He is one', i.e. know the Self in a

limited way, like the perception of an elephant by

congenitally blind persons1; attha, eat; annam, food.

Yaḥ tu, but he who; upāste, meditates; on one part of

etam, this Vaiśvānara-Self; evam, thus; as prādeśa-

mātram, possessed of the above mentioned limbs (prā-

deśa, parts), counting from heaven as the head etc. and

ending with earth as the two feet, (he eats food in all

the worlds...). Prādeśamātram is derived thus: 'He

who mīyate, is known on the personal plane, as `having

prādeśa, limbs, counting from heaven as the head and

ending with earth as the two feet. (The word mātrā is

derived in the sense of mīyate, 'that which is known'.)

1As for instance, a blind person who touches an elephant's leg

thinks it to be like a pillar; one who touches the trunk, thinks it to be

like a python; one who touches the ear, thinks it to be like a winnow-

ing fan, and so on.

V. 18. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 395

Or, He is prādeśamātrah, because He is known as the Eater (Enjoyer) through such organs (prādeśa) as the mouth etc. Or the meaning is: He whose dimension covers the space from heaven to earth. (It is also derived as follows:) Those which are fully (prakarsena) instructed about (ādiśyante) by the scriptures are prādeśāh, viz heaven etc. He who has only this dimension (mātrā) is prādeśamātrah.

In a different section of the Veda, however, the prādeśamātrah, is thought of as One who exists in the space beginning from the top of the head and ending with the chin. But here the intended meaning is not that, which is apparent from the concluding words, ‘Of that Self which is such’ (V.18.2). Abhivimānah means He who is identified with one’s own Self as ‘I am (this Vaiśvānara-Self)’. The word Vaiśvānara is derived in the sense of ‘He who guides all (viśva) persons (nara) according to their virtues and vices’. This one is indeed God, the Self of all. Or He is one who is identified with all (viśva) men (nara), since he is all-pervasive. Or He is Vaiśvānara since He is accepted severally as their inmost selves by all persons. Any one who meditates on Him thus, he becomes an eater of food by eating. It is enjoined here that one should indeed think of the Self as identified with sarveṣu lokeṣu, all the worlds, starting from heaven; sarveṣu bhūteṣu, all the creatures, moving and not moving; sarveṣu ātmasu, all the constituents of a person—body, mind, organs, intellect. The knower of Vaiśvānara, annam atti, eats the food of all creatures by becoming the Self of all, unlike the ignorant man who identifies himself only with his own body. This is the meaning.

396

CHĀNDOGYA UPAÑIṢAD

[V. 18. 2

तस्य ह वा एतस्यात्मनो वैश्वानरस्य मूर्धैव

सुतेजाश्चक्षुर्विश्वरूप: प्राण: पृथगत्मा म सन्देहो बहुलो

बस्तिरेव रयि: पृथिव्येव पादावुर एव वेदिरोमानी बर्हिर्हृदयं

गार्हपत्यो मनोड्न्वाहार्यपचन आस्यमाहवननीय: ॥ २ ॥

इत्यष्टादश: खण्ड: ॥ १९८॥

2. Of that very Vaiśvānara-Self who is such, heaven

indeed is the head, sun is the eye, air is the vital force,

sky is the middle-part of the body, water is the bladder,

earth indeed is the two feet, sacrificial altar is the chest,

Kuśa-grass is the hair, Gārhapatya-fire is the heart,

Anvāhārya-pacana-fire is the mind, Āhavanīya-fire is

the mouth.

Why is it so? Since tasya, of that very one under

discussion; vaiśvānarasya ātmanah, of the Vaiśvānara-

Self; etasya, who is such; sutejāḥ, heaven; eva, is in-

deed; mūrdhā, the head; viśvarūpaḥ, the sun; is cak-

ṣuḥ, the eye; prthak-vartmātmā, air; is prāṇaḥ, the vital

force; bahulaḥ, the sky; is the sandhehaḥ, middle-part of

the body; rayiḥ, water; eva, is indeed; bastih, the blad-

der; prthivī, the earth; eva, is indeed; pādau, the two

feet. Or, this statement is meant as an injunction for

meditation in this way.

After that, now, with a view to establishing the simi-

larity between eating by a knower of Vaiśvānara with

Agnihotra-sacrifice, the text says: Of this Vaiśvānara

the Eater, vedih, the sacrificial altar; eva, is indeed;

uraḥ, the chest, because of the similarity of shape.

Barhih, Kuśa-grass; is lomāni, hair, because hair is

seen spread over the chest, like Kuśa-grass is on the

altar. Gārhapatyaḥ, Gārhapatya-fire; is hṛdayam, the

V. 19. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 397

heart, because the mind seems to be issuing out of the heart, and thus is not separate from it. Therefore, anvāhārya-pacanah, Anvāhārya-pacana fire; is ma-nah, the mind. Āhavanīyah, Āhavanīya-fire; is comparable to āsyam, the mouth, since āhavanīya means that into which food is offered as oblation.

SECTION 19

तद्यदभक्तं प्रथममागच्छेतद्‌वोमीय᳚स् यां प्रथमामाहुर्ति जुहुयात्तां प्राणाय स्वाहेति प्राणस्तृप्यति॥ १ ॥

1. That food which comes first, is to be offered as an oblation. The first oblation that he would offer, he should offer with the mantra, ‘Svāhā to Prāṇa (the outgoing breath)’. (Thereby) Prāṇa is satisfied.

Tat, that being so; yat, that; bhaktam, food for eating; āgacchet, which comes; prathamam, first, at the time of eating; tat, that; homīyam, is to be offered as an oblation. Since the intention is merely imagination (of eating) to be the Agnihotra-sacrifice, therefore the question of its being performed as an accessorial part of Agnihotra-sacrifice does not arise. Prathamam āhu-tim, the first oblation; that sah, he, the eater; juhuyāt, would offer, how would he offer it? This is being said: juhuyāt, offer; tam, that; with the mantra prāṇāya svāhā, Svāhā to Prāṇa. From the word āhuti (oblation), it is understood that he should throw that much of food as is enjoined in the case of an oblation (in sacrifice). Thereby prāṇah, Prāṇa; trpyati, becomes satisfied.

प्राणे तृप्यति चक्षुस्तृप्यति चक्षुषि तृप्यत्यादित्य-

स्तृप्यत्यादित्ये तृप्यति द्यौस्तृप्यति दिव्यन्या यत्किज्च

द्यौश्चदित्यश्चाधितिष्ठतस्तत्तृप्यति तस्यानु तृप्तिं तृप्यति

प्रजया पशुभिर्भोगैः तेजसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेनेति ॥ २ ॥

इत्येकोनविंशः खण्डः ॥ १९ ॥

2. When Prāṇa becomes satisfied the eye becomes contented; when the eye becomes satisfied the sun becomes contented; when the sun is satisfied the heaven becomes contented; when heaven becomes satisfied, then, whatever is presided over by heaven and the sun becomes contented. After that is satisfied, the eater himself becomes contented with progeny, animals, edible food, physical lustre, and lustre of Vedic knowledge.

Prāṇe trpyati, when Prāṇa becomes satisfied; cakṣuh, the eye; trpyati, becomes contented; cakṣuh, the eye; ādityah, the sun; and dyauh, the heaven etc. trpyati, becomes contented. Whatever else the sun and the heaven adhitiṣṭhatah, preside over as its lords; that also trpyati, becomes contented. Anu, after the satisfaction of that; the eater himself trpyati, becomes satisfied prajayā, with progeny, etc.; tejah, physical lustre or courage; brahmavarcasena, with lustre arising from good behaviour and study of the Vedas.

SECTION 20

अथ यां द्वितीयां जुहुयात्तां जुहुयाद्वानाय स्वाहेति

व्यानस्तृप्यति ॥ १ ॥

V. 21. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 399

1. Then the second oblation that he would offer, that he should offer with the mantra, 'Svāhā to Vyāna' (the vital force residing between Prāṇa and Apāna). (Thereby) Vyāna becomes satisfied.

