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Class 8Hard🔄 translationNCERT · CBSE

Upanishad Mahāvākyas — The Great Sayings

उपनिषद् महावाक्य

The Four Great Philosophical Statements of Sanskrit · Class 8

Source: Taittirīya, Chāndogya, Bṛhadāraṇyaka, Māṇḍūkya Upanishads

Key Points to Remember

Translation Practice

The four Mahāvākyas (Great Sayings) are the philosophical pinnacles of Sanskrit — each from a different Veda. They express the core Vedantic insight: Ātman (individual soul) = Brahman (universal consciousness).

Four Mahāvākyas

Each is a complete philosophical statement in 2-3 Sanskrit words

प्रज्ञानम् ब्रह्म (Aitareya Upanishad 3.3, Rigveda)

prajñānam brahma

Consciousness is Brahman. (prajñāna = consciousness; brahma = ultimate reality)

अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि (Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upanishad 1.4.10, Yajurveda)

aham brahmāsmi

I am Brahman. (aham = I; brahma = Brahman; asmi = I am)

तत् त्वम् असि (Chāndogya Upanishad 6.8.7, Sāmaveda)

tat tvam asi

That thou art. / You are That. (tat = that ultimate reality; tvam = you; asi = you are)

अयम् आत्मा ब्रह्म (Māṇḍūkya Upanishad 1.2, Atharvaveda)

ayam ātmā brahma

This Self is Brahman. (ayam = this; ātmā = Self; brahma = Brahman)

Exercises (2)

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Analyse each Mahāvākya grammatically

1. "अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि" — identify "ब्रह्मास्मि" as a sandhi compound.

Show answer

ब्रह्म + अस्मि (Brahma + asmi) — sandhi: a + a → ā; "brahmāsmi" = "Brahman [I] am"

2. "तत् त्वम् असि" — which vibhakti is "tvam" and why?

Show answer

"Tvam" = Prathamā (Nominative) of "tvad" (you). It is the subject of the equation — "you are that."

3. All four Mahāvākyas say the same thing philosophically. What is it?

Show answer

The individual self (ātman/tvam/aham) is identical to the universal reality (Brahman/tat) — non-duality (advaita)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Match Mahāvākya to its Upanishad/Veda

1. "Tat tvam asi" comes from which Upanishad?

A. BṛhadāraṇyakaB. MāṇḍūkyaC. ChāndogyaD. Aitareya
Show answer

Chāndogya

2. "Aham brahmāsmi" (I am Brahman) comes from which Veda?

A. RigvedaB. YajurvedaC. SāmavedaD. Atharvaveda
Show answer

Yajurveda

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