The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam

Bhashya

Bhashya

यदि स्वमहिम्नि प्रतिष्ठितः भूमा, कथं तर्ह्यप्रतिष्ठ उच्यते ? शृणु- गोअश्वादीह महिमेत्याचक्षते ।गावश्चाश्वाश्च गोअश्वं द्वन्द्वैकवद्भावः ।सर्वत्र गवाश्वादि महिमेति प्रसिद्धम् ।तदाश्रितः तत्प्रतिष्ठश्चैत्रो भवति यथा, नाहमेवं स्वतःऽन्यं महिमानमाश्रितो भूमा चैत्रवदिति ब्रवीमि, अत्र हेतुत्वेन अन्यो ह्यन्यस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठित इति व्यवहितेन संबन्धः ।किंत्वेवं ब्रवीमीति ह उवाच- स एवेत्यादि ॥

In plain words

If the Infinite rests in its own glory, why is it called unsupported? Listen: in the world, people speak of cattle, horses, elephants, and gold as one's greatness. Just as a person like Caitra depends on such external wealth for his standing, I do not mean that the Infinite derives its glory from anything outside itself. The reason is found in the separated statement: 'For one thing rests upon another.' Rather, he spoke starting with 'He alone...'

Close to the Sanskrit

If the Infinite is established in its own greatness, how then is it said to be without support? Listen: people call cows and horses etc. greatness here. Cows and horses are 'goaśva', a dvandva compound taking a singular form. Everywhere, cows, horses, and the like are well known as greatness. Caitra becomes supported, depending on that; just as I do not speak of the Infinite as possessing a greatness dependent on something else like Caitra. Here, as a reason, there is a syntactical connection with the separated phrase 'for another is established in another'. But thus he spoke, saying: 'He indeed...' and so forth.