मासेभ्यः पितृलोकं पितृलोकादाकाशमाकाशाच्चन्द्रमसमेष सोमो राजा तद्देवानामन्नं तं देवा भक्षयन्ति ॥ ५.१०.४ ॥
In plain words
From those months they go to the world of the fathers, from the world of the fathers to space, from space to the moon. That is King Soma; that is the food of the gods, and the gods eat it.
The commentators
Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam· Leaf 7.110· bhāṣya
मासेभ्यः पितृलोकं पितृलोकादाकाशम आकाशाच्चन्द्रम- सम् । कोऽसौ, यस्तैः प्राप्यते चन्द्रमाः ? य एष दृश्यतेऽन्त- रिक्षे सोमो राजा ब्राह्मणानाम् , तदन्नं देवानाम् , तं चन्द्रमस- मन्नं देवा इन्द्रादयो भक्षयन्ति । अतस्ते धूमादिना गत्वा चन्द्र- भूताः कर्मिणो देवैर्भक्ष्यन्ते । ननु अनर्थाय इष्टादिकरणम् , यद्यन्नभूता देवैर्भक्ष्येरन् । नैष दोषः, अन्नमित्युपकरणमा- त्रस्य विवक्षितत्वात् — न हि ते कवलोत्क्षेपेण देवैर्भक्ष्यन्ते । किं तर्हि, उपकरणमात्रं देवानां भवन्ति ते, स्त्रीपशुभृत्या- दिवत् , दृष्टश्चान्नशब्द उपकरणेषु— स्त्रियोऽन्नं पशवोऽन्नं वि- शोऽन्नं राज्ञामित्यादि । न च तेषां स्त्र्यादीनां पुरुषोपभो- ग्यत्वेऽप्युपभोगो नास्ति । तस्मात्कर्मिणो देवानामुपभोग्या अपि सन्तः सुखिनो देवैः क्रीडन्ति । शरीरं च तेषां सुखो- पभोगयोग्यं चन्द्रमण्डले आप्यमारभ्यते । तदुक्तं पुरस्तात्—
In plain words
From the months they pass to the world of the ancestors, from the ancestral world to space, and from space to the moon. Who is this moon that they reach? The one seen shining in the atmosphere as King Soma, the sustenance of the brahmins—he is the food of the gods, feasted upon by Indra and the deities. Thus, those who performed ritual actions travel the path of smoke and arrive at a lunar existence, where they are enjoyed by the gods. Does ritual action lead to ruin, then, if these souls become food for the gods? Not so. The word 'food' simply denotes a means of support; they are not literally swallowed like morsels. Rather, they serve as instruments of utility for the gods, much like wives, cattle, or servants. The term 'food' is frequently applied to such supportive roles—just as women, cattle, and common subjects are spoken of as food for kings. Nor does this mean those dependent beings lack joy. Therefore, though they serve as objects of enjoyment for the gods, these ritualists remain happy, sporting in the company of deities. A watery body capable of experiencing happiness is formed for them in the lunar sphere, as was explained earlier.
Close to the Sanskrit
From months to the world of the fathers, from the world of the fathers to space, and from space to the moon. Who is that, which moon is attained by them? This Soma, the king of the brahmins, who is seen in the atmosphere, is food for the gods; the gods, Indra and others, consume that moon. Hence those performers of rituals, having gone by way of smoke and so on, become lunar and are consumed by the gods. Now, is the performance of sacrifices and the like for misfortune, if they become food and are consumed by the gods? This is not a flaw, because the word food is intended to mean mere instrumentality—indeed, they are not consumed by the gods by the tossing of morsels. Rather, they become mere instruments for the gods, like wives, cattle, servants, and so on, and the word food is seen used in regard to instruments—women are food, cattle are food, common people are food for kings, and so on. Nor is there an absence of enjoyment for those women and others, even in their being objects of enjoyment for men. Therefore, the performers of rituals, though being objects of enjoyment for the gods, happy, sport with the gods. And a body fit for experiencing happiness is commenced for them in the lunar orb, starting from water. That has been said before.
Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam· Leaf 7.111· bhāṣya
श्रद्धाशब्दा आपो द्युलोकाग्नौ हुताः सोमो राजा संभवतीति । ता आपः कर्मसमवायिन्यः इतरैश्च भूतैरनुगता द्युलोकं प्राप्य चन्द्रत्वमापन्नाः शरीराद्यारम्भिका इष्टाद्युपासकानां भवन्ति । अन्त्यायां च शरीराहुतावग्नौ हुतायामग्निना दह्यमाने शरीरे तदुत्था आपो धूमेन सह ऊर्ध्वं यजमानमावेष्ट्य चन्द्रमण्डलं प्राप्य कुशमृत्तिकास्थानीया बाह्यशरीरारम्भिका भवन्ति । तदारब्धेन च शरीरेण इष्टादिफलमुपभुञ्जाना आसते ॥
In plain words
The waters known by the name of faith, offered as an oblation in the heavenly fire, become King Soma. Accompanied by other subtle elements tied to their ritual actions, these waters reach the celestial realm, take on the state of the moon, and serve as the material cause for the bodies of those who performed sacrifices and worship. Then, when the final funeral oblation is cast into the cremation fire and the body burns, the moisture rising from it envelops the departed soul. Rising along with the smoke, they reach the lunar sphere where they serve as a foundational material—much like sacred grass and clay—forming a temporary outer body. Enclothed in this body created by those waters, they remain there, enjoying the fruits of their ritual deeds.
Close to the Sanskrit
The waters designated by the word 'faith', offered in the heavenly fire, become King Soma. Those waters, associated with ritual acts and accompanied by other elements, having reached the heavenly world and attained moonhood, become the initiators of bodies for those who perform sacrifices and worship. And when the final body-oblation is offered in the fire, as the body is being burned by the fire, the waters arising from it, enveloping the sacrificer along with the smoke, reach the lunar orb and become like sacred grass and clay, serving as the initiators of the outer body. And having a body commenced by that, they remain enjoying the fruit of sacrifices and the like.