Atma Upanishad: Verse 18
इतस्ततश्चाल्यमानो यत्किञ्चित्प्राणवायुना ।
स्रोतसा नीयते दारु यथा निम्नोन्नतस्थलम्॥
इतस् ततश् च । आल्यमानः । यत् किञ्चित् । प्राण-वायुना ।
स्रोतसा । नीयते । दारुः । यथा । निम्न-उन्नत-स्थलम् ॥
itas tataś cālyamāno yat kiñcit prāṇa-vāyunā |
srotasā nīyate dāru yathā nimnonnata-sthalam ||
देखो, प्राण वायु जो है वो हमें इधर उधर धकेलता है। जैसे नदी में लकड़ी तैरती है, कभी नीचे, कभी ऊपर, वैसे ही हम भी बहुत सी चीज़ों के साथ बहते हैं। यह शरीर भी वैसे ही चलता है, जैसे नदी की धार लकड़ी को ले चलती है।
Moved this way and that by the vital wind, whatever (this body-mind complex is), it is carried along by the current—like a piece of wood (carried) over low and high ground (by a stream).
- इतस्ततश्चाल्यमानो→इतस् ततस् च आल्यमानः
- यत्किञ्चित्प्राणवायुना→यत् किञ्चित् प्राणवायुना
- निम्नोन्नतस्थलम्→निम्न-उन्नत-स्थलम्
About this Verse
- Central concept
- Prārabdha and the momentum of prāṇa; non-agency (akartṛtva) of the Self; body as instrument
- The mahavakyas
- Indirect: reinforces that the Self (implied by Mahāvākyas) is not the doer; movements belong to prāṇa and guṇas, not to Ātman.
- Veda
- Atharva Veda
- Chandas
- Anuṣṭubh (śloka-style)
Yoga and practice
Observation of prāṇa as a moving force distinct from awareness; prāṇāyāma as a means to steady the mind while recognizing the witness beyond prāṇa; cultivating vairāgya by seeing bodily life as ‘carried’ by currents.
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