Verse 14

Prashna

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अन्नं वै प्रजापतिः। ततो ह वै तद्रेतः। तस्मादिमाः प्रजाः प्रजायन्त इति॥१४॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

अन्नम् वै प्रजापतिः । ततः ह वै तत् रेतः । तस्मात् इमाः प्रजाः प्र-जायन्ते इति ॥१४॥

IAST Transliteration

annaṃ vai prajāpatiḥ | tato ha vai tad retaḥ | tasmād imāḥ prajāḥ prajāyanta iti ||14||

Translation

Nahrung, wahrlich, ist Prajāpati. Aus ihr entsteht wahrlich jener Same (die schöpferische Essenz). Darum werden diese Geschöpfe geboren.

Academic Translation

Food, indeed, is Prajāpati. From that, indeed, is that seed (semen/creative essence). Therefore these creatures are born.

Verse Context

• Rayi/anna (matter, food) as creative principle; Prajāpati as material cause in cosmological teaching
• Mahavakya: Indirect: cosmological account (sṛṣṭi-prakriyā) used as a teaching aid; not a direct mahāvākya but can serve as preparatory understanding before non-dual identity teachings.
• Atharva
• Atharvaveda (Prashna Upanishad; traditionally linked with the Paippalāda tradition) Shakha
• Chandas: Prose