Section 8.1
Original Sanskrit
8.1.1 अथ यदिदमस्मिन्ब्रह्मपुरे दहरं पुण्डरीकं वेश्म दहरोऽस्मिन्नन्तराकाशस्तस्मिन्यदन्तस्तदन्वेष्टव्यं तद्वाव विजिज्ञासितव्यमिति ॥ १ ॥
8.1.2 तं चेद्ब्रूयुर्यदिदमस्मिन्ब्रह्मपुरे दहरं पुण्डरीकं वेश्म दहरोऽस्मिन्नन्तराकाशः किं तदत्र विद्यते यदन्वेष्टव्यं यद्वाव विजिज्ञासितव्यमिति स ब्रूयात् ॥ २ ॥
8.1.3 यावान्वा अयमाकाशस्तावानेषोऽन्तर्हृदय आकाश उभे अस्मिन्द्यावापृथिवी अन्तरेव समाहिते उभावग्निश्च वायुश्च सूर्याचन्द्रमसावुभौ विद्युन्नक्षत्राणि यच्चास्येहास्ति यच्च नास्ति सर्वं तदस्मिन्समाहितमिति ॥ ३ ॥
8.1.4 तं चेद्ब्रूयुरस्मिꣳश्चेदिदं ब्रह्मपुरे सर्वꣳ समाहितꣳ सर्वाणि च भूतानि सर्वे च कामा यदैतज्जरामाप्नोति प्रध्वꣳसते वा किं ततोऽतिशिष्यत इति ॥ ४ ॥
8.1.5 स ब्रूयान्नास्य जरयैतज्जीर्यति न वधेनास्य हन्यत एतत्सत्यं ब्रह्मपुरमस्मिन्कामाः समाहिताः एष आत्मापहतपाप्मा विजरो विमृत्युर्विशोको विजिघत्सोऽपिपासः सत्यकामः सत्यसङ्कल्पो यथा ह्येवेह प्रजा अन्वाविशन्ति यथानुशासनं यं यमन्तमभिकामा भवन्ति यं जनपदं यं क्षेत्रभागं तं तमेवोपजीवन्ति ॥ ५ ॥
8.1.6 तद्यथेह कर्मजितो लोकः क्षीयत एवमेवामुत्र पुण्यजितो लोकः क्षीयते तद्य इहात्मानमननुविद्य व्रजन्त्येताꣳश्च सत्यान्कामाꣳस्तेषाꣳ सर्वेषु लोकेष्वकामचारो भवत्यथ य इहात्मानमनुविद्य व्रजन्त्येताꣳश्च सत्यान्कामाꣳस्तेषाꣳ सर्वेषु लोकेषु कामचारो भवति ॥ ६ ॥
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.
8.1.1 Now, within this city of Brahman is a small lotus dwelling, and within it a small space. What lies within that space must be sought; that is what one must desire to understand.
8.1.2 If they should say to him, "In this city of Brahman is a small lotus dwelling, and within it a small space. What is there within it that must be sought, that one must desire to understand?" he should answer:
8.1.3 "As vast as this space is the space within the heart. Within it both heaven and earth are gathered, both fire and wind, both sun and moon, lightning and stars. Whatever belongs to a person here, and whatever does not—all of it is gathered within.
8.1.4 "If they should say to him, 'If everything is gathered within this city of Brahman, all beings and all desires, what remains of it when this city grows old or perishes?'
8.1.5 "He should answer, 'It does not grow old when this grows old; it is not slain when this is slain. This is the true city of Brahman, and within it desires are gathered. This is the Self, free from evil, free from age, free from death, free from sorrow, free from hunger, free from thirst, whose desires are true and whose resolves are true. Just as people here settle according to command in whatever region they desire, whatever country, whatever tract of land, and live upon that alone,
8.1.6 "'So, as a world won through deeds here passes away, a world won through merit beyond passes away. Those who depart from here without discovering the Self and these true desires do not move at will in all the worlds. But those who depart from here having discovered the Self and these true desires move at will in all the worlds.'"
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.
8.1.1 In this city of Brahman there is a small lotus-shaped home. Inside it is a small space. What is within that space is what one must look for and seek to understand.
8.1.2 Someone might ask, "In this city of Brahman there is a small lotus-shaped home, with a small space inside it. What is there within it that one must look for and seek to understand?" The answer should be:
8.1.3 "The space inside the heart is as large as this space outside. Both heaven and earth are contained in it, as are fire and wind, the sun and the moon, lightning and the stars. Whatever a person has here and whatever they do not have—all of it is contained in that space."
8.1.4 Someone might ask, "If everything is contained in this city of Brahman—all beings and all desires—what remains when the body grows old or is destroyed?"
8.1.5 The answer should be: "This does not grow old when the body grows old. It is not killed when the body is killed. This is the true city of Brahman. Desires are contained in it. This is the Self, free from evil, old age, death, sorrow, hunger, and thirst. Its desires are real, and its intentions come true. Here in this world, people live under orders. Whatever region they want, whatever district or piece of land, they live on that alone.
8.1.6 "Just as a world earned by work here runs out, so a world earned by good deeds in the next life runs out. Those who leave here without discovering the Self and these true desires have no freedom of movement in any world. But those who leave here after discovering the Self and these true desires have freedom of movement in every world."
About this section
Section 8.1 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 140 of 154 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
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