Verse 18

Atma

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

इतस्ततश्चाल्यमानो यत्किञ्चित्प्राणवायुना ।

स्रोतसा नीयते दारु यथा निम्नोन्नतस्थलम्॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

इतस् ततश् च । आल्यमानः । यत् किञ्चित् । प्राण-वायुना ।

स्रोतसा । नीयते । दारुः । यथा । निम्न-उन्नत-स्थलम् ॥

IAST Transliteration

itas tataś cālyamāno yat kiñcit prāṇa-vāyunā |

srotasā nīyate dāru yathā nimnonnata-sthalam ||

Translation

Bị gió prāṇa lay động qua lại, bất cứ gì thuộc tổ hợp thân-tâm này đều bị dòng chảy cuốn đi—như khúc gỗ trôi theo dòng nước qua chỗ thấp chỗ cao.

Academic Translation

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).

Verse Context

• Prārabdha and the momentum of prāṇa; non-agency (akartṛtva) of the Self; body as instrument
• Mahavakya: Indirect: reinforces that the Self (implied by Mahāvākyas) is not the doer; movements belong to prāṇa and guṇas, not to Ātman.
• Atharva
• Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (śloka-style)