Upanishads · Chāndogya 3,18.4
॥
Devanāgarī
प्राणः एव ब्रह्मणः चतुर्थः पादः सः वायुना ज्योतिषा भाति च तपति च भाति च तपति च कीर्त्या यशसा ब्रह्मवर्चसेन यः एवम् वेद
Transliteration (IAST)
prāṇaḥ eva brahmaṇaḥ caturthaḥ pādaḥ saḥ vāyunā jyotiṣā bhāti ca tapati ca bhāti ca tapati ca kīrtyā yaśasā brahmavarcasena yaḥ evam veda
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
प्राणःprāṇaḥthe prāṇa; the vital breath
एवevaindeed; surely
ब्रह्मणःbrahmaṇaḥof Brahman; of the Absolute
चतुर्थःcaturthaḥthe fourth; a quarter part
पादःpādaḥquarter; foot
सःsaḥhe; that one
वायुनाvāyunāVāyu; by the wind
ज्योतिषाjyotiṣāby light; by the radiance
भातिbhātiis radiant; shines
चcaand; as well as
तपतिtapatiwarms; blazes
चcaand; as well as
भातिbhātiis radiant; shines
चcaand; as well as
तपतिtapatiwarms; blazes
चcaand; as well as
कीर्त्याkīrtyāwith fame; with renown
यशसाyaśasāwith fame; with renown
ब्रह्मवर्चसेनbrahmavarcasenawith brahmanical lustre; with spiritual lustre
यःyaḥwho; the one who
एवम्evamthus; in this way
वेदvedaknows; understands
Translation
Breath is a fourth part of Brahman: by the light of Vāyu it shines and warms. With fame, renown and sacred lustre shines and warms he who knows thus.
Version
f3d4818c2507 · published Jul 26, 2026, 11:10:48 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The second foot: the prāṇa, breath, and its luminary is Vāyu: life shines and warms by the wind: breath is light (who has not seen how a person full of life "shines"?) and heat (the warmth of the living — 3.13!).
The light of Vāyu is the most invisible of lights: the wind is not seen — only what it quickens and stirs is seen: so too the knower's vital force shines not for show but in the motion of everything it touches. The second foot teaches this: a radiance may be invisible — it is known by its fruits.