तम एव यस्यायतनम्, हृदयं लोकः, मनोज्योतिः, यो वै तं पुरुषं विद्यात्सर्वस्यात्मनः परायणम्, स वै वेदिता स्याद्याज्ञवल्क्य । वेद वा अहं तं पुरुषं सर्वस्यात्मनः परायणं यमात्थ; य एवायं छायामयः पुरुषः स एषः, वदैव शाकल्य; तस्य का देवतेति; मृत्युरिति होवाच ॥ १४ ॥
tama eva yasyāyatanam, hṛdayaṃ lokaḥ, manojyotiḥ, yo vai taṃ puruṣaṃ vidyātsarvasyātmanaḥ parāyaṇam, sa vai veditā syādyājñavalkya | veda vā ahaṃ taṃ puruṣaṃ sarvasyātmanaḥ parāyaṇaṃ yamāttha; ya evāyaṃ chāyāmayaḥ puruṣaḥ sa eṣaḥ, vadaiva śākalya; tasya kā devateti; mṛtyuriti hovāca || 14 ||
14. ‘He who knows that being whose abode is darkness, whose instrument of vision is the intellect, whose light is the Manas, and who is the ultimate resort of the entire body and organs, knows truly, O Yājñavalkya.’ ‘I know that being of whom you speak—who is the ultimate resort of the entire body and organs. It is the being who is identified with shadow (ignorance). Go on, Śākalya.’ ‘Who is his deity?’ ‘Death,’ said he.
‘Whose abode is darkness’ such as that of the night. In the body ‘it is the being identified with shadow, or ignorance.’ ‘Who is his deity?’ ‘Death,’ said he. Among the gods this is his cause (according to the Śrutis).