व्याने तृप्यति श्रोत्रं तृप्यति श्रोत्रे तृप्यति चन्द्रमास्तृप्यति चन्द्रमसि तृप्यति दिशस्तृप्यन्ति दिक्षु तृप्यन्तीषु यत्किश्च दिशश्च चन्द्रमाश्चाधितिष्ठन्ति तत्तृप्यति तस्यानु तृप्तिं तृप्यति प्रजया पशुभिरन्नाद्येन तेजसा पशुभिरन्नाद्येन तेजसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेनति॥ १॥२॥ इति विंश: खण्ड:॥ २०॥

2. When Vyāna is satisfied the ear becomes contented; when the ear is satisfied the moon becomes contented; when the moon is satisfied the directions become contented; when the directions are satisfied, then whatever is presided over by the directions and the moon becomes contented. After that is satisfied, the eater himself becomes contented with progeny, animals, edible food, physical lustre, and lustre of Vedic knowledge.

SECTION 21

अथ यां तृतीयां जुहुयात्तां जुहुयादपानाय स्वाहेत्यपानस्तृप्यति॥ १॥

1. Then the third oblation that he would offer, he should offer that with the mantra, 'Svāhā to Apāna (the incoming breath). (Thereby) Apāna becomes satisfied.

400

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[V. 21.2

अपाने तृप्यति वाक्तृप्यति वाचि तृप्यन्त्यामग्रिसृप्य-

त्यग्रौ तृप्यति पृथिवी तृप्यति पृथिव्यां तृप्यन्त्यां यत्किञ्च

पृथिवी चाग्रिश्चाधितिष्ठतस्तत्तृप्यति तस्यानु तृप्तिं तृप्यति

प्रजया पशुभिर्न्नाद्येन तेजसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेन इति॥ २ ॥

इत्येकविंश: खण्ड:॥ २१ ॥

2. When Apāna becomes satisfied speech becomes contented; when speech is satisfied fire becomes contented; when fire becomes satisfied earth becomes contented; when earth is satisfied then whatever is presided over by earth and fire becomes contented. After that is satisfied, the eater himself becomes contented with progeny, animals, physical lustre, and lustre of Vedic knowledge.

SECTION 22

अथ यां चतुर्थीं जुहुयात्तां जुहुयात्समानाय स्वाहेति

समानस्तृप्यति॥ १ ॥

1. Then the fourth oblation that he would offer, he should offer that with the mantra, 'Svāhā to Samāna' (the vital force which helps digestion). (Thereby) Samāna becomes satisfied.

समाने तृप्यति मनस्तृप्यति मनसि तृप्यति पर्जन्यस्तृप्यति

पर्‌जन्ये तृप्यति विद्युत्तृप्यति विद्युति तृप्यन्त्यां यत्किञ्च

विद्युच्च पर्जन्यश्चाधितिष्ठतस्तत्तृप्यति तस्यानु तृप्तिं तृप्यति

प्रजया पशुभिर्न्नाद्येन तेजसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेन इति॥ २ ॥ इति

द्वाविंश: खण्ड:॥ २२ ॥

V. 23. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 401

2. When Samāna becomes satisfied the mind becomes contented; when the mind becomes satisfied the cloud becomes contented; when the cloud becomes satisfied the lightning becomes contented; when lightning becomes satisfied whatever is presided over by cloud and lightning becomes contented. After that is satisfied, the eater himself becomes contented with progeny, animals, physical lustre, and lustre of Vedic knowledge.

SECTION 23

अथ यां पञ्चमिं जुहुयातां जुहुयादुदानाय स्वाहेत्यदानस्तृप्यति॥ १॥

1. Then the fifth oblation that he would offer, he should offer that with the mantra, 'Svāhā to Udāna' (the vital force that rises upward in the body). (Thereby) Udāna becomes satisfied.

उदाने तृप्यति त्वक्तृप्यति त्वचि तृप्यन्त्यां वायुः तृप्यति वायौ तृप्यति वायुश्चाकाशस्तृप्यत्याकाशे तृप्यति यत्किञ्च वायुश्चाकाशश्रितमधितिष्ठतस्तत्तृप्यति तस्यामु तृप्तौ तृप्यति प्रजया पशुभिर्न्नाद्येन तेजसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेनेति॥ २॥ इति त्रयोविंश: खण्ड:॥ २३॥

2. When Udāna becomes satisfied the skin becomes contented; when the skin becomes satisfied the air becomes contented; when air becomes satisfied the sky becomes contented; when the sky becomes satisfied whatever is presided over by air and sky becomes satisfied. When that is satisfied, he becomes satisfied with progeny, animals, physical lustre, and the lustre of Vedic knowledge.

26

402

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

[V. 23. 2

whatever is presided over by air and sky becomes contented. After that is satisfied, the eater himself becomes contented with progeny, animals, physical lustre, and lustre of Vedic knowledge.

Then, those which are second, third, fourth, and fifth oblations are to be explained as before.

SECTION 24

स य इदमविद्वानग्निहोत्रं जुहोति यथाङ्गारानपोह्य भस्मनि जुहुयात्तदृक्ततस्यात।। १ ।।

1. Anyone who performs the Agnihotra-sacrifice without knowing this, his sacrifice will be like one's offering oblation on ashes by discarding embers.

Saḥ yaḥ, anyone who; juhoti, performs; the well-known agnihotram, Agnihotra-sacrifice; avidvān, without knowing the mystic philosophy of Vaiśvānara; his offering of oblation in the Agnihotra-sacrifice will be like that of a person who apohya, discarding; aṅgārān, embers fit for receiving oblations; juhuyāt, offers oblation; bhasmani, on ashes unfit for receiving oblations. The Agnihotra-sacrifice performed by a knower of Vaiśvānara is eulogized by finding fault with' the well-known Agnihotra-sacrifice in comparison with the Agnihotra performed by a knower of Vaiśvānara.

'According to Saṅkarācārya, a Vedic sentence cannot convey two meanings, one eulogising some Upāsana for instance, and another condemning some action sanctioned by the Veda itself elsewhere.

अथ य एतदेवं विद्वानग्निहोत्रं जुहोति तस्य सर्वेषु लोकेषु सर्वेषु भूतेषु सर्वात्मसु हुतं भवति॥ २ ॥

2. Then, he who having known this thus, performs the Agnihotra-sacrifice, in his case the oblation becomes offered in all the worlds, in all the creatures, and in all constituents of a person (body, mind, organs, intellect).

And hence this Agnihotra has a speciality. How? Atha, then; yaḥ, he who; vidvān, having known; etat, this; evam, thus; juhoti, performs; agnihotram, Agnihotra-sacrifice; tasya, of him, of the one who has the knowledge of Vaiśvānara as stated; in his case hutam bhavati, the oblation becomes offered; sarveṣu lokeṣu, in all the worlds, etc.—this has already been explained (V.18.1)—for the word ‘atti, eats’ (ibid), and ‘hutam, becomes offered’, have the same meaning.

तद्यथेषीकातूलमग्रौ प्रोतमं प्रदूयेतैवँ हास्य सर्वे पाप्मान: प्रदूयन्ते य एतदेवं विद्वानग्निहोत्रं जुहोति॥ ३ ॥

3. As to that, as the fibre at the tip of a blade of reed becomes completely burnt when thrown into fire, so all sins of him who, having this knowledge thus, performs the Agnihotra-sacrifice, becomes completely burnt.

Moreover, tat, as to that; yathā, as; iṣīkā-tūlam, the fibre at the tip of a blade of reed; pradūyeta, becomes completely burnt when thrown into fire, so all sins of him who, having this knowledge thus, performs the Agnihotra-sacrifice, becomes completely burnt. Otherwise this will lead to the defect of Vākyabheda or a sentence conveying two irreconcilable meanings. Hence the meaning in such instances is a simple praise of the former and not a condemnation of the latter; that is to say, the former is better than the latter.

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burnt quickly; protam, when thrown; agnau, into fire; evam, so; asya, of him, of the man of knowledge who has become identified with all, who eats all foods; sarve, all, without remainder; pāpmānah, sins, which are called virtue and vice,—those which have been acquired during many (past) births, those acquired in this birth before the dawn of knowledge, as also those acquired during the continuance of knowledge; pradūyante, become completely burnt, but leaving out those sins which were responsible for the beginning of the present birth. They are not burnt because they have already started yielding fruit, like an arrow which has already been shot at a target. (This occurs in the case of one) yah, who; vidvān, having known; etat, this; evam, thus; juhoti, performs; agnihotram, the Agnihotra-sacrifice, i.e. eats food.

