प्राण इति होवाच सर्वाणि ह वा इमानि भूतानि प्राणमेवाभिसंविशन्ति प्राणमभ्युज्जिहते सैषा देवता प्रस्तावमन्वायत्ता तां चेदविद्वान्प्रास्तोष्यो मूर्धा ते व्यपतिष्यत्तथोक्तस्य मयेति ॥ १.११.५ ॥
In plain words
"The breath," he said. "For all these beings enter into the breath and rise up out of the breath. This is the deity that belongs to the Prastāva. If thou hadst sung the Prastāva without knowing it, thy head would have fallen off, since I had told thee so."
The commentators
Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam· bhāṣya
पृष्ट प्राण इति ह उवाच, युक्त प्रस्तावस्य प्राणो देव तेति । कथम् ? सर्वाणि स्थावरजङ्गमानि भूतानि प्राणमेव अभिसविशन्ति प्रलयकाले, प्राणमभि लक्षयित्वा प्राणात्मनैवो ज्जिहते प्राणादेवोद्गच्छन्तीयथ उत्पत्तिकाले, अत सैषा देवता प्रस्तावमन्वायत्ता, ता चेदविद्वान् त्व प्रास्तोष्य प्रस्तवन प्रस्तावभक्तिं कृतवानसि यदि, मूर्धा शिर ते व्यप- तिष्यत् विपतितमभविष्यत् तथोक्तस्य मया तत्काले मूर्धा ते विपतिष्यतीति । अतस्त्वया साधु कृतम्, मया निषिद्ध कर्मणा यदुपरममकार्षीरित्यभिप्राय ॥
In plain words
When asked about prāṇa, he said: 'Prāṇa is indeed the fitting deity for the prastāva.' Why? Because at the time of dissolution, all moving and stationary beings merge completely into prāṇa, and at creation they emerge from prāṇa as living breath. Therefore that deity is anchored to the prastāva. Had you chanted it without knowing her, your head would have split apart. Since you stopped when I prohibited you, you acted wisely.
Close to the Sanskrit
When asked 'prāṇa', he spoke: 'Prāṇa is appropriate as the deity of the prastāva.' How? All unmoving and moving beings merge into prāṇa alone at dissolution, and rising up with the nature of prāṇa, they spring forth from prāṇa at creation. Therefore that deity is anchored to the prastāva; if you without knowing her had chanted the prastāva, your head would have shattered... Therefore it is well done by you that you brought about cessation from the prohibited action, this is the intent.