Chandogya Upanishad: ( 30/03/2013. )

  Chapters-12 to 16.     Chapter XII — The Birth of the Gross from the Subtle      1.   "Bring me a fruit of that nyagrodha (banyan) tree."  "Here it is’ venerable Sir." "Break it."  "It is broken, venerable Sir."  "What do you see there?"  "These seeds, exceedingly small,  "Break one of these, my son."  "It is broken, venerable Sir."  "What do you see there?"  "Nothing at all, venerable Sir."      2.   The father said: "That subtle essence, my dear, which you do  not perceive there—from that very essence this great nyagrodha  arises.  Believe me, my dear.      3.   "Now, that which is the subtle essence—in it all that exists has  its self. That is the True. That is the Self. That thou art,  Svetaketu."  "Please, venerable Sir, give me further instruction," said the  son.  "So be it, my dear," the father replied.        Ch

Chapter XI — The Indestructibility of the Jiva   1.   "If, my dear, someone were to strike at the root of this large  tree here, it would bleed but live. If he were to strike at the  middle, it would bleed but live. If he were to strike at the top, it  would bleed but live. Pervaded by the living self, that tree  stands firm, drinking in again and again its nourishment and  rejoicing.   2.   "But if the life (i.e. living self) leaves one of its branches, that  branch withers; if it leaves a second, that branch withers; if it  leaves a third, that branch withers. If it leaves the whole tree,  the whole three withers.   3.   "In exactly the same manner, my dear," said he, "know this:  This body dies, bereft of the living self; but the living self dies  not.  "Now, that which is the subtle essence—in it all that exists has  its self. That is the True. That is the Self. That thou art,  Svetaketu."  "Please, venerable Sir, give me fu

      Chapter X — The Absence of Specific Consciousness  in Deep Sleep          1—2.   "These rivers, my dear, flow—the eastern toward the east and  the western toward the west. They arise from the sea and flow  into the sea. Just as these rivers, while they are in the sea, do  not know: ‘I am this river’ or ‘I am that river,’  "Even so, my dear, all these creatures, even though they have  come from Pure Being, do not know that they have come from  Pure Being. Whatever these creatures are, here in this world—a  tiger, a lion, a wolf a boar, a worm, a fly, a gnat, or a mosquito,  that they become again.        3.   "Now, that which is the subtle essence—in it all that exists has  its self. That is the True. That is the Self. That thou art,  Svetaketu."  "Please, venerable Sir, give me further instruction," said the  son.  "So be it, my dear," the father replied.  

Part-6.       Chapter IX — The Absence of Individuality in Deep Sleep    Slokam- 1 to 4.       1—2.   "As bees, my dear, make honey by collecting the juices of trees  located at different places and reduce them to one form,  "And as these juices have no discrimination so as to be able to  say: ‘I am the juice of this tree,’ or ‘I am the juice of that  tree’—even so, indeed, my dear, all these creatures, though  they reach Pure Being, do not know that they have reached  Pure Being.      3.   "Whatever these creatures are, here in this world—a tiger, a  lion, a wolf, a boar, a worm, a fly, a gnat, or a mosquito—that  they become again.      4.   "Now, that which is the subtle essence—in it all that exists has  its self. That is the True. That is the Self. That thou art,  Svetaketu."  "Please, venerable Sir, give me further instruction," said the  son.  "So be it, my dear," the father replied.  

      Chapter VIII — Concerning Sleep, Hunger, Thirst and  Death  Slokam : 1 to 7.     1.   Uddalaka the son of Aruna said to his son Svetaketu: "Learn  from me, my dear, the true nature of sleep. When a person has  entered into deep sleep, as it is called, then, my dear, he  becomes united with Pure Being (Sat), he has gone to his own  Self. That is why they say he is in deep sleep (svapiti); it is  because he has gone (apita) to his own (svam).        2.   "Just as a bird tied by a string to the hand of the bird—catcher  first flies in every direction and then finding no rest anywhere,  settles down at the place where it is bound, so also the mind  (i.e. the individual soul reflected in the mind), my dear, after  flying in every direction and finding no rest anywhere, settles  down in the Prana (i.e. Pure Being); for the mind (the  individual soul) is fastened to the Prana (Pure Being).        3.   "Learn from me, my dear, what hunger

