Section 8.4
Original Sanskrit
8.4.1 अथ य आत्मा स सेतुर्धृतिरेषां लोकानामसम्भेदाय नैतꣳ सेतुमहोरात्रे तरतो न जरा न मृत्युर्न शोको न सुकृतं न दुष्कृतꣳ सर्वे पाप्मानोऽतो निवर्तन्तेऽपहतपाप्मा ह्येष ब्रह्मलोकः ॥ १ ॥
8.4.2 तस्माद्वा एतꣳ सेतुं तीर्त्वान्धः सन्ननन्धो भवति विद्धः सन्नविद्धो भवत्युपतापी सन्ननुपतापी भवति तस्माद्वा एतꣳ सेतुं तीर्त्वापि नक्तमहरेवाभिनिष्पद्यते सकृद्विभातो ह्येवैष ब्रह्मलोकः ॥ २ ॥
8.4.3 तद्य एवैतं ब्रह्मलोकं ब्रह्मचर्येणानुविन्दन्ति तेषामेवैष ब्रह्मलोकस्तेषाꣳ सर्वेषु लोकेषु कामचारो भवति ॥ ३ ॥
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.
8.4.1 This Self is an embankment, a support keeping these worlds from merging. Day and night do not cross this embankment, nor age, nor death, nor sorrow, nor good deeds, nor evil deeds. All evils turn back from it, for this world of Brahman is free from evil.
8.4.2 Therefore, on crossing this embankment, the blind cease to be blind, the wounded cease to be wounded, the afflicted cease to be afflicted. Therefore, on crossing this embankment, even night becomes day, for this world of Brahman shines once and forever.
8.4.3 Only those who discover this world of Brahman through celibate studentship possess this world of Brahman. They 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.
8.4.1 The Self is a bridge, a barrier that keeps these worlds from running together. Day and night do not cross this bridge, nor do old age, death, sorrow, good deeds, or bad deeds. All evils turn back from it. This world of Brahman is free from evil.
8.4.2 That is why someone who crosses this bridge is no longer blind, even if they were blind; no longer wounded, even if they were wounded; no longer afflicted, even if they were afflicted. That is why, after crossing this bridge, even night becomes day. This world of Brahman is always lit.
8.4.3 This world of Brahman belongs to those who discover it through a celibate life of sacred study. They have freedom of movement in every world.
About this section
Section 8.4 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 143 of 154 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
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