तस्माद् हैवंविद्य्रपि चण्डालायोच्छिष्टं प्रयच्छेदात्मनि हैवास्य तदैश्वर्ये हुतं स्यादिति तदेष: श्लोक:॥ ४॥

4. Therefore, even if a knower of this kind should offer ort to a Caṇḍāla, for him that will become an oblation offered to the Vaiśvānara-Self. As to that, there is this verse:

(Tasmāt, therefore;) yadyapi, even if; (u, indeed;) evam vit, the knower of this kind; dadyāt, should offer in charity; ucchiṣṭam, ort, which is forbidden; caṇḍālāya, to a Caṇḍāla who is unfit to receive; then asya, for him; syāt, it will become; hutam, an oblation offered; vaiśvānara-ātmani, to the Vaiśvānara-Self residing in the Caṇḍāla’s body. This will not be a cause of vice. In this way knowledge itself is being praised. Tat,

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405

as to that, for the purpose of ealogising this idea; there

is even eṣah, this; mantrah, verse in the Upanisad:

यथेह क्षुधिता बाला मातरं पर्युपासते एवं सर्वाणि

भूतान्यग्निहोत्रमुपासते इत्यग्निहोत्रमुपासत इति॥५॥ इति

चतुर्विंशः खण्डः॥२४॥ इति छान्दोग्योपनिषदि

पञ्चमोऽध्यायः॥ ५॥

5. As in this world, hungry children wait on their

mother, so all creatures wait on the Agnihotra-

sacrifice, (they) wait on the Agnihotra-sacrifice.

Yathā, as; iha loke, in this world; kṣudhitāḥ, hungry;

bālāḥ, children; paryupāsate, wait on; mātaram, the

mother, with the idea, ‘When will our mother give

food?’; evam, so; sarvāṇi, all; bhūtāni, creatures, eat-

ers of food; upāsate, wait on; agnihotram, the Agni-

hotra-sacrifice, with the idea, ‘When will that man of

such knowledge eat?’ The idea is that the whole world

becomes contented when the man of knowledge eats.

The repetition of, ‘wait on the Agnihotra-sacrifice’, is

for indicating conclusion of the chapter.

CHAPTER VI

The relation of the chapter that starts now is being stated in the words, ‘There was one named Śvetaketu, son of Āruṇi’, etc. It has been said, ‘All this is Brahman. It is born from, dissolves in, and exists, in That’ (III.14.1). How is this world born from That, dissolve into That itself, and live by That alone?—this has to be explained. After that, it has been said that the whole world becomes satisfied when a man of knowledge eats. That becomes logical if the Self in all beings be one, but not so if the selves are different. What is the nature of that unity? For this purpose this sixth chapter is begun.

SECTION I

ओँ। श्वेतकेतुर्हारुणेय आस तं ह पितोवाच श्वेतकेतो वस ब्रह्मचर्यं न वै सोम्यास्मत्कुलीनोऽनूचानोऽन्य ब्रह्मबन्धुरिव भवतीति॥ १ ॥

The story of the father and the son is for showing the

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utmost essentiality of knowledge. Āsa, there was; śve- taketuh, Śvetaketu by name; āruneyah, grandson of Āruṇa. The word ha is used to indicate a past incident. Āruṇi, pitā, the father, considering that he (Śvetaketu) was fit for acquiring knowledge, and noticing that the time for his initiation was going to be over; uvāca ha, said; tam, to him, the son; 'Śvetaketo, O Śvetaketu; vasa, live; brahmacaryam, as a celibate, by going to a teacher suitable for our line. Besides, it is not proper somya, O good looking one; that any one asmat kulī- nah, belonging to our line; bhavati iva, should pose as; brahma-bandhuh, a relative of the Brāhmins; ana- nūcya, without study (of the Vedas).' Brahma-bandhu is one who mentions Brāhmins as his relatives, while he himself does not behave like a Brāhmin.

From this it is inferred that his father would be absent from home, because of which reason he (Āruṇi) would not initiate his son though he himself was quali- fied for this.

स ह द्वादशवर्ष उपेत्य चतुविशतिवर्ष: सर्वान्वेदानधीत्य महामना अनूचानमानी स्तब्ध एयाय तं ह पितोवाच श्वेतकेतो यज्ञ सोम्येदं महामना अनूचानमानी स्तब्धोऽसि तमादेशमप्राक्ष्यः ॥ २ ॥

2. He, of twelve years age, after going to the teacher (and) having studied all the Vedas till the age of twenty-four years, returned conceited, proud of being a learned man, and immodest.

To him the father said, 'O Śvetaketu, O good look- ing one, now that you are conceited, proud of being a

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learned man, and immodest like this, did you ask about that instruction—.

Śvetaketu, when he was told by his father; dvādaśa-varṣah, at the age of twelve years; sah ha, he; upetya, after going to the teacher; (and) āditya, having studied; till he was caturvimśativarṣah, twenty-four years of age; sarvān, all the four; vedān, Vedas and having grasped their meaning; eyāya, returned home; mahāmanāh, conceited—one with a grave mind, one whose mind thinks of oneself as greater than others; anūcānamānī, proud, one who is apt to think of oneself as being a learned man; stabdhah, immodest, one whose nature is not modest. Seeing him, the son, immodest and proud like this, behaving unlike himself; pitā, the father; uvāca, said, with a view to inculcating good behaviour; ‘Śvetaketo, O Śvetaketu; yat nu, now that; asi, you are; mahāmanāh, conceited; anūcānamānī, proud of being a learned man; stabdhah, immodest; idam, like this, what excellence has come down to you from the teacher? Uta aprākṣyah, did you ask your teacher; about tam, that; ādeśam, instruction? The word ādeśa is derived in the sense of that which is inculcated, which is available only from the scriptures and a teacher; or, that through which the supreme Brahman is spoken of.

येनाश्रुतं श्रुतं भवत्यमतमविज्ञातं विज्ञातमिति कथम् । नु भगवः स आदेशो भवतीति ॥ ३ ॥

3. ‘Through which the unheard of becomes heard, the unthought of becomes thought of, the unknown becomes known

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becomes known?' (Śvetaketu asked,) 'O venerable sir, in what way is that instruction imparted?'

That instruction is being elaborated:

'Yena, through which instruction; aśrutam, the unheard of, that which is different from what has been heard; bhavati, becomes; śrutam, heard; amatam, the unthought of; becomes matam, thought of—which has not been discussed becomes discussed; avijñātam, the unknown; becomes vijñātam, known—the undetermined becomes determined?'

Even after studying all the Vedas, and even after knowing all other things that are to be known, a man indeed remains unfulfilled of his purpose till he does not know the reality of the Self. This is understood from the story. Having heard of an extraordinary thing like this, and thinking in his mind, 'How can it be possible to have knowledge of something through the knowledge of some other thing—which (process) is not a well-known fact', he said, 'Bhagavah, O venerable sir; katham nu, in what way; is sah ādeśah, that instruction; bhavati, imparted?'

यथा सोम्यैकेन मृत्तिकेण सर्वं मृन्मयं विज्ञातं

स्याद्वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं मृत्तिकेत्येव सत्यम्॥४॥

4. 'O good looking one, as by knowing a lump of earth, all things made of earth become known: All transformation has speech as its basis, and it is name only. Earth as such is the reality.'

'Listen to how that instruction is imparted, somya, O good looking one: Yathā, as in the world; through the

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[VI. 1. 4

knowledge of a single mṛpindena, lump of earth which

is the (material) cause of a water-pot, pitcher, etc.;

sarvam, all other things, all transformations of that

earth; mr̥mayam, which are made of earth; become

vijñātam, known.'

Objection: How can it be that when a lump of earth is

known as the material cause, a product that is different

becomes known?

Reply: This fault does not arise, since the product is

non-different from the cause. As for your argument

that through the knowledge of something different,

some other thing cannot be known, it would have been

truly so if the product were something different from its

material cause. But the product is not thus different

from its material cause.

Objection: How then do they say in this world, ‘This

is the cause, and this one is its tranformation’?

Reply: Listen. Vācāram̐bhaṇam, (it) has speech as

its basis, its beginning is in speech.

Which is that?

It is vikārah, the transformation; which is nāmadhe-

yam, name only. The suffix dheyat is added after a

word to mean the word (nāma) itself.

It is only a name dependent merely on speech.

(Apart from that) there is no substance called transfor-

mation. In reality mr̥ttikā iti, earth as such; eva satyam

(is the thing that) truly exists.

यथा सोप्येन लोहमणिना सर्वं लोहमयं विज्ञातं

स्याद्वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं लोहमित्येव सत्यम्॥ ५॥

5. ‘O good looking one, as by knowing a lump of

VI. 1. 6] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 411

gold all things made of gold become known: All trans-formation has speech as its basis, and it is name only. Gold as such is the reality.’

