Upanishads · Chāndogya 1,3.8
॥
Devanāgarī
अथ खलु आशीः समृद्धिः उपसरणानि इति उपासीत येन साम्ना स्तोष्यन् स्यात् तत् साम उपधावेत्
Transliteration (IAST)
atha khalu āśīḥ samṛddhiḥ upasaraṇāni iti upāsīta yena sāmnā stoṣyan syāt tat sāma upadhāvet
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अथathathereupon; then
खलुkhalutruly; indeed
आशीःāśīḥthe benediction (āśīs — a prayerful wish); the good asked for; a blessing
समृद्धिःsamṛddhiḥprosperity; fulfilment
उपसरणानिupasaraṇānithe resorts (upasaraṇa — 'that to which one has recourse'); the objects of approach; the supports and havens
इतिitithus; how
उपासीतupāsītalet him venerate; one should contemplate
येनyenaby which; by means of which
साम्नाsāmnāby the sāman; by harmony
स्तोष्यन्stoṣyanabout to sing praise (future participle of √stu); intending to praise; preparing to laud
स्यात्syātcould be; it would become
तत्tatthat; this
सामsāmathe sāman; the chant
उपधावेत्upadhāvetlet him resort (upa-√dhāv — 'to run to for shelter'); let him turn; let him fall at [its feet]
Translation
Next, the fulfilment of benedictions. These refuges are to be venerated: with whatever sāman he intends to sing praise, to that sāman let him resort;
Version
55f95e908efb · published Jul 26, 2026, 10:28:09 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The udgātṛ's practicum begins: atha khalv āśīḥ-samṛddhiḥ — "now of the fulfilment of benedictions" (āśīs is a prayerful wish, usually for the sacrificer's good): upasaraṇāni upāsīta — "let him venerate the refuges" (upasaraṇa — "that to which one resorts"): yena sāmnā stoṣyan syāt tat sāmopadhāvet — "with whatever sāman he will praise, to that sāman let him resort".
The rule is subtle: before you sing a chant, take refuge in it: address the melody itself as a living being, enter into relation with it, ask its leave. A song that has been resorted to carries the singer; a song merely performed only sounds. So in everything: honour first the instrument of your work; the next verses will unfold the list — the verse, the seer, the deity, the metre, the stoma, the quarter of space — the whole apparatus of the rite as a train of living refuges.