यदा वै सुखं लभतेऽथ करोति नासुखं लब्ध्वा करोति सुखमेव लब्ध्वा करोति सुखं त्वेव विजिज्ञासितव्यमिति सुखं भगवो विजिज्ञास इति ॥ ७.२२.१ ॥
In plain words
"When a man wins happiness, then he acts; one who does not win happiness does not act. Only one who wins happiness acts. But one must seek to understand happiness." "Sir, I seek to understand happiness."
The commentators
Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam· Leaf 7.269· bhāṣya
सापि कृतिः यदा सुखं लभते सुखं निरतिशयं वक्ष्य- माणं लब्धव्यं मयेति मन्यते तदा भवतीत्यर्थः । यथा दृष्टफलसुखा कृतिः तथैहापि नासुखं लब्ध्वा करोति ।
In plain words
That action takes place when a person realizes that unsurpassed bliss—described hereafter—is what must be attained. Just as ordinary worldly action is driven by the desire for visible happiness, so too spiritual effort is never born of sorrow.
Close to the Sanskrit
That action also, when one obtains happiness, thinking 'unexcelled happiness, to be described later, is to be attained by me,' then occurs—this is the meaning. Just as ordinary action has visible fruits of happiness, so here too one does not act having obtained unhappiness.
Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam· Leaf 7.270· bhāṣya
भविष्यदपि फलं लब्ध्वेत्युच्यते, तदुद्दिश्य प्रवृत्त्युपपत्तेः । अथेदानीं कृत्यादिषूत्तरोत्तरेषु सत्सु सत्यं स्वयमेव प्रतिभासत इति न तद्विज्ञानाय पृथग्यत्नः कार्य इति प्राप्तम् ; तत इदमुच्यते— सुखं त्वेव विजिज्ञासितव्यमित्यादि । सुखं भगवो विजिज्ञास इत्यभिमुखीभूताय आह ॥
In plain words
It is said that even a future result can be sought because striving for it makes sense. Yet one might conclude that once the preliminary disciplines are mastered, the truth reveals itself spontaneously, leaving no need for separate effort. To correct this, the scripture declares: 'Happiness alone is what you must inquire into.' To the student who turns toward him and says, 'Respected sir, I wish to know this happiness,' the teacher speaks.
Close to the Sanskrit
Even having obtained a future fruit, it is said, because activity toward it is logical. Now, when subsequent duties and others are present, the truth shines forth by itself spontaneously, thus it was obtained that no separate effort is to be done for knowing it; hence this is spoken—'Happiness indeed must be inquired into' and so on. To the student who has turned toward him saying 'Respected sir, I desire to know happiness,' he speaks.