And, somya, O good looking one; yathā, as; through the knowledge of ekena, a lump of lohamaninā, gold; all other vikārah, transformation, like bracelet, diadem, armlet, etc.; become vijñātam, known: ‘All transformation has speech as its basis’, etc. is to be explained as before.

यथा सोम्यैकेन नखनिकृन्तनेन सर्वे काष्णायिसं विज्ञातेस्याद्वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं कृष्णायसमित्येव सत्यम् सोऽयम् आादेशो भवतीति॥ ६॥

6. ‘O good looking one, as by knowing a nailcutter all things made of iron become known: All transformation has speech as its basis, and it is name only. Iron as such is the reality. O good looking one, thus is that instruction.’

‘Somya, O good looking one; yathā, as; through the knowledge of ekena, one; nakha-nikṛntanena, nailcutter, suggestive of a lump of iron; sarvan, all; vikārah, transformations of iron; becomes vijñātam, known’—the remaining portion is to be explained as before. The citing of many illustrations is meant for understanding the multiform differences in the things illustrated, as also for firm conviction.

‘Somya, O good looking one; evam, thus; bhavati, is sah ādeśah, that instruction which was spoken of by me.’

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न वै नूनं भगवन्तस्त एतदवेदिषुर्यद्येतदवेदिष्यनकथं मे नावक्ष्यन्ति भगवाꣳस्त्वेव मे तदब्रवीत्त्वित तथा सोऽप्येति होवाच॥७॥ इति प्रथमः खण्डः॥ १॥

7. ‘Those venerable teachers did not cértainly know this. For, if they had known this, why should they not have told me? May yourself, venerable sir, tell me that.’ ‘O good looking one, so be it’, said he.

The other one said to his father who had spoken thus:

‘Te, those who were; my bhagavatah, venerable teachers; they na vai nūnam, did not certainly; ave-diṣuḥ, know; etat, this thing which has been spoken of by your venerable self. Hi, for; vat, if; avediṣyan, they had known; etat, this thing; katham, why; na avakṣyan, should they not have told; me, me who am meritorious, devoted, and obedient. Thereby I conclude that they did not know.’ Although any deficiency of a teacher should not be spoken of still, he did so for fear of being sent again to the teacher’s house! ‘Therefore, bhaga-vān, venerable sir; you yourself bravītu, may tell; me, me; of tat, that thing by knowing which I can have omniscience.’ Being told so, the father uvāca ha, said; ‘Somya, O good looking one; tathā, let this be so.’

SECTION 2

सदेव सोम्येदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वितीयम्। तदैक्षत तदैक आहुरसदेवेदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वितीयं तस्मादसतः सज्जायत॥ ९ ॥

VI. 2. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 413

1. ‘O good looking one, in the beginning this was Existence alone, One only, without a second. With regard to that some say, “In the beginning this was non-existence alone, one only, without a second. From that non-existence issued existence.” ’

Sat, Existence; eva, alone: The word sat means mere Existence, a thing that is subtle, without distinction, all pervasive, one, taintless, partless, consciousness, which is known from all the Upaniṣads. The word eva is used for emphasis.

What is that which is being determined?

This is being said: That which is idam, this, the universe which is perceived as a modification possessed of name, form, and movement; that āsit, was Existence alone. The word sat-eva is connected with āsit.

When was all this Existence alone? This is being answered: Agre, in the beginning, before the creation of the universe.

Objection: Is it that this is not Existence now, because of which it is said that it was so in the beginning?

Reply: No.

Objection: Then, why is the qualification there?

Reply: Even now it is surely Existence. But now it stands qualified by name and form, and also as an object of the word and idea ‘this’. Therefore it is termed as ‘this’. But before creation, in the beginning, this was only an object of the word and idea ‘Existence’. Hence it is emphasized that ‘in the beginning this was Existence alone’. For, as in deep-sleep, so also before creation it was not possible to grasp this as possessed of name or form. As someone, after rising

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from deep-sleep, realizes that in deep-sleep the thing

that existed was mere existence, i.e. he realizes exist-

ence alone, similar was the case before creation. This is

the meaning.

As in the world someone, who in the forenoon had

seen a lump of earth spread by a potter desiròus of

making pot, plate etc., he, on perceiving in that very

place different products like pot, plate, etc. while re-

turning in the afternoon after visiting a village would

say, ‘These pots, plates, etc. were but earth in the

forenoon’, so also it is said even here, ‘In the beginning

this was Existence alone.’

By the words ‘One only’ is meant that there was

nothing else coming under the category of Its product.

By the words ‘without a second’ this is meant: As in the

case of pot etc. some other efficient causes like potters

and others, who are different from earth etc. but are

the transformer of earth etc. into pot etc. are seen,

similarly (here) also there arises the possibility of

having some other second thing which is different from

Existence, and yet is a cause associated with Existence.

This is being denied by the phrase, ‘without a second

(advitīyam)’. So, ‘without a second’ means that It

(Existence) has no second thing different from Itself.

Objection: Does it not also become established from

the standpoint of the Vaiśeṣikas that, all things remain

associated with Existence, since the word ‘Existence’

and its idea remain associated with substances, quali-

ties, etc. as is noticed in such usages as, ‘The thing

exists’, ‘The quality exists’, ‘The action exists’, etc.?

Reply: It is true that it can be so now. But it is not

admitted by the Vaiśeṣikas that, before (its) creation

VI. 2. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 415

this product surely was existence alone. For, according to them a product has no existence before (its) creation. Nor do they admit that before creation there was only one Existence without a second. So this cause which is spoken of as Existence, through the illustrations of earth etc. is different from the existence imagined by the Vaiśeṣikas.

Tat, with regard to that, with regard to the determination of the substance before creation; eke, some, the nihilists; āhuḥ, say, while determining the substance: Idam, this, this world; agre, in the beginning before creation; āsīt, was; eva, only; asat, non-existence, merely an absence of existence. For the Buddhists imagine that the reality before creation is merely an absence of existence. But they do not stand for any other substance opposed to existence, unlike the Naiyāyikas who hold that existence and non-existence mean ‘things as they are’, and the opposite of them1, (respectively).

Objection: If the idea of the Nihilists is that before creation there was mere absence of existence, then, by asserting that ‘before creation it existed as non-existence, one only, without a second’, how can they

1According to the Vedāntins a product remains inherent in the material, so that production really means expression. According to the nihilistic Buddhists, nothing exists before its production. According to the Nyāya school, a product does not remain inherent in its material, but it is altogether a new creation. The material loses its former identity and becomes non-existent as it were, and from that non-existence the product emerges as a new creation. So the Naiyāyikas believe in both the categories, existence and non-existence, whereas the Buddhists believe in non-existence alone as preceding creation.

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speak of a connection with time, association with number, and non-duality?

Reply: Quite so. This is not logical for those who stand by only the absence of existence. And their admission of mere non-existence is also illogical because the existence of the person who denies existence, cannot be denied. If it is held that the admitter (of non-existence) exists now but not before creation, then, it is not so because there is no proof of non-existence of Existence before creation. It is illogical to imagine that there was non-existence alone before creation.

Objection: If the implication of a word is the form of a thing, then, how can the meaning of the word or the meaning of the sentence, ‘Non-existence, one only without a second’ be reasonable? And if that is unreasonable, then this sentence will become unauthoritative.

(That is to say: After refuting the Vaiśeṣikas and Bauddhas on the interpretation of the words asat, ekam, etc. how do you claim to explain cogently these very words?)

Reply: There is no such defect because the sentence is meant for obviating acceptance of the idea of ‘existence’, in as much as the word sat denotes the ‘form’ of an existing thing. And the words ‘one only’ and ‘without a second’ have been used in the same case-ending with ‘Existence’, and so also is ‘this was’. This being so the (negative) nañg (in the word asat) used in the sentence containing sat, removes, by taking help of the very sentence containing sat, the idea of the meaning in the form—‘There was existence alone, one without a second’—, conveyed by the sentence containing the

[

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417

word sat, just as a horse-rider diverts the horse from the object ahead of it by taking help of the horse itself. But it is not that it connotes the very absence of Existence. Therefore, the sentence (‘Non-existence alone was there in the beginning’, etc.) is used for restraining a person from understanding the opposite. For it is possible to restrain one from wrong understanding, by pointing out that he has misunderstood. Thus being purposeful, it becomes established that the sentence starting with ‘non-existence’, etc. is a Vedic text, and is valid too. Therefore sat, the manifest existence; (a)-jāyata, was born out of; asat, non-existence, absence of everything. (Absence of a before jāyata is a Vedic licence.)

कुतस्तु खलु सोऽय्येवं स्यादिति होवाच कथं असतः: सज्जायेत इति । सत्त्वे सोम्येदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वितीयम्॥ २ ॥

2. He said, ‘O good looking one, by what logic can existence verily come out of non-existence? But surely, O good looking one, in the beginning all this was Existence, One only, without a second.’

After having shown the view of the absolute Nihilists which consists of this misunderstanding, the text rebuts it.

‘Kutastu, by what logic, by what means of proof; somya, O good looking one; can it khalu, verily, be so? How can it be that sat, existence; jāyeta, comes out; asatah, from non-existence?’ The meaning is that this cannot be possible by any means of proof. As for the

27

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argument that a sprout is seen to come out of a seed

that is destroyed, i.e. it comes out of non-existence

itself, that also runs counters to their accepted view.

How?

Those which are the constituents of the seed, ar-

ranged according to the shape of the seed, continue in

the sprout as well. They are not destroyed when the

sprout comes out. Again, apart from those constituents

of the seed, which are arranged according to the shape

of the seed, nothing as a substance in the form of the

configuration of the seed, which can get destroyed at

the time of birth of the sprout is admitted to exist by the

Nihilists. On the other hand, if there is something else,

as a substance which is other than the constituents,

then, in that case their accepted view will be contra-

dicted.

Objection: Again, if it is said that the configuration

in the form of the seed accepted in popular usage gets

destroyed?

Reply: What is this thing that is called popular us-

age? Is that existence or non-existence? If it is non-

existence, no illustration can be cited (in support). If,

on the contrary, it is existence, even then the sprout

does not come out of non-existence. For the sprout is

born from the constituents of the seed.

Objection: If it is said that the constituents also be-

come destroyed?

Reply: No, because the same logic applies to the

constituents as well. Just as according to the Nihilists, a

thing constituted by the arrangement of the parts of the

seed does not exist, so also the constituents (do not

VI. 2. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 419

exist). Therefore their destruction also is unreason-

able. The constituents of the seed have themselves

subtle constituents, and of those constituents again

there are subtler constituents. Since this process has no

end, therefore the question of destruction cannot be

proved in any of these stages. Since the idea of exist-

ence persists throughout, and since there is no cessa-

tion of existence, therefore, in the case of those who

hold the view of existence, the birth of an existing thing

from another existing thing will stand established. But

in the case of those who hold the view of non-existence,

no example can be cited for illustrating the birth of an

existing thing from non-existence. According to those

who hold the view of existence it is seen that, a pot is

born from a lump of earth, because the former exists

when the latter is there, and it doesn't when the latter is

not. If a pot can come out of non-existence, then some-

body wanting a pot would not take up a lump of earth.

And there will arise the contingency of the word and

idea of non-existence persisting in the pot. But this is

not the case. Therefore, existence does not come out of

non-existence.

Even if they say: The idea of earth is the cause of the

idea of a pot; therefore the idea of the earth produces

the idea of the pot; but in reality neither the earth nor

the pot exist,—even in that case the idea of earth, as an

existing thing, becomes the cause of the idea of the pot.

In this way existence is not produced from non-

existence.

Objection: If it is said that, what is meant by cause

and effect is only a succession of the ideas of the earth

420 CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD [VI. 2. 2

and the pot, whereas there is no relationship as between a (material) cause and its product?

Reply: No. The Nihilists cannot cite any external illustration to prove that ideas succeed one another (because ideas are merely internal).1

Therefore he said, ‘O good looking one, how can this be really so? How, in what way can existence be born out of non-existence?’ The idea implied is that there is no example whatever, to illustrate the birth of existence from non-existence. Thus, after having demolished the view of those who stand by non-existence, the text concludes: ‘Tu, but; eva, surely; somya, O good looking one; agre, in the beginning; all this āsīt, was; sat, Existence’, thereby establishing its own position.

Objection: Even in the case of those who hold the view of Existence, no example can be cited to prove the birth of existence from existence, since it is not seen that some other pot comes out of a pot.

Reply: It is true that one existence does not come out of another existence in this way. What then? The same existence continues in a different configuration. As for instance, a snake forms into a coil; and earth continues in different forms as dust, lump, pot-sherds, etc.

Objection: If it is existence itself that continues in all kinds of forms, then why is it said that ‘this’ was there before creation?

Reply: Has it not been heard by you that what is

1The nihilist-Buddhists do not accept existence of external objects. Therefore, according to them even the ideas of earth and pot do not exist externally. Hence, it is illogical to cite these ‘ideas’ for explaining external experiences of succession or causality.

VI. 2. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 421

indicated by the word idam, this, has been specified to mean Existence?

Objection: Then it stands established that before creation there was only non-existence, but not the entity denoted by the word idam, this. 'This' has been born now (after being created).

Reply: No, since it is Existence itself that was there as the object denoted by the word and idea 'This'. It is just like the continuance of earth itself as the object denoted by the words and ideas 'lump', 'pot', etc.

Objection: Are not a lump (of earth), a pot, etc. different things just as much as earth is? Similarly, since the product (of Existence) is an object of some idea other than the idea of Existence, therefore the created product must be something different from Existence, just as a cow is different from a horse.

Reply: No, since although a lump, a pot, etc. are different from one another, they are not different from earth. Even though a pot is different from a lump, and a lump is different from a pot, still, the lump and the pot are are not different from earth. Therefore the lump and the pot are nothing but earth. However, a cow is different from a horse, or a horse from a cow.

Therefore pot etc. are merely different configurations of earth etc. Similarly all these are but different shapes of Existence, and therefore it is reasonable that before creation Existence alone was there, because without exception all shapes are dependent on speech alone.

Objection: Is it not that Existence is partless according to the Upaniṣadic texts:

'Partless, actionless, tranquil, faultless, taintless' (Śv. VI.19);

422 CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD [VI. 2. 2

'The Puruṣa is resplendent since He is formless, coextensive with all that is external and internal, and birthless' (Mu.II.1.2), and others?

How can it be logical that Existence which is partless can have a changeful configuration?

Reply: There is no such fault because, as from the constituents of rope etc. there can appear shapes like snake etc. Similarly it is logical that from the constituents of sat, Existence, imagined by the intellect, there can appear a changeful configuration. This is supported by the Upaniṣadic text, 'All transformation has speech as its basis, and it is name only. Earth as such is the reality' (VI.1.4); 'Existence indeed is the reality'. Even when one has the idea of 'this', there is in reality the One without a second.

तदैक्षत बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति तत्तेजोसृजत तत्तेज ऐक्षत बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति तदपोऽसृजत तस्मादत्र क्वच शोचति स्वेदते वा पुरुषस्तेजस एव तदध्यापो जायन्ते॥३॥

3. That (Existence) saw, 'I shall become many. I shall be born.' That created fire. That fire saw, 'I shall become many. I shall be born.' That created water. Therefore, wheresoever a person suffers or sweats, that occurs from fire indeed. Water comes out from heat.

Tat, that Existence; aikṣata, saw, undertook the act of visualization.

From this it follows that the cause of the world is not the Pradhāna imagined by the Sāṁkhyas, for they accept Pradhāna to be insentient. But this Existence is conscious because of being the agent of visualization.

VI. 2. 3] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 423

How did That visualize? This is being answered: 'Syām, I shall become; bahu, many. Prajāyeya, I shall be born excellently', like earth taking the shapes of pots etc. or ropes etc. taking the shapes of snake etc. imagined by the intellect.

Objection: In that case whatever is perceived is unreal, like a rope perceived in the shape of a snake etc.

Reply: No. Since it is Existence itself that is perceived otherwise through the duality of different forms, therefore, there is no non-existence of anything anywhere. That is what we say.

