Section 4.16
Original Sanskrit
4.16.1 एष ह वै यज्ञो योऽयं पवते एष ह यन्निदꣳ सर्वं पुनाति । यदेष यन्निदꣳ सर्वं पुनाति तस्मादेष एव यज्ञस्तस्य मनश्च वाक्च वर्तनी ॥ १ ॥
4.16.2 तयोरन्यतरां मनसा सꣳस्करोति ब्रह्मा वाचा होताध्वर्युरुद्गातान्यतराꣳस यत्रौपाकृते प्रातरनुवाके पुरा परिधानीयाया ब्रह्मा व्यवदति ॥ २ ॥
4.16.3 अन्यतरामेव वर्तनीꣳ सꣳस्करोति हीयतेऽन्यतरा स यथैकपाद्व्रजन्रथो वैकेन चक्रेण वर्तमानो रिष्यत्येवमस्य यज्ञोरिष्यति यज्ञꣳ रिष्यन्तं यजमानोऽनुरिष्यति स इष्ट्वा पापीयान्भवति ॥ ३ ॥
4.16.4 अथ यत्रोपाकृते प्रातरनुवाके न पुरा परिधानीयाया ब्रह्मा व्यवदत्युभे एव वर्तनी सꣳस्कुर्वन्ति न हीयतेऽन्यतरा ॥ ४ ॥
4.16.5 स यथोभयपाद्व्रजन्रथो वोभाभ्यां चक्राभ्यां वर्तमानः प्रतितिष्ठत्येवमस्य यज्ञः प्रतितिष्ठति यज्ञं प्रतितिष्ठन्तं यजमानोऽनुप्रतितिष्ठति स इष्ट्वा श्रेयान्भवति ॥ ५ ॥
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.
4.16.1 This blowing wind is the sacrifice. Moving, it purifies all this. Because, moving, it purifies all this, it is the sacrifice. Mind and speech are its two tracks.
4.16.2 The supervising brahmin priest perfects one track with mind; the Hotri, Adhvaryu, and Udgatri perfect the other with speech. If, after the morning recitation has begun, the supervising priest speaks before its closing verse:
4.16.3 Only one track is perfected; the other is impaired. As someone walking on one foot or a chariot moving on one wheel comes to harm, so that person's sacrifice comes to harm. When the sacrifice comes to harm, the sacrificer comes to harm after it. Having sacrificed, that person becomes worse off.
4.16.4 But if, after the morning recitation has begun, the supervising priest does not speak before its closing verse, both tracks are perfected; neither is impaired.
4.16.5 As someone walking on both feet or a chariot moving on both wheels stands firm, so that person's sacrifice stands firm. When the sacrifice stands firm, the sacrificer stands firm after it. Having sacrificed, that person becomes better off.
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.
4.16.1 The wind that blows is the sacrifice. As it moves, it purifies all this. Because it purifies all this as it moves, it is the sacrifice. Mind and speech are its two tracks.
4.16.2 The supervising brahmin priest prepares one of these tracks with his mind. The Hotri, Adhvaryu, and Udgatri priests prepare the other with speech. If the supervising priest speaks after the morning recitation has begun but before its closing verse—
4.16.3 then only one track is prepared, and the other is lost. Just as someone walking on one foot, or a chariot moving on one wheel, comes to harm, his sacrifice comes to harm. When the sacrifice comes to harm, the person making the sacrifice comes to harm along with it. After sacrificing, he is worse off.
4.16.4 But if the supervising priest does not speak after the morning recitation has begun and before its closing verse, they prepare both tracks. Neither is lost.
4.16.5 Just as someone walking on both feet, or a chariot moving on both wheels, stays steady, his sacrifice stays steady. When the sacrifice stays steady, the person making the sacrifice stays steady along with it. After sacrificing, he is better off.
About this section
Section 4.16 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 72 of 154 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
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