उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

86 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. I
21 (last line). We give the following reply¹ to the
objector who quoted the example of Agnishtoma.²
नैककारकसाध्यत्वात्फलान्यत्वाच्च कर्मणः ।
विद्या तद्विपरीतातो दृष्टान्तो विषमो भवेत् ॥ २२ ॥
22. Knowledge is quite opposite in nature to that of
actions like Agnishtoma etc. for they are accomplished
with the help of many³ materials and differ in the
quality⁴ of the result of each individual performance.
The example, therefore, is not parallel.
कृष्यादिवत्फलार्थत्वादन्यकर्मोपबृंहणम् ।
अग्निष्टोमस्त्वपेक्षेत विद्यान्यत्किमपेक्षते ॥ २३ ॥
23. As it produces a result (variable in quality) the
Agnishtoma sacrifice, like agriculture etc., requires
subsidiary⁵ actions⁶ other than itself. But what else
will Knowledge depend⁷ on ?
प्रत्यवायस्तु तस्यैव यस्याहंकार इष्यते ।
अहंकारफलार्थित्वे विद्येते नात्मवेदिनः ॥ २४ ॥
24. It is only one having egoism⁸ that may incur
sin (by the omission⁹ of duties). A man who has got
Self-knowledge has neither egoism nor a desire for the
results of actions.
¹ Verses 22 and 23. ² See verse 10 above. ³ The perfor-
mance of such an action becomes efficacious only when prescribed
articles, 'mantras' (Vedic formulae) etc., are used. ⁴ Chh. U., 1.

1. 10. ⁵ See footnote 3, sloka 22. ⁶ So that the quality of the
   result might be better. ⁷ Because liberation, the result of Know-
   ledge, does not vary in quality. ⁸ I. e., the idea that one is an
   agent and experