OM
or AUM is described as the cosmic sound, the first vibrations that
reverberated through the universe and which continue to resound through
our consciousness. We bring you insights from the Chandogya Upanishad
om ity etad akṣaram udgītham upāsīta |
om iti hy udgāyati |
tasyopavyākhyānam || 1,1.1 ||
One should meditate on this letter Om which is Udgitha. Since one starts singing the Udgitha by uttering Om, therefore its proximate exposition is being commenced.
Upasita, one should meditate; etat, on this; om iti aksaram, letter om; which is udgitham, Udgitha. This letter Om, as the name of the supreme Reality, is nearest to Him; when that is used He surely becomes gracious just as a man becomes so when his favourite name is used. Since this (letter Om) is followed by an ‘iti, this’, thereby its being a name (expressive of Brahmn) is ruled out, (and) it is understood only in its verbal form. And in that way it becomes a symbol like an image etc. of the supreme Self. Thus it is known in all the Upanishads that Om, as a name and as a symbol, holds the highest position of being an aid to the mediation of the supreme Self. And its highest position is also well known from its being used very frequently at the beginning and end of repetition of holy names, rites, study (of Vedas) etc. Therefore, etat, this; aksaram, letter Om which is such, and is referred to as Udgitha since it constitutes a part of the portion of the sama song called Udgitha, is to be mediated on in its verbal form. (That is) one should continuously concentrate one’s mind on Om, which forms a part of rites and is a symbol of the supreme Reality.
The Upanishad itself states the reason why the word Om is signified by the word Udgitha. Hi, because; udgayati, one starts singing the Udgitha; om iti, by first uttering Om, therefore Udgitha is (identical with) Om. This is the idea. Tasya, of that, of the letter Om; upavyakhyanam, the proximate exposition, the statement of the manner of meditation, the kind of glory, and the type of result etc. …The words ‘is being commenced’, are to be supplied to complete the sentence.
eṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ pṛthivī rasaḥ |
pṛthivyā āpo rasaḥ |
apām oṣadhayo rasaḥ |
oṣadhīnāṃ puruṣo rasaḥ |
puruṣasya vāg rasaḥ |
vāca ṛg rasaḥ |
ṛcaḥ sāma rasaḥ |
sāmna udgītho rasaḥ || 1,1.2 ||
Of these objects the earth is the essence; of earth water is the essence; of water, herbs are of essence; of the herbs, the human body is the essence; of the human body, (the organ of) speech is the essence; of speech, Rk is the essence; of the Rk-mantras, the Sama-mantras are the essence; of the Sama-mantras, Udgitha is the essence.
Esam of these; bhutanam, objects that move and do not move; prthivi, the earth; is rasah, the essence – the destination, support and source. Prthivyah, of earth; apah, water; is rasah, the essence; since earth is permeated by water, therefore water is the essence of earth. Apam, of water; osadhayah rasah, the herbs are the essence because the herbs are transformation of water. Osadhinam, of these herbs; purusah, the human body is a transformation of food. Purusasya, of that human body also; vak, (the organ of) speech is the essence. Because, of all the human organs speech is the quintessence, therefore speech, Rk-mantras are pithy. Rcah, of the Rk-mantras, the Sama-mantra are the pithier essence. Even of them, Udigtha which is Om according to the context, is more pithy.
sa eṣa rasānāṃ rasatamaḥ paramaḥ parārdhyo 'ṣṭamo yadudgīthaḥ || 1,1.3 ||
That which is this Udgitha, is the essence of all essences, is supreme, is competent for the highest place, (and) is eighth in the series.
In this way, sah esah, that letter Om which is called this Udgitha; rasatamah, is the inmost essence; rasanam, of all essences, while considering in succession one as the essence of the other, beginning from objects. It is paramah, supreme because of its being the symbol of the supreme Self. It is parardhyah, competent to be worshipped as the supreme Self. The derivation of parardhyah is this: That which is param, supreme, and also ardham, a place is parardham; that which is competent for this is parardhyah. It is competent to take the place of the supreme Self since it is to be worshipped like the supreme Self. This is the meaning. It is eighth when counted in the series of essence starting from earth. Yat Udgithah should be yah udgithah (because Udgitha is of the masculine gender).
