Section 1.1
Original Sanskrit
1.1.1 ओमित्येतदक्षरमुद्गीथमुपासीत । ओमिति ह्युद्गायति तस्योपव्याख्यानम् ॥ १ ॥
1.1.2 एषा भूतानां पृथिवी रसः पृथिव्या अपो रसः अपामोषधयो रस ओषधीनां पुरुषो रसः पुरुषस्य वाग्रसो वाच ऋग्रस ऋचः साम रसः साम्न उद्गीथो रसः ॥ २ ॥
1.1.3 स एष रसानाꣳ रसतमः परमः परार्ध्योऽष्टमो यदुद्गीथः ॥ ३ ॥
1.1.4 कतमा कतमर्क्कतमत्कतमत्साम कतमः कतम उद्गीथ इति विमृष्टं भवति ॥ ४ ॥
1.1.5 वागेवर्क्प्राणः सामोमित्येतदक्षरमुद्गीथस्तद्वा एतन्मिथुनं यद्वाक्च प्राणश्चर्क्च साम च ॥ ५ ॥
1.1.6 तदेतन्मिथुनमोमित्येतस्मिन्नक्षरे सꣳ सृज्यते यदा वै मिथुनौ समागच्छत आपयतो वै तावन्योन्यस्य कामम् ॥ ६ ॥
1.1.7 आपयिता ह वै कामानां भवति य एतदेवं विद्वानक्षरमुद्गीथमुपास्ते ॥ ७ ॥
1.1.8 तद्वा एतदनुज्ञाक्षरं यद्धि किञ्चानुजानात्योमित्येव तदाहैषो एव समृद्धिर्यदनुज्ञा समर्धयिता ह वै कामानां भवति य एतदेवं विद्वानक्षरमुद्गीथमुपास्ते ॥ ८ ॥
1.1.9 तेनेयं त्रयीविद्या वर्तते ओमित्याश्रावयत्योमितिशꣳसत्योमित्युद्गायत्येतस्यैवाक्षरस्यापचित्यै महिम्ना रसेन ॥ ९ ॥
1.1.10 तेनोभौ कुरुतो यश्चैतदेवं वेद यश्च न वेद । नाना तु विद्या चाविद्या च यदेव विद्यया करोति श्रद्धयोपनिषदा तदेव वीर्यवत्तरं भवतीति खल्वेतस्यैवाक्षरस्योपव्याख्यानं भवति ॥ १० ॥
Musean translation
Complete machine-assisted Musean translation made directly from the Sanskrit, independently of the Plain English edition. All eight books and the closing invocation are retained.
1.1.1 One should meditate on this syllable Om as the Udgitha, for with Om one sings the Udgitha. Here is its explanation.
1.1.2 Earth is the essence of beings; water is the essence of earth; plants are the essence of water; the person is the essence of plants; speech is the essence of the person; the Rig verse is the essence of speech; the Saman is the essence of the Rig verse; the Udgitha is the essence of the Saman.
1.1.3 This Udgitha is the essence of essences, the highest, supremely precious, the eighth.
1.1.4 Which is it, which is the Rig verse? Which is it, which is the Saman? Which is it, which is the Udgitha? This is the question considered.
1.1.5 Speech is the Rig verse; life-breath is the Saman; this syllable Om is the Udgitha. Speech and life-breath, the Rig verse and the Saman, form a pair.
1.1.6 This pair is joined in the syllable Om. When a pair comes together, each fulfills the other's desire.
1.1.7 Whoever knows thus and meditates on this syllable as the Udgitha becomes a fulfiller of desires.
1.1.8 This is the syllable of assent: when one assents to anything, one says Om. Assent is fulfillment. Whoever knows thus and meditates on this syllable as the Udgitha becomes one who brings desires to fulfillment.
1.1.9 Through it this threefold sacred knowledge proceeds. With Om one gives the call to listen; with Om one recites; with Om one sings the Udgitha. All this honors this very syllable through its greatness and its essence.
1.1.10 Both perform through it: the one who knows this thus and the one who does not know. Yet knowledge and ignorance are different. What one performs with knowledge, with faith, with the secret teaching, becomes more powerful. This is the explanation of this very syllable.
Plain English translation
Complete machine-assisted Plain English translation made independently and directly from the Sanskrit, not from the Musean edition. All eight books and the closing invocation are retained.
1.1.1 Meditate on the syllable Om as the Udgitha. The singer begins the Udgitha with Om. Here is its explanation.
1.1.2 Earth is the essence of living things. Water is the essence of earth. Plants are the essence of water. A person is the essence of plants. Speech is the essence of a person. A Rig verse is the essence of speech. A Saman is the essence of a Rig verse. The Udgitha is the essence of a Saman.
1.1.3 This Udgitha is the finest of these essences, the highest, worthy of the highest place. It is the eighth.
1.1.4 The question is: which is the Rig verse, which is the Saman, and which is the Udgitha?
1.1.5 Speech is the Rig verse, life-breath is the Saman, and the syllable Om is the Udgitha. Speech and life-breath, the Rig verse and the Saman, form a pair.
1.1.6 This pair comes together in the syllable Om. When two partners come together, they fulfill each other's desire.
1.1.7 Someone who knows this and meditates on the syllable as the Udgitha becomes a fulfiller of desires.
1.1.8 This is also the syllable of agreement. When someone agrees to anything, they say Om. Agreement is fulfillment. Someone who knows this and meditates on the syllable as the Udgitha brings desires to fulfillment.
1.1.9 The threefold Vedic knowledge operates through it. With Om one calls for the hearing of a chant; with Om one recites; with Om one sings the Udgitha. This honors that very syllable, with its greatness and its essence.
1.1.10 Both the person who knows this and the person who does not perform the ritual with it. But knowledge and lack of knowledge are different. What one does with knowledge, faith, and understanding of the hidden connection becomes more powerful. This, then, is the explanation of that syllable.
About this section
Section 1.1 is part of Chandogya Upanishad by Unknown. This page sets the Sanskrit original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is section 1 of 154 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
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