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Chandogya Upanishad (Shankara Bhashya)

by Ganganatha Jha | 1942 | 149,749 words | ISBN-10: 8170842840 | ISBN-13: 9788170842842

This is the English translation of the Chandogya Upanishad, an ancient philosophical text originally written in Sanksrit and dating to at least the 8th century BCE. Having eight chapters (adhyayas) and many sub-sections (khandas), this text is counted among the largest of it's kind. The Chandogya Upanishad, being connected to the Samaveda, represen...

Section 1.8 (eighth khaṇḍa) (eight texts)

Upaniṣad text:

There were three persons who were experts in 岵īٳ—�ilaka-Ś屹ٲⲹ, Caikitāna-ⲹ and ʰṇa-Jaibali.—They —ĜWe are experts in 岵īٳ: let us carry on a discussion on 岵īٳ�.�(1)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

The syllable ‘Om� lends itself to being meditated upon in several ways; hence the Text has introduced another method of meditation, calculated to bring its reward in the shape of the quality of being the highest and best� The story has been brought in for the purpose of making the subject easily comprehensible.—�Three’—persons three in number;—the particle �ha� indicates the fact that such is the popular belief,—were �Experts�.—w-;—�in 岵īٳ�,—in the science of 岵īٳ;—that is, among persons who had gathered together for some purpose, at a particular time and place; certainly, it is not possible that in the whole world there should be only three persons, well-versed in 岵īٳ and the related subjects; in fact, we hear of many such persons as Uṣasti, Jānaśruti, Kaikeya and others who were well-nigh omniscient.—The Text next mentions who these three experts were: (1) Ś첹, by name, the �Ś屹ٲⲹ�, i.e., the son of Ś屹;�(2) �䲹쾱ⲹԲ the son of 侱쾱ⲹԲ, of the gotra of Dalbha; or he may have been the son of both 侱쾱ⲹԲ and Dalbha (being the body-born son of one and the adopted son of the other);—and (3) ʰṇa, by name, the �Jaibali�, the son of ī;—these were the three.�They said to each other—“We are known to be experts—w-�in 岵īٳ; hence, well,—if you agree,—let us carry on discussion,—debate, through the system of setting forth the two sides of the question,—the correct view and its contrary,�on Udgīthā,—i.e., on the science, relating to the 岵īٳ; and such discussion among persons knowing the subject leads to the rejection of the wrong view and the establishment of the correct view, not quite well known before, and also the setting aside of all doubts on the subject. For this reason, persons conversant with the subject should be brought together;—such is the teaching meant to be conveyed by the story;—the sense being that, that the said results have followed from discussions is found to have been a fact in the case of the said sages, Ś첹 and the rest.�(1)

Upaniṣad text:

Having said Be it so, they sat down. Then ʰṇa Jaibali —ĜYou revered Sirs, speak first; I shall listen to the talk of two 󳾲ṇa conversing.Ũ�(2)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Having said ‘Be it so�, they sat down.—So it it said. Where they had sat down, inasmuch as the ṣaٳٰⲹ is by his very nature, more forward, ʰṇa Jaibali said to the other two—�You revered Sirs,—you who deserve all honour,�speak first—before others.—The term �to two 󳾲ṇa� is indicative of the fact that the speaker himself was a ṣaٳٰⲹ.—“While you two 󳾲ṇa are conversing, I shall listen to your conversation.� Some people explain the qualifing term ��, �talk, to mean mere words without much sense,�(2)

Upaniṣad text:

‘TܱDz, Ś첹 Śٲⲹ said to 䲹쾱ⲹԲ-ⲹ—“Well, may I question you?ŨĔ“Do question� said the other.’�(3)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

On the two men being thus addressed, Ś첹- Ś屹ٲⲹ said to 䲹쾱ⲹԲ —“Well, if you will permit, I may question you.ŨĔBeing thus addressed, the other said “Do question.Ũ�(3)

Upaniṣad text:

“What is the essence of ?Բɱ—ĜAccent.ŨĔ“What is the essence of accent?ŨĔAnswer—‘Breath “What is the essence of Breath?Ũ�

Բɱ—ĜFood.ŨĔ“What is the essence of Food?ŨĔԲɱ—ĜWater.Ũ�(4)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Having obtained permission, he —�Of 峾�,—which stands here for 岵īٳ, which forms the subject-matter of the discourse; it is 岵īٳ as:to be meditated upon which forms the subject-matter of the discourse; the text also is going to declare �岵īٳ is the highest and best�,�what is the essence,—the substratum, the ultimate basis?Ũ�

Being thus� questioned, Բɱ—�Accent�; because is made up of accent; when one thing is made up of another, it is said to have that for its essence, its ultimate basis; as for instance, the Jar and other objects made of clay (have clay for their essence).�

What is the essence of accent?Ũ�

Բɱ—ĜB𲹳ٳ�; it is through Breath that Accent is produced; hence Breath is the essence of Accent.�

