Upanishads · Chāndogya 2,16.2
॥
Devanāgarī
सः यः एवम् एतत् वैराजम् ऋतुषु प्रोतं वेद विराजति प्रजया पशुभिः ब्रह्मवर्चसेन सर्वम् आयुः एति ज्योक् जीवति महान् प्रजया पशुभिः भवति महान् कीर्त्या ऋतून् न निन्देत् तत् व्रतम्
Transliteration (IAST)
saḥ yaḥ evam etat vairājam ṛtuṣu protaṃ veda virājati prajayā paśubhiḥ brahmavarcasena sarvam āyuḥ eti jyok jīvati mahān prajayā paśubhiḥ bhavati mahān kīrtyā ṛtūn na nindet tat vratam
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सःsaḥhe; that one
यःyaḥwho; the one who
एवम्evamthus; in this way
एतत्etatthis; all this
वैराजम्vairājamthe vairāja sāman; the royal song Vairāja
ऋतुषुṛtuṣuin the seasons; among the seasons
प्रोतंprotaṃinterwoven; woven in
वेदvedaknows; understands
विराजतिvirājatihe shines in sovereignty (vi-√rāj); he gleams with lordship; he shines and reigns
प्रजयाprajayāwith offspring; with children
पशुभिःpaśubhiḥwith cattle; with cattle
ब्रह्मवर्चसेनbrahmavarcasenawith brahmanical lustre; with spiritual lustre
सर्वम्sarvamall; entirely
आयुःāyuḥlife; the span of life
एतिetiattains; comes to
ज्योक्jyoklong; clearly and long
जीवतिjīvatidwells; he remains alive
महान्mahāngreat; large
प्रजयाprajayāwith offspring; with children
पशुभिःpaśubhiḥwith cattle; with cattle
भवतिbhavatirevered lady; madam
महान्mahāngreat; large
कीर्त्याkīrtyāwith fame; with renown
ऋतून्ṛtūnthe seasons; the seasons of the year
नnanot; no
निन्देत्nindetlet him not disparage; he must not revile
तत्tatthat; this
व्रतम्vratama vow; the rule of observance
Translation
He who thus knows this vairāja woven into the seasons shines royally with offspring, cattle and sacred lustre, attains the full span of life, lives in brightness, is great in offspring and cattle, great in fame. Let him not revile the seasons: that is the vow.
Version
7de6dc296ca1 · published Jul 26, 2026, 10:40:48 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The fruit follows the name: virājati — "he shines royally" with offspring, cattle, brahmic lustre: the vairāja makes a virāj of him: one who venerates the royal year comes to reign in his own circle — without struggle, by concord, as the year does.
The vow: ṛtūn na nindet — "let him not revile the seasons": do not abuse the times of year! A third prohibition of grumbling (the heat, the rain, and now time itself): do not say "a bad time", "an evil season" — to revile a beat is to step out of the concord. Accept the beat and time will carry you as music carries an obedient dancer: he who is forever at war with time is always late; he who honours it is always in season (the ṛtumān of 2.5!).