॥ तृतीयोऽध्यायः ॥असौ वा आदित्यो देवमधु तस्य द्यौरेव तिरश्चीनवंशोऽन्तरिक्षमपूपो मरीचयः पुत्राः ॥ ३.१.१ ॥
In plain words
That sun yonder is the honey of the gods. The sky is its crossbeam, the middle region the honeycomb, and the rays are its young.
The commentators
Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam
'असौ वा आदित्यः' इत्यादि अध्यायारम्भे सबन्ध । अतीतानन्तराध्यायान्ते उक्तम् 'यज्ञस्य मात्रा वेद' इति । यज्ञविषयाणि च सामहोममन्त्रोत्थानानि विशिष्टफलप्राप्तये यज्ञाङ्गभूतान्युपदिष्टानि । सर्वयज्ञाना च कार्यनिर्वृत्तिरूप सविता महत्या श्रिया दीप्यते । स एष सर्वप्राणिकर्मफलभूत प्रत्यक्ष सर्वैरुपजीव्यते । अतो यज्ञव्यपदेशानन्तर तत्कार्यभूतसवितृविषयमुपासन सर्वपुरुषार्थेभ्य श्रेष्ठतमफल विधास्यामीत्येवमारभते श्रुति —
असौ वा आदित्यो देवमध्वित्यादि । देवानाम मोदनान्मध्विव मधु असौ आदित्य । वस्वादीना च मोदनहेतुत्व वक्ष्यति सर्वयज्ञफलरूपत्वादादित्यस्य । कथ मधुत्वमिति, आह—तस्य मधुन द्यौरेव आमरस्येव मधुन तिरश्चीनव श तिरश्चीनश्चासौ वंशश्चेति तिरश्चीनवंशः । तिर्यग्गतेव हि द्यौर्लक्ष्यते । अन्तरिक्षं च मध्यपूपं द्युवंशं लग्नं सन् लम्बते इव, अतो मध्वपूपसामान्यात् अन्तरिक्षं मध्वपूपं, मधुनः सवितुराश्रयत्वाच्च । मरीचयो रश्मय रश्मिस्था आपा भौमा सवित्राकृष्टा । 'एता वा आप स्वराजो यन्मरीचयः' इति हि विज्ञायन्ते । ता अन्तरिक्षमध्वपूपस्थरश्म्यन्तर्गतत्वात् भ्रमरबीजभूता पुत्रा इव हिता लक्ष्यन्त इति पुत्रा इव पुत्राः, मध्वपूपनाड्यन्तर्गता हि भ्रमरपुत्राः ॥
In plain words
The connection at the start of this chapter begins with the words, 'Yonder indeed is the sun.' At the very end of the preceding chapter, the scripture declared, 'He knows the measure of the sacrifice.' There, the rituals arising from chants, oblations, and sacred mantras were taught as essential limbs of the sacrifice to secure specific rewards. Now, the sun-god Savitṛ, who embodies the ultimate fulfillment of all these sacrifices, radiates with magnificent splendor. This visible sun is the direct, tangible fruit of the actions of all living beings, and everyone depends upon him for life. Therefore, immediately after describing the sacrifices, the scripture begins this section with the purpose of teaching meditation on the sun—the direct effect of those sacrifices—which yields a reward far more excellent than any other human pursuit.
The sun yonder is divine honey. It is honey because it gladdens the gods, as honey does; and the text will go on to say that it gladdens the Vasus and the others, since the sun is the very form the fruit of every sacrifice takes. How is it honey? The text answers: of that honey, heaven itself is the crossbeam, as with āmara honey, a beam laid crosswise; for heaven does look as if it runs crosswise. The sky between is the honeycomb: fastened to that beam of heaven, it seems to hang from it, so it is called the honeycomb for its likeness to one, and because it holds the honey, the sun. The rays are the waters of the earth that the sun has drawn up and that now live in its rays; for it is known: 'These waters are self-shining; they are the rays.' Lying within the rays of that honeycomb of sky, they look like young bees set in their cells, the seed of the swarm; so they are called sons, being like sons, for the young of the bees lie inside the cells of the comb.
Close to the Sanskrit
The connection at the beginning of the chapter is 'This indeed is the sun' and so on. At the end of the immediately preceding chapter, it was said: 'He knows the measure of the sacrifice.' And the actions arising from Saman chants, oblations, and mantras, which pertain to the sacrifice, were taught as auxiliary parts of the sacrifice for the attainment of specific fruits. And Savitṛ, who is the embodiment of the accomplishment of the effects of all sacrifices, shines with great splendor. This very sun, being the visible fruit of the actions of all living beings, is depended upon by all. Therefore, immediately after the description of the sacrifice, with the intention 'I shall prescribe the meditation on Savitṛ, which is the effect of that sacrifice and which yields the most excellent fruit of all human goals,' the scripture begins in this manner.
That sun yonder is the divine honey, and so on. Because it gladdens the gods, the sun yonder is honey, like honey. And the text will state that it is the cause of the gladdening of the Vasus and the rest, because the sun has the form of the fruit of all sacrifices. How is it honey? He says: of that honey, heaven itself is the crosswise beam, as with āmara honey; 'crosswise beam' means that which is crosswise and is a beam. For heaven is seen as though going crosswise. And the atmosphere is the honeycomb: attached to the beam of heaven, it hangs as it were; therefore, from its likeness to a honeycomb, the atmosphere is the honeycomb, and also because it is the support of the honey, the sun. 'The rays': the waters of the earth, drawn up by the sun, abiding in the rays. For it is known: 'These waters are self-shining, which are the rays.' Because they lie within the rays abiding in the atmosphere-honeycomb, they are seen set there like sons, the seed of the bees; hence 'sons' means like sons, for the young of the bees lie within the cells of the honeycomb.