Upanishads · Chāndogya 4,9.2
॥
Devanāgarī
ब्रह्मविद् इव वै सोम्य भासि कः नु त्वा अनुशशास इति अन्ये मनुष्येभ्यः इति ह प्रतिजज्ञे भगवान् तु एव मे कामे ब्रूयात्
Transliteration (IAST)
brahmavid iva vai somya bhāsi kaḥ nu tvā anuśaśāsa iti anye manuṣyebhyaḥ iti ha pratijajñe bhagavān tu eva me kāme brūyāt
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ब्रह्मविद्brahmavidthe knower of Brahman (brahma-vid); the knower of the Most High; the brahma-vid
इवivaas it were; as though
वैvaiverily; indeed
सोम्यsomyadear one; noble one
भासिbhāsiyou shine (from √bhās — 'to gleam'); you are radiant; you glow
कःkaḥwho; which
नुnusurely; is it that
त्वाtvāyou; to you
अनुशशासanuśaśāsahe instructed him (anu + √śās — 'to teach'); he taught; he imparted
इतिitithus; how
अन्येanyeother; others
मनुष्येभ्यःmanuṣyebhyaḥthan men; not men
इतिitithus; how
हhaindeed; surely
प्रतिजज्ञेpratijajñehe owned it (prati + √jñā — 'to acknowledge'); he confirmed; he answered openly
भगवान्bhagavānvenerable one; esteemed one
तुtubut; surely
एवevaindeed; surely
मेmemyself; for me
कामेkāmeat my wish (from kāma — 'desire'); upon my request; in fulfilment of the wish
ब्रूयात्brūyātlet him say (optative of √brū); let him declare; let him instruct
Translation
"My dear, you shine like one who knows Brahman. Who has instructed you?" — "Others than men," he acknowledged. "But let your reverence himself tell me what I wish to hear.
Version
cb53474e0f53 · published Jul 26, 2026, 11:21:05 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Gautama sees the change at a glance: his pupil's face shines with knowledge (brahma-varcasa) — the very fruit of the "Light-bearing" quarter promised at 4.7.4. True knowledge cannot be concealed: it shows in the countenance as fire shows in heat.
Satyakāma's answer is doubly admirable. First, an honesty faithful to itself since the opening scene: he claims neither feat nor revelation for himself — "others than men instructed me". He who once did not hide the doubtfulness of his birth now does not hide the marvellousness of his schooling either; truth is one for him in humiliation and in glory. Second — and this is the verse's summit — having received his lessons from the very envoys of the deity, he still asks: "Let your reverence himself instruct me." He does not consider himself taught; a marvel does not abolish the guru for him.
The word kāme — "according to my desire" — unfolds the hero's name: Satyakāma, "he whose desire is truth". His one kāma is to hear the truth from his own ācārya's lips.