Chandogya Upanishad · Adhyaya 5

Chandogya Upanishad 5.1.7 meaning

te ha pranah prajapatim pitaram ety-ochur bhagavan ko nah shreshtha iti tan h-ovacha yasmin va utkrante shareeram papishthataram iva drishyeta sa vah shreshtha iti

ते ह प्राणाः प्रजापतिं पितरमेत्योचुर्भगवन्को नः श्रेष्ठ इति तान्होवाच यस्मिन्व उत्क्रान्ते शरीरं पापिष्ठतरमिव दृश्येत स वः श्रेष्ठ इति ॥

The senses, quarrelling over who was greatest, went to their father Prajapati and asked: "Sir, which of us is the best?" He replied: "The one whose leaving makes the body look worst off — that one is the best among you."

What it means

Speech, sight and hearing each leave in turn and the body manages; when breath starts to leave, everything collapses. The quiet contributor you take for granted is often the one holding everything together.

हिंदी में अर्थ

इंद्रियाँ आपस में झगड़ रही थीं कि सबसे बड़ा कौन है। वे पिता प्रजापति के पास जाकर बोलीं: "भगवन्, हममें श्रेष्ठ कौन है?" उन्होंने कहा: "जिसके चले जाने पर शरीर सबसे बुरी दशा में दिखे, वही तुममें श्रेष्ठ है।"

वाणी, आँख और कान एक-एक कर गए, शरीर चलता रहा; पर प्राण जाने लगा तो सब ढह गया। जिस चुपचाप योगदान देने वाले को हम हल्के में लेते हैं, वही अक्सर सब सँभाले रहता है।

Spoken by Prajapati.

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