What, is the essence of Breath?Ũ�

Բɱ—�Food�; as Breath is supported by Food; as declared by the Śܳپ texts.—“Breath dries up without food� and “Food is the string.Ũ�

“What is the Essence of food?Ũ�

Բɱ—�Water�,—as Food is produced out of Water.�(4)

Upaniṣad text:

“What is the essence of Water?ŨĔԲɱ—ĜThat other Region.ŨĔ“What is the essence of that other Region?ŨĔԲɱ—ĜOne should not carry the Region of Heaven; we base the on the Region of Heaven too far; because has been eulogised as Heaven.Ũ�(5)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

What is the essence of Water?ŨĔ“That other Region�; because it is from that other Region that rain proceeds.—On being asked—“What is the essence of that other Region?Ũ� —�One should not carry—峾—too far—beyond, to any other substratum than,�that Region of Heaven. It is for this reason that we also base the

on the Region of Heaven; that is, we regard as based upon the Heavenly Region. Because 峾 has been eulogised as Heaven,—i.e., it is as Heaven that has been eulogised as declared in the Śܳپ text—“The Region of Heaven is 峾�Veda�.�(5)

Upaniṣad text:

Ś첹 Ś屹ٲⲹ said to 䲹쾱ⲹԲ ⲹ—“Verily, O ⲹ, your 峾 is not well-established. If, now, some one were to tell you, your head shall fall, surely your head would fall.Ũ�(6)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Thereupon, the other person, Ś첹 Ś屹ٲⲹ said to 䲹쾱ⲹԲ ⲹ—“Your 峾 verily is not well-established,—that is, not securely based upon an ultimate substratum and hence established as the highest and best�. The particle ��, as also the particle �ca� indicates the scripture bearing upon the point. “O , as you put it, the is not well-established.ŨĔIf some one, knowing the true character of , were to take offence at your representation of it, and were, at this time, to say to one whose idea of 峾 is wrong, and who may be committing the serious offence of misrepresenting the insecurely established 峾 as well-established, that �your head shall fall,—shall fall off completely�,—then this head of yours,—who have committed the said offence,�would surely fall; there can be no doubt.—I do not say this to you, however,—this is what is meant.�

Objection—“If the man has really committed the offence for which the head should fall,—it should fall off, even without his being told so; and if the offence is not one for which the offender’s head should fall off, then, it would not fall, even on his being told so. Otherwise (if one’s head were to fall off simply because of some one telling him it would fall, then there would be the incongruity of something accruing to the man which he had not earned by his deeds, and also his being deprived of what he had earned.�

Answer—This does not affect our position; as a matter of fact, the actual accruing of the results of one’s good and bad deeds is dependent upon the conditions of place, time and other accessory causes. Such being the case, even though the offence of Ignorance be the cause of the falling of the head, yet its actual occurrence may be dependent upon some one uttering the imprecation.�(6)

Upaniṣad text:

“Well then, may I learn this from you, revered Sir?ŨĔ“Learn�, he said.—“What is the Essence of that other Region?ŨĔ“This Region�, he said.—“What is the Essence of this Region?ŨĔHe said, “One should not carry too far the Base of this Region of stability. We locate the Sima on the base of this Region; because the 峾 has been eulogised as the Base.Ũ�(7)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Being addressed as above, —�Well, then, may I learn this from you, revered Sir,—on what is based?ŨĔBeing thus addressed, Ś屹ٲⲹ Բɱ—�Learn�, he said.—Being asked by ⲹ—“What is the Essence of that other Region?ŨĔŚ屹ٲ� said.—“This Region�, he said. The sense is that this Region (of Human beings) supports the other Region (of Heaven) through sacrifices, gifts, libations and such acts. The Śܳپ texts have declared that ‘the Deities live upon offerings from this world.� It is perceptible also that the Earth is the support of all things; hence it is only right that the Earth should be the support, ultimate basis, of also.—Being ashed—“What is the essence of this Region?�Ś屹ٲⲹ —�One should not carry too far—the 峾—beyond the Base of this Region�. It is for this reason that �we locate the 峾 on the base of this Region; because 峾 has been eulogised as the Base�; i.e. 峾n has been praised as being the Base. Says the Śܳپ-text—“This is 鲹ٳṇt (峾)�.�(7)

Upaniṣad text:

ʰṇa-Jaibali said to him—“Verily, Śٲⲹ, your would have an end; if, now, some one were to tell you that your head shall fall, your head would surely fall.ŨĔ“Well then, may I learn it from you, revered Sir?ŨĔ“Learn�, he said.�(8)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

When had said this, ʰṇa Jaibali —ĜYour , O Ś屹ٲⲹ, would have an end etc. etc.ŨĔas before.—Then Ś屹ٲⲹ —�Well then, may I learn it from you, revered Sir?ŨĔHe said �Learn�.—Being thus permitted the other said (as follows in the next text).�(8)

End of Section (8) of Discourse I.

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