Upaniṣads · Chāndogya 7,17.1
॥
Devanāgarī
यदा वै विजानाति अथ सत्यम् वदति न अविजानन् सत्यम् वदति विजानन् एव सत्यम् वदति विज्ञानम् तु एव विजिज्ञासितव्यम् इति विज्ञानम् भगवः विजिज्ञासे इति
Transliteración (IAST)
yadā vai vijānāti atha satyam vadati na avijānan satyam vadati vijānan eva satyam vadati vijñānam tu eva vijijñāsitavyam iti vijñānam bhagavaḥ vijijñāse iti
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
यदाyadāwhen; at the moment when
वैvaiverily; indeed
विजानातिvijānātihe comprehends (vi + √jñā); he knows discerningly; realises
अथathathereupon; then
सत्यम्satyamtruth; reality
वदतिvadatihe speaks (from √vad); he pronounces; says
नnanot; no
अविजानन्avijānannot comprehending (a-vijānat); without comprehension; failing to understand
सत्यम्satyamtruth; reality
वदतिvadatihe speaks (from √vad); he pronounces; says
विजानन्vijānanthe knower; the discerner
एवevaindeed; surely
सत्यम्satyamtruth; reality
वदतिvadatihe speaks (from √vad); he pronounces; says
विज्ञानम्vijñānamdiscerning knowledge; the understanding
तुtubut; surely
एवevaindeed; surely
विजिज्ञासितव्यम्vijijñāsitavyamit should be known; must be investigated
इतिitithus; how
विज्ञानम्vijñānamdiscerning knowledge; the understanding
भगवःbhagavaḥvenerable one; sir
विजिज्ञासेvijijñāseI wish to know; I would investigate
इतिitithus; how
Traducción
"When a man comprehends, then he speaks truth; not comprehending, he does not speak truth: only one who comprehends speaks truth. But comprehension must be sought to be comprehended." — "I seek to comprehend comprehension, sir."
Versión
3e814989ec48 · publicado 26 jul 2026, 23:46:46 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
The first condition of truth is vijñāna, comprehension. Truth cannot be "repeated" — it can only be spoken out of understanding; an unrealised truth on the lips is a parroting that happens to coincide with a fact. Only he speaks truth who sees what he is speaking about.
So begins the famous chain of seven links (7.16–22): truth ← comprehension ← thought ← faith ← steadfastness ← practice ← happiness. Each link is introduced the same way: "when… then"; and to each Nārada answers the same: "I seek to comprehend it". This is no longer a catalogue of the world but the anatomy of the path itself — from the top downward, from fruit to root, until the root of roots opens.