Section 8.12
Original Sanskrit
8.12.1 मघवन्मर्त्यं वा इदꣳ शरीरमात्तं मृत्युना तदस्यामृतस्याशरीरस्यात्मनोऽधिष्ठानमात्तो वै सशरीरः प्रियाप्रियाभ्यां न वै सशरीरस्य सतः प्रियाप्रिययोरपहतिरस्त्यशरीरं वाव सन्तं न प्रियाप्रिये स्पृशतः ॥ १ ॥
8.12.2 अशरीरो वायुरभ्रं विद्युत्स्तनयित्नुरशरीराण्येतानि तद्यथैतान्यमुष्मादाकाशात्समुत्थाय परं ज्योतिरुपसंपद्य स्वेन रूपेणाभिनिष्पद्यन्ते ॥ २ ॥
8.12.3 एवमेवैष संप्रसादोऽस्माच्छरीरात्समुत्थाय परं ज्योतिरुपसंपद्य स्वेन रूपेणाभिनिष्पद्यते स उत्तमपुरुषः स तत्र पर्येति जक्षत्क्रीडन्रममाणः स्त्रीभिर्वा यानैर्वा ज्ञातिभिर्वा नोपजनꣳ स्मरन्निदꣳ शरीरꣳ स यथा प्रयोग्य आचरणे युक्त एवमेवायमस्मिञ्छरीरे प्राणो युक्तः ॥ ३ ॥
8.12.4 अथ यत्रैतदाकाशमनुविषण्णं चक्षुः स चाक्षुषः पुरुषो दर्शनाय चक्षुरथ यो वेदेदं जिघ्राणीति स आत्मा गन्धाय घ्राणमथ यो वेदेदमभिव्याहराणीति स आत्माभिव्याहाराय वागथ यो वेदेदꣳ शृणवानीति स आत्मा श्रवणाय श्रोत्रम् ॥ ४ ॥
8.12.5 अथ यो वेदेदं मन्वानीति सात्मा मनोऽस्य दैवं चक्षुः स वा एष एतेन दैवेन चक्षुषा मनसैतान्कामान्पश्यन्रमते य एते ब्रह्मलोके ॥ ५ ॥
8.12.6 तं वा एतं देवा आत्मानमुपासते तस्मात्तेषाꣳ सर्वे च लोका आत्ताः सर्वे च कामाः स सर्वाꣳश्च लोकानाप्नोति सर्वाꣳश्च कामान्यस्तमात्मानमनुविद्य विजानातीति ह प्रजापतिरुवाच प्रजापतिरुवाच ॥ 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.
8.12.1 "Maghavan, this body is mortal, held by death. It is the dwelling of this immortal, bodiless Self. One who has a body is held by pleasure and pain. While one has a body, there is no release from pleasure and pain. But pleasure and pain do not touch one who is bodiless.
8.12.2 "The wind is bodiless; clouds, lightning, and thunder are bodiless. As these rise from that space, reach the highest light, and appear in their own forms,
8.12.3 "So this serene one rises from this body, reaches the highest light, and appears in its own form. That is the highest person. There that one moves about laughing, playing, rejoicing with women, with chariots, or with relatives, not remembering this body into which it was born. As a draft animal is yoked to a carriage, so this life-breath is yoked to this body.
8.12.4 "The one who is present in the space where the eye is set is the person in the eye; the eye is for seeing. The one who knows 'Let me smell this' is the Self; the nose is for smelling. The one who knows 'Let me say this' is the Self; speech is for speaking. The one who knows 'Let me hear this' is the Self; the ear is for hearing.
8.12.5 "The one who knows 'Let me think this' is the Self. Mind is its divine eye. Through this divine eye, the mind, that one beholds these desires in the world of Brahman and rejoices.
8.12.6 "The gods meditate on this Self. Therefore all worlds and all desires are held by them. One who discovers and understands that Self attains all worlds and all desires." So Prajapati said; so Prajapati said.
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.
8.12.1 "Maghavan, this body is mortal, held by death. It is the home of the immortal, bodiless Self. Anyone with a body is held by pleasure and pain. As long as someone has a body, they cannot get rid of pleasure and pain. But pleasure and pain do not touch someone who is bodiless.
8.12.2 "Wind has no body. Clouds, lightning, and thunder have no bodies. Rising from that space and reaching the highest light, they each appear in their own form.
8.12.3 "In the same way, this serene being rises from the body, reaches the highest light, and appears in its own form. This is the highest person. There it moves about, laughing, playing, and enjoying itself with women, vehicles, or relatives, without remembering this body into which it was born. Just as a draft animal is attached to a cart, life-breath is attached to this body.
8.12.4 "The person connected with the eye is there where the eye rests in the open space. The eye is for seeing. The one who knows, 'Let me smell this,' is the Self; the nose is for smelling. The one who knows, 'Let me say this,' is the Self; speech is for speaking. The one who knows, 'Let me hear this,' is the Self; the ear is for hearing.
8.12.5 "The one who knows, 'Let me think this,' is the Self. The mind is its divine eye. With this divine eye, the mind, it sees the desires that are in the world of Brahman and enjoys them.
8.12.6 "The gods meditate on this Self. That is why they possess all worlds and all desires. Someone who discovers and understands this Self obtains all worlds and all desires." This is what Prajapati said—what Prajapati said.
About this section
Section 8.12 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 151 of 154 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
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