Chapter 1. 1-2, commentary by Sri Shankaracarya
om ity etad akṣaram udgītham upāsīta |
om iti hy udgāyati |
tasyopavyākhyānam || 1,1.1 ||
One should meditate on this letter Om which is Udgitha. Since one starts singing the Udgitha by uttering Om, therefore its proximate exposition is being commenced.
Upasita, one should meditate; etat, on this; om iti aksaram, letter om; which is udgitham, Udgitha. This letter Om, as the name of the supreme Reality, is nearest to Him; when that is used He surely becomes gracious just as a man becomes so when his favourite name is used. Since this (letter Om) is followed by an ‘iti, this’, thereby its being a name (expressive of Brahmn) is ruled out, (and) it is understood only in its verbal form. And in that way it becomes a symbol like an image etc. of the supreme Self. Thus it is known in all the Upanishads that Om, as a name and as a symbol, holds the highest position of being an aid to the mediation of the supreme Self. And its highest position is also well known from its being used very frequently at the beginning and end of repetition of holy names, rites, study (of Vedas) etc. Therefore, etat, this; aksaram, letter Om which is such, and is referred to as Udgitha since it constitutes a part of the portion of the sama song called Udgitha, is to be mediated on in its verbal form. (That is) one should continuously concentrate one’s mind on Om, which forms a part of rites and is a symbol of the supreme Reality.
The Upanishad itself states the reason why the word Om is signified by the word Udgitha. Hi, because; udgayati, one starts singing the Udgitha; om iti, by first uttering Om, therefore Udgitha is (identical with) Om. This is the idea. Tasya, of that, of the letter Om; upavyakhyanam, the proximate exposition, the statement of the manner of meditation, the kind of glory, and the type of result etc. …The words ‘is being commenced’, are to be supplied to complete the sentence.
eṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ pṛthivī rasaḥ |
pṛthivyā āpo rasaḥ |
apām oṣadhayo rasaḥ |
oṣadhīnāṃ puruṣo rasaḥ |
puruṣasya vāg rasaḥ |
vāca ṛg rasaḥ |
ṛcaḥ sāma rasaḥ |
sāmna udgītho rasaḥ || 1,1.2 ||
Of these objects the earth is the essence; of earth water is the essence; of water, herbs are of essence; of the herbs, the human body is the essence; of the human body, (the organ of) speech is the essence; of speech, Rk is the essence; of the Rk-mantras, the Sama-mantras are the essence; of the Sama-mantras, Udgitha is the essence.
Esam of these; bhutanam, objects that move and do not move; prthivi, the earth; is rasah, the essence – the destination, support and source. Prthivyah, of earth; apah, water; is rasah, the essence; since earth is permeated by water, therefore water is the essence of earth. Apam, of water; osadhayah rasah, the herbs are the essence because the herbs are transformation of water. Osadhinam, of these herbs; purusah, the human body is a transformation of food. Purusasya, of that human body also; vak, (the organ of) speech is the essence. Because, of all the human organs speech is the quintessence, therefore speech, Rk-mantras are pithy. Rcah, of the Rk-mantras, the Sama-mantra are the pithier essence. Even of them, Udigtha which is Om according to the context, is more pithy.
sa eṣa rasānāṃ rasatamaḥ paramaḥ parārdhyo 'ṣṭamo yadudgīthaḥ || 1,1.3 ||
That which is this Udgitha, is the essence of all essences, is supreme, is competent for the highest place, (and) is eighth in the series.
In this way, sah esah, that letter Om which is called this Udgitha; rasatamah, is the inmost essence; rasanam, of all essences, while considering in succession one as the essence of the other, beginning from objects. It is paramah, supreme because of its being the symbol of the supreme Self. It is parardhyah, competent to be worshipped as the supreme Self. The derivation of parardhyah is this: That which is param, supreme, and also ardham, a place is parardham; that which is competent for this is parardhyah. It is competent to take the place of the supreme Self since it is to be worshipped like the supreme Self. This is the meaning. It is eighth when counted in the series of essence starting from earth. Yat Udgithah should be yah udgithah (because Udgitha is of the masculine gender).
Chapter 1. 1-2, commentary by Sri Shankaracarya
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