As the Nyāya school, after assuming that a thing is different from existence, says again that it has no existence before its birth and after its destruction—it is not assumed by us in that way, at anytime or anywhere, that any word or any thing denoted by the word can be there differently from Existence. But all words and all things that are spoken of with the idea of their being different from Existence, are Existence only, just as in the world a rope itself is spoken of as a snake, under the idea that it is a snake; or as a lump and pot etc. are referred to with the words lump, pot, etc. under the idea that they are different from earth. But just as the word and idea of a snake cease for one who has the discriminating knowledge about the rope, and as the words and ideas of pot etc. cease for one who has the discriminating knowledge about earth, similarly words and ideas with regard to all other transformation cease for those people who have the discriminating knowledge about Existence. This is so on the authority of such Upaniṣadic texts as:

'Failing to reach which (Brahman, as conditioned by

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[VI. 2. 3

the mind), words along with the mind turn back’ (Tai. II.4);

‘Whenever an aspirant gets fearlessly established

... in the inexpressible, and unsupporting Brahman

...’ (Tai.II.7.1).

Having visualized thus, tat, That; asrjata, created; tejah, fire.

Objection: Is it not that in another Upaniṣadic text,

‘From that Brahman, which is the Self, was produced space’ (Tai.II.1.1), it is stated that air came out of space, and fire from that, as the third?

How is it contradictorily stated (now) that fire came out of It first, and also that space came out of That itself’?

Reply: There is no such fault, since it is logical to assume that after creating space and air, that Existence created fire.

Or it may be that the order of creation is not what is intended to be spoken of here.

The intended meaning is that all this is the product of Existence, and therefore Existence is one only, without a second.

For there are examples of earth etc.

Or since the intention is to speak of the intermixture of three elements, the text speaks of the creation of fire, water, and food.

Fire is well-known in the world as that which burns, ripens, illuminates, and is red.

Tat, that; tejah, fire created by Existence; aikṣata, saw.

The meaning is that Existence which had taken the form of fire saw.

‘Bahu syām, I shall be many; prajāyeya, I shall be born excellently’—this is to be explained as before.

Tat, that; asrjata, created; āpaḥ, water.

It is well-known in the world that water is liquid, cool, fluid, and white.

Since water is a product of fire, therefore yatra kva ca, whenever and wherever; puruṣaḥ, a person; śocati,

VI. 2. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD

425

suffers; vā, or; svedate, sweats, perspires; tegasah eva

tat, that occurs from fire indeed. Tat āpaḥ adhijāyante,

water is born then.

ताः आप ऐक्षन्त बह्यः स्याम प्रजायेमहीति ताः

अन्नमसृजन्त तस्मादत्र क्वच वर्षति तदेव भूयिष्ठमन्नं

भवत्यद्भ्य एव तदध्यन्नाद्यं जायते॥४॥ इति द्वितीयः

खण्डः॥ २ ॥

4. Those waters saw: ‘We shall become many, we

shall be born excellently.’ They created food. There-

fore, whenever and wherever it rains, there food be-

comes plentiful. There the edible food is surely born

out of water.

Tāḥ, those; āpaḥ, waters; aikṣanta, saw. As ex-

plained earlier, it is Existence itself that, assuming the

form of water, saw. This is the meaning. ‘Syāma,

we shall become; bahvyaḥ, many, abundant. Prajāye-

mahi, we shall be born excellently.’ Tāḥ, they; asṛ-

janta, created; annam, food, which is indicative of the

earth, since food is a product of the earth. Therefore

yatra kva ca, whenever and wherever; varṣati, it rains;

tadeva, there in those very places; annam, food; bha-

vati, becomes; bhūyiṣṭham, plentiful. Therefore tat,

there; annādyam, edible food; adhijāyate, is born; ad-

bhyah, from water; eva, surely. It was said earlier that

earth is referred to by saying ‘they created food’. But

here in this illustration paddy, barley, etc. are meant

since there is the qualifying phrase, ‘food that is edi-

ble’.. And food (as earth) is well-known to be heavy,

steady, the supporting basis, and dark in colour.

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Objection: Well, it is not perceived that there is any (conscious act of) seeing in the case of fire etc. since (in them) there is absence of defensive action against injury etc. and reaction like fear etc. Therefore how can there be such a statement as, ‘That fire saw’?

Reply: There is no such defect, since fire etc. are modifications of the Seer who is the cause. And since the Seer who is Existence itself is the producer of effects possessed of a well-defined order of succession, therefore the elements fire etc. seem to visualize, and hence it is said, ‘they saw’.

Objection: Well, even of Existence, the act of seeing is certainly in a secondary sense.

Reply: No. Since visualization by Existence is known from the Upaniṣad only, therefore, it cannot be imagined that it is secondary. But in the case of fire etc. ‘seeing’ in the primary sense is inferred. Hence it is proper to assume that this is secondary.

Objection: It can be inferred even in the case of Existence that it is insentient, since it is a (material) cause like earth etc. Since Existence, which is insentient like Pradhāna, exists for serving the purpose of the sentient (puruṣa) and since it is the producer of effects in a well-defined succession of time and order, therefore it can be inferred that Existence saw as it were, and that visualization in Its case is verily in a secondary sense. Moreover, it is seen in the world that sentience is ascribed in a secondary sense to insentient things. As for instance: ‘The bank is about to collapse.’ (The visualization) by Existence can also be like that.

Reply: No, since the Upaniṣad mentions Existence as the Self in the text, ‘That is Truth, That is the Self’ (VI.14.3).

VI. 2. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 427

Objection: May it not be that the mention of Its being the Self is also in the secondary sense? As somebody may say, ‘Bhadrasena is my own self’, where the word self is used with regard to somebody who is not (one’s) self, but yet serves all of one’s purposes; similar is the case here.

Reply: No, since, for a person who has the true conviction about Existence that ‘I am Existence’, Liberation is enjoined in the text, ‘For him the delay is for that long as he does not become freed’ (VI.14.2).

Objection: May not Liberation itself be a secondary thing? For one who has the conviction that he is Self identified with Pradhāna, Liberation remains near at hand. In this way even the instruction about Liberation is secondary. As in the world, a person who has started for going to a village says, ‘I have reached the village’, having in his mind the idea of reaching it soon, this is also like that.

Reply: No, since the beginning is made with the statement, ‘By knowing which the unknown becomes known’ (VI.1.3), as also the other statement that all becomes known when the one Existence is known, because everything is non-different from It (Existence); and also because there is the assertion of non-duality. Moreover, it has not been heard from the Upaniṣad that there is something else to be known, nor is there any indicative word (in the Upaniṣad) from which it can be inferred that the instruction about Liberation should be taken as secondary. And if the whole Chapter is assumed to have a secondary meaning, then, the assumer will be undergoing a useless effort, because that knowledge which is calculated to serve the highest human purpose could be acquired by

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the assumer through logic itself. Therefore, since the meaning of the Upaniṣad is based on the authority of the Veda, it should not be given up. Hence the conclusion is that the Cause of the world is possessed of sentience.

SECTION 3

तेषां खल्वेषां भूतानां त्रीण्येव बीजानि भवन्त्याण्डजं जीवजमुभिदज्जमिति॥ १॥

1. Of those creatures which are these, there are three seeds—born of eggs, born of creatures (wombs), born of plants.

Teṣām, of those; bhūtānām, creatures possessed of souls; khalu eṣām, which are such; i.e. birds etc. Since by the word ‘these’, proximate things are pointed out, therefore fire etc. are not meant by the word bhūta. As the process of their being compounds of three elements will be spoken of (only) later, therefore it is not possible to point to fire etc. directly so long as the process of compounding of the three elements is not complete. (Fire etc. are not meant also) because, with regard to fire etc. the word ‘god’ is used in the text ‘these three gods’ (VI.3.2). Therefore, of those creatures that are animals, birds, plants, etc. bhavanti, there are; trīṇi eva, only three; bījāni, seeds, sources; but not more. Which are they? That is being answered. Āṇdajam, born of eggs—birds etc.—the word āṇdaja being the same as anda-ja. For it is seen that from birds, serpents, etc. are born birds, serpents, etc. only.

VI. 3. 2] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 429

Thus a bird becomes the seed (source) of birds, and a snake the seed of snakes. Similarly, whatever else is born of an egg, becomes the source of creatures of that class.

Objection: Is it not a fact that a creature born of an egg is called andaja? Therefore it is logical to say that the egg is the seed. Why is it said that the creature born of an egg is the seed?

Reply: It would have been truly so if the Upaniṣad had to follow your wishes. But the Upaniṣad is independent, because of which it says that the creatures born from an egg etc. are the seeds, and not the egg etc. themselves. And it is a matter of experience that, unless there be creatures born of eggs, the line of their continuance snaps, but not when there is a dearth of eggs etc. Therefore the creatures born of eggs etc. are the sources of the egg-born creatures.

