Section 8.9
Original Sanskrit
8.9.1 अथ हेन्द्रोऽप्राप्यैव देवानेतद्भयं ददर्श यथैव खल्वयमस्मिञ्छरीरे साध्वलंकृते साध्वलङ्कृतो भवति सुवसने सुवसनः परिष्कृते परिष्कृत एवमेवायमस्मिन्नन्धेऽन्धो भवति स्रामे स्रामः परिवृक्णे परिवृक्णोऽस्यैव शरीरस्य नाशमन्वेष नश्यति नाहमत्र भोग्यं पश्यामीति ॥ १ ॥
8.9.2 स समित्पाणिः पुनरेयाय तꣳ ह प्रजापतिरुवाच मघवन्यच्छान्तहृदयः प्राव्राजीः सार्धं विरोचनेन किमिच्छन्पुनरागम इति स होवाच यथैव खल्वयं भगवोऽस्मिञ्छरीरे साध्वलङ्कृते साध्वलङ्कृतो भवति सुवसने सुवसनः परिष्कृते परिष्कृत एवमेवायमस्मिन्नन्धेऽन्धो भवति स्रामे स्रामः परिवृक्णे परिवृक्णोऽस्यैव शरीरस्य नाशमन्वेष नश्यति नाहमत्र भोग्यं पश्यामीति ॥ २ ॥
8.9.3 एवमेवैष मघवन्निति होवाचैतं त्वेव ते भूयोऽनुव्याख्यास्यामि वसापराणि द्वात्रिꣳशतं वर्षाणीति स हापराणि द्वात्रिꣳशतं वर्षाण्युवास तस्मै होवाच ॥ 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.
8.9.1 But before Indra reached the gods, he saw this danger: "As this one is well adorned when the body is well adorned, well dressed when it is well dressed, and presentable when it is presentable, so this one is blind when the body is blind, lame when it is lame, and mutilated when it is mutilated. This one perishes when this very body perishes. I see no benefit in this."
8.9.2 He returned, fuel in hand. Prajapati said to him, "Maghavan, since you departed with a peaceful heart together with Virochana, what do you desire in returning?" He answered, "Revered sir, as this one is well adorned when the body is well adorned, well dressed when it is well dressed, and presentable when it is presentable, so this one is blind when the body is blind, lame when it is lame, and mutilated when it is mutilated. This one perishes when this very body perishes. I see no benefit in this."
8.9.3 "That is indeed how it is, Maghavan," he said. "But I will explain this further to you. Stay another thirty-two years." He stayed another thirty-two years. Then he said to him:
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.
8.9.1 But before Indra reached the gods, he saw this problem: "Just as this image wears fine ornaments when the body wears fine ornaments, wears good clothes when the body wears good clothes, and is well groomed when the body is well groomed, so it becomes blind when the body is blind, lame when the body is lame, and maimed when the body is maimed. When this body dies, it dies too. I see nothing satisfactory in this."
8.9.2 He returned with firewood in his hand. Prajapati asked him, "Maghavan, you left with Virochana feeling satisfied. What do you want that has brought you back?" Indra answered, "Sir, just as this image wears fine ornaments when the body wears fine ornaments, wears good clothes when the body wears good clothes, and is well groomed when the body is well groomed, so it becomes blind when the body is blind, lame when the body is lame, and maimed when the body is maimed. When this body dies, it dies too. I see nothing satisfactory in this."
8.9.3 "That is how it is, Maghavan," Prajapati said. "But I will explain this further to you. Stay another thirty-two years." Indra stayed another thirty-two years. Then Prajapati told him:
About this section
Section 8.9 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 148 of 154 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
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