Upanishads · Chāndogya 6,6.5
॥
Devanāgarī
अन्नमयम् हि सोम्य मनः आपोमयः प्राणः तेजोमयी वाक् इति भूयः एव मा भगवान् विज्ञापयतु इति तथा सोम्य इति ह उवाच
Transliteration (IAST)
annamayam hi somya manaḥ āpomayaḥ prāṇaḥ tejomayī vāk iti bhūyaḥ eva mā bhagavān vijñāpayatu iti tathā somya iti ha uvāca
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अन्नमयम्annamayamconsisting of food; produced from food
हिhifor (hi); indeed; truly
सोम्यsomyadear one; noble one
मनःmanaḥthe mind; thinking
आपोमयःāpomayaḥconsisting of water; produced from the waters
प्राणःprāṇaḥthe prāṇa; the vital breath
तेजोमयीtejomayīcomposed of heat; produced by the fiery power
वाक्vākspeech; the word
इतिitithus; how
भूयःbhūyaḥgreater; the highest
एवevaindeed; surely
माmānot; me
भगवान्bhagavānvenerable one; esteemed one
विज्ञापयतुvijñāpayatulet him explain; let him make it understood
इतिitithus; how
तथाtathāthus; so be it
सोम्यsomyadear one; noble one
इतिitithus; how
हhaindeed; surely
उवाचuvācahe said; He spoke
Translation
"For the mind, my dear, consists of food, the breath of the waters, speech of heat." — "Let your reverence explain to me still further." — "So be it, my dear," he said.
Version
e1869f862fef · published Jul 26, 2026, 11:37:31 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The formula of the three compositions is repeated word for word — now resting on the image of the churn. The Upaniṣad teaches by repetition as a craft is taught: one and the same truth is laid down first as a table (6.5.4), then as an image, and then will be laid down as an experience — three layers of one lesson, one for each way in which a man assimilates anything.
And again: "explain further" — the pupil does not let his teacher go. Note that Śvetaketu has never once said "I understand"; he will pronounce his understanding only at the very end (6.16.3). An honest dissatisfaction is the engine of the whole chapter: while it lasts, the father leads on.