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 Brahaman that contains ten chapters. Chapter eight of Chandogya Upanishad has been divided into fifteen khandas.
1st Khanda
The first khanda states about the Brahman in the Heart. Within the abode of Brahma there is a small lotus like chamber, and within the small akasa. A person must try to understand what lies within that small akasa and should enquire about it. One must also try to understand that if everything exists within the abode of Brahma then what is left when old age overcomes it. One must try to understand that with the age of the body that Brahman does not age; with the death of the body, it does not die. All desires remain within it. It is the real Self that is free from all sins, old age, death, and also from grief, hunger, thirst, desires and thoughts.
2nd Khanda
The second khanda deals with the fulfilment of desires through self knowledge. According to this one who desires the world of Pitri, attains it with glory, for the moment he wishes it the Pitris receive him and welcome him. One, who desires the region of Matri, attains it with glory. One, who desires the region of Bhratri (brothers), receives it. Next, one who desires the region of Swasri (sisters) attains it with glory. A person desirous of the region of Sakha (friends) receives it. Similarly one who desires the region of Gandhamalya (perfumes and garlands) attains it. If he desires the world of Gitabaditra (food and drink) achieves by its mere thought. If one wishes for Stri (women) receives it by mere thinking of it. If one is desires of the world of song and music, he then achieves it. Whatever country one longs for, whatever objects one desires for, by mere thought all comes to him.
3rd Khanda
The third khanda states about the serene Self and Satya Brahman. According to this, true desires remain covered by what is false. Whatever a man desires, be it relatives, and friends, as are live or dead or whatever else it is like food, raiment or drink; all those might be obtained within the Self in the heart. The Self as it resides in the heart is called hridayam. He who knows this goes every day in deep sleep to heaven.
4th Khanda
The fourth khanda states about Brahman as a dam. That which is the soul acts as a bridge. It supports the world from all destruction. The bridge cannot be crossed by day or by night, or by disease, or by death, nor grief, nor virtue, or vice. All defects depart from here. One who crosses this bridge gets rid off all vices.
5th Khanda
The 5th khanda is a continuance of the 4th Khanda. According to this one who is aware of Brahman obtains that world of Brahman. Through Brahmacharya one can realise the Self. Satrayana sacrifice is Brahmacharya. By means of this one can attain the True (Sat). The vow of silence (mauna) is also Brahmacharya. The ishta (worship) is a Brahmacharya. For having desired (ishtva) the knowledge of the Self; by means of Brahmacharya one realizes the Self. The World of Brahman can be obtained by means of Brahmacharya the seas Ara and Nya in the World of Brahman. He then attains freedom from the world.
6th Khanda
The sixth khanda deals with the course after death. The arteries of the heart are filled with the essences of white, brown, yellow, blue and red liquid substances. The Sun is also brown white, blue, yellow and red. The rays of the sun travel to the corners of the world. The rays then enter the arteries. When a man departs from the world he goes upward with the rays toward the worlds. If he is aware of the doctrines of the akasa to stays in the lotus of the heart. He then meditates on the Om Mantra and then gets entry into Brahmaloka. If he is unaware of the Supreme Brahman he then attains lower bodies. One who is aware of Him attains the solar orb, the door to the World of Brahman.
7th Khanda
The seventh khanda states about the person in the eye. The Self remains free from sin, age, death, grief, hunger, thirst, desires. One who is aware of this Self from the scriptures attains all the worlds and all desires. A person is seen in the eye is the Self, the Supreme Brahman. It is immortal and fearless.
8th Khanda
The eighth khanda states about the doctrine of the demons. According to this Prajapati instructed to look into a pan of waterand narrate to him what they saw. The pan of water reflected the entire self even the hair and nails. Next they adorned themselves with ornaments and looked into the pan of water. The water reflected the as well dressed and clean. Prajapati then explained that it is the Self, the immortal one that they saw. It is the Supreme Brahman. One who is unaware about Him is a demon.
9th Khanda
The ninth Khanda reflects about the shadow Self is perishable, Lord Indra told Prajapati that the water would reflect as well adorned when the body is well adorned, well dressed, clean and it is so, it would reflect the body as blind, crippled when it is so hence he according to him the doctrine was not acceptable. Prajapati told Indra that he would further explain to him about the Self and asked to live with him for thirty-two years.
10th Khanda
The tenth Khanda states about the dream Self. Prajapart here explains that the Self is the one that moves about, dignified, in dreams. It is the one who is immortal and fearless. It is the Supreme Brahman. This is Brahman. Indra then thought that although the dream self is not blind even if the body is blind, although the self is not affected by the defects of the body, it is not one eyed or crippled when it is one eyed and crippled yet it feels as if it is being beaten driven away, put to grief and to weeping. He thus, sees no good in the doctrine. He again went back to Prajapati and narrated his thoughts to him. Prajapati then told him to he should further explain about the Self and told him to stay for more thirty-two years.
11th Khanda
The eleventh Khanda states about the Self in dreamless sleep. Prajapati explained Indra that when a man is asleep his senses are withdrawn and he sees no dream. This is the real Self. It is immortal and fearless.
12th Khanda
The twelfth khanda states about the Incorporeal Self. Prajati here explains Lord Indra that the human body is mortal but the abode of the Self is immortal and incorporeal. The body is prone to pain and sorrows hence till one identifies himself with the body there is no cessation of pleasure and pain. The wind, cloud, lightning and thunder are all without body. These arise from the akasa and reach the highest light. Living beings also must try to remain detached from the body and rise up to the highest level. The gods meditate on that Self hence the world belong to them. One who realises the Self and meditates on it obtains all worlds and all desires.
13th Khanda
The thirteenth Khanda states about the mantra for meditation and repetition. The hymn states that it becomes attain multi-coloured from darkness, and again from the state of multi-colour it attains darkness. Like the horse which shakes off all dust from its coat, or the moon which escapes from the mouth of Rahu, it shall purify his body, and, become free by the aid of meditation and attain the Brahmaloka or the World of Brahman.
14th Khanda
The fourteenth khanda describes about the prayer of a seeker of eternal life. That which is known as akasa is made of name and form. That which is beyond the two i.e. name and form is Brahman; it is immortal: It is the universal Soul. It is the audience chamber of Prajapati. It is the glory of Brahmins, the glory of kings or Kshatrias and the glory of Vaishyas. It is the glory of glories.
15th Khanda
The fifteenth khanda states about the attainment of Brahmaloka. It was related by Lord Brahma to Prajapati, by Prajapati to Manu, and by Manu to mankind. One who has studied the Vedas in the house of a tutor, have paid to the Guru his due, dwells with his family in a healthy country, reading the Vedas, brought up virtuous sons and pupils, devoted himself with all his senses to the Universal Soul, injured no creatures and lead life according to the rules prescribed in the scriptures attains the Brahmaloka after death. From there he never returns, verily thence he never returns.
