Śāṅkhāyana (Kauṣītaki) Āraṇyaka 4.14

4.14

ŚĀ 4,14 = KU 2,14
athāto niḥśreyasādānam | etā ha vai devatā ahaṃśreyase vividamānā asmāc charīrād uccakramuḥ | tad dha papāta, śuṣkaṃ dārubhūtaṃ śiśye | athainad vāk praviveśa | tad vācā vadac chiśya eva | athainac cakṣuḥ praviveśa | tad vācā vadac cakṣuṣā paśyac chiśya eva | athainac chrotraṃ praviveśa | tad vācā vadac cakṣuṣā paśyac chrotreṇa śṛṇvac chiśya eva | athainan manaḥ praviveśa | tad vācā vadac cakṣuṣā paśyac chrotreṇa śṛṇvan manasā dhyāyac chiśya eva | athainat prāṇaḥ praviveśa | tat tata eva samuttasthau | tā vā etā sarvā devatā prāṇe niḥśreyasaṃ viditvā prāṇam eva prajñātmānam abhisaṃbhūya +sahaivaitaiḥ sarvair asmāc charīrād uccakramuḥ | te vāyupratiṣṭhā ākāśātmānaḥ svar īyuḥ | tatho evaivaṃ vidvān prāṇe niḥśreyasaṃ viditvā prāṇam eva prajñātmānam abhisaṃbhūya +sahaivaitaiḥ sarvair asmāc charīrād utkrāmati | sa vāyupratiṣṭha ākāśātmā svar eti | sa tad gacchati yatraite devāḥ | tat prāpya yad amṛtā devāḥ | tad amṛto bhavati ya evaṃ veda ||

Now next, the taking up of pre-eminence. Truly, these deities, disputing for personal superiority, departed from this body. It fell down; dry, it lay like a piece of wood. Then speech entered it. Speaking with speech, it simply lay there. Then the eye entered it. Speaking with speech, seeing with the eye, it simply lay there. Then the ear entered it. Speaking with speech, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, it simply lay there. Then the mind entered it. Speaking with speech, seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, thinking with the mind, it simply lay there. Then breath entered it. Thereupon, right then, it stood up. Truly, all these deities, having recognised pre-eminence in breath, having unified with breath as the conscious self, departed from this body together with all these. Established in Vāyu, having the nature of space, they went to heaven. In the very same way, one who knows thus, having recognised pre-eminence in breath, having unified with breath as the conscious self, departs from this body together with all these. Established in Vāyu, having the nature of space, he goes to heaven. He goes to where those gods are. Reaching that, since the gods are immortal, he who knows thus becomes immortal.