Isavasya OR Isa Upanisad
Brhadaranyaka Upanisad
Chandogya Upanisad
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Taittiriya Upanisad
Aitareya Upanisad
Kausitaki Upanisad
Kena Upanisad
Katha Upanisad
Svetasvatara Upanisad
The Mundaka Upanisad
Prasna Upanisad
Mandukya Upanisad
Maitri Upanisad
 
Chandogya Upanisad

Chapter Two

II.1
1. OM. Contemplation of the saman as a whole is good (sadhu). What is good, folk call 'prosperity (saman)'; what is not good, 'not prosperity'.

2. They say, too, 'He approached him tactfully (samna), meaning 'He approached him well'; and they say, 'He approached him tactlessly (asamna),' meaning 'He approached him badly.'

3. And they say, too, 'Oh! Lucky (saman) for us!' meaning 'Oh! Good for us!' When something good happens; and they say, 'Oh! Unlucky (asaman) for us!' meaning 'Oh! Bad for us!' when something bad happens.

4. Good dharmas will come quickly and do homage to him that one who, knowing this, contemplates the good as saman.

II.2
1. One should contemplate the fivefold saman in the worlds. Earth is the Hinkara; fire is the Prastava; middle-air is the Udgitha; the sun is the Pratihara; sky is the Nidhana. That is going upward.

2. But coming downward, sky is the Hinkara; the sun is the Prastava; middle-air is the Udgitha; fire is the Pratihara; earth is the Nidhana.

3. Worlds upward and downward are made fit for the one who, knowing this, contemplates the fivefold saman in the worlds.

II.3
1. One should contemplate the fivefold saman in rain. The wind beforehand is the Hinkara; when the raincloud forms, that is the Prastava; when it rains, that is the Udgitha; when it lightens and thunders, that is the Pratihara; when it ceases, that is the Nidhana.

2. It rains for him, and he makes it rain-the one who, knowing this, contemplates the fivefold saman in the rain.

II.4
1. One should contemplate the fivefold saman in all water. When the raincloud gathers, that is the Hinkara; when it rains, that is the Prastava; that which flows east is the Udgitha; that which flows west is the Pratihara; the ocean is the Nidhana.

2. He does not die in water, but becomes rich in water-the one who, knowing this, contemplates the fivefold saman in all water.

II.5
1. One should contemplate the fivefold saman in the seasons. Spring is the Hinkara; summer is the Prastava; the rainy season is the Udgitha; autumn is the Pratihara; winter is the Nidhana.

2. The seasons are tempered to him, and he becomes rich in seasons - the one who, knowing this, contemplates the fivefold saman in the seasons.

II.6
1. One should contemplate the fivefold saman in the animals (pasu). Goats are the Hinkara; sheep are the Prastava; cows are the Udgitha; horses are the Pratihara; man (purusa) is the Nidhana.

2. Animals come to him, and he becomes rich in animals-the one who, knowing this, contemplates the fivefold saman in the animals.

II.7
1. One should contemplate the fivefold saman, the higher than the highest, in the breaths. Breath is the Hinkara; speech is the Prastava; the eye is the Udgitha; the ear is the Pratihara; the mind is the Nidhana.

2. He gets what is higher than the highest, wins worlds that are higher than the highest-the one who, knowing this, contemplates the fivefold saman, the higher than the highest, in the breaths.
So much about the five fold.

II.8
Now about the sevenfold:
One should contemplate the sevenfold saman in speech. Whatever in speech is hum is the Hinkara; whatever is pra is the Prastava; whatever is a is the Adi;

2. Whatever is ud is the Udgitha; whatever is prati is the Pratihara; whatever is upa is the Upadrava; whatever is ni is the Nidhana.

3. Speech gives milk, the milk of speech, for him, and he becomes a possessor of food, an eater of food-the one who, knowing this, contemplates the sevenfold saman in speech.

II.9
1. One should contemplate the sevenfold saman as the sun. It is always the same (sama), hence it is saman. Everyone thinks, 'It faces me, it faces me'. It is the same for everyone, hence it is saman.

2. One should know that all beings are connected with it. Its form before rising is the Hinkara. The domestic animals (pasu) are connected with that: because they share in the Hinkara of the saman they go 'him'.

3. Its form when it has first risen is the Prastava. Human beings are connected with that: because they share in the Prastava of the saman they are lovers of praise (prastuti), lovers of fame.

4. Its form at the time when cattle meet is the Adi. The birds are connected with that: because they share in the Adi of the saman they fly around in middle-air relying on just themselves (atmanam adaya), without a support.

5. Its form just at midday is the Udgitha. The gods are connected with that: because they share in the Udgitha of the saman they are the best of the children of Prajapati.

6. Its form after midday but before evening falls is the Pratihara. Embryos are connected with that: because they share in the Pratihara of the saman they are held together (pratihrta) and do not fall down.

7. Its form after evening falls but before setting is the Upadrava. The forest animals are connected with that: because they share in the Upadrava of the saman, when they see a human being they run away (upa-dru-) to a thicket or cave.



Next >>