हिन्दी
O Somya, if someone strikes at the root of a big tree, it will continue to live, though it may exude some juice. If he strikes at the middle, it will still live, though it may exude some juice. If he strikes at the top of the tree, it will survive, though it may exude some juice. Pervaded by the self, the tree will keep drinking juice and living happily.
But if the self leaves a branch of a tree, that branch withers away and dies. If it leaves a second branch, that branch too will die. If it leaves a third branch, that branch also will die. If the self withdraws from the whole tree, then the whole tree will die.
The father said - ‘O Somya, know this: When the self leaves the body, the body surely dies. The self, however, never dies. That which is the subtlest of all is the Self of all this. It is the Truth. It is the Self. That thou art, O Śvetaketu.’ Śvetaketu then said - ‘Sir, please explain this to me again.’ ‘Yes, Somya, I will explain it again,’ replied his father.
