Kaṭha Upaniṣad 241

241

kathaṃ tadbhayāj jagadvartata ity āha -- bhayād bhītyāsya parameśvarasyāgnis tapati, bhayāt tapati sūryo, bhayād indraś ca vāyuś ca mṛtyur dhāvati pañcamaḥ / na hīśvarāṇāṃ lokapālānāṃ samarthānāṃ satāṃ niyantā ced vajrodyatakaravan na syāt svāmibhayabhītānām iva bhṛtyānāṃ niyatā pravṛtir upapadyate ///2,3.3 //

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—How the world lives from fear, of him, is explained. The fire burns from fear of him, the lord of all; the sun shines from fear; from fear, Indra and Wind; and Death, the fifth, runs; for, if Brahman did not exist as controller of the competent protectors of the world, like one with the thunderbolt uplifted in his hand, their well-regulated activity, as that of the servants trembling from fear of the master would not be possible.