Prashna Upanishad 4.4

Dream, Deep Sleep, and the SelfAtharva Veda

40 / 62
Prashna Upanishad 4.4
advanced
यदुच्छ्वासनिःश्वासावेतावाहुती समं नयतीति स समानः। मनो ह वाव यजमानः। इष्टफलमेवोदानः। स एनं यजमानमहरहर्ब्रह्म गमयति॥

yaduccvāsaniḥśvāsāvetāvāhutī samaṃ nayatīti sa samānaḥ | mano ha vāva yajamānaḥ | iṣṭaphalamevodānaḥ | sa enaṃ yajamānamaharaharbraḥma gamayati ||

""Because Samana leads these two offerings - inhalation and exhalation - equally, it is called Samana (the equalizer). The mind is the sacrificer. Udana is the fruit of the sacrifice. It leads the sacrificer daily to Brahman.""

What This Means:

Samana balances in-breath and out-breath. The mind performs the sacrifice of life. Udana, as the fruit of this sacrifice, leads us toward Brahman during deep sleep.

Going Deeper:

Every day, in deep sleep, we touch Brahman through Udana. The mind's activities are a continuous yajna (sacrifice).

How To Apply This:

Each breath is an offering. Deep sleep is daily communion with the Divine. Value rest as a spiritual practice.

#Samana#sacrifice#Udana#daily Brahman