Chandogya Upanishad

This is the English translation of the Chandogya-upanishad, including a commentary based on Swami Lokeswarananda’s weekly discourses; incorporating extracts from Shankara’s bhasya. The Chandogya Upanishad is a major Hindu philosophical text incorporated in the Sama Veda, and dealing with meditation and Brahman. It is one of the oldest and most extensive Upaniṣads of the Sāmaveda tradition; foundational for Vedānta.

Overview

The Chāndogya Upaniṣad (छान्दोग्य उपनिषद्) belongs to the Sāmaveda and forms the concluding portion of the
Chāndogya Brāhmaṇa (also linked to the Tāṇḍya Mahābrāhmaṇa, Kauthuma recension). It is counted among the
mukhya (principal) Upaniṣads frequently cited by classical Vedānta commentators. The text comprises
eight chapters (pra-pāṭhakas) blending ritual exposition, narratives, and philosophical teaching.

Etymology of the Name

• Chāndogya derives from chandas (Vedic meter/hymn), reflecting its focus on Sāman (musical) chanting.
• The title also connotes instruction for chāndogas—adept chanters steeped in ritual recitation.

Structure

The eight chapters are divided into shorter khāṇḍas (sections). The work moves from ritual symbolism and Sāman-centered
meditations to more explicit teachings on Ātman and Brahman, gradually interiorizing ritual into upāsanā (contemplative practice).

• Ritual instruction: Symbolic correspondences tied to Sāman chant and liturgy.
• Mythic narratives: Teaching through parables and stories.
• Dialogues: Teacher–student exchanges that crystallize core doctrines.
• Meditative instruction: Turning from sacrifice to inner knowledge.

Key Philosophical Themes

1. Ātman–Brahman Identity:
   The mahāvākya “tat tvam asi” (6.8.7) affirms the essential identity of the individual Self with the ultimate reality.
2. Nature of Brahman:
   Source, substratum, and goal of the cosmos; taught through analogies (e.g., clay and pots; rivers and the sea; bees and honey).
3. Upāsanā (Symbolic Meditations):
   Contemplations on sounds (especially OM), breaths, organs, and cosmic entities as gateways to knowledge.
4. Ethical Preparation:
   Emphasis on satya (truth), tapas (discipline), and śama/dama (self-mastery) as prerequisites for realization.
5. Unity-in-Diversity:
   The many are expressions of one reality; teachings stress the interconnectedness of life.