Chapter VI — The Physical Nature of the Mind, the Prana  and Speech  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   1.   "That, my dear, which is the subtlest part of curds rises, when  they are churned and becomes butter.    2.   "In the same manner, my dear, that which is the subtlest part of  the food that is eaten rises and becomes mind.    3.   "The subtlest part of the water that is drunk rises and becomes  prana.    4.   "The subtlest part of the fire that is eaten rises and becomes  speech.    5.   "Thus, my dear, the mind consists of food, the prana consists of  water and speech consists of fire."  "Please, venerable Sir, instruct me further."  "So be it, my dear"        Chapter VII — How the Mind consists of Food ............................................................................................................       1.   "

      Chapter V — The Threefold Nature of Food      1.   "Food when eaten becomes threefold. What is coarsest in it  becomes faeces, what is medium becomes flesh and what is  subtlest becomes mind.      2.   "Water when drunk becomes threefold. What is coarsest in it  becomes urine, what is medium becomes blood and what is  subtlest becomes prana.      3.   "Fire when eaten becomes threefold. What is coarsest in it  becomes bone, what is medium becomes marrow and what is  subtlest becomes speech.      4.   "The mind, my dear, consists of food, the prana of water and  speech of heat."  "Please, venerable Sir, instruct me further."  "So be it, my dear"  

      Chapter IV - The Threefold Development further  explained .   Slokam-1 to 7.   1.   "The red colour of gross fire is the colour of the original fire;  the white colour of gross fire is the colour of the original water;  the black colour of gross fire is the colour of the original earth.  Thus vanishes from fire what is commonly called fire, the  modification being only a name, arising from speech, while the  three colours (forms) alone are true.        2.   "The red colour of the sun is the colour of fire, the white the  colour of water, the black the colour of earth. Thus vanishes  from the sun what is commonly called the sun, the modification  being only a name, arising from speech, while the three colours  alone are true.        3.   "The red colour of the moon is the colour of fire, the white the  colour of water, the black the colour of earth. Thus vanishes  from the moon what is commonly called the moon, the  modification bei

      Chapter III — The Threefold Development  Slokam- 1 to 4.     1.   "Of all these living beings, there are only three origins: those  born from an egg, those born from a living being and those  born from a sprout.      2.   "That Deity thought: ‘Let Me now enter into those three deities  by means of this living self and let Me then develop names and  forms.’      3.   "That Deity, having thought: ‘Let Me make each of these three  tripartite,’ entered into these three deities by means of the  living self and developed names and forms.      4.   "It made each of these tripartite; and how these three deities  became, each of them, tripartite, that learn from me now, my  dear.  

Part-6.   Chapter II — Brahman: the Cause of the Universe   Slokam-1 to 4.        1.   "In the beginning, my dear, this universe was Being (Sat) alone,  one only without a second. Some say that in the beginning this  was non—being (asat) alone, one only without a second; and  from that non—being, being was born."        2.   Aruni said: "But how, indeed, could it be thus, my dear? How  could Being be born from non—being? No, my dear, it was  Being alone that existed in the beginning, one only without a  second.        3.   "It (Being, or Brahman) thought: ‘May I be many; may I grow  forth.’ It created fire. That fire thought: ‘May I be many; may I  grow forth.’ It created water. That is why, whenever a person is  hot and perspires, water is produced from fire (heat) alone.        4.   "That water thought: ‘May I be many; may I grow forth.’ It  created food (i.e. earth). That is why, whenever it rains  anywhere, abunda

Part-6.     Chapter I — The Non—Duality of the Self      Slokam-1 to 7.     1.   Om. There once lived Svetaketu the grandson of Aruna. To him  his father said: "Svetaketu, lead the life of a brahmacharin; for  there is none belonging to our family, my dear, who, not having  studied the Vedas, is a brahmin only by birth."            2—3.   Svetaketu went to his teacher’s house when he was twelve  years old and studied the Vedas till he was twenty—four. Then  he returned to his father, serious, considering himself well read  and arrogant.  His father said to him: "Svetaketu, since you are now so  serious, think yourself well read and are so arrogant, have you,  my dear, ever asked for that instruction by which one hears  what cannot be heard, by which one perceives what cannot be  perceived, by which one knows what cannot be known?"  Svetaketu asked: "What is that instruction, venerable Sir?"            4—6.   "

  Part-2.   Chapter II — Meditation on the Fivefold Saman (II)    Slokam-1 to 3.    1.   One should meditate on the fivefold Saman as the five worlds.  The syllable Him is the earth, the Prastava fire, the Udgitha the  sky, the Pratihara the sun, the Nidhana heaven. This is with  reference to the ascending order.  2.   Now with reference to the descending order:  The syllable Him is heaven, the Prastava the sun, the Udgitha  the sky, the Pratihara fire, the Nidhana the earth.  3.   The worlds in the ascending and descending orders belong to  him who, knowing this, meditates on the fivefold Saman as the  worlds.  

