य एष स्वप्ने महीयमानश्चरत्येष आत्मेति होवाचैतदमृतमभयमेतद्ब्रह्मेति स ह शान्तहृदयः प्रवव्राज स हाप्राप्यैव देवानेतद्भयं ददर्श तद्यद्यपीदं शरीरमन्धं भवत्यनन्धः स भवति यदि स्राममस्रामो नैवैषोऽस्य दोषेण दुष्यति ॥ ८.१०.१ ॥
In plain words
"He who moves about magnified in dream — that is the Self," he said; "that is the immortal, the fearless; that is Brahman." And he went away with a contented heart. But before he had reached the gods he saw this danger: "Even though this body be blind, that one is not blind; if the body be lame, that one is not lame; it is not marred by the body's defect.
The commentators
Chāndogyopaniṣadbhāṣyam· bhāṣya
य आत्मापहतपाप्मादिलक्षणः ‘य एषोऽक्षिणि’ इत्या- दिना व्याख्यात एष सः । कोऽसौ ? यः स्वप्ने महीयमानः स्त्र्यादिभिः पूज्यमानश्चरति अनेकविधान्स्वप्नभोगाननुभवती- त्यर्थः । एष आत्मेति ह उवाच इत्यादि समानम् । स ह एवमुक्तः इन्द्रः शान्तहृदयः प्रवव्राज । स ह अप्राप्यैव देवान् पूर्ववदस्मिन्नप्यात्मनि भयं ददर्श । कथम् ? तदिदं शरीरं यद्यप्यन्धं भवति, स्वप्नात्मा यः अनन्धः स भवति । यदि स्राममिदं शरीरम्, अस्रामश्च स भवति । नैवैष स्वप्नात्मा अस्य देहस्य दोषेण दुष्यति ॥
In plain words
That Self characterized by freedom from evil, taught in passages such as "He who is in the eye"—this is that same Self. Who is it? The one who moves about in dreams, enjoying greatness, honored by women and companions, experiencing diverse dream-delights—such is the meaning. "This is the Self," and so forth, is as before. Thus addressed, Indra departed with a peaceful heart. Yet even before reaching the gods, just as before, he perceived fear regarding this Self as well. How? Even if this body becomes blind, the dream-self is not blind. If the body becomes lame, he is not lame. Indeed, this dream-self is never tainted by the body's defects.
Close to the Sanskrit
That Self which is characterized by freedom from sin and other qualities, 'He who is in the eye'—by this and other passages that is explained, this is that. Who is it? He who moving about in dream experiences glory, being worshipped by women and others, experiencing various dream enjoyments—such is the meaning. 'This is the Self,' thus he spoke and so on is similar. He, Indra, having been told thus, departed with a peaceful heart. He indeed, before reaching the gods, as before saw fear in this Self also. How? This body, although it becomes blind, the dream-self who is not blind, he becomes; if this body is lame, not lame is he and he becomes. Nor indeed does this dream-self become tainted by the defect of this body.