Text in Sanskrit and Translation with Notes in English from the Commentaries of Sankaracarya and the gloss of Anandagiri and the Commentary of Sankaranand.
 
The knowledge of Brahman is called Upanisad, because it annihilates the world, together with its cause (ignorance) about such as possess this knowledge, for this is the meaning of the word sat ('to destroy', 'to go') preceded by Upani (upa, 'near, ni 'certainty'). A work that treats the same knowledge is also called Upanisad.
The Chandogya Brahmana of the Sama Veda, whereof this Upanisad forms a part, contains ten chapters (prapathakas); of these, the first two are called the Chandogya Mantra Brahmana, the rest constitute the Chandogya Upanisad.
Many students of Indian philosophy enamored of the idea of moksa taught by it seek to achieve it through various processes, physical or mental, generally, known as Yoga. Those who do so without being fully saturated with the spirit and substance of the Upanisads merely leap into the dark and court certain death, spiritual as well as physical. The first requisite is proper familiarity with the first principles of Advaita philosophy (Sravana); and entire love with them (Manana). Then follows that sublime state wherein the sense of separateness is slowly forgotten. But even here nothing but the strict practice of the noble virtues and perfect altruism will be necessarily required of the student.