Section 5.1
Original Sanskrit
5.1.1 यो ह वै ज्येष्ठं च श्रेष्ठं च वेद ज्येष्ठश्च ह वै श्रेष्ठश्च भवति प्राणो वाव ज्येष्ठश्च श्रेष्ठश्च ॥ १ ॥
5.1.2 यो ह वै वसिष्ठं वेद वसिष्ठो ह स्वानां भवति वाग्वाव वसिष्ठः ॥ २ ॥
5.1.3 यो ह वै प्रतिष्ठां वेद प्रति ह तिष्ठत्यस्मिँश्च लोकेऽमुष्मिँश्च चक्षुर्वाव प्रतिष्ठा ॥ ३ ॥
5.1.4 यो ह वै सम्पदं वेद सँहास्मै कामाः पद्यन्ते दैवाश्च मानुषाश्च श्रोत्रं वाव सम्पत् ॥ ४ ॥
5.1.5 यो ह वा आयतनं वेदायतनँ ह स्वानां भवति मनो ह वा आयतनम् ॥ ५ ॥
5.1.6 अथ ह प्राणा अहँश्रेयसि व्यूदिरेऽहँश्रेयानस्म्यहँ श्रेयानस्मीति ॥ ६ ॥
5.1.7 ते ह प्राणाः प्रजापतिं पितरमेत्योचुर्भगवन्को नः श्रेष्ठ इति तान्होवाच यस्मिन्व उत्क्रान्ते शरीरं पापिष्ठतरमिव दृश्येत स वः श्रेष्ठ इति ॥ ७ ॥
5.1.8 सा ह वागुच्चक्राम सा संवत्सरं प्रोष्य पर्येत्योवाच कथमशकतर्ते मज्जीवितुमिति यथा कला अवदन्तः प्राणन्तः प्राणेन पश्यन्तश्चक्षुषा शृण्वन्तः श्रोत्रेण ध्यायन्तो मनसैवमिति प्रविवेश ह वाक् ॥ ८ ॥
5.1.9 चक्षुर्होच्चक्राम तत्संवत्सरं प्रोष्य पर्येत्योवाच कथमशकतर्ते मज्जीवितुमिति यथान्धा अपश्यन्तः प्राणन्तः प्राणेन वदन्तो वाचा शृण्वन्तः श्रोत्रेण ध्यायन्तो मनसैवमिति प्रविवेश ह चक्षुः ॥ ९ ॥
5.1.10 श्रोत्रँ होच्चक्राम तत्संवत्सरं प्रोष्य पर्येत्योवाच कथमशकतर्ते मज्जीवितुमिति यथा बधिरा अशृण्वन्तः प्राणन्तः प्राणेन वदन्तो वाचा पश्यन्तश्चक्षुषा ध्यायन्तो मनसैवमिति प्रविवेश ह श्रोत्रम् ॥ १० ॥
5.1.11 मनो होच्चक्राम तत्संवत्सरं प्रोष्य पर्येत्योवाच कथमशकतर्ते मज्जीवितुमिति यथा बाला अमनसः प्राणन्तः प्राणेन वदन्तो वाचा पश्यन्तश्चक्षुषा शृण्वन्तः श्रोत्रेणैवमिति प्रविवेश ह मनः ॥ ११ ॥
5.1.12 अथ ह प्राण उच्चिक्रमिषन्स यथा सुहयः पड्वीशशङ्कून्संखिदेदेवमितरान्प्राणान्समखिदत्तँहाभिसमेत्योचुर्भगवन्नेधि त्वं नः श्रेष्ठोऽसि मोत्क्रमीरिति ॥ १२ ॥
5.1.13 अथ हैनं वागुवाच यदहं वसिष्ठोऽस्मि त्वं तद्वसिष्ठोऽसीत्यथ हैनं चक्षुरुवाच यदहं प्रतिष्ठास्मि त्वं तत्प्रतिष्ठासीति ॥ १३ ॥
5.1.14 अथ हैनँश्रोत्रमुवाच यदहं सम्पदस्मि त्वं तत्सम्पदसीत्यथ हैनं मन उवाच यदहमायतनमस्मि त्वं तदायतनमसीति ॥ १४ ॥
5.1.15 न वै वाचो न चक्षूँषि न श्रोत्राणि न मनाँसीत्याचक्षते प्राणा इत्येवाचक्षते प्राणो ह्येवैतानि सर्वाणि भवति ॥ १५ ॥
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.
5.1.1 Whoever knows the eldest and the greatest becomes the eldest and the greatest. The life-breath is indeed the eldest and the greatest.
5.1.2 Whoever knows the best endowed becomes the best endowed among his own people. Speech is indeed the best endowed.
5.1.3 Whoever knows the firm foundation stands firm in this world and in the world beyond. The eye is indeed the firm foundation.
