Upanishads · Chāndogya 1,8.1
॥
Devanāgarī
त्रयः ह उद्गीथे कुशलाः बभूवुः शिलकः शालावत्यः चैकितायनः दाल्भ्यः प्रवाहणः जैवलिः इति ते ह ऊचुः उद्गीथे वै कुशलाः स्मः हन्त उद्गीथे कथाम् वदाम इति
Transliteration (IAST)
trayaḥ ha udgīthe kuśalāḥ babhūvuḥ śilakaḥ śālāvatyaḥ caikitāyanaḥ dālbhyaḥ pravāhaṇaḥ jaivaliḥ iti te ha ūcuḥ udgīthe vai kuśalāḥ smaḥ hanta udgīthe kathām vadāma iti
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
त्रयःtrayaḥthree; a trio of
हhaindeed; surely
उद्गीथेudgīthein the udgītha; concerning the udgītha
कुशलाःkuśalāḥskilled (kuśala); adept; knowledgeable
बभूवुःbabhūvuḥthey became; they proved
शिलकःśilakaḥŚilaka; the sage Śilaka
शालावत्यःśālāvatyaḥŚālāvatya; a descendant of Śālāvat
चैकितायनःcaikitāyanaḥCaikitāyana; the sage Caikitāyana
दाल्भ्यःdālbhyaḥDālbhya; a descendant of Dalbha
प्रवाहणःpravāhaṇaḥPravāhaṇa; the name of a king
जैवलिःjaivaliḥJaivali; the son of Jīvala
इतिitithus; how
तेteto you; for you
हhaindeed; surely
ऊचुःūcuḥsaid; they uttered
उद्गीथेudgīthein the udgītha; concerning the udgītha
वैvaiverily; indeed
कुशलाःkuśalāḥskilled (kuśala); adept; knowledgeable
स्मःsmaḥwe are; we
हन्तhantaso then; come now
उद्गीथेudgīthein the udgītha; concerning the udgītha
कथाम्kathāma discourse (kathā — a learned conversation); a conversation; a discussion
वदामvadāmalet us hold (from √vad, first plural); let us speak; let us discuss
इतिitithus; how
Translation
There were three men skilled in the udgītha: Śilaka Śālāvatya, Caikitāyana Dālbhya and Pravāhaṇa Jaivali. They said: "We are skilled in the udgītha — come then, let us hold a discourse upon the udgītha!"
Version
3cfefad2b999 · published Jul 26, 2026, 10:28:09 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The eighth khaṇḍa is a living scene: three connoisseurs — two brāhmaṇas, Śilaka and Dālbhya, and a kṣatriya, prince Pravāhaṇa Jaivali (who will play a great part in the fifth adhyāya — as teacher of brāhmaṇas!). udgīthe vai kuśalāḥ smaḥ — "we are skilled in the udgītha": hantodgīthe kathāṁ vadāma iti — "come, let us hold a discourse upon the udgītha".
kathā is a learned conversation, a colloquy: the Upaniṣads grew out of such talks among masters: not a debate for victory but a mutual testing of depth. Mark the opening: all three are kuśalāḥ, skilled: this is no beginners' class; and yet it will presently appear that their skill differs in depth: in two of them it will run out before the questions do. The scene is a lesson for all ages: mastery is measured not by title but by how far your "whys" reach.