1.1.24
Brahma Sūtra / Adhyāya 1 / 1.1.24
अत एव प्राणः
ata eva prāṇaḥ
The line
For that very reason, breath is Brahman (ब्रह्मन्).
नेपालीमा
त्यही कारणले प्राण ब्रह्म हो।
Where it sits
tallīṅga (तल्लीङ्ग), the marks, from 1.1.23 are still the reason. ataḥ (अतः) points at them. A later line will take up a different prāṇa (प्राण), in a different passage. This one is the deity answered as breath.
Split: ataḥ (अतः) + eva (एव) + prāṇaḥ (प्राणः)
Sanskrit, in depth
The words
| Word | Grammar | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| ataḥ (अतः) | indeclinable | from this, for this reason |
| eva (एव) | indeclinable | very, just |
| prāṇaḥ (प्राणः) | nominative singular, masculine | breath |
The phrases
The passage stays in that Chāndogya (छान्दोग्य) talk of the udgītha (उद्गीथ). Asked which deity, the teacher says breath. Beings enter breath and arise from breath, the same formula just used of space.
ata eva means the reason does not need to be rebuilt. talliṅga (तल्लिङ्ग) of the previous line is the reason. The bodily breath is not what is named. The word prāṇa (प्राण) denotes brahman (ब्रह्मन्).
Sanskrit in this line
eva does not decline. prāṇaḥ (प्राणः) keeps its visarga at the end of the line.
Say it back
Say ata eva as 'the same marks', and do not yet bring in the chief breath of the body.
Next
1.1.25. The light beyond heaven is Brahman (ब्रह्मन्), because feet are named.