Similarly, jīvajam, born of creatures, i.e. born of wombs—human beings, animals, and others. Udbhijjam—that which penetrates upward is an udbhit, a tree. That which is born from it is udbhijjam. Or corns are udbhit. That which is born from them is udbhijjam, the seed of a plant. This is the meaning. Those born of mire and warmth (lice, bug, etc.) are included in those born of eggs and seeds respectively. For only then does the assertion that there are only three seeds become reasonable.

सेयं देवतैक्षत हन्ताहमिमास्तिस्रो देवता अनेन जीवेना आत्मानुप्रविश्य नामरूपे व्याकरोवाणीति॥२॥

2. That Deity which is such saw: 'Let it be that now, by entering into these three gods, in the form of the

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[VI. 3. 2

soul of each individual being, I shall clearly manifest

name and form.’

Sā iyam devatā, That Deity under discussion, which

is such, which is called Existence and has been spoken

of as the Source of fire, water and earth; aikṣata, saw,

just as before, ‘I shall become many’. That very need of

the process of becoming many has not ceased even

today. Hence the Deity again undertook the act of

seeing, by accepting the idea of becoming many.

How?

‘Hanta, let it be; that now aham, I; anupravisya, by

entering; imāḥ tisraḥ devatāḥ, into these three gods,

fire, etc. as already mentioned; anena jīvena ātmanā, in

the form of the soul of each individual being.’ Having

the remembrance in Its mind of the experience in the

earlier creation of the individual soul which is the sus-

tainer of life, It says, ‘In the form of a soul’. By the

words ‘which is the sustainer of life’, the text shows that

It entered in a form non-different from Its own nature

as consciousness. Having entered—in the sense of

mere association with the subtle forms of fire, water,

and earth—, and becoming possessed of knowledge of

particular entities, (It thought): ‘Vyākaravāṇi, I shall

clearly manifest; nāma rūpe, name and form. I shall

manifest in this manner, "This has got this name and

this form."’

Objection: While being free, is it not unreasonable

for the non-transmigrating, omniscient Deity to con-

sciously desire and enter thus: ‘I shall experience sor-

row by entering into the body which is the repository of

hundreds of thousands of sorrows’?

Reply: It is true that it would not have been reason-

able if the Deity had desired, 'I shall enter in my own unsullied nature, and I shall experience sorrow.' But this is not so.

In what way then?

(In the way as evident) from the statement, 'In the form of the soul of each individual being'. An individual soul is merely a reflection of the Deity. It arises from (Its) contact with the subtle elements in the form of intellect etc. It is like a reflection of a person, seeming to have entered into a mirror, and like (the reflection of) the sun etc. in water etc. The contact of the Deity possessed of inscrutable and infinite power, with the intellect etc. is (in the form of) a reflection of consciousness. This becomes the cause of multifarious and conflicting ideas such as, 'I am happy', 'I am sorrowful', 'I am ignorant', etc. owing to the non-realisation of the true nature of the Deity. Since the Deity has entered merely as a reflection in the form of an individual soul, therefore It does not Itself become connected with physical happiness, sorrow, etc. As a person, the sun, and others entering into a mirror, water, etc. merely through their reflections, are not touched by the defects of the mirror, water, etc. so also the Deity is not.

It is also stated in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad: 'Just as the sun which is the eye of the whole world, is not tainted by the ocular and external defects, similarly the Self that is but one in all beings, is not tainted by the sorrows of the world, It being transcendental' (Ka. II. 2.11); 'All-pervasive', 'Eternal', 'like space' (Cf. Ka.); and in Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad it is said: 'He meditates as it were, He runs as it were' (Bṛ. IV.3.7).

Objection: If the individual soul be a mere reflection,

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[VI. 3. 2

then, it becomes reduced to unreality, and so also are its attainment of the other world, this world, etc.

Reply: There is no such defect, since it is admitted to be true in its real nature as Existence. And all modifications such as names, forms, etc. are true only in their nature as Existence. But by themselves they are surely unreal because it has been said: ‘All transformation has speech as its basis’ (VI.4.1). So also is an individual soul. There is the well-known proverb that ‘An offering should be in accordance with the nature of the demigod.’ Therefore, all phenomenal dealings and all modifications are true in their nature as Existence. Hence, in this matter no such objection can be raised by the logicians that, being different from Existence, (the souls) are false, though this criticism can be asserted against the dualistic standpoints which are contradictory to one another, that they are mere fancies of their own minds, and are rooted in unreality.

तासां त्रिवृतं त्रिवृतमेकैकां करवाणीति सेयं देवतेमास्तिम्रो देवता अनैनैव जीवेना आत्मनानुप्रविश्य नामरूपे व्याकरोत्॥ ३ ॥

3. With the idea. ‘I shall make each one of these three-fold and three-fold’, that Deity who was such entered into these three gods, as this individual soul, and manifested name and form.

That Deity, having entered into the three gods, saw, ‘I shall manifest name and form, the unmanifested name and form which, as seeds, exist in me’; and ‘I shall make each one of these three gods three-fold and three-fold.’ (In making each one three-fold) each one

VI. 3. 4] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 433

(in turn) becomes predominant, and the other two in turn take secondary places. Otherwise, the process of making three-fold would be one only, as in plaiting three strands into a rope; but there would not be a distinct process of making the three (gods) three-fold. In this way indeed, fire, water and earth will get separate names and ideas as, 'this is fire', 'these are waters', and 'this is earth'. And when the gods are endowed with separate names and ideas, then only the fructification of the proper uses (of the three gods) will be ensured.

Having visualized thus, sā, that; devatā, Deity; iyam, that was such, entered like the sun's reflection, into these three gods; in the form of Jīvena, the individual soul, as already described. And having thus entered first into the body of Virāṭ and then into the bodies of the gods; vyākarot, It manifested; nāma-rūpe, names and form, verily according to Its own wish, 'Let this have this name, this form', etc.

तासां त्रिवृतं त्रिवृतमेकैकमकरोद्यथा तु खलु सोम्येमास्तिम्रो देवतास्त्रिवृत्‌त्रिवृदेकैका भवति तन्मे विजानीहีति ॥ ४ ॥ इति तृतीय: खण्ड: ॥ ३ ॥

That Deity made each one of these three gods three-fold and three-fold (by turns) according to the predominance and secondariness of their (qualities). Let the point as to how the bodies of the gods and others,

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[VI. 3. 4

when manifested through names and forms, become

three-fold by possessing fire, water and earth, be kept

in abeyance. 'Tu, but; vijānīhi, know, understand

fully; me, from me, with the help of examples; tat, that,

how each one of these three gods; bhavati, becomes

three-fold and three-fold outside the bodies.

SECTION 4

यदग्रे रोहितः रूपं तेजसस्तदूपं यच्चुक्लं तदपां यत्कृष्णं

तदन्नस्यापागादप्रमितवं वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं त्रीणि

रूपाणीतyev सत्यम्॥ १ ॥

1. The red colour that (gross) fire has, that is the

colour of (subtle) fire. That which is the white colour

(of the gross fire), that is of (subtle) water. That which

is the black colour (of the gross fire), that is the colour

of (subtle) earth. (Thus) vanishes the firehood of fire.

All transformation has speech as its basis, and it is

name only. Those which are true are the three colours

alone.

The process of making the gods three-fold that was

spoken of is being cited as an example. An example is

that which is cited for indicating the whole by exemp-

lifying a part of it. (The Upaniṣad) speaks of it thus:

The well-known rohitam rūpam, red colour in the

world; yat agreh, of that fire which has undergone the

process of becoming three-fold; know tat, that; to be

rūpam, the colour; tejasah, of fire before it had been

made three-fold. Similarly, yat śuklam, that which is

the white colour of fire itself; tat apām, that belongs to

VI. 4. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 435

water before becoming three-fold. Yat kṛṣṇam, that which is the black colour of that very fire; know tat, that; to be anasya, of food, of earth before it has become three-fold. This being so, that which you think of as fire apart from the three colours, that agnitvam, firehood; agneh, of fire; apāgāt, vanishes now. The meaning is that the idea of fire which you had before the knowledge of the distinction of the three colours, that idea of fire has vanished; so also has vanished the word ‘fire’. A crystal seen in the proximity of redness (i.e. found in association with a red adjunct) causes the perception of it as possessed of the idea and name ‘ruby’, before the knowledge of the distinction between the crystal and the proximate thing (or adjunct). But in the case of the man who has that discriminating knowledge, the idea and the word denoting ruby cease when the distinction becomes known. Similar is the case here.