      Part -2.     Chapter 1 — Meditation on the Fivefold Saman (I)      1.   Om. Meditation on the whole of the Saman is good. Whatever  is good, people say it is Saman; and whatever is not good,  people say it is not Saman.      2.   Thus people say: "He approached him with Saman," that is to  say, "He approached him in a becoming manner." Again they  say: "He approached him without Saman," that is to say, "He  approached him in an unbecoming manner."      3.   And they also say: "Truly this is Saman for us," that is to say,  "It is good for us," when it is good. Again, they say: "Truly this  is not Saman for us," that is to say, "It is not good for us," when  it is not good.      4.   He who, knowing this, meditates on the Saman as good—all  good qualities will approach him quickly, ay, they will accrue  to him.  

Chapter XIII — The Mystical Meaning of the Stobha  Syllables    1.   This Earth is verily the syllable hau; the air is the syllable hai;  the moon is the syllable atha; the self is the syllable iha; the fire  is the syllable i.    2.   The sun is the syllable u; the invocation is the syllable e; the  Visve—devas are the syllable au—ho—i; Prajapati is the  syllable him; the prana the syllable svara; food is the syllable  ya; Virat is the syllable vak.    3.   Indefinable is the thirteenth stobha, namely, the variable  syllable hum.    4.   To him who knows this secret knowledge of the Samans,  speech yields milk and milk is speech. He becomes the  possessor of food and the eater of food—he who knows this,  yea, he who knows this.  

      Chapter XII — The Udgitha of the Dogs      1.   Now follows the Udgitha of the dogs:  One day, Vaka the son of Dalbhya, or as he was also called,  Glava son of Mitra, went forth to study the Vedas.      2.   A white dog appeared before him. Other dogs, gathering  around, said to him (i.e. the white dog): "Revered Sir, please  sing for us, so we may obtain food; we are hungry."      3.   He (the white dog) said to them: "Come to me here tomorrow  morning." Vaka the son of Dalbhya, or as he was also called,  Glava son of Mitra, kept watch.      4.   Just as the priests move along, holding to one another, when  they are about to sing praises with the Vahishpavamana hymn,  so did the dogs move along. Then they sat down and uttered the  syllable Him.      5.   Om. Let us eat! Om. Let us drink! Om. Let the sun, who is the  luminous deity (deva), the giver of rain (Varuna), the lord of  creatures (Prajapati), bring food here! 

            Chapter XI — The Story of Ushasti (II)      Mantram-1 to 9. 1.   The sacrificer said to him (Ushasti): "I should like to know who  you are, revered Sir."  "I am Ushasti the son of Chakra," he replied.  2.   He (the sacrificer) said: "Revered Sir, I looked for you to  perform all these priestly offices, but not finding you, Sir, I  have chosen others."  3.   "But now, Sir, please take up all the priestly offices."  "So be it," said Ushasti, "but let these priests, with my  permission, sing the hymns of praise. You will, however, give  me as much wealth as you give them."  "So be it," said the sacrificer.  4.   Thereupon the prastotri priest approached him and said: "Sir,  you said to me: ‘O prastotri priest, if without knowing the deity  that belongs to the Prastava, you sing the Prastava, your head  will fall off.’ Which is that deity?"  5.   Ushasti said: "T

Chapter X — The Story of Ushasti (I)   Mantram-1 to 11.  1.   When the crops of the Kurus were destroyed by thunderstorms,  Ushasti the son of Chakra, with his child—wife, lived in a  deplorable condition in the village of a man who owned an  elephant.   2.   He (Ushasti) begged food from the owner of the elephant, who  was eating some wretched beans. He (the owner of the  elephant) said: "I have nothing but what is set before me."   3.   Ushasti said: "Give me these."  He gave the beans and said: "Here is some water left over from  my drinking."  Ushasti said: "If I drink this, I will then be drinking what has  been left by another."   4.   The owner of the elephant said: "Were not those beans also left  over and therefore unclean?"  Ushasti replied: "I should not have lived if I had not eaten  them; but I can get water wherever I like."   5.   Having himself eaten, Ushasti gave his wife

