In our scriptures, where do we find the word सच्चिदानन्द?
It is essential to understand that the word "सच्चिदानन्द" is crucial to understanding what we refer to in English as God or the Almighty. We call it in Sanatana Dharma as Ishwara or Bhagavan. It is BOTH with form and without form, as the essence of the Totality of Consciousness suffusing all that we call creation.
That is why the VERY FIRST WORD in the Srimad Bhagavatam is
It is made up of three aspects -
Sat = The Supreme Reality (nothing else is).
Chit = The Supreme Knowledge (all other knowledge derives from it).
Ananda = The Supreme Bliss (all happiness and joy is derived from it).
सच्चिदानन्द is the core of all existence and the individual.
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Following is a compilation from Perplexity.AI.
The word "सच्चिदानन्द" (Sat-Chit-Ananda) is a compound of three Sanskrit words—सत् (Sat: existence or truth), चित् (Chit: consciousness), and आनन्द (Ananda: bliss). The expression refers to the ultimate nature or experience of Brahman (the Absolute) in Vedantic philosophy.
### Scriptural References to "सच्चिदानन्द"
- **Upanishads:** The direct compound word "सच्चिदानन्द" appears in the Tejobindu Upanishad (verse 3.11, composed before the 4th century CE), where it describes the realization of Atman as eternal, enlightened, and pure bliss-consciousness-existence. Though the earliest Upanishads like Brihadaranyaka, Chandogya, and Taittiriya refer to the components—existence, consciousness, bliss—as attributes of Brahman, the precise phrase "सच्चिदानन्द" is found in later texts. The Upanishads often discuss Atman and Brahman as being of the nature of existence, knowledge, and bliss[2].
- **Bhagavad Gita:** While the Gita discusses concepts of Sat (existence/truth), Chit (consciousness), and Ananda (bliss), it does not use the exact compound "सच्चिदानन्द" in the original text. However, commentaries and later interpretations do attribute this compound to Krishna and Brahman[4].
- **Puranas and Bhakti texts:** The word appears in devotional and Purana-based literature when describing figures like Krishna. For example: "ईश्वरः परमः कृष्णः सच्चिदानन्दविग्रहः"—a famous phrase from the Brahma Samhita ascribed to Krishna, describing the Supreme Lord as the embodiment of Sat-Chit-Ananda[5].
- **Vedic Literature:** The individual terms (sat, chit, ananda) are found in several Vedic texts, but the precise compound form "सच्चिदानन्द" is a philosophical synthesis appearing more distinctly in later Vedanta, especially in Upanishads like Tejobindu and in Vedantic commentaries and treatises[2][4].
### In summary:
- As a compound, "सच्चिदानन्द" is most explicitly found in the **Tejobindu Upanishad** and is indirectly described in other principal Upanishads. The phrase is central to **Vedanta philosophy**, signifying the unified essence of Brahman as existence, consciousness, and bliss[2].
- In devotional scriptures and later traditional commentaries, it is used to describe Lord Krishna and Brahman, such as "सच्चिदानंदविग्रहः" in the Brahma Samhita[5][1].
Thus, while you will see the exact word "सच्चिदानन्द" in summary form in certain Upanishads and devotional texts, the qualities (existence, consciousness, bliss) pervade the core ancient scriptures[2][4][5].
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Citations (Click on the coloured links).
[1] सच्चिदानंद रूपाय विश्वोत्पत्यादिहेतवे! तापत्रय विनाशाय श्री कृष्णाय वयं ...
Also in this blog itself, on the first day of Bhagavatam reading.
[2] Saccidānanda - Wikipedia
[3] सच्चिदानंद का अर्थ | Swami Shri Raghavacharya Ji Maharaj - YouTube
[4] ईश्वर का सच्चिदानन्द स्वरुप पर विचार
[5] ईश्वरः परमः कृष्णः सच्चिदानन्दविग्रहः। अनादिरादिर्गोविन्दः ...
[6] Prashnottari Satsang in Hindi | Pakefield Shibir 2022 | Pujyashree
[7] सच्चिदानन्द के हिंदी अर्थ - meaning in hindi | हिन्दवी डिक्शनरी
[8] २६६- ॥ धार्मिक ग्रंथो से सामान्य जानकारियां /General insights ... - भक्तिपथ
[9] The Foundational Principles of Sachchidananda - The Incarnate Word
[10] Bhagwat Amrit दशम स्कन्ध (भाग १८३) भगवान्की वाणीकी पहचान ...