Section 8.5
Original Sanskrit
8.5.1 अथ यद्यज्ञ इत्याचक्षते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तद्ब्रह्मचर्येण ह्येव यो ज्ञाता तं विन्दतेऽथ यदिष्टमित्याचक्षते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तद्ब्रह्मचर्येण ह्येवेष्ट्वात्मानमनुविन्दते ॥ १ ॥
8.5.2 अथ यत्सत्त्रायणमित्याचक्षते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तद्ब्रह्मचर्येण ह्येव सत आत्मनस्त्राणं विन्दतेऽथ यन्मौनमित्याचक्षते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तब्ब्रह्मचर्येण ह्येवात्मानमनुविद्य मनुते ॥ २ ॥
8.5.3 अथ यदनाशकायनमित्याचक्षते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तदेष ह्यात्मा न नश्यति यं ब्रह्मचर्येणानुविन्दतेऽथ यदरण्यायनमित्याचक्षते ब्रह्मचर्यमेव तदरश्च ह वै ण्यश्चार्णवौ ब्रह्मलोके तृतीयस्यामितो दिवि तदैरं मदीयꣳ सरस्तदश्वत्थः सोमसवनस्तदपराजिता पूर्ब्रह्मणः प्रभुविमितꣳ हिरण्मयम् ॥ ३ ॥
8.5.4 तद्य एवैतावरं च ण्यं चार्णवौ ब्रह्मलोके ब्रह्मचर्येणानुविन्दन्ति तेषामेवैष ब्रह्मलोकस्तेषाꣳ सर्वेषु लोकेषु कामचारो भवति ॥ ४ ॥
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.
8.5.1 What people call "sacrifice" is celibate studentship, for through that studentship alone the knower finds it. What people call "sacrificial offering" is celibate studentship, for through that studentship alone, having sought, one discovers the Self.
8.5.2 What people call "the sacrificial session" is celibate studentship, for through that studentship alone one finds the protection of the true Self. What people call "silence" is celibate studentship, for through that studentship alone one discovers the Self and reflects.
8.5.3 What people call "the course of fasting" is celibate studentship, for the Self discovered through that studentship does not perish. What people call "the course of forest dwelling" is celibate studentship. For Ara and Nya are two seas in the world of Brahman, in the third heaven from here. There is the lake Airammadiya; there is the ashvattha tree that yields Soma; there is Brahman's unconquered city Aparajita and the golden dwelling fashioned by the Lord.
8.5.4 Only those who discover these two seas, Ara and Nya, in the 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.
8.5.1 What people call sacrifice, yajna, is really the celibate life of sacred study. Through this life the one who knows, jnata, finds the Self. What people call an offering, ishta, is really the celibate life of sacred study. By seeking, ishtva, through this life, one discovers the Self.
8.5.2 What people call a sacrificial session, sattrayana, is really the celibate life of sacred study. Through this life one finds protection, trana, from the true Self, sat. What people call silence, mauna, is really the celibate life of sacred study. Through this life one discovers the Self and reflects, manute, on it.
8.5.3 What people call fasting, anashakayana, is really the celibate life of sacred study. The Self that one discovers through this life does not perish, na nashyati. What people call going to the forest, aranyayana, is really the celibate life of sacred study. In the world of Brahman, in the third heaven from here, are the two oceans Ara and Nya. There is the lake Airammadiya. There is the ashvattha tree that yields Soma. There is Aparajita, the unconquered city of Brahman, and the golden hall built by the Lord.
8.5.4 This world of Brahman belongs to those who discover the two oceans Ara and Nya in Brahman's world through the celibate life of sacred study. They have freedom of movement in every world.
About this section
Section 8.5 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 144 of 154 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
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