हिन्दी
Indra, this body is mortal. It has been captured by death. Yet it is the base of the Self, which is immortal and formless. One who has a body is subject to both happiness and unhappiness. In fact, there is no end to happiness and unhappiness so long as one has a body. But when a person is free from the body, nothing good or bad can touch him.
The air is formless. So also, are clouds, lightning, and thunder. All these arise from the sky and assume their respective forms due to the heat of the sun.
In the same way, the joyful self-arises from the body and, attaining the light of the Cosmic Self, appears in his own form. This is the Paramātman, the Cosmic Self. He then freely moves about eating, playing, or enjoying himself with women, carriages, or relatives, not remembering at all the body in which he was born. Just as horses or bullocks are harnessed to carriages, similarly prāṇa (life) remains harnessed to the body (due to karma).
Next, this organ of vision lies inside the space in the eyes. That is where the deity presiding over the eyes (i.e., the Self) is. The eye is the instrument through which the Self sees. Next, the one who knows ‘I am smelling this’ is the Self. The organ of smell is the instrument through which the Self smells. Next, the one who knows ‘I am speaking this’ is the Self. The organ of speech is the instrument through which the Self speaks. Next, the one who knows ‘I hear this’ is the Self. The organ of hearing is the instrument through which the Self hears.
Then, it is the Self which knows ‘I am thinking this.’ The mind is its divine eye. The Self, now free, enjoys seeing everything it wants to see in Brahmaloka through its divine mental eye.
This Self is worshipped by the gods. This is why all worlds, and all desirable things are within their grasp. One who fully understands and realizes this Self (with the help of teachers and the scriptures) is able to attain whatever worlds and whatever desirable things he wants. This is what Prajāpati taught Indra.
