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Chandogya Upanisad
Chapter Five
V.1
1. OM The one who knows the eldest and best becomes the eldest and best. Breath is the eldest and best.
2. The one who knows the finest becomes the finest of his own folk. Speech is the finest.
3. The one who knows the support stands firm both in this world and in that world. The eye is the support.
4. The one who knows prosperity attains his desires, both divine and human. The ear is prosperity.
5. The one who knows the dwelling-place becomes the dwelling-place of his own folk. Mind is the dwelling-place.
6. Now the bodily functions (prana) argued about who was the best. 'I am the best!' 'I am the best!'
7. The bodily functions said to father Prajapati, 'Blessed one, who is the best of us?'
He said to them, 'The best of you is the one after whose departure the body seems to be in worst case.'
8. Speech departed. It stayed away for a year, and when it returned it asked, 'How were you able to live without me?'
'Like the dumb, not speaking, but breathing with the breath, seeing with the eye, hearing with ear, thinking with the mind. That is how we lived.'
Then speech went back in.
9.The eye departed and stayed away for a year. When it came back it asked, 'How were you able to live without me?'
'Like the blind, not seeing, but breathing with the breath, speaking with speech, hearing with the ear, thinking with the mind. That is how we lived.'
Then the eye went back in.
10. The ear departed and stayed away for a year. When it came back it asked, 'How were you able to live without me?'
'Like the deaf, not hearing, but breathing with the breath, speaking with speech, seeing with the eye, thinking with the mind. That is how we lived.'
Then the ear went back in.
11. The mind departed and stayed away for a year. When it came back it asked, 'How were you able to live without me?'
'Like the foolish, without mind, but breathing with the breath, speaking with speech, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, not thinking with the mind. That is how we lived.'
Then the mind went back in.
12. The breath (prana) intending to depart, dragged together the other bodily functions (prana) as a fine stallion might drag its tethering pegs.
They said, 'Blessed one, do not go. You are the best of us. Do not leave.'
13. Speech said to it, 'In that I am the finest, you are the finest.'
The eye said to it, 'In that I am the support, you are the support.'
14. The ear said to it, 'In that I am prosperity, you are prosperity.'
The mind said to it, 'In that I am the dwelling, you are the dwelling.'
15. Folk do not call them 'speeches', 'eyes', 'ears', or 'minds'. They call them 'breaths'. The breath becomes all these.
V.2
1. It said, 'What will be my food?'
They said, 'Whatever there is, down to dogs and birds.'
This is the food (anna) of the breath (ana). Ana is its simple name. For the one who knows this, there is nothing that is not food.
2. It said, 'What will be my clothing?'
They said, 'Water'.
Therefore when folk are about to eat, both before and after, they clothe it with water. It becomes a recipient of garments: it becomes not-naked (anagna).
3. Satyakama Jabala taught this to Gosruti Vaiyaghrapadya, and said: 'If one were to say this even to a dried-up stump, branches would grow on it, and leaves would sprout.'
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