Section 7.8
Original Sanskrit
7.8.1 बलं वाव विज्ञानाद्भूयोऽपि ह शतं विज्ञानवतामेको बलवानाकम्पयते । स यदा बली भवत्यथोत्थाता भवत्युत्तिष्ठन्परिचरिता भवति परिचरन्नुपसत्ता भवत्युपसीदन्द्रष्टा भवति श्रोता भवति मन्ता भवति बोद्धा भवति कर्ता भवति विज्ञाता भवति । बलेन वै पृथिवी तिष्ठति बलेनान्तरिक्षं बलेन द्यौर्बलेन पर्वता बलेन देवमनुष्या बलेन पशवश्च वयाँसि च तृणवनस्पतयः श्वापदान्याकीटपतङ्गपिपीलकं बलेन लोकस्तिष्ठति बलमुपास्स्वेति ॥ १ ॥
7.8.2 स यो बलं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्ते यावद्बलस्य गतं तत्रास्य यथाकामचारो भवति यो बलं ब्रह्मेत्युपास्तेऽस्ति भगवो बलाद्भूय इति बलाद्वाव भूयोऽस्तीति तन्मे भगवान्ब्रवीत्विति ॥ २ ॥
Musean translation
Complete machine-assisted Musean translation made directly from the Sanskrit, independently of the Plain English edition. All eight books and the closing invocation are retained.
7.8.1 "Strength is greater than understanding. One strong person can shake a hundred who possess understanding. When someone is strong, that person can rise; rising, can serve; serving, can approach a teacher; approaching, can see, hear, reflect, comprehend, act, and understand. Through strength the earth stands; through strength, the middle air; through strength, heaven; through strength, the mountains; through strength, gods and humans; through strength, cattle and birds, grasses and trees, wild beasts down to insects, moths, and ants. Through strength the world stands. Meditate on strength.
7.8.2 "Whoever meditates on strength as Brahman moves at will wherever strength extends—whoever meditates on strength as Brahman." "Revered sir, is there something greater than strength?" "There is indeed something greater than strength." "Tell me of it, revered sir."
Plain English translation
Complete machine-assisted Plain English translation made independently and directly from the Sanskrit, not from the Musean edition. All eight books and the closing invocation are retained.
7.8.1 "Strength is greater than understanding. One strong person can make even a hundred people with understanding tremble. When someone is strong, they can get up. Getting up, they can serve. Serving, they can approach a teacher. Approaching, they become able to see, hear, think, grasp, act, and understand. Earth stands through strength, as do the space between earth and heaven, heaven, mountains, gods and human beings, livestock and birds, grasses and trees, wild animals, down to worms, flying insects, and ants. The world stands through strength. Meditate on strength."
7.8.2 "Someone who meditates on strength as Brahman can move as they please wherever strength reaches. This is true of someone who meditates on strength as Brahman." "Sir, is anything greater than strength?" "Yes, something is greater than strength." "Please tell me what it is."
About this section
Section 7.8 is part of Chandogya Upanishad by Unknown. This page sets the Sanskrit original beside 2 direct-source translations, so any line can be checked against the source. It is section 121 of 154 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
Open the work page for the full contents, every edition, and the download links, or go back to Explore to browse other complete works in the Hindu tradition. The reader keeps your place when you are signed in and lets you compare the original with each translation, one edition at a time.