Upanishads · Chāndogya 6,1.5
॥
Devanāgarī
यथा सोम्य एकेन लोहमणिना सर्वम् लोहमयम् विज्ञातम् स्यात् वाचारम्भणम् विकारः नामधेयम् लोहम् इति एव सत्यम्
Transliteration (IAST)
yathā somya ekena lohamaṇinā sarvam lohamayam vijñātam syāt vācārambhaṇam vikāraḥ nāmadheyam loham iti eva satyam
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
यथाyathāhow; like
सोम्यsomyadear one; noble one
एकेनekenaby one; by the single one
लोहमणिनाlohamaṇināby a copper clasp (loha-maṇi — 'a metal bead'); by a bit of metal; by a copper bead
सर्वम्sarvamall; entirely
लोहमयम्lohamayamwhatever is of copper (loha-maya); consisting of metal; the metal-wares
विज्ञातम्vijñātamknown; what has been discerned
स्यात्syātcould be; it would become
वाचारम्भणम्vācārambhaṇambeginning with speech; depending on a word
विकारःvikāraḥa modification; a derivative state
नामधेयम्nāmadheyamthe name; appellation
लोहम्lohamcopper (loha — 'the reddish metal'); metal; the copper
इतिitithus; how
एवevaindeed; surely
सत्यम्satyamtruth; reality
Translation
Just as, my dear, by one copper clasp everything made of copper is known: the modification is only a name that speech has laid hold of; the truth is 'it is copper'.
Version
658aaaa63f84 · published Jul 26, 2026, 11:34:59 PM UTC
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The second example is metal (loha, copper or gold): one clasp reveals the nature of all ornaments. A bracelet, an earring, a ring differ in look and in price, but weigh them and the scales will see one thing. The name holds the difference; the substance holds the being.
The three examples are chosen in an ascending order of nobility of substance — clay, copper, and iron will be the third — to show that the law is one at every level, from the plain to the precious. So the reader is quietly prepared for the transfer: if even metals are "known by one", how much more all that exists by the one Existent. The Vedānta-sūtra will call this transfer the "promise" (pratijñā): it is promised that through One everything is known — hence Cause and world are of one substance, as copper and clasp are (VS 2.1.14).