Chandogya Upanishad Book 3 Part 1
1. OM. The sun is the honey of the gods. The sky is its
horizontal cane,
middle-air its honeycomb, the rays its
larvae.
2. Its eastward rays are the eastward honey-veins. The
rc verses are the bees, the Rgveda the flower, the nectar of
immortality the nectar. The rc verses
3. Heated up the Rgveda. When it was heated up, its
essence was produced from it, as fame, brightness, strength,
energy and good food.
4. It flowed out and settled beside the sun. This is what
is now the red form of the sun.
III.2
1. Its southward rays are the southward honey-veins. The
yajus verses are the bees, the Yajurveda the flower, the nectar
of immortality the nectar.
2. The yajus verses heated up the Yajurveda. When it was
heated up, its essence was produced from it, as fame,
brightness, strength, energy and good food.
3. It flowed out and settled beside the sun. This is what
is now the white form of the sun.
III.3
1. Its westward rays are the westward honey-veins. The
saman verses are the bees, the Samaveda the flower, the
nectar of immortality the nectar.
2. The saman verses heated up the Samaveda. When it was
heated up, its essence was produced from it, as fame,
brightness, strength, energy and good food.
3. It flowed out and settled beside the sun. This is what
is now the black form of the sun.
III.4
1. Its northward rays are the northward honey-veins. The
verses of the Atharvans and Arigirases are the bees, the
histories and legends the flower, the nectar of immortality
the nectar.
2. The verses of the Atharvans and Angirases heated up
the histories and legends. When they were heated up, their
essence was produced from them, as fame, brightness,
strength, energy and good food.
3. It flowed out and settled beside the sun. This is what
is now the deeper-than-black form of the sun.
III.5
1. Its upward rays are the upward honey-veins. The secret
symbolic statements are the bees, brahman the flower, the
nectar of immortality the nectar.
2. The secret teachings heated up brahman. When it was
heated up, its essence was produced from it, as fame,
brightness, strength, energy and good food.
3. It flowed out and settled beside the sun. This is what
now seems to tremble in the midst of the sun.
4. These are the essences of essences, for the Vedas are
the essences and these are the essences of them. These are
the nectars of nectars, for the Vedas are the nectars and
these are the essences of them.
III.6
1. The Vasus, with Agni as their chief, live on the first of
these nectars. Gods do not eat or drink: they are satisfied
just by seeing the nectar.
2. They enter into this form and out of this form they
arise.
3. The one who knows the nectar in this way becomes
one of the Vasus, with Agni as his chief, and is satisfied
just by seeing the nectar. He enters into this form and out
of this form he arises.
4. As long as the sun rises in the east and sets in the
west he will encompass the over lordship and kingship of
the Vasus.
III. 7
1. The Rudras, with Indra as their chief, live on the second
of these nectars. Gods do not eat or drink: they are satisfied
just by seeing the nectar.
2. They enter into this form and out of this form they
arise.
3. The one who knows the nectar in this way becomes
one of the Rudras, with Indra as his chief, and is satisfied
just by seeing the nectar. He enters into this form and out
of this form he arises.
4. Twice as long as the sun rises in the east and sets in
the west, it will rise in the south and set in the north. For
so long he will encompass the overlordship and kingship of
the Rudras.
III.8
1. The Adityas, with Varuna as their chief, live on the
third of these nectars. Gods do not eat or drink: they are
satisfied just by seeing the nectar.
2. They enter into this form and out of this form they
arise.
3. The one who knows the nectar in this way becomes
one of the Adityas, with Varuna as his chief, and is satisfied
just by seeing the nectar. He enters into this form and out
of this form he arises.
4. Twice as long as the sun rises in the south and sets in
the north, it will rise in the west and set in the east. For
so long he will encompass the overlordship and kingship of
the Adityas.
III.9
1. The Maruts, with Soma as their chief, live on the fourth
of these nectars. Gods do not eat or drink: they are satisfied
just by seeing the nectar.
2. They enter into this form and out of this form they
arise.
3. The one who knows the nectar in this way becomes
one of the Maruts, with Soma as his chief, and is satisfied
just by seeing the nectar. He enters into this form and out
of this form he arises.
4. Twice as long as the sun rises in the west and sets in the east, it will rise in the north and set in the south. For so long he will encompass the over lordship and kingship of the Maruts.