The White Dogs and Their Chant

The White Dogs and Their Chant 

(A story of Chandogya Upanishad, 1.12)

Once, in the ancient land of India, a sage named Baka Dālbhya was sitting in a forest, engaged in the sacred chanting of the Sāman. The atmosphere was peaceful, and the sage was deeply absorbed in his practice.

Suddenly, a group of white dogs appeared nearby. They were hungry and were searching for food.

One dog came forward and spoke to the others:

“Brothers, we are hungry. Let us go together and find something to eat.”

When sages sing the hymn baḥiṣpavamāna, they join their hands together, or otherwise touch each other, and then they move forward. The dogs did likewise. Each took the tail of the one in front in its mouth and started moving and began to chant. 

And what did they chant?

Their chant was essentially a prayer for food:

“Om! Let us eat. Om! Let us drink. Om! Let us obtain food. Om! Let us get food…”

The scene was rather strange. The sage was performing his sacred Sāman chant, while the dogs were also chanting—but their great spiritual purpose seemed to be simply to find something to eat!

The story ends there, leaving the listener to think.

The Chāndogya Upaniṣad is perhaps making a subtle point. Every creature seeks nourishment. The dogs’ hunger is natural, and their chant becomes a humorous reflection of the human tendency to turn even the sacred into a means of satisfying material needs.

A Modern Metaphor

The story can be seen as a metaphor for corruption in public life. People often gather around those who control power and resources, sing their praises and follow their tune—not out of conviction, but for their share of anna: favours, positions and benefits.

When public service becomes a means of personal gain, the chant may remain sacred in appearance, but its purpose has changed. The Upaniṣadic dogs thus offer a timeless metaphor: when the purpose of the chant is the food it brings, its sanctity is lost.