Chapter IX — The Story of Pravahana (II)   1.   "What is the support of this world?" asked Silaka.  "The akasa," said Pravahana. "For all these beings are created  from the akasa and return to the akasa. The akasa is greater  than these; therefore the akasa is the supreme support."   2.   This is the Udgitha (Om), the most excellent; this is endless.  He who, knowing this, meditates on the Udgitha obtains the  most excellent life and wins the most excellent worlds.  3— 4.   Atidhanvan the son of Sunaka, having taught this Udgitha to  Udarasandilya, said: "As long as any of your descendants know  this Udgitha, their life shall be the most excellent in this world  and likewise in the other world."  He who thus knows the Udgitha and meditates on it—his life  shall be the most excellent in this world and likewise in the  other world, yea, the other world.   

Chapter VIII — The Story of the Pravahana (I)   1.   There were three men versed in the Udgitha: Silaka the son of  Salavat, Chaikitayana of the line of Dalbhya and Pravahana the  son of Jivala. They said: "We are indeed versed in the Udgitha.  Let us have a discussion of the Udgitha."   2.   "Let it be so," they said and sat down. Then Pravihana the son  Jivala said: "Revered Sirs, you speak first and I shall listen to  what the two brahmins have to say."   3.   Then Silaka the son of Salavat said to Chaikitayana of the line  Dalbhya: "Well, may I question you?"  "Do ask," he said.     4—5.   "What is the support of the Saman?"  "Tone (svara)," he replied.  "What is the support of tone?"  "The prana (vital breath)," he replied.  "What is the support of the prana?"  "Food," he replied. "What is the support of food?"  "Water," he rep

Chapter VII — The Person in the Eye   1.   Now with reference to the body:  Speech is the Rik and the prana is the Saman. This Saman (the  prana) rests on that Rik (speech). Therefore the Saman is sung,  resting on the Rik. Sa is speech, ama is the prana; thus they  (speech and the prana) are designated as Sama.   2.   The eye is the Rik and the atman is the Saman. This Saman (the  atman) rests on that Rik (speech). Therefore the Saman is sung,  resting on the Rik. Sa is the eye, ama is the atman; thus they  (the eye and the atman) are designated as Saman.   3.   The ear is the Rik and the mind is the Saman. This Saman (the  mind) rests on that Rik (the ear). Therefore the Saman is sung,  resting on the Rik. Sa is the ear, ama is the mind; thus they (the  ear and the mind) are designated as Sama.   4.   Now, the white radiance of the eye is the Rik and its blue  intense darkness is the Saman. This Saman (darkness) rests on  that Rik (radiance). Therefore t

Chapter VI — The Luminous Person in the Solar Orb   1.   This earth is the Rik and fire is the Saman. This Saman (i.e.  fire) rests on that Rik (i.e. the earth). Therefore the Saman is  sung resting on the Rik. Sa is the earth, ama is fire; thus they  (the earth and fire) are designated as Sama.   2.   The mid—region is the Rik and the air is the Saman. This  Saman (i.e. the air) rests on that Rik (i.e. the mid—region).  Therefore the Saman is sung, resting on the Rik. Sa is the  mid—region, ama is the air; thus they (the mid—region and the  air) are designated as Sama.   4.   The stars are the Rik and the moon is the Saman. This Saman  (i.e. the moon) rests on that Rik (i.e. the stars). Therefore the  Saman is sung, resting on the Rik. Sa is the stars, ama is the  moon; thus they (the stars and the moon) are designated as  Sama.   5.   Now, the white radiance of the sun is the Rik and its blue  intense darkness is the Saman. This Saman (i.e. the darkness)  

Chapter V — Meditation on Om as the Sun and the Prana  1.   Now, verily, that which is the Udgitha is the Pranava; that  which is the Pranava is the Udgitha. Yonder sun is the Udgitha.  It is the Pranava, because it moves along uttering Om.  2.   Kaushitaki in olden times said to his son: "I sang the praise of  the sun regarding it as one with its rays; therefore you are my  only son. Meditate on the rays and the sun as different from  each another and you will have many sons."  So much with reference to the gods.  3.   Now with reference to the body:  One should meditate on the Udgitha as the principal prana, for  (i.e. the prana) moves in the body uttering Om.  4.   Kaushitaki in olden times said to his son: "I sang the praise of  the principal prana alone; therefore you are my only son.  Meditate on the Udgitha as the manifold prana and you will  have many sons."  5.   Now, verily, that which is the Udgitha is the Pranava; that  which is the Pranava is t

