Tat Tvam Asi is one of the Mahavakyas of Vedanta. It is found in Chandogya Upanishad of Sama Veda. To understand this Mahavakya, one must read this Upanishad in full. The core teaching of the sixth chapter of the Upanishad is the description of this Mahavakya.
Meaning
The Sanskrit word 'Tat' means 'That'. 'Tvam' means 'You'. 'Asi' equals to 'are'. Hence this Mahavakya means 'That You Are' or 'That Thou Art' or simply 'You are that'. 'That' indicates Brahman or the Supreme Being. 'You' refers to 'you' as a seeker. You are Brahman, the Supreme Being is the indicated meaning of this Mahavakya.
Kada Upanishad defines 'Tat' as below.
Kada Upanishad defines 'Tat' as below.
yaḥ pūrvaṃ tapaso jātamadbhyaḥ pūrvamajāyata ।
guhāṃ praviśya tiṣṭhantaṃ yo bhūtebhirvyapaśyata । etadvai tat ॥2.1.6॥He who was born, by the result of penance, before Pancha Bhutas like water and who has taken abode in the heart of all beings, is the seer of all. He is 'Tat'.Chandogya Upanishad
The sixth chapter of the Upanishad narrates the story of Svetaketu. On reaching the age of twelve, Svetaketu was sent by his father Uddalaka Aruni for spiritual learning. Having completed his studies, he returned back to his father at the age of twenty four.
His father having observed the subtle pride of learning in his son, asked him whether he had learned that through which unheard would become heard, imperceptible would become perceptible and the unknown would become known.
Svetaketu admitting his ignorance, asked his father to explain. His father told that by knowing a clod of clay, all that is made of clay would become known. The stuff may have different names and forms which are mere words. The clay alone is real. Similarly, having known a single piece of gold, all that is made of gold would become known. The names are mere words. The gold alone is real. Likewise, having known a single piece of iron, all that is made of iron would become known. The names are just words. The iron alone is real. Aruni said that the teaching that he had referred was similar to that. Svetaketu asked to teach that to him.
In the beginning (before creation), there was an entity without a second. Some say that there was nothing before creation. How can this be true? How could anything be created out of nothing? In fact, there was one entity without a second.
The entity conceived, "May I become many and grow forth!". The fire is produced. The fire conceived, "May I become many and grow forth!'. The water is produced. Whenever man is hot and perspires, water is produced from fire.
The water conceived, "May I become many and grow forth!". It created the food. Hence whenever it rains, there is food produced.
Hence there are three types of beings: Born of eggs, Born of living beings and born of roots.
Now, the absolute entity conceived, "May I differentiate names and forms by entering into these three divinities (Fire, water and food) through Jivatman!".
"May I differentiate names and forms further by triplicating each of the three divinities!".
Each of them became triplicated. Red became the colour of the Fire. White and black became the colours of water and food(earth) respectively. Fire, water and name are the mere names. The reality is there are three colours.
In Sun, red is the colour of fire, white is the colour of water and black is the colour of food (earth). The word Sun vanishes in three colours, because in reality there are three colours. Similarly for the moon and lightening. The moon and lightening are mere words. In reality, they are the combination of three colours.
This knowledge known to the ancient knowers of Vedas. By this, there was nothing left to them to be unheard, imperceptible and unknown. They knew whatever appeared red as fire, whatever appeared white as water, whatever appeared black as food (earth) and whatever appeared to be unknown as the combination of these three. This is how they triplicated the three divinities.
The food is assimilated in three ways. The gross portion becomes the faeces, the intermediate becomes flesh and subtle part becomes the mind. The gross part of the water becomes urine, the intermediate becomes the blood and the subtle part becomes Prana. The gross part of the fire becomes bone, middle part becomes the marrow and the subtle part becomes speech. Hence mind is made up of food, Prana is made up of water and Speech is made up of fire.
The subtlest part of the curd rises to the top when churned and is called butter. Similarly, the subtlest part of the food eaten rises to the top and it becomes the mind. Likewise the subtlest part of the water and fire become Prana and Speech.
Man is made up of sixteen parts. Prana is made up of water and if you don't drink water, Prana would be cut-off.
Then, the sage instructed his son to drink plenty of water and not to eat food for fifteen days. Having not eaten food for fifteen days, Svetaketu approached his father and said that the could not recite the Vedas.
His father explained. In a large fire, a tiny ember is left, it would not burn anymore. Similarly, of the sixteen parts one part is left. By that, Vedas could not be recited. Then he instructed him to eat to know it better. He ate as instructed and know it all as before.
With the tiny ember kindled with grasses and powders, then it will burn even more than the former size. By adding up food, he could perceive Vedas. Hence the mind is made up of food, Prana is made up of water and speech is made up of fire.
When the man is in sleep, he is said to be merged himself in the Absolute entity. That is why people say svapiti, the meaning of which is 'he sleeps' and the literal meaning is 'he has gone to his own state'.
The bird that is being tied to a string, after having flied in several directions and found no resting place elsewhere, finally settles down at the place it has been fastened. Similarly the mind having failed in its attempts of finding the resting place finally settles down in Prana, because the mind is fastened to Prana.
Let us see what hunger and thirst are. When a man is desirous of eating, water carries the food eaten. Hence water is called the food carrier. The body is the sprout that shot up, hence it could not be without root.
For the body as the sprout, conclude the food is the root. For the food as the sprout, infer water is the root. For the water as the sprout, conclude the fire is the root. For the fire as the root, infer Absolute entity as the root. Hence, all beings have their root in the Absolute entity. They reside and rest in the Absolute entity.
When a man is desirous of drinking, fire carries the water drunk. Fire is the water carrier. Having the sprout shot up, know that it could not be without root. For water as sprout, infer fire the root. For fire as sprout, conclude the Absolute entity as the root. All the creatures have the Absolute entity as the root. They reside and rest in the Absolute entity.
When a man is departing, his speech dissolves in the mind. His mind in Prana. His Prana in the fire. The fires dissolves in the Supreme entity.
The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. Tat Tvam Asi. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
It is like the bees that make honey, from the distant trees many. The honey could not be discriminated as it belongs this tree or that tree. Like this, the Atmans of all beings are in the Supreme Being.
The creatures like lion, tiger, boar, worm, insect, mosquito would become as such again. The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
Eastern rivers flow to eastern sea and western rivers flow to western sea. Water goes from sea and comes back to sea. The rivers after becoming sea don't know who they are. Similarly the creatures like lion and all, having come to Supreme Being, don't know who they are and they become as such again. The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
If one strikes a large tree at its root, it would discharge the juice and it still lives. If one strikes at the middle, it would exude the juice and still it lives. If one strikes at the top, it would discharge juice and still it lives. The tree having pervaded by the Jivatman (Self) stands firm rejoicing.
If the Jivatman leaves one of its branches, that branch withers. if it leaves another branch, that branch also withers. If it leaves the third branch, that branch too withers. If it leaves the whole tree, the whole tree withers. Similarly devoid of Jivatman, it perishes. Jivatman never perishes. The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
Then Uddalaka Aruni instructed his son to fetch the fruit of banyan-tree asked him to break it. He did so. He asked what he was seeing inside. Tiny seeds was the answer. He asked his son to break one of them. He dis so. His father asked what he was seeing. He answered that nothing was seen inside. It is the subtle essence that could not be perceived. From this subtle essence, the large banyan tree grows up. The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
Then his father asked him to put some salt into water and bring it next morning. The next day, he brought it. His father asked to take-out the salt that was put into the water at the previous night. His son told that it was gone as it was melted. His father asked him to taste the water. He tasted and answered that it was salty. Then he told that the Supreme Being is likewise not being perceived in spite of its presence.The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
Consider this example. A man was brought from Gandhara region (Afghanistan) with his eyes bound up. Having no clues, he shouted towards all directions, "I have been brought here and left here with my eyes bound up". If someone helps to remove his bondage, he would identify the ways to reach his place by inquiring and reach his place. In the similar manner, with the help of a Guru, one would get liberated. The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
In the beginning (before creation), there was an entity without a second. Some say that there was nothing before creation. How can this be true? How could anything be created out of nothing? In fact, there was one entity without a second.
The entity conceived, "May I become many and grow forth!". The fire is produced. The fire conceived, "May I become many and grow forth!'. The water is produced. Whenever man is hot and perspires, water is produced from fire.
The water conceived, "May I become many and grow forth!". It created the food. Hence whenever it rains, there is food produced.
Hence there are three types of beings: Born of eggs, Born of living beings and born of roots.
Now, the absolute entity conceived, "May I differentiate names and forms by entering into these three divinities (Fire, water and food) through Jivatman!".
"May I differentiate names and forms further by triplicating each of the three divinities!".
Each of them became triplicated. Red became the colour of the Fire. White and black became the colours of water and food(earth) respectively. Fire, water and name are the mere names. The reality is there are three colours.
In Sun, red is the colour of fire, white is the colour of water and black is the colour of food (earth). The word Sun vanishes in three colours, because in reality there are three colours. Similarly for the moon and lightening. The moon and lightening are mere words. In reality, they are the combination of three colours.
This knowledge known to the ancient knowers of Vedas. By this, there was nothing left to them to be unheard, imperceptible and unknown. They knew whatever appeared red as fire, whatever appeared white as water, whatever appeared black as food (earth) and whatever appeared to be unknown as the combination of these three. This is how they triplicated the three divinities.
The food is assimilated in three ways. The gross portion becomes the faeces, the intermediate becomes flesh and subtle part becomes the mind. The gross part of the water becomes urine, the intermediate becomes the blood and the subtle part becomes Prana. The gross part of the fire becomes bone, middle part becomes the marrow and the subtle part becomes speech. Hence mind is made up of food, Prana is made up of water and Speech is made up of fire.
The subtlest part of the curd rises to the top when churned and is called butter. Similarly, the subtlest part of the food eaten rises to the top and it becomes the mind. Likewise the subtlest part of the water and fire become Prana and Speech.
Man is made up of sixteen parts. Prana is made up of water and if you don't drink water, Prana would be cut-off.
Then, the sage instructed his son to drink plenty of water and not to eat food for fifteen days. Having not eaten food for fifteen days, Svetaketu approached his father and said that the could not recite the Vedas.
His father explained. In a large fire, a tiny ember is left, it would not burn anymore. Similarly, of the sixteen parts one part is left. By that, Vedas could not be recited. Then he instructed him to eat to know it better. He ate as instructed and know it all as before.
With the tiny ember kindled with grasses and powders, then it will burn even more than the former size. By adding up food, he could perceive Vedas. Hence the mind is made up of food, Prana is made up of water and speech is made up of fire.
When the man is in sleep, he is said to be merged himself in the Absolute entity. That is why people say svapiti, the meaning of which is 'he sleeps' and the literal meaning is 'he has gone to his own state'.
The bird that is being tied to a string, after having flied in several directions and found no resting place elsewhere, finally settles down at the place it has been fastened. Similarly the mind having failed in its attempts of finding the resting place finally settles down in Prana, because the mind is fastened to Prana.
Let us see what hunger and thirst are. When a man is desirous of eating, water carries the food eaten. Hence water is called the food carrier. The body is the sprout that shot up, hence it could not be without root.
For the body as the sprout, conclude the food is the root. For the food as the sprout, infer water is the root. For the water as the sprout, conclude the fire is the root. For the fire as the root, infer Absolute entity as the root. Hence, all beings have their root in the Absolute entity. They reside and rest in the Absolute entity.
When a man is desirous of drinking, fire carries the water drunk. Fire is the water carrier. Having the sprout shot up, know that it could not be without root. For water as sprout, infer fire the root. For fire as sprout, conclude the Absolute entity as the root. All the creatures have the Absolute entity as the root. They reside and rest in the Absolute entity.
When a man is departing, his speech dissolves in the mind. His mind in Prana. His Prana in the fire. The fires dissolves in the Supreme entity.
The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. Tat Tvam Asi. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
It is like the bees that make honey, from the distant trees many. The honey could not be discriminated as it belongs this tree or that tree. Like this, the Atmans of all beings are in the Supreme Being.
The creatures like lion, tiger, boar, worm, insect, mosquito would become as such again. The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
Eastern rivers flow to eastern sea and western rivers flow to western sea. Water goes from sea and comes back to sea. The rivers after becoming sea don't know who they are. Similarly the creatures like lion and all, having come to Supreme Being, don't know who they are and they become as such again. The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
If the Jivatman leaves one of its branches, that branch withers. if it leaves another branch, that branch also withers. If it leaves the third branch, that branch too withers. If it leaves the whole tree, the whole tree withers. Similarly devoid of Jivatman, it perishes. Jivatman never perishes. The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
Then Uddalaka Aruni instructed his son to fetch the fruit of banyan-tree asked him to break it. He did so. He asked what he was seeing inside. Tiny seeds was the answer. He asked his son to break one of them. He dis so. His father asked what he was seeing. He answered that nothing was seen inside. It is the subtle essence that could not be perceived. From this subtle essence, the large banyan tree grows up. The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
Then his father asked him to put some salt into water and bring it next morning. The next day, he brought it. His father asked to take-out the salt that was put into the water at the previous night. His son told that it was gone as it was melted. His father asked him to taste the water. He tasted and answered that it was salty. Then he told that the Supreme Being is likewise not being perceived in spite of its presence.The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
Consider this example. A man was brought from Gandhara region (Afghanistan) with his eyes bound up. Having no clues, he shouted towards all directions, "I have been brought here and left here with my eyes bound up". If someone helps to remove his bondage, he would identify the ways to reach his place by inquiring and reach his place. In the similar manner, with the help of a Guru, one would get liberated. The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
When someone is his death-bed, the relatives surround him and test whether he recognise them or not. Until his speech is merged with mind, mind with Prana, Prana in fire and Fire in Supreme Being, he knows them. After that he would not recognise them. The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
Consider this. The officers of the king brought a man who was said to have committed a theft. An axe was immediately heated upon. If the man has committed the theft and covered himself with falsehood, the axe would burn him when touched. Then he will be killed. If he is covered himself with the truth, it would not burn him. Then he will be let off. Similarly the man who has covered with the true knowledge of the Supreme Being is let off. He will become liberated from the cycle of births and deaths. The subtle essence has all this in its Atman. That is the Atman. That is the truth. That thou art. O! Svetaketu.
The above translation of Chandogya Upanishad is based on the commentary of Sri Adi Sankaracharya.
Tat Tvam Asi as interpreted by Sri Ramanujacharya
The exponents of different philosophies interpret this Mahavakya in unique ways to make it to be in agreement with the principles of their respective philosophies. Sri Ramanujacharya did not write any commentaries on Upanishads. According to Sri Ramanujacharya, Tat means Brahman or Vishnu. Tvam refers to the supreme self residing in Jiva. Hence, the term means Brahman which is the universal substratum is the supreme inner self residing in Jiva which is different from the individual Self.Tat Tvam Asi as interpreted by Sri Madhvacharya
Sri Madhvacharya had written commentary on Chandogya Upanishad. We have already seen that the Mahavakya was repeated nine times. He interpret those repetitions as, "That is the Existence, that is the Self, That you are not, Svetaketu".Tat Tvam Asi as interpreted by Sri Vallaba
Sri Vallaba is the exponent of Suttadvida or pure monism which believes in the relationship of Brahman and Jiva as Whole and part. He interprets as "Brahman You are", but in the sense that Jiva is the part of whole Brahman.
Conclusion
Though the interpretations are many, all philosophies accept the supremacy of Vedanta. The seeker pursuing the course of any of the philosophy is provided with a great insight into the meaning of the scriptures.- Chandogya Upanishad with Shankara Bhashya by Ganganath Jha
- The Sanskrit Text of Chandogya Upanishad
- The Two Birds (Mundaka Upanishad) by Swami Sarvapriyananda (Video)
- Ramanuja: Article by Shyam Ranganathan.
- Mahavakya by Sarvapriyananda (Video)
- Sri Madhvacharya Bashya on Chandogya Upanishad by Sri Nagesh D Sonde
- Sri Ramanuja on Tat Tvam Asi and Neti Neti by Prof. K.S.Narayanacharya
