Upanishads · Chāndogya 4,8.2
॥
Devanāgarī
तम् मद्गुः उपनिपत्य अभ्युवाद सत्यकाम इति भगवः इति ह प्रतिशुश्राव
Transliteration (IAST)
tam madguḥ upanipatya abhyuvāda satyakāma iti bhagavaḥ iti ha pratiśuśrāva
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
तम्tamit; that one
मद्गुःmadguḥa water-bird; a diver-bird
उपनिपत्यupanipatyahaving flown down to him (upa-ni + √pat — 'to alight beside'); having settled near; having come down beside him
अभ्युवादabhyuvādaaddressed; he spoke up
सत्यकामsatyakāmaO Satyakāma; Satyakāma
इतिitithus; how
भगवःbhagavaḥvenerable one; sir
इतिitithus; how
हhaindeed; surely
प्रतिशुश्रावpratiśuśrāvahe answered; he answered
Translation
The diver-bird flew down to him and addressed him: "Satyakāma!" — "Sir!" he answered.
Version
6be5c97ebdd7 · published Jul 26, 2026, 11:19:15 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Each new teacher finds the pupil himself: the bull speaks up in the herd, the fire at the hearth, the bird flies down (upanipatya). Satyakāma chooses no one and pushes himself upon no one as a pupil; he only keeps truth and service — and the truth comes and sits beside him of itself. This mirrors the Kaṭha's words: "The ātman reveals himself to the one whom he chooses" (Kaṭha 1.2.23). And the choice falls on one who, like Satyakāma, did not lie about himself even to himself.
The unvarying "Bhagavaḥ!" on the youth's lips is that same level reverence toward whatever mouth the Lord has chosen for his lesson.