Upanishads · Chāndogya 1,1.10
॥
Devanāgarī
तेन उभौ कुरुतः यः च एतत् एवम् वेद यः च न वेद नाना तु विद्या च अविद्या च यत् एव विद्यया करोति श्रद्धया उपनिषदा तद् एव वीर्यवत्तरम् भवति इति खलु एतस्य एव अक्षरस्य उपव्याख्यानम् भवति
Transliteration (IAST)
tena ubhau kurutaḥ yaḥ ca etat evam veda yaḥ ca na veda nānā tu vidyā ca avidyā ca yat eva vidyayā karoti śraddhayā upaniṣadā tad eva vīryavattaram bhavati iti khalu etasya eva akṣarasya upavyākhyānam bhavati
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तेनtenawith that; by means of this
उभौubhauboth; the two
कुरुतःkurutaḥthey perform; they make
यःyaḥwho; the one who
चcaand; as well as
एतत्etatthis; all this
एवम्evamthus; in this way
वेदvedaknows; understands
यःyaḥwho; the one who
चcaand; as well as
नnanot; no
वेदvedaknows; understands
नानाnānāthey are different (nānā); they differ; not one and the same
तुtubut; surely
विद्याvidyāknowledge; vidyā
चcaand; as well as
अविद्याavidyānon-knowledge; ignorance
चcaand; as well as
यत्yatwhich; that which
एवevaindeed; surely
विद्ययाvidyayāby knowledge; by means of vidyā
करोतिkarotimakes; he places
श्रद्धयाśraddhayāwith faith; with trust
उपनिषदाupaniṣadāwith the hidden understanding (upaniṣad — here: the secret sense); with the upaniṣad-meaning; with the inner correspondence
तद्tadthat; this
एवevaindeed; surely
वीर्यवत्तरम्vīryavattarammore potent (vīryavat-tara); mightier; more effective
भवतिbhavatirevered lady; madam
इतिitithus; how
खलुkhalutruly; indeed
एतस्यetasyaof this; from this
एवevaindeed; surely
अक्षरस्यakṣarasyaof the syllable; the imperishable one
उपव्याख्यानम्upavyākhyānamthe explanation; the detailed explanation
भवतिbhavatirevered lady; madam
Translation
Both perform [the rite] by it — he who knows this thus and he who does not. But knowledge and ignorance are different: what is done with knowledge, with faith, with the hidden understanding — that indeed is more potent. Such is the exposition of this syllable.
Version
5ada5236a0d7 · published Jul 26, 2026, 10:28:09 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The most honest of verses about ritual: tenobhau kurutaḥ — "both act by it": the knower and the ignorant sing the same Oṁ, and the rite "works" for both — the Upaniṣad does not take the power away from simple-hearted piety. But: nānā tu vidyā cāvidyā ca — "yet knowledge and ignorance are different": yad eva vidyayā karoti śraddhayopaniṣadā tad eva vīryavattaraṁ bhavati — "what is done with knowledge, with faith, with the upaniṣad (the hidden understanding) — that is the more potent".
Three amplifiers of action: vidyā — knowledge of the meaning, śraddhā — the faith of the heart, upaniṣad — the secret correspondence (the very word "upaniṣad" appears here as an ingredient!). The formula applies to all religious doing in every age: a rite without understanding is not empty, but it works at half strength; the same rite steeped in meaning and faith is vīryavattara, mightier. So the Chāndogya defines its own office: it is that very "upaniṣad" which is added to the doing and makes it strong.