The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam

Verse 283

सदेव सोम्येदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वि-तीयम् ।तद्धैक आहुरसदेवेदमग्र आसी-देकमेवाद्वितीयं तस्मादसत: सज्जायत ॥ १ ॥

In plain words

Before all things, O gentle one, there was Being alone—one without a second. Yet some say there was only the void before all things, one without a second, and that from that void being was born.

Close to the Sanskrit

Being alone, O gentle one, this was in the beginning, one only without a second. Some indeed say, non-being alone, this was in the beginning, one only without a second; from that non-being being was born.