Upanishads · Chāndogya 1,3.6
॥
Devanāgarī
अथ खलु उद्गीथाक्षराणि उपासीत उत् गी थ इति प्राणः एव उत् प्राणेन हि उत्तिष्ठति वाक् गीः वाचः ह गिरः इति आचक्षते अन्नम् थम् अन्ने हि इदम् सर्वम् स्थितम्
Transliteration (IAST)
atha khalu udgīthākṣarāṇi upāsīta ut gī tha iti prāṇaḥ eva ut prāṇena hi uttiṣṭhati vāk gīḥ vācaḥ ha giraḥ iti ācakṣate annam tham anne hi idam sarvam sthitam
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अथathathereupon; then
खलुkhalutruly; indeed
उद्गीथाक्षराणिudgīthākṣarāṇithe syllables [of the word] 'udgītha' (udgītha-akṣara); the syllables of the udgītha; ud-gī-tha
उपासीतupāsītalet him venerate; one should contemplate
उत्utupward; outward
गीgīgī; speech-as-song
थthatha; the supporting syllable
इतिitithus; how
प्राणःprāṇaḥthe prāṇa; the vital breath
एवevaindeed; surely
उत्utupward; outward
प्राणेनprāṇenawith the breath; by the vital breath
हिhiindeed; truly
उत्तिष्ठतिuttiṣṭhatiit rises (ud-√sthā); ascends; it stands up
वाक्vākspeech; the word
गीःgīḥgī; speech-as-song
वाचःvācaḥof speech; of speech
हhaindeed; surely
गिरःgiraḥthe voices (gir — 'speech'); the utterances; the sounds
इतिitithus; how
आचक्षतेācakṣatethey call; they explain
अन्नम्annamfood; food
थम्thamtham; the support
अन्नेannein food; in nourishment
हिhiindeed; truly
इदम्idamthis; thus
सर्वम्sarvamall; entirely
स्थितम्sthitamit is established (sthita); stands; it stands firm
Translation
Next, the syllables of [the word] "udgītha" are to be venerated: ud-gī-tha. "Ud" is breath, for by breath men rise up [uttiṣṭhati]. "Gī" is speech, for utterances are called "girs". "Tha" is food, for upon food all this is established [sthita].
Version
5ad6e3888b24 · published Jul 26, 2026, 10:28:09 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
A contemplation by syllables: udgītha-akṣarāṇy upāsīta — the very word "udgītha" is taken apart into ud-gī-tha, and each syllable is opened by an etymology: ud is prāṇa (by breath men uttiṣṭhati, "rise up": life is the lifting power); gī is vāc (utterances are called giraḥ, "voices"); tha is annam (upon food all this is sthitam, "stands").
The word turns out to be a folded universe: rising-life, voice-word, foundation-food: everything by which a man lives is packed into the three syllables of his chief chant. Such reading is a school of the sacred ear: the words of the Veda are no arbitrary labels but layered crystals; he who sings "udgītha" knowing its syllables sings the life, the speech and the food of the world — and they answer him (the next verse will carry the series up to the sky and the Vedas).