5.1.4 Whoever knows fulfillment finds his desires fulfilled, both divine and human. The ear is indeed fulfillment.
5.1.5 Whoever knows the dwelling place becomes a dwelling place for his own people. The mind is indeed the dwelling place.
5.1.6 Now the vital powers disputed their own superiority: "I am greater! I am greater!"
5.1.7 The vital powers went to Prajapati, their father, and said, "Lord, which of us is greatest?" He told them, "The one whose departure leaves the body looking most wretched is the greatest among you."
5.1.8 Speech departed. After staying away a year, it returned and said, "How were you able to live without me?" "As the mute live, without speaking, but breathing with the life-breath, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, and thinking with the mind—so we lived." Speech entered again.
5.1.9 The eye departed. After staying away a year, it returned and said, "How were you able to live without me?" "As the blind live, without seeing, but breathing with the life-breath, speaking with speech, hearing with the ear, and thinking with the mind—so we lived." The eye entered again.
5.1.10 The ear departed. After staying away a year, it returned and said, "How were you able to live without me?" "As the deaf live, without hearing, but breathing with the life-breath, speaking with speech, seeing with the eye, and thinking with the mind—so we lived." The ear entered again.
5.1.11 The mind departed. After staying away a year, it returned and said, "How were you able to live without me?" "As little children live, without developed minds, but breathing with the life-breath, speaking with speech, seeing with the eye, and hearing with the ear—so we lived." The mind entered again.
5.1.12 Then the life-breath made ready to depart. As a fine horse might tear out its tethering stakes, so it tore the other vital powers from their places. They gathered around it and said, "Lord, stay! You are the greatest among us. Do not depart!"
5.1.13 Then speech said to it, "Insofar as I am the best endowed, you are the best endowed." Then the eye said to it, "Insofar as I am the firm foundation, you are the firm foundation."
5.1.14 Then the ear said to it, "Insofar as I am fulfillment, you are fulfillment." Then the mind said to it, "Insofar as I am the dwelling place, you are the dwelling place."
5.1.15 People do not call them speeches, or eyes, or ears, or minds. They call them life-breaths alone, for the life-breath becomes all of these.
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.
5.1.1 Anyone who knows what is oldest and best becomes oldest and best. The life-breath is what is oldest and best.
5.1.2 Anyone who knows what is most prosperous becomes the most prosperous among their own people. Speech is what is most prosperous.
5.1.3 Anyone who knows the firm foundation stands firm in this world and the next. Sight is the firm foundation.
5.1.4 Anyone who knows fulfillment has their wishes fulfilled, both divine and human. Hearing is fulfillment.
5.1.5 Anyone who knows the home becomes a home for their own people. The mind is the home.
5.1.6 Then the vital powers argued over which was better. Each said, "I am better! I am better!"
5.1.7 The vital powers went to their father, Prajapati, and asked, "Sir, which of us is best?" He told them, "The best of you is the one whose departure would leave the body looking worst."
5.1.8 Speech left. After staying away for a year, it returned and asked, "How were you able to live without me?" They answered, "Like people who cannot speak. We did not speak, but we breathed with the life-breath, saw with the eyes, heard with the ears, and thought with the mind. That is how." Speech went back in.
5.1.9 Sight left. After staying away for a year, it returned and asked, "How were you able to live without me?" They answered, "Like blind people. We did not see, but we breathed with the life-breath, spoke with speech, heard with the ears, and thought with the mind. That is how." Sight went back in.
5.1.10 Hearing left. After staying away for a year, it returned and asked, "How were you able to live without me?" They answered, "Like deaf people. We did not hear, but we breathed with the life-breath, spoke with speech, saw with the eyes, and thought with the mind. That is how." Hearing went back in.
5.1.11 The mind left. After staying away for a year, it returned and asked, "How were you able to live without me?" They answered, "Like little children whose minds have not developed. We breathed with the life-breath, spoke with speech, saw with the eyes, and heard with the ears. That is how." The mind went back in.
5.1.12 Then the life-breath was about to leave. It pulled up the other vital powers, as a fine horse might pull up the stakes that tether its feet. They gathered around it and said, "Sir, stay! You are the best of us. Do not leave!"
5.1.13 Then speech told it, "If I am the most prosperous, you are the most prosperous." Then sight told it, "If I am the firm foundation, you are the firm foundation."
5.1.14 Then hearing told it, "If I am fulfillment, you are fulfillment." Then the mind told it, "If I am the home, you are the home."
5.1.15 People do not call these things speeches, sights, hearings, or minds. They simply call them vital powers, because the life-breath is all of them.
About this section
Section 5.1 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 74 of 154 in the work, which is kept in the Hindu tradition.
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