Prashna Upanishad – II – Discussion of Devas – 4   «   »

Prashna Upanishad – II – Discussion of Devas – 4   «   »

सोऽभिमानादूर्ध्वमुत्क्रामत इव तस्मिन्नुत्क्रामत्यथेतरे सर्व
एवोत्क्रामन्ते तस्मिंश्च प्रतिष्ठमाने सर्व एव प्रतिष्ठन्ते । तद्यथा
मक्षिका मधुकरराजानमुत्क्रामन्तं सर्व एवोत्क्रमन्ते तस्मिंष्च
प्रतिष्ठमाने सर्व एव प्रातिष्टन्त एवं वाङ्मनष्चक्षुः श्रोत्रं
च ते प्रीताः प्राणं स्तुन्वन्ति ॥ २.४॥
so’bhimānādūrdhvamutkrāmata iva tasminnutkrāmatyathetare sarva
evotkrāmante tasmiṃśca pratiṣṭhamāne sarva eva pratiṣṭhante . tadyathā
makṣikā madhukararājānamutkrāmantaṃ sarva evotkramante tasmiṃṣca
pratiṣṭhamāne sarva eva prātiṣṭanta evaṃ vāṅmanaṣcakṣuḥ śrotraṃ
ca te prītāḥ prāṇaṃ stunvanti .. 2.4..
Translation by Swami Sivananda
4 Prana, out of pride, rose upward, as it were, from the body. Now, when it rose upward all the others rose upward also and when it settled down they all settled down with it. As bees go out when their queen goes out and return when she returns, even so did speech, mind, eye and ear. They, being satisfied, praised prana.

Translation by Max Mueller
4. 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:

Word Meaning
सः (saḥ) – he (the principle prāṇa)
अभिमानात् (abhimānāt) – proudly
ऊर्ध्वम् (ūrdhvam) – out
उत्क्रमत (utkramata) – to go
इव (iva) – as it were
तस्मिन् (tasmin) – his
उत्क्रामति (utkrāmati) – got up
अथ (atha) – then
इतरे (itare) – others
सर्वे (sarve) – all
एव (eva) – also
उत्क्रामन्ते (utkrāmante) – had to get up
तस्मिन् (tasmin) – he the prāṇa
च (ca) – and
प्रतिष्ठमाने (pratiṣṭhamāne) – remaining
सर्वे (sarve) – all
एव (eva) – also
प्रातिष्ठन्ते (prātiṣṭhante) – remained
तत् (tat) –that
यथा (yathā) – just as
मक्षिका मधुकरराजानम् (makṣikā madhukararājānam) – queen of large black honey bees
उत्क्रामन्तं (utkrāmantaṃ) – leaves
सर्वे (sarve) – all
एव (eva) – too
उत्क्रामन्ते (utkrāmante) – leave
तस्मिन् (tasmin) – to it
च (ca) – and
प्रतिष्ठमाने (pratiṣṭhamāne) – return
सर्वाः (sarvāḥ) – all
एव (eva) – also
प्रातिष्ठन्ते (prātiṣṭhante) – rest
एवम् (evam) – thus
वाक् (vāk) – speech
मनः (manaḥ) – mind
चक्षुः (cakṣuḥ) – eye
श्रोत्रं (śrotraṃ) – ear
च (ca) – and
ते (te) – those
प्रीताः (prītāḥ) – being pleased
प्राणं (prāṇaṃ) – the prāṇa
स्तुन्वन्ति (stunvanti) – praised the prāṇa
deity_Prashna

Sri Shankara’s Commentary (Bhashya) translated by S. Sitarama Sastri

And he, Prâna, observing their want of faith, seemed to ascend from the body of himself from indignation. What followed when he seemed to ascend is made apparent by an illustration. Immediately after he ascended, all the other prânas, i.e., the eye and the rest began ascending and when he, Prâna, became inactive, i.e., did not ascend, all became quiet, i.e., settled down; just as in the world, the bees ascend after their king ascends and settle down when he settles down. As in the illustration, so here. Speech, mind, the eye, ear, etc., leaving their disbelief and knowing the glory or greatness of Prâna, grow delighted and praise Prâna.

Prashna Upanishad – 4 – Prashna-2-4-so’bhimānādūrdhva – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Meaning and Commentary by Adi Shankaracharya (Sankara Bhashya) – Prashna-2-4