Prashna Upanishad – II – Discussion of Devas – 1   «   »

Prashna Upanishad – II – Discussion of Devas – 1   «   »

अथ हैनं भार्गवो वैदर्भिः पप्रच्छ । भगवन् कत्येव
देवाः प्रजां विधारयन्ते कतर एतत् प्रकाशयन्ते कः
पुनरेषां वरिष्ठ इति ॥ २.१॥
atha hainaṃ bhārgavo vaidarbhiḥ papraccha . bhagavan katyeva
devāḥ prajāṃ vidhārayante katara etat prakāśayante kaḥ
punareṣāṃ variṣṭha iti .. 2.1..
Translation by Swami Sivananda
1 Then Vaidarbhi, belonging to the family of Bhrigu, asked him: Sir, how many gods support the body of the created being? How many of these manifest their power through it? And which one, furthermore, is paramount? 

Translation by Max Mueller
1. 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?

deity_Prashna

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

It has been said that prâna is the eater, the lord of creation. This question is begun for the purpose of determining how he is such lord and eater in this body. Next Bhârgava of Vidarbha questioned him, Oh Bhagavan! how many Dêvâs (senses) mainly support the creature, i.e., the body? Which, among the senses divided into intellectual and active, manifest their glory outside. Who again of these is the greatest, i.e., the most important of these which are in the nature of cause and effect.

Links
Various resources on the Prashnopanishad
Upanishad Series – Kena Upanishad Commentary by Swami Chinmayananda

Prashna Upanishad – 1 – Prashna-2-1-atha hainaṃ – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Meaning and Commentary by Adi Shankaracharya (Sankara Bhashya) – Prashna-2-1