Prashna Upanishad — Chapter 2
PrUp 2.1
ata hainaṃ bhārgavo vaidarbhiḥ papraccha | bhagavan katyeva devāḥ prajāṃ vidhārayante | katara etat prakāśayante | kaḥ punar eṣāṃ variṣṭha iti
Then Bhârgava Vaidarbhi asked him: "Sir, How many gods keep what has thus been created, how many manifest this, and who is the best of them?"
— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)
PrUp 2.2
tasmai sa hovāca | ākāśo ha vā eṣa devo vāyur agnir āpaḥ pṛthivī vāṅmanaścakṣu śrotraṃ ca | te prakāśyābhivadanti | vayam etad bāṇam avaṣṭabhya vidhārayāmaḥ
He replied: "The ether is that god, the wind, fire, water, earth, speech, mind, eye, and ear. These, when they have manifested (their power), contend and say: We (each of us) support this body and keep it.
— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)
PrUp 2.3
tān variṣṭaḥ prāṇa uvāca | mā mohamāpadyatha, aham evaitat pañcadhātmānaṃ pravibhajyaitad bāṇamavaṣṭabhya vidhārayāmīti | te 'śraddadhānā babhūvuḥ
Then Prâna (breath, spirit, life), as the best, said to them: Be not deceived, I alone, dividing myself fivefold, support this body and keep it.
— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)
PrUp 2.4
so 'bhimānādūrdhvamutkramata iva | tasminn utkrāmaty athetare sarva evotkrāmante | tasmiṃś ca pratiṣṭhamāne sarva eva prātiṣṭhante | tad yathā makṣikā madhukararājānam utkrāmantaṃ sarvā evotkrāmante | tasmiṃś ca pratiṣṭhamāne sarvā eva prātiṣṭhante | evaṃ vāṅmanaścakṣuḥśrotraṃ ca | te prītāḥ prāṇaṃ stunvanti
They were incredulous; so he, from pride, did as if he were going out from above. Thereupon, as he went out, all the others went out, and as he returned, all the others returned. As bees go out when their queen goes out, and return when she returns, thus (did) speech, mind, eye, and ear; and, being satisfied, they praise Prâna, saying:
— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)
PrUp 2.5
eṣo 'gnis tapaty eṣa sūrya eṣa parjanyo maghavān eṣa vāyuḥ / eṣa pṛthivī rayir devaḥ sadasac cāmṛtaṃ ca yat
He is Agni (fire), he shines as Sûrya (sun), he is Parganya (rain), the powerful (Indra), he is Vâyu (wind), he is the earth, he is matter, he is God — he is what is and what is not, and what is immortal.
— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)
PrUp 2.6
arā iva rathanābhau prāṇe sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam / ṛco yajūṃṣi sāmāni yajñaḥ kṣatraṃ brahma ca
As spokes in the nave of a wheel, everything is fixed in Prâna, the verses of the Rig-veda, Yagur-veda, Sâma-veda, the sacrifice, the Kshatriyas, and the Brâhmans.
— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)
PrUp 2.7
prajāpatiś carasi garbhe tvam eva pratijāyase | tubhyaṃ prāṇa prajās tv imā baliṃ haranti yaḥ prāṇaiḥ pratiṣṭhasi
As Pragâpati (lord of creatures) thou movest about in the womb, thou indeed art born again. To thee, the Prâna, these creatures bring offerings, to thee who dwellest with the other prânas (the organs of sense).
— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)
PrUp 2.8
devānām asi vahnitamaḥ pitṝṇāṃ prathamā svadhā / ṛṣīṇāṃ caritaṃ satyam atharvāṅgirasām asi
Thou art the best carrier for the Gods, thou art the first offering to the Fathers. Thou art the true work of the Rishis, of the Atharvângiras.
— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)
PrUp 2.9
indras tvaṃ prāṇa tejasā rudro 'si saṃharañ jagat | sthitau ca pari samantādrakṣitā pālayitā parirakṣitā | tvam eva jagataḥ saumyena rūpeṇa | tvam antarikṣe 'jasraṃ carasi udayāstamayābhyāṃ sūryas tvam eva ca sarveṣāṃ jyotiṣāṃ patiḥ
O Prâna, thou art Indra by thy light, thou art Rudra, as a protector; thou movest in the sky, thou art the sun, the lord of lights.
— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)
PrUp 2.10
yadā tvam abhivarṣasy athemāḥ prāṇa te prajāḥ / ānandarūpās tiṣṭhanti kāmāyānnaṃ bhaviṣyatīti
When thou showerest down rain, then, O Prâna, these creatures of thine are delighted, hoping that there will be food, as much as they desire.
— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)
PrUp 2.11
vrātyas tvaṃ prāṇaikaṛṣirattā viśvasya satpatiḥ / vayam ādyasya dātāraḥ pitā tvaṃ mātariśva naḥ
Thou art a Vrâtya, O Prâna, the only Rishi, the consumer of everything, the good lord. We are the givers of what thou hast to consume, thou, O Mâtarisva, art our father.
— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)
PrUp 2.12
yā te tanūrvāci pratiṣṭhitā yā śrotraṃ yā ca cakṣuṣi / yā ca manasi saṃtatā śivāṃ tāṃ kuru motkramīḥ
Make propitious that body of thine which dwells in speech, in the ear, in the eye, and which pervades the mind; do not go away!
— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)
PrUp 2.13
prāṇasyedaṃ vaśe sarvaṃ tridive yat pratiṣṭhitam / māteva putrān rakṣasva śrīś ca prajñāṃ ca vidhehi na iti
All this is in the power of Prâna, whatever exists in the three heavens. Protect us like a mother her sons, and give us happiness and wisdom."
— tr. F. Max Müller (SBE, 1879/1884) (public domain)