उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

15-21] INTRODUCTION 85
18. How¹ can Ignorance, once negated (by Vedic
evidence), arise again? For it is neither in the inner-
most Self which is only one² without a second and
without attributes nor in the non-Self.³
न चेद्भूयः प्रसूयेत कर्ता भोक्तेति धीः कथम् ।
सदस्मीति च विज्ञाने तस्माद्विद्याऽसहायिका ॥ १९ ॥
19. How can there again be the idea⁴ that one is a
doer of actions and experiencer of their results if Ignor-
ance does not arise after there has grown the Know-
ledge, ‘ I am Brahman ’ ? Knowledge, therefore, is inde-
pendent of actions (in producing liberation).
अत्यरेचयदित्युक्तो न्यासः श्रुत्यात एव हि ।
कर्मभ्यो मानसान्तेभ्य एतावदिति वाजिनाम् ॥ २० ॥
अमृतत्वं श्रुतं यस्मात्त्याज्यं कर्म मुमुक्षुभिः ।
अग्निष्टोमवदित्युक्तं तत्रेदमभिधीयते ॥ २१ ॥
20, 21 (first line). Therefore, it is said by the Sruti
that the renunciation of actions including mental ones
(catalogued in the Nârâyanopanishat)⁵ is superior to their
performance. Again immortality is heard of in the
Brihadâranyakopanishat⁶ which says “ This⁷ alone.”
Hence they should be renounced by those who aspire
after liberation.
¹ This verse is an answer to the objection that Ignorance, though
negated, may prevail again. ² So, the Self cannot cause Ignor-
ance. ³ No category in the domain of the non-Self can cause
Ignorance as all such categories are caused by it. ⁴ So, actions,
naturally depending on this idea, become impossible then.
⁵ Nâ. U. 78. ⁶ 4. 5. 15. ⁷ I. e., knowledge alone, independent
of actions, is the cause of immortality (liberation).