Upanishads · Chāndogya 7,16.1
॥
Devanāgarī
एषः तु वै अतिवदति यः सत्येन अतिवदति सः अहम् भगवः सत्येन अतिवदति इति सत्यम् तु एव विजिज्ञासितव्यम् इति सत्यम् भगवः जिजिज्ञासे इति
Transliteration (IAST)
eṣaḥ tu vai ativadati yaḥ satyena ativadati saḥ aham bhagavaḥ satyena ativadati iti satyam tu eva vijijñāsitavyam iti satyam bhagavaḥ jijijñāse iti
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
एषःeṣaḥthis; he
तुtubut; surely
वैvaiverily; indeed
अतिवदतिativadatihe surpasses in speech (ati + √vad); he over-speaks; he speaks surpassingly
यःyaḥwho; the one who
सत्येनsatyenaby Truth (satya, instrumental); by truth; by Truth
अतिवदतिativadatihe surpasses in speech (ati + √vad); he over-speaks; he speaks surpassingly
सःsaḥhe; that one
अहम्ahamI; I myself
भगवःbhagavaḥvenerable one; sir
सत्येनsatyenaby Truth (satya, instrumental); by truth; by Truth
अतिवदतिativadatihe surpasses in speech (ati + √vad); he over-speaks; he speaks surpassingly
इतिitithus; how
सत्यम्satyamtruth; reality
तुtubut; surely
एवevaindeed; surely
विजिज्ञासितव्यम्vijijñāsitavyamit must be sought to be known (desiderative of vi + √jñā); one must desire to know; is to be known
इतिitithus; how
सत्यम्satyamtruth; reality
भगवःbhagavaḥvenerable one; sir
जिजिज्ञासेjijijñāseI seek to know (first person desiderative); I wish to comprehend; I long to understand
इतिitithus; how
Translation
"But he truly speaks surpassingly who speaks surpassingly by Truth." — "Then it is by Truth, sir, that I wish to speak surpassingly." — "But Truth must be sought to be comprehended." — "I seek to comprehend Truth, sir."
Version
2764326d6a53 · published Jul 26, 2026, 11:46:46 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The chapter's turning point. A moment ago the summit seemed reached: one who knows the prāṇa is a surpassing speaker. And suddenly a quiet correction: eṣa tu vā ativadati yaḥ satyenātivadati — "but he truly surpasses who surpasses by Truth". There is a surpassing speech that comes from knowing the structure of things, and a surpassing speech that comes from touching Being; the first was exhausted by the ladder, the second is only beginning.
Nārada's answer is instantaneous and perfect: "then it is by Truth that I wish to surpass". Not a second upon the throne of the ativādin! And the teacher, seeing this readiness, changes his very method: the rungs of "venerate such and such" are over — a chain of conditions begins: truth requires comprehension, comprehension thought, thought faith… The ladder of things gives way to a ladder of the inner path, and it will lead to the Bhūman.