Chapter IV — Meditation on Om as Fearlessness and  Immortality   1.   The syllable Om, called the Udgitha, should be meditated upon;  for people sing the Udgitha, beginning with Om.  Now follows the detailed explanation of this syllable.   2.   The gods, afraid of death, entered upon the threefold  knowledge. They covered themselves with the metrical hymns.  Because they covered (acchadayan) themselves with the  hymns, the hymns are called chhandas.   3.   As a fisherman might observe a fish in shallow water, so death  observed the gods in the Rik, the Yajus and the Saman. They  too came to know this, rose from the Rik, the Yajus and the  Saman and entered the Svara (Om) alone.   4.   When a man has mastered the Rig—Veda he loudly utters Om;  he does the same when he has mastered the Sama—Veda and  the Yajur—Veda. The Svara is the syllable Om; it is immortal  and fearless. The gods, by entering it, became immortal and  fearless.   5.   He who, knowing this, si

    Chapter III — Meditation on the Udgitha as the Sun and  the Vyana   1.   Now is described the meditation on the Udgitha with reference  to the gods:  One should meditate on the Udgitha as the sun who gives  warmth. When he (the sun) rises he sings the Udgitha for the  benefit of all creatures. When he rises he destroys darkness and  fear. He who knows this becomes the destroyer of darkness and  fear.   2.   This prana and that sun are the same. This is warm and that is  warm. This they call svara (what goes out) and that, pratyasvara  (what returns). Therefore one should meditate on the Udgitha  as this and that.   3.   One should meditate on the Udgitha as the vyana. That which  one breathes out is the prana and that which one breathes in is  the apana. That which is the junction of the prana and the apana  is the Vyana. This vyana is speech. Therefore when one utters  speech one stops the prana and the apana.   4.   That which is speech is the Rik. The

Chapter II — Meditation on Om as the Prana   1.   When the gods and the demons, both offspring of Prajapati,  fought with each other, the gods took hold of the Udgitha,  thinking that with this they would vanquish the demons.   2.   They (i.e. the gods) meditated on the Udgitha (Om) as the  prana which functions through the nose. But the demons  pierced it (i.e. the prana) with evil. Therefore with it (i.e. the  breath) one smells both what is pleasant—smelling and what is  foul—smelling. For the breath is pierced by evil.   3.   Then they meditated on the Udgitha as speech. But the demons  pierced it with evil. Therefore one speaks both truth and  falsehood. For speech is pierced by evil.   4.   Then they meditated on the Udgitha as the eye. But the demons  pierced it with evil. Therefore one sees both what is sightly and  what is unsightly. For the eye is pierced by evil.   5.   Then they meditated on the Udgitha as the ear. But the demons  pierced it with

Chapter I — Meditation on Om   1.   The syllable Om, called the Udgitha, should be meditated upon;  for people sing the Udgitha, beginning with Om.  Now follows the detailed explanation of the syllable:   2.   The essence of all these beings is the earth; the essence of the  earth is water; the essence of water is plants; the essence of  plants is a person; essence of a person is speech; the essence of  speech is the Rig—Veda; essence of the Rig—Veda is the  Sama—Veda; the essence of the Sama—Veda is the Udgitha  which is Om.   3.   That Udgitha (Om) is the best of all essences, the supreme,  deserving the highest place, the eighth.   4.   What, then, is the Rik? What is the Saman? What is the  Udgitha? This is to be considered.   5.   Speech, indeed, is the Rik; the vital breath (prana) is the  Saman; the syllable Om is the Udgitha. Speech and the prana,  or the Rik and the Saman, form a couple.   6.   And that couple become united in the syllable Om. Whe

Invocation   Om. May the different limbs of my body, my tongue, prana,  eyes, ears and my strength and also all the other sense—organs  be nourished! All, indeed, is Brahman, as is declared in the  Upanishads. May I never deny Brahman! May Brahman never  deny me! May there never be denial on my part! May all the  virtues described in the Upanishads belong to me, who am  devoted to Atman! Yea, may they all belong to me!  Om. Peace! Peace! Peace!