Objection: What do you gain here by imagining an idea and a word? It is quite reasonable that fire alone existed before the three colours were discriminated, and that firehood of fire vanished after the discrimination of the red colour etc. just as a cloth ceases to exist when the threads are removed.

Reply: It is not so. Indeed, fire is nothing but an idea and a word, for which reason the text says: The word fire which is vikārah, a transformation; vācāram-bhanam, has speech as its basis; and nāmadheyam, it is a name only. This is the meaning. So the idea of fire also is verily false.

What is true there then? Iti, those which are; satyam, true; are the three rūpam, colours; eva, alone. The

meaning of the assertion (eva) is that, apart from the three colours nothing else is true even in the slightest degree.

यदादित्यस्य रोहितं रूपं तेजसस्तद्रूपं यच्च शुक्लं तदपां यत्कृष्णं तदस्यापागादादित्यादादित्यत्वं वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं त्रीणि रूपाणीत्येव सत्यम्॥ २ ॥

यच्चन्द्रमसो रोहितं रूपं तेजसस्तद्रूपं यच्च शुक्लं तदपां यत्कृष्णं तदस्यापागाच्चन्द्राच्चन्द्रत्वं वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं त्रीणि रूपाणीत्येव सत्यम्॥ ३ ॥

यद्विद्यु तो रोहितं रूपं तेजसस्तद्रूपं यच्च शुक्लं तदपां यत्कृष्णं तदस्यापागाद्विद्युतो विद्युत्वं वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं त्रीणि रूपाणीत्येव सत्यम्॥ ४ ॥

earth. (In this way) the lightning-hood of lightning vanishes. All transformation has speed as its basis, and it is a name only. Those which are true are the three colours alone.

Similarly, yat, that which is: ādityasya, of the sun; yat, that which is; candramasah, of the moon; yat, that which is vidyutah, of lightning—etc. are to be explained as before.

Objection: After having said, ‘O good-looking one, know fully from me how each one of these three gods becomes three-fold and three-fold’ (VI.III.4), the process of making three-fold has been shown in the case of fire only, with all the four examples of fire etc. But no illustration has been cited in the case of making water and earth three-fold.

Reply: This fault does not arise. The Upaniṣad thinks that illustrations in the cases of water and earth are also to be understood in this very way. The example of fire is cited synechdochically. (Moreover) since it possesses colour it is possible to present its meaning clearly. Smell and fluidity have not been cited because their existence is not possible in all the three. Indeed, smell and fluidity do not exist in fire. Touch and sound are not cited because they cannot be pointed out separately. If the whole universe be a result of the process of becoming three-fold as in the case of fire etc. and if the three colours alone be true, then, like the firehood of fire the universe as the universe will vanish.

Similarly, since earth has got water as its source, therefore water alone is real. Earth has speech only as its basis. So also, since water has got fire as its source, therefore it has speech only as its basis. Fire alone is

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[VI. 4. 4

real. Since fire has got Existence as its source, therefore it also has speech only as its basis; Existence alone is real. This is the intended meaning.

Objection: However, since air and space are not included in fire etc. therefore they remain excluded without being made three-fold. Similarly smell, fluidity, sound, and touch also remain excluded. Hence, how can all other unknown things become known through the knowledge of Existence? Or, some other process has to be stated for the knowledge of them.

Reply: There is no such fault, since all are comprehended in a thing having colour.

Objection: How?

Reply: As to that, since there is perception of sound and touch as well in fire which is possessed of colour, therefore the existence of air and space, which are possessed of the qualities of touch and sound (respectively) can be inferred. Similarly fluidity and smell become included in water and earth which are possessed of colour. The Upaniṣad thinks that by pointing out the process of becoming three-fold in the cases of the three—fire, water, and earth—, which are possessed of colour, all things which, being the products of Existence are included in them, come to be known as the three colours. For by rejecting a concrete thing possessed of colour there can be no perception of air and space, or their qualities touch and sound, or of smell and fluidity. Or it may be that the Upaniṣad considers citing the process of becoming three-fold in the cases of things possessed of colour as an illustration only. But as in the process of making three-fold, what are real are the three colours alone, the same logic applies in the

VI. 4. 5] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 439

case of becoming five-fold also. Therefore, all things being modifications of Existence, (therefore) when Existence becomes known all this becomes known. Hence it becomes surely established that Existence alone, which is one without a second, is Real. It has been well said that, when that One is known all this becomes known.

एतद्ध स्म वै तद्विद्वाऽस आहुः पूर्वे महाशाला महाश्रोत्रिया न नोद्य कश्चनाश्रुतममतमविज्ञातमुदाहरिष्यतीति होभयो विदाञ्चक्रुः ॥ ५ ॥

5. In days of yore, after knowing that which is such, the ancient, great householders, the great adepts in the Vedas, said: “There is nobody in our lineage who will speak of anything as unheard of, unthought of, unknown’, because they knew through these (three).

Ha sma vai, in days of yore; pūrve, the ancient; mahāśālāh, the great householders; mahā-śrotriyāh, the great adepts in the Vedas; vidvāṃsah, who knew; etat, which is such; āhuḥ, said—. What did they say?

‘Na, there is no one; adya, now; naḥ, of us, in the lineage of our possessing this kind of knowledge; who udāhariṣyati, will speak of; kaścana, anything; as aśru-tam, unheard of; amatam, unthought of; avijñātam, unknown.’ The idea implied is, ‘To persons belonging to our lineage, surely all things remain known because of being possessed of the knowledge of Existence.’

How again, did they know everything? That is being said: Hi, since; ebhyah, through these, by knowing the

colours, viz red etc. which had undergone the process

of becoming three-fold; they vidāñcakruh, knew all the

other remaining things also to be verily so (three-fold);

therefore, they veritably became omniscient through

the knowledge of Existence. This is the purport. Or the

meaning is that they knew all other things ebhyah,

through these, through the knowledge of the illustra-

tions of fire etc.

यदु रोहितमिवाभूति तेजसस्तद्रूपमिति तद्विदाज्चकुर्यदु

शुक्लमिवाभूति यपां रूपमिति तद्विदाज्चकुर्यदु कृष्णमिवाभूदित्यनस्य रूपमिति तद्विदाज्चकु:॥ ६॥

यदविज्ञातमिवाभदित्येतामेव देवतां समास इति

तद्विदाज्चकुर्यथ खलु नु सोम्येमास्तिस्रो देवता: पुरुषं प्राप्य

त्रिवृत् त्रिवृदेकैक भवति तन्मे विजानीहीति॥७॥ इति

चतुर्थ: खण्ड:॥१४॥

6. Again, what appeared as red that they knew was

the colour of fire. What again, appeared as white that

they knew was the colour of water. What again, ap-

peared as black that they knew was the colour of earth.

7. What again, appeared as unknown that they

knew was the combination of these very gods. O good-

looking one, know from me how each one of these

three gods becomes three-fold and three-fold after

coming in contact with person.

How (did they know)?

Whatever colour was in doubt, as in the case of the

VI. 5. 1] CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD 441

(variegated) colour of a pigeon, yat rohitam iva abhūt, whatever appeared as red (in that multitude of colours) to those ancient knowers of Brahman; tat, that; vidāñcakruh, they knew; as tegasah rūpam, colour of fire. Similarly, yat, whatever; śuklam iva abhūt, appeared to be white when perceived; tat apām, that (was the colour) of water. Yat, whatever; kṛṣṇam iva, appeared to be black when perceived; tat annasya, that (was the colour) of earth; thus vidāñcakruh, they knew.

In this very way, yat, whatever; u, again; avijñātam iva, appeared as though unknown, appeared as very difficult to be perceived, which could not be perceived specifically; that also vidāñcakruh, they knew; as samāsah, the combination; of etāsām eva, these very; three devatānām, gods. In this way, to that extent, an external thing becomes known like fire etc. Similarly now, Somya, O good-looking one; vijānīhi, know; me, from me; as to yathā, how; ekaikā, each one; tisṛah devatāḥ, of the three gods as mentioned; bhavati, becomes; trivṛt trivṛt three-fold and three-fold; prāpya, after coming in contact; puruṣam, with a person who is characterized by head, hand, etc. and who is the combination of body and organs.

After saying so he continued: