Upanishads · Chāndogya 3,18.3
॥
Devanāgarī
वाक् एव ब्रह्मणः चतुर्थः पादः सः अग्निना ज्योतिषा भाति च तपति च भाति च तपति च कीर्त्या यशसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेन यः एवम् वेद
Transliteration (IAST)
vāk eva brahmaṇaḥ caturthaḥ pādaḥ saḥ agninā jyotiṣā bhāti ca tapati ca bhāti ca tapati ca kīrtyā yaśasā brahmavarcasena yaḥ evam veda
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
वाक्vākspeech; the word
एवevaindeed; surely
ब्रह्मणःbrahmaṇaḥof Brahman; of the Absolute
चतुर्थःcaturthaḥthe fourth; a quarter part
पादःpādaḥquarter; foot
सःsaḥhe; that one
अग्निनाagnināAgni; by fire
ज्योतिषाjyotiṣāby light; by the radiance
भातिbhātiit shines (from √bhā); shines; blazes
चcaand; as well as
तपतिtapatiit warms (from √tap); it warms; it gives heat
चcaand; as well as
भातिbhātiit shines (from √bhā); shines; blazes
चcaand; as well as
तपतिtapatiit warms (from √tap); it warms; it gives heat
चcaand; as well as
कीर्त्याkīrtyāwith fame; with renown
यशसाyaśasāwith fame; with renown
ब्रह्मवर्चसेनbrahmavarcasenawith brahmanical lustre; with spiritual lustre
यःyaḥwho; the one who
एवम्evamthus; in this way
वेदvedaknows; understands
Translation
Speech is a fourth part of Brahman: by the light of Agni it shines and warms. With fame, renown and sacred lustre shines and warms he who knows thus.
Version
8f08dc9d1de6 · published Jul 26, 2026, 11:10:48 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The first foot: vāg eva brahmaṇaś caturthaḥ pādaḥ — "speech is a quarter of Brahman": so 'gninā jyotiṣā bhāti ca tapati ca — "by the light of Agni it shines and warms": a word gives light and heat by fire! — every living speech is a small hearth: it lights (with meaning) and warms (with fellow-feeling).
And the fruit is by likeness: the knower himself bhāti ca tapati ca — "shines and warms" — with fame, name, brahma-varcas: he whose speech is a foot of Brahman lights and warms the world with a word, and the world answers with recognition. The test is simple: after your words, are people warmer and better lit? — then the foot stands true.