Upanishads · Chāndogya 2,18.2
॥
Devanāgarī
सः यः एवम् एताः रेवत्यः पशुषु प्रोताः वेद पशुमान् भवति सर्वम् आयुः एति ज्योक् जीवति महान् प्रजया पशुभिः भवति महान् कीर्त्या पशून् न निन्देत् तत् व्रतम्
Transliteration (IAST)
saḥ yaḥ evam etāḥ revatyaḥ paśuṣu protāḥ veda paśumān bhavati sarvam āyuḥ eti jyok jīvati mahān prajayā paśubhiḥ bhavati mahān kīrtyā paśūn na nindet tat vratam
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सःsaḥhe; that one
यःyaḥwho; the one who
एवम्evamthus; in this way
एताःetāḥthese; of these
रेवत्यःrevatyaḥthe revatī sāmans; the songs Revatī
पशुषुpaśuṣuin animals; among cattle
प्रोताःprotāḥinterwoven; woven in
वेदvedaknows; understands
पशुमान्paśumānpossessed of cattle; rich in animals
भवतिbhavatirevered lady; madam
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
पशून्paśūnanimals; cattle
नnanot; no
निन्देत्nindetlet him not disparage; he must not revile
तत्tatthat; this
व्रतम्vratama vow; the rule of observance
Translation
He who thus knows these revatīs woven into animals becomes rich in cattle, attains the full span of life, lives in brightness, is great in offspring and cattle, great in fame. Let him not revile animals: that is the vow.
Version
352026d1f83f · published Jul 26, 2026, 10:44:39 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The fruit: paśumān bhavati — a cattle-owner (as in 2.6). And the vow: paśūn na nindet — "let him not revile animals": do not abuse the beasts!
A prohibition touching in its concreteness: do not call the cow names, do not curse a stubborn horse, no "you brute": a creature into which the melody of wealth is woven does not bear reviling — and the reviler grows poor. Behind the peasant's wisdom lies something deep: our speech about the living shapes our attitude, and the attitude shapes the very increase: a flock breeds for the gentle. All the vows of the series are one school: reverent speech about a world in which the sāmans are being sung.