सदेव सोम्येदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वितीयम् । तद्धैक आहुरसदेवेदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वितीयं तस्मादसतः सज्जायत ॥ ६.२.१ ॥
sadeva somyedamagra āsīdekamevādvitīyam | taddhaika āhurasadevedamagra āsīdekamevādvitīyaṃ tasmādasataḥ sajjāyata || 6.2.1 ||
1. Somya, before this world was manifest there was only existence, one without a second. On this subject, some maintain that before this world was manifest there was only non-existence, one without a second. Out of that non-existence, existence emerged.
Word-for-word explanation:
Somya, young man; idam, this [world as we see it, with its names and forms]; agre, before [its manifestation]; sat eva, was existence only; ekam eva advitīyam, one without a second; āsīt, existed; tat, about that; eke, some [Buddhists and others]; āhuḥ, say; idam, this [world]; agre, first [before its manifestation]; asat eva, nothingness only; ekam eva advitīyam, one without a second; āsīt, existed; tasmāt, from that; asataḥ, nothingness; sat jāyata, existence emerged.
Commentary:
‘Something out of nothing’ is an absurd idea. If there is a tree, it must have come out of a seed, whether the seed was seen by anyone or not. Sometimes you see a tree sprouting from a crack on the roof of a building. Where did it come from? From a seed which the wind must have blown on to the roof. A tree can only grow from a seed. Similarly, existence can only come from existence. This is what the Upaniṣad is suggesting when it says that before the world was manifest there was existence, one without a second.
The word means ‘existence.’ The Vedānta scriptures describe this existence as a state of being. It is one without a second. It is pure, all-pervasive, beyond thought and speech, and formless. It is consciousness.
Some philosophers maintain, however, that before the world originated there was nothing, one without a second. They claim that the world emerged from this nothing.
Vedānta says, suppose you are passing by a potter’s house and you see him with a huge lump of clay. Then you return that same way a few hours later, and you are surprised to see that the nameless and formless lump of clay is transformed into a number of pots, plates, bowls, cups, etc.—each distinct with a name and a form. Similarly, existence becomes manifest as this world, but it remains existence. It
The Naiyāyikas, the Buddhists, and others think just the opposite—that existence has come out of non-existence. But how can they know anything about a past non-existence? And how can they know, in particular, that it is one only without a second?
In fact, the concept of non-existence is being introduced here only to make a stronger foundation for the concept of existence. In order to know what to avoid, one must be able to see it. Similarly, the concept of non-existence is added only to make it clear what is meant by existence.
Sri Ramakrishna Says —
“The ignorant are like people living in a house with clay walls. There is very little light inside, and they cannot see outside at all. But those who enter the world after attaining the Knowledge of God are like people living in a house made of glass. For them both inside and outside are light. They can see things outside as well as inside.
“Nothing exists except the One. That One is the Supreme Brahman. So long as He keeps the ‘I’ in us, He reveals to us that it is He who, as the Primal Energy, creates, preserves, and destroys the universe.
“That which is Brahman is also the Primal Energy. Once a king asked a yogi to impart Knowledge to him in one word. The yogi said, ‘All right; you will get Knowledge in one word.’ After a while a magician came to the king. The king saw the magician moving two of his fingers rapidly and heard him exclaim, ‘Behold, O King! Behold.’ The king looked at him amazed when, after a few minutes, he saw the two fingers becoming one. The magician moved that one finger rapidly and said, ‘Behold, O King! Behold.’ The implication of the story is that Brahman and the Primal Energy at first appear to be two. But after attaining the Knowledge of Brahman one does not see the two. Then there is no differentiation; it is One, without a second — Advaita — non-duality.” (Source: Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)
The phrase “Ekamevadvitiyam” (एकमेवाद्वितीयम्) is one of the most profound and foundational statements in Hindu philosophy, acting as the cornerstone for Advaita Vedanta (non-dualism).
Translated literally, it means “One only, without a second.”
Here is a breakdown of its origins, meaning, and philosophical significance.
1. Origin and Context
The phrase originates from the Chandogya Upanishad (6.2.1).
It appears in a famous dialogue between the sage Uddalaka Aruni and his son, Svetaketu. Svetaketu returns home after 12 years of studying the Vedas, feeling quite proud of his knowledge. His father, realizing that Svetaketu has learned texts but missed the ultimate truth, asks him if he learned that instruction by which the unhearable becomes heard, the unperceivable becomes perceived, and the unknowable becomes known.
When Svetaketu admits he does not know, Uddalaka begins his teaching on the nature of reality:
“In the beginning, my dear, this [universe] was Being (Sat) alone, one only, without a second (Ekamevadvitiyam).”
2. Deconstructing the Phrase
To fully understand the weight of the phrase, ancient scholars break down the Sanskrit words to show how it completely eliminates any possibility of duality or plurality:
- Ekam (One): This denies the existence of things within the same category (Sajatiya bheda). Just as one tree is different from another tree, “Ekam” states there are not multiple “Brahmans” or ultimate realities.
- Eva (Only / Indeed): This denies the existence of things in a different category (Vijatiya bheda). Just as a tree is different from a rock, “Eva” asserts there is nothing else fundamentally different from this ultimate reality.
- Advitiyam (Without a second): This denies internal differences or parts within the entity itself (Svagata bheda). Just as a tree has leaves, branches, and roots, “Advitiyam” signifies that the ultimate reality is seamless, homogeneous, and indivisible.
3. Philosophical Significance (Advaita Vedanta)
Centuries later, the philosopher Adi Shankaracharya built the school of Advaita Vedanta heavily upon this specific phrase.
If ultimate reality (Brahman) is truly “One without a second,” it means:
- The Universe is not separate: The universe was not created out of nothing, nor was it created from some secondary material. Brahman is both the creator and the material of creation.
- Multiplicity is an illusion (Maya): Because we experience a world of billions of different objects and people, Advaita argues that this multiplicity is simply name and form (nama-rupa) superimposed onto the single reality, much like seeing various shapes of jewelry but realizing they are all ultimately just gold.