The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam

Bhashya

Bhashya

यस्मादेष इन्द्राय प्रजापतिनोक्त आत्मा, तस्मात् ततः श्रुत्वा तमात्मानमद्यत्वेऽपि देवा उपासते ।तदुपासनाच्च तेषां सर्वे च लोका आत्ताः प्राप्ताः सर्वे च कामाः ।यदर्थं हि इन्द्रः एकशतं वर्षाणि प्रजापतौ ब्रह्मचर्यमुवास, तत्फलं प्राप्तं देवैरित्यभिप्रायः ।तद्युक्तं देवानां महाभाग्यत्वात् , न त्विदानीं मनुष्याणामल्पजीवितत्वान्मन्दतरप्र-ज्ञात्वाच्च संभवतीति प्राप्ते, इदमुच्यते-स सर्वांश्च लोका-नाप्नोति सर्वांश्च कामान् इदानींतनोऽपि ।कोऽसौ ? इन्द्रा-दिवत् यः तमात्मानमनुविद्य विजानातीति ह सामान्येन किल प्रजापतिरुवाच ।अतः सर्वेषामात्मज्ञानं तत्फलप्रा-प्तिश्च तुल्यैव भवतीत्यर्थः ।द्विवचनं प्रकरणसमाप्त्यर्थम् ॥

In plain words

Because Prajāpati imparted this knowledge of the self to Indra, the gods to this day worship that very self. Through that worship, they have won all worlds and all desires; the very fruit that Indra sought by living a hundred and one years of disciplined studentship under Prajāpati has thus been attained by them. If someone objects that such achievement belongs only to the extraordinarily fortunate gods and is impossible for humans today due to their short lives and duller minds, the text replies: even a person living in modern times attains all those worlds and desires. Who is capable? Anyone who, following the footsteps of Indra and others, directly realizes that self—just as Prajāpati broadly declared in the tradition. Therefore, the realization of the self and the attainment of its fruit are entirely equal for everyone. The use of the dual number marks the conclusion of the section.

Close to the Sanskrit

Because this self was spoken by Prajāpati to Indra, therefore having heard from that, even nowadays the gods worship that self. And from that worship all worlds are secured by them and all desires. The intention is that the fruit for the sake of which Indra dwelt the disciplined life of a student under Prajāpati for a hundred and one years has been attained by the gods. When this arises: that is proper due to the great fortune of the gods, but not possible now for human beings due to their short lifespan and duller intellect, this is spoken: 'Even a present-day person attains all these worlds and all these desires.' Who? Like Indra and others, whoever having known after, specially realizes that self, so Prajāpati reportedly spoke generally. Therefore, the knowledge of the self and the attainment of its fruit are equal for all, this is the meaning. The dual number is for the purpose of concluding the section.