Just as a heavily loaded cart moves along, creaking, even so the self identified with the body, being presided over by the Self which is all consciousness (the Supreme Self), moves along, groaning, when breathing becomes difficult at the approach of death.
Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV, III-Investigation of the Three States, 35
When this body grows thin-becomes emaciated or disease-then, as a mango or a fig or a fruit of the peepul tree becomes detached from its stalk, so does this infinite being completly detaching himself from the parts of the body, again move on, in the same way that he came, to another body for the remanisfestation of his vital breath (prana).
Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV, III-Investigation of the Three States, 36
Just as, when a king comes, the ugras appointed to deal with crimes; the sutas and the leaders of the village await him with food and drink and lodgings ready, saying: ’Here he comes, here he comes,’ even so, for the person who knows about the fruits of his own work, there wait all the elements, saying: ’Here comes Brahman, here he comes.’
Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV, III-Investigation of the Three States, 37
Just as, when the king wishes to depart, the ugras appointed to deal with crimes, the sutas and the leaders of the village gather around him, even so do all the organs gather around the self, at the time of death, when it struggles for breath.
Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV, III-Investigation of the Three States, 38
What moves, what flies, what stands quite still, what breathes, what breathes not, blinks the eye– this, concentrated into a single One, though multiple its forms, sustains the earth.
Atharva Veda X, 8, 11
