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 ||
สิ่งใดก็ตาม (หมู่กาย-ใจนี้) ที่ถูกปราณวายุพัดพาให้ไหวไปมา ย่อมถูกกระแสพาไป—ดุจท่อนไม้ที่ลอยตามธารผ่านที่ต่ำและที่สูง
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
- 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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