The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam

Bhashya

Bhashya

तेजो वाव अद्भ्यो भूयः, तेजसोऽप्कारणत्वात् ।कथमप्का-रणत्वमिति, आह—यस्मादब्योनिस्तेजः, तस्मात् तद्वा एत-त्तेजो वायुमागृह्य अवष्टभ्य स्वात्मना निश्चलीकृत्य वायुम्आकाशमभितपति आकाशमभिव्याप्नुवत्तपति यदा, तदाआहुर्लौकिकाः—निशोचति संतपति सामान्येन जगत्, नित-पति देहान्, अतो वर्षिष्यति वै इति ।प्रसिद्धं हि लोके का-रणमभ्युद्यतं दृष्टवतः कार्यं भविष्यतीति विज्ञानम् ।तेज एवतत्पूर्वमात्मानमुद्भूतं दर्शयित्वा अथ अनन्तरम् अपः सृजते,अतः अप्स्रष्टृत्वादद्भ्योऽभ्यस्तेजः ।किंचान्यत्, तदेतत्तेज एव

In plain words

Fire is greater than water, because fire is the cause of water. How does fire cause water? Because fire seizes the wind, steadies it with its own energy, and heats space all around, pervading it. When it does so, people say: 'It is glowing, scorching the world, heating our bodies; therefore it will rain.' For in ordinary life, when people see an active cause, they know an effect will follow. Fire first manifests its own power and then creates water; thus, because it creates water, fire surpasses water. Moreover, this very fire...

Close to the Sanskrit

Fire indeed is greater than water, because of fire being the cause of water. How is water-causality? It says: since water is the source of fire, therefore that very fire, taking the wind, having steadied it by its own self, when it heats space, pervading space and heating, then worldly people say: 'It glows, heats the world generally, scorches bodies, hence rain will indeed be.' For in the world it is well-known that one who sees a cause manifested understands that an effect will be. Fire having first shown its manifested self, then subsequently creates water; hence, because of being the creator of water, fire is greater than water. Furthermore, this very fire...