Tat Tvam Asi (That Thou Art) — Word-by-Word Meaning

तत्त्वमसि

Every Sanskrit word explained in English

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Word-by-Word Breakdown

सः

saḥ

That (the subtle essence)

यः एषः अणिमा

yaḥ eṣaḥ aṇimā

This which is the subtlest essence (finer than the finest)

एतत् आत्म्यम्

etat ātmyam

Has this Self as its nature; pervaded by this Self

इदं सर्वम्

idaṁ sarvam

All this (the entire universe)

तत् सत्यम्

tat satyam

That is the Truth, the Real

सः आत्मा

saḥ ātmā

That is the Atman (the Self)

तत्

tat

That (Brahman, the supreme Reality)

त्वम्

tvam

Thou, you (the innermost Self of the seeker)

असि

asi

Art, are (you are essentially identical with That)

श्वेतकेतो

śvetaketo

O Shvetaketu (the son and disciple addressed by sage Uddalaka Aruni)

तत्त्वमसि

tat tvam asi

'That thou art' — the great saying (mahavakya) declaring the identity of the individual Self with Brahman

Complete Translation

That which is the subtlest essence — this whole universe has That as its Self. That is the Truth. That is the Self. That thou art, O Shvetaketu.

Origin & History

Source: Chandogya Upanishad, Verse 6.8.7

Author: Traditional (Upanishadic); taught by sage Uddalaka Aruni

Period: Vedic / Upanishadic

In the sixth chapter of the Chandogya Upanishad, the sage Uddalaka Aruni instructs his son Shvetaketu, who had returned from twelve years of study proud of his learning. Through a series of beautiful illustrations — the clay and its products, the juices gathered by bees into honey, the rivers merging into the sea, the salt dissolved invisibly in water, and the seed of the great Nyagrodha tree — Uddalaka shows that one subtle essence underlies all things. Concluding each teaching he declares, 'That is the Truth, That is the Self, Tat Tvam Asi — That thou art, O Shvetaketu,' repeating it nine times so the truth is firmly grasped.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Tat Tvam Asi mean?▼

Tat Tvam Asi means 'That thou art' or 'You are That'. It teaches that the innermost Self (Atman) within you is identical with Brahman, the supreme Reality that is the essence of the entire universe.

Where does Tat Tvam Asi come from?▼

It is from the Chandogya Upanishad (Chapter 6, Section 8, Verse 7), part of the Sama Veda. The sage Uddalaka Aruni repeats it nine times while instructing his son Shvetaketu about the nature of reality.

Why is Tat Tvam Asi called a Mahavakya?▼

Mahavakya means 'great saying'. There are four principal Mahavakyas, one from each Veda. Tat Tvam Asi is the Mahavakya of the Sama Veda. These statements concisely declare the identity of the individual Self with Brahman and are used for meditation leading to liberation.

How should Tat Tvam Asi be practised?▼

It is meant for contemplation, not just chanting. After hearing the teaching from a teacher and clearing doubts through reasoning, the seeker meditates on the meaning until the truth 'I am That' is directly realized as one's own experience.

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