Chandogya Upanishad, one of the oldest Upanishad has been written during the Vedic Brahmana period. Chandogya Upanishad is associated with Sama Veda. Chandogya Upanishad is the part of Chandogya Brahman that contains ten chapters. The 1st Khanda of Chapter Six of Chandogya Upanishad states about the non-duality of the Self. Once, Svetaketu, the grandson of Aruna was told by his father, Uddalaka, the son of Aruna to lead the life of a brahmacharin as there was none in his family who did not live the life of a brahmacharin. All were well versed in the Vedas hence his father wanted him to be become learned. Thus, Svetaketu went to learn the Vedas in his teacher`s house when he was twelve years old. He stayed there and learnt the Vedas till the age twenty-four. He then returned to his father well read. His father enquired him whether he had ever studied about instruction by the aid of which one hears what cannot be heard, by which one perceives what cannot be perceived, by which one knows what cannot be known. Svetaketu was not aware of the answers and told his father to instruct him.
His father replied just as the knowledge of the nature of a single clod of earth manifest the nature of all earthen objects, the fabrications indicated by different words and names arising from speech are of only earth. Similarly, the knowledge of the nature of a single lump of gold reflects that all articles are made of gold. They are indicated by different words and names but are mere variations of forms, but they are actually gold. Just as, by one pair of nail scissors all that is made of iron is known, the fabrication being only a name, arising from speech, while the truth is that all is iron.
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