Prashna Upanishad – III – Origin and Nature of Prana – 7   «   »

Prashna Upanishad – III – Origin and Nature of Prana – 7   «   »

अथैकयोर्ध्व उदानः पुण्येन पुण्यं लोकं नयति पापेन
पापमुभाभ्यामेव मनुष्यलोकम् ॥ ३.७॥

athaikayordhva udānaḥ puṇyena puṇyaṃ lokaṃ nayati pāpena
pāpamubhābhyāmeva manuṣyalokam .. 3.7..

Translation by Swami Sivananda
7 And then udana, ascending upward through one of them, conducts the departing soul to the virtuous world, for its virtuous deeds; to the sinful world, for its sinful deeds; and to the world of men, for both. 

Translation by Max Mueller
7. Through one of them, the Udâna (the out-breathing) leads (us) upwards to the good world by good work, to the bad world by bad work, to the world of men by both.

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

By one of these hundred and one nerves, i.e., by that nerve named sushumna which goes up, udâna moving in all portions, from the foot to the head, conducts one to virtuous worlds, such as the abode of the Dêvâs by virtuous deeds enjoined by the sâstrâs; by sinful deeds contrary to virtue, to sinful worlds, such as birth among horizontal creatures, i.e., beasts. By both equally combined, i.e., virtue and sin, to the world of men. ‘Conducts’ should be supplied.


Prashna Upanishad – 7 – Prashna-3-7-athaikayordhva – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Meaning and Commentary by Adi Shankaracharya (Sankara Bhashya) – Prashna-3-7