Concerning sleep, hunger and thirst, and dying

6.8.1 Then Uddalaka Aruni said to Svetaketu, his son: "Understand from me, my dear, the condition of sleep. When a person here sleeps, as it is called, then, my dear, God has taken his soul into His keeping. Therefore they say of him 'he sleeps'; for his soul has been taken to its Lord.

6.8.2 As a bird fastened with a string, after flying in this direction and in that without finding an abode elsewhere, rests down just upon its fastening, even so, my dear, the mind, after flying in this direction and in that without finding an abode elsewhere, rests down just upon breath; for the mind, my dear, has breath as its fastening.

6.8.3 Understand from me, my dear, hunger and thirst. When a person here is hungry, as it is called, just water is leading off that which has been eaten. So, as they speak of a leader of cows, a leader of horses, a leader of men, so they speak of water as a leader of food, hunger.

On this point, my dear, understand that this body is a sprout which has sprung up. It will not be without a root.

6.8.4 What else could its root be than food? Even so, my dear, with food for a sprout, look for water as the root. With water, my dear, as a sprout, look for heat as the root. With heat, my dear, as a sprout, look for God's command as the root. All creatures here, my dear, have God as their Creator, have God as their Lord, have God as their support.

6.8.5 Now, when a person here is thirsty, as it is called, just heat is leading off that which has been drunk. So, as they speak of a leader of cows, a leader of horses, a leader of men, so one speaks of heat as a leader of water, thirst.

On this point, my dear, understand that this body is a sprout which has sprung up. It will not be without a root.

6.8.6 Where else could its root be than in water? With water, my dear, as a sprout, look for heat as the root. With heat, my dear, as a sprout, look for God's command as the root. All creatures here, my dear, have God as their Creator, have God as their Lord, have God as their support.

But how, verily, my dear, each of these three creations, upon reaching man, becomes threefold, has previously been said.

When a person here is deceasing, my dear, his voice goes into his mind; his mind, into his breath; his breath, into heat; and his soul is taken back into the keeping of God, the Most High.

6.8.7 He is the One from whom all this world has come, and in His hand is its dominion. He is the Truth. He is the Lord of your soul; and you, Svetaketu, are His servant."

"Do you, Sir, cause me to understand even more."

"So be it, my dear," said he.