The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣadbhāṣyam

Verse 265

स यथार्द्रैधाग्नेरभ्याहितस्य पृथग्धूमा विनिश्चरन्त्येवं वा अरेऽस्य महतो भूतस्य निश्वसितमेतद्यदृग्वेदो यजुर्वेदः सामवेदोऽथर्वाङ्गिरस इतिहासः पुराणं विद्या उपनिषदः श्लोकाः सूत्राण्यनुव्याख्यानानि व्याख्यानानीष्टं हुतमाशितं पायितमयं च लोकः परश्च लोकः सर्वाणि च भूतान्यस्यैवैतानि सर्वाणि निश्वसितानि ॥ ११ ॥

In plain words

Think of a fire built from damp wood: separate clouds of smoke drift out from it in every direction. In just this way, everything you can name — the Ṛgveda, Yajurveda, Sāmaveda, Atharvāṅgirasa, every legend, every ancient story, every field of knowledge, the Upaniṣads, every verse, every aphorism and every gloss on it, every offering ever poured or given, this world and the next, every being that exists — all of it is simply the breath of this one vast being, breathed out of it as naturally as smoke rises from a fire.

Close to the Sanskrit

Just as from a fire laid with damp fuel, separate clouds of smoke spread out in various directions, so indeed, O one, this is the breathed-out of this great being — namely, the Ṛgveda, the Yajurveda, the Sāmaveda, the Atharvāṅgirasa, legend, ancient lore, the sciences, the Upaniṣads, verses, aphorisms, sub-explanations, explanations, the sacrificed, the oblation, the food given, the drink given, this world and the other world, and all beings — all these are indeed the breathings-out of this very one.