Upanishads · Chāndogya 3,15.4
॥
Devanāgarī
सः यत् अवोचम् प्राणम् प्रपद्य इति प्राणः वै इदम् सर्वम् भूतम् यत् इदम् किंच तम् एव तत् प्रापत्सि
Transliteration (IAST)
saḥ yat avocam prāṇam prapadya iti prāṇaḥ vai idam sarvam bhūtam yat idam kiṃca tam eva tat prāpatsi
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सःsaḥhe; that one
यत्yatwhich; that which
अवोचम्avocamI have spoken; He spoke
प्राणम्prāṇamthe prāṇa; the vital breath
प्रपद्यprapadyataking refuge; seeking refuge
इतिitithus; how
प्राणःprāṇaḥthe prāṇa; the vital breath
वैvaiverily; indeed
इदम्idamthis; thus
सर्वम्sarvamall; entirely
भूतम्bhūtama creature; all that has come to be
यत्yatwhich; that which
इदम्idamthis; thus
किंचkiṃcaanything; all that
तम्tamit; that one
एवevaindeed; surely
तत्tatthat; this
प्रापत्सिprāpatsiyou have taken refuge (pra-√pad, aorist); you have surrendered; you have found shelter
Translation
When I said, "to breath I go for refuge" — breath is indeed all this that exists, whatever there is: it is to that that I have gone for refuge.
Version
66c8c8a788a9 · published Jul 26, 2026, 11:04:47 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
An explanation of the second refuge: in saying "to breath I go for refuge", the suppliant has taken refuge in all that exists: prāṇo vā idaṁ sarvaṁ bhūtam — "breath is all this that exists" (the first adhyāya: the prāṇa is the unshatterable rock, the essence of the members!): one word of the mantra has placed the son within the whole sum of the living.
Such is the working of a prayer's words: the brief holds the immeasurable: "prāṇa" in a knower's mouth is not a term but a universe of protectors. The father's prayer proves to be an exact science: every refuge is unfolded like a promissory note — and the Upaniṣad teaches one to know just what one is signing with a word.