Contemplations on OUM ( Part 2)

Below are the two verses from Chandogya Upanishad’s first chapter that became the source of my inspiration for writing my contemplations on OUM and learning more and more through connected topics of music art and literature.

Chandogya Upanishad - Chapter 1- verse 1&2

ओमित्येतदक्षरमुद्गीथमुपासीत । ओमिति ह्युद्गायति तस्योपव्याख्यानम् ॥ १.१.१ ॥

Transliteration:

omityetadakṣaramudgīthamupāsīta | omiti hyudgāyati tasyopavyākhyānam || 1.1.1 ||

Word-for-word explanation:

Om iti, this Om, etat akṣaram udgītham upāsīta, imperishable, uplifting is to be meditated upon. hi om iti udgāyati, with Om singer ( starts Udgitha). tasya upavyākhyānam, this is being explained.

Udgitha- Part of Sama songs are called Udgitha.

Verse 1.1.2.

एषां भूतानां पृथिवी रसः पृथिव्या अपो रसः । अपामोषधयो रस ओषधीनां पुरुषो रसः पुरुषस्य वाग्रसो वाच ऋग्रस ऋचः साम रसः साम्न उद्गीथो रसः ॥ १.१.२ ॥

Transliteration:

eṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ pṛthivī rasaḥ pṛthivyā apo rasaḥ | apāmoṣadhayo rasa oṣadhīnāṃ puruṣo rasaḥ puruṣasya vāgraso vāca ṛgrasa ṛcaḥ sāma rasaḥ sāmna udgītho rasaḥ || 1.1.2 ||

2. The earth is the essence of all things, living or non-living; water is the essence of the earth; plants are the essence of water; human beings are the essence of plants; speech is the essence of human beings; the Ṛg Veda is the essence of speech; the Sāma Veda is the essence of the Ṛg Veda; and the udghītha is the essence of the Sāma Veda.

Word-for-word explanation:

Eṣām bhūtānām, of these beings; pṛthivī rasaḥ, the earth is the essence; pṛthivyāḥ, of the earth; āpaḥ, water; rasaḥ, is the essence; apām oṣadhayaḥ rasaḥ, plants are the essence of water; oṣadhīnām puruṣaḥ rasaḥ, human beings are the essence of plants; puruṣasya vāk rasaḥ, speech is the essence of human beings; vācaḥ ṛg rasaḥ, the Ṛg Veda is the essence of speech; ṛcaḥ sāma rasaḥ, the Sāma Veda is the essence of the Ṛg Veda; sāmnaḥ udgīthaḥ rasaḥ, the part known as udgītha is the essence of the Sāma Veda.

Savita Tyagi