Section 8.6
Original Sanskrit
8.6.1 अथ या एता हृदयस्य नाड्यस्ताः पिङ्गलस्याणिम्नस्तिष्ठन्ति शुक्लस्य नीलस्य पीतस्य लोहितस्येत्यसौ वा आदित्यः पिङ्गल एष शुक्ल एष नील एष पीत एष लोहितः ॥ १ ॥
8.6.2 तद्यथा महापथ आतत उभौ ग्रामौ गच्छतीमं चामुं चैवमेवैता आदित्यस्य रश्मय उभौ लोकौ गच्छन्तीमं चामुं चामुष्मादादित्यात्प्रतायन्ते ता आसु नाडीषु सृप्ता आभ्यो नाडीभ्यः प्रतायन्ते तेऽमुष्मिन्नादित्ये सृप्ताः ॥ २ ॥
8.6.3 तद्यत्रैतत्सुप्तः समस्तः सम्प्रसन्नः स्वप्नं न विजानात्यासु तदा नाडीषु सृप्तो भवति तं न कश्चन पाप्मा स्पृशति तेजसा हि तदा सम्पन्नो भवति ॥ ३ ॥
8.6.4 अथ यत्रैतदबलिमानं नीतो भवति तमभित आसीना आहुर्जानासि मां जानासि मामिति स यावदस्माच्छरीरादनुत्क्रान्तो भवति तावज्जानाति ॥ ४ ॥
8.6.5 अथ यत्रैतदस्माच्छरीरादुत्क्रामत्यथैतैरेव रश्मिभिरूर्ध्वमाक्रमते स ओमिति वा होद्वा मीयते स यावत्क्षिप्येन्मनस्तावदादित्यं गच्छत्येतद्वै खलु लोकद्वारं विदुषां प्रपदनं निरोधोऽविदुषाम् ॥ ५ ॥
8.6.6 तदेष श्लोकः। शतं चैका च हृदयस्य नाड्यस्तासां मूर्धानमभिनिःसृतैका । तयोर्ध्वमायन्नमृतत्वमेति विष्वङ्ङन्या उत्क्रमणे भवन्त्युत्क्रमणे भवन्ति ॥ 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.
8.6.1 The channels of the heart contain a subtle substance that is tawny, white, blue, yellow, and red. This sun is tawny; it is white; it is blue; it is yellow; it is red.
8.6.2 As a great road, stretching far, reaches both villages, this one and that, so these rays of the sun reach both worlds, this one and that. They stretch from that sun and enter these channels; they stretch from these channels and enter that sun.
8.6.3 When a person is asleep, wholly gathered in and serene, knowing no dream, that person has entered these channels. No evil touches that person then, for then that person is united with radiance.
8.6.4 When someone has been brought to weakness, those seated around ask, "Do you know me? Do you know me?" As long as that person has not departed from this body, that person knows them.
8.6.5 But when that person departs from this body, that person climbs upward along these very rays. With "Om" that person rises upward. In the time it takes the mind to leap, that person reaches the sun. This is indeed the gateway to the world: an entrance for those who know, a barrier for those who do not know.
8.6.6 On this there is a verse:A hundred and one are the channels of the heart;one of them passes out through the crown of the head.Ascending by that one, a person reaches immortality;the others lead away in every direction at departure,in every direction at departure.
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.
8.6.1 The channels of the heart are filled with a fine substance that is brown, white, blue, yellow, and red. The sun too is brown, white, blue, yellow, and red.
8.6.2 Just as a highway stretches between two villages, this one and that one, the sun's rays go between the two worlds, this one and that one. They extend from the sun and enter these channels; they extend from these channels and enter the sun.
8.6.3 When someone is asleep, completely gathered together and at peace, without knowing any dream, they have entered these channels. No evil touches them then, because they have become united with the light.
8.6.4 When someone has become weak, the people sitting around them ask, "Do you recognize me? Do you recognize me?" As long as that person has not left the body, they recognize them.
8.6.5 But when that person leaves the body, they rise along these rays. They pass upward with the thought Om. In the time it takes the mind to move, they reach the sun. This is the door to the world: an entrance for those who know, a barrier for those who do not.
8.6.6 There is this verse about it:The heart has a hundred and one channels.One of them goes out through the crown of the head.Going upward through it, one reaches immortality.The others lead out in various directions—in various directions at departure.
About this section
Section 8.6 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 145 of 154 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
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