Let us listen to the teaching of the wise, as preserved in the Chandogya Upanishad. The brilliance of the sun, that white radiance which shines forth, is the Sāman; and so too, that which is blue or dark in the sun is the Sāman. This Sāman is woven upon the Ṛc, the sacred hymn, and so it is that the Sāman is sung upon the foundation of the Ṛc. Once more, the Upanishad declares: the sun’s white brilliance is the Sāman, and its blue or dark aspect is also the Sāman. Now, within the sun, a golden Person is seen—golden-bearded, golden-haired, golden from the tips of his toes to the crown of his head. His eyes are like lotuses just opened by the sun’s rays. His name is Uditi. Whoever knows him rises above all evil, truly transcending every ill. For this golden Person, the Ṛc and the Sāman dwell in his two cheeks. Thus, the udgītha—the highest chant—and the singer’s praise are for him alone. He acts for all the worlds beyond, and for the fulfillment of the gods’ desires. Thus is the teaching concerning the deities. Now, as to the self within: speech is the Rik, breath is the Sāman. The Sāman is woven upon the Rik, just as before, and so the Sāman is sung as resting upon the Rik. Speech is truly that, and breath is its essence—such is the Sāman. The eye is the essence of the Rik, and the Sāman is that. Again, the Sāman is woven upon the Rik, and so the Sāman is sung as woven upon the Rik. The eye is truly that, and its essence is the Sāman. The Sāman is that which is woven upon the Rik. Therefore, the Sāman is sung as woven upon the Rik; the ear is truly that, and the mind is its essence—such is the Sāman. Now, in the eye, that which is the white brightness is the Rik; that which is blue or dark is the Sāman. This Sāman is woven upon the Rik, and so the Sāman is sung as woven upon the Rik. The white brightness in the eye is the Rik, and the blue or dark is the Sāman, its essence. The person who is seen in the eye—he is the Rik, he is the Sāman, he is the Uktha, he is the Yajus, he is Brahman. Whatever his form, such is his shadow; whatever his name, that is his name. He rules over all the worlds below, and the desires of men as well. Those who sing with the vīṇā, the lute, sing of him; and so they are called singers of wealth. Whoever, knowing this, sings the Sāman, sings both—the Rik and the Sāman. With this knowledge, he attains the worlds that are beyond and the desires of the gods as well. By this very means, he attains the worlds below and the desires of men. Therefore, one who knows thus should be called upon to sing the Sāman. And so, when one is called to sing, he may ask, “For which desire shall I sing for you?” For it is he alone who truly fulfills the desire for whom the knower sings the Sāman. Now, three who were skilled in the Udgītha arose: Śilaka Śālāvatya, Caikitāyana Dālbhya, and Pravāhaṇa Jaivali. They said, “We are skilled in the Udgītha; come, let us discuss the Udgītha.” “So be it,” they agreed, and sat together. Pravāhaṇa Jaivali said, “Let the two most venerable among you speak first; I will listen to the words of the two Brāhmaṇas as they speak.” Then Śilaka Śālāvatya said to Caikitāyana Dālbhya, “Come, I will ask you.” “Ask,” he replied. “What is the goal of the Sāman?” “The svara, the tone,” he replied. “What is the goal of the svara?” “Breath.” “What is the goal of breath?” “Food.” “What is the goal of food?” “Water.” “What is the goal of water?” “That world,” he replied. “What is the goal of that world?” “Let him not lead it to the world of heaven,” he replied. “We establish the world of heaven through the Sāman, for that is the praise of heaven.” Then Śilaka Śālāvatya said to Caikitāyana Dālbhya, “Your Sāman is indeed without foundation; if you were to say this now, your head would fall off.” “Let my head fall off,” he replied. “Well, I know this of the venerable one,” he said. “Know it,” was the reply. “What is the goal of that world?” “This world,” he replied. “What is the goal of this world?” “Let him not lead it to the world of foundation,” he replied. “We establish the world of foundation through the Sāman, for that is the praise of foundation.” Then Pravāhaṇa Jaivali said to Śālāvatya, “Your Sāman is indeed finite; if you were to say this now, your head would fall off.” “Let my head fall off,” he replied. “Well, I know this of the venerable one,” he said. “Know it,” came the answer. “What is the goal of this world?” “Space,” he replied. “Indeed, all these beings arise from space and return to space; space is greater than they, and space is their final resort.” This, then, is the higher, more excellent Udgītha; this is the infinite. Whoever, knowing thus, meditates upon this higher Udgītha becomes higher and more excellent, and he conquers the worlds that are higher and more excellent. To him, Atidhanvan Shaunaka, having spoken to Udara Shandilya, said: “As long as people in this world will know this Udgītha among their descendants, so long will there be life for them in this world.” In the same way, in the other world, there is a world. Thus, whoever, knowing thus, meditates upon this, for him there is life in this world that is higher and more excellent; and in the other world, there is world after world. Now, in the land of the Kurus, in the village of Vāṭikā, there lived a man named Chakrayana of the Ibhya clan, together with his wife. He begged for some cooked beans from them while they were eating, and one of them said to him, “There are no others here except those that have been set aside for us.” He said, “Give me some of these.” So they gave them to him. He said, “Let me have the leavings as well, for perhaps I have already eaten the main portion.” They replied, “These are not leavings either.” He said, “I would not have survived if I had not eaten these.” He thought, “May I obtain water.” After eating, he brought the leftovers to his wife. She was truly well provided for, and after receiving them, she put them away. In the morning, as he was preparing to go, he said, “If only we could obtain food, or at least a little wealth. The king is going to perform a sacrifice; may he choose me with all the officiating priests.” His wife said to him, “Here, eat these very beans.” After eating them, he went to the place where the sacrifice was being prepared. There, as the udgātṛs were about to sing praises, he sat down among them. He then addressed the prastotṛ. He said to the prastotṛ, “The deity of the prastāva depends upon the prastāva. If you, not knowing her, sing the prastāva, your head will fall off.” In the same way, he addressed the udgātṛ: “The deity of the udgītha depends upon the udgītha. If you, not knowing her, sing the udgītha, your head will fall off.” In the same way, he addressed the pratihartṛ: “The deity of the pratihāra depends upon the pratihāra. If you, not knowing her, recite the pratihāra, your head will fall off.” Thus, being afraid, they all sat in silence. Then the sacrificer approached him and said, “I wish to know the venerable one.” He replied, “I am Ushasti, son of Chakrayana.” The sacrificer said, “Venerable one, I have sought you out among all the officiating priests. Not finding you, I chose others.” “Venerable one, let me be among all the officiating priests.” “So be it,” he replied. “Then, let only these who have been chosen together with me sing the praises. As much wealth as you give to them, so much give to me.” “So be it,” said the sacrificer. Then the prastotṛ approached him and said, “The deity of the prastāva depends upon the prastāva. If you, not knowing her, sing the prastāva, your head will fall off.” “Do not say this, venerable one. Which is that deity?” Thus, the teaching unfolds, guiding those who seek to know the true foundation and essence of the sacred chants, the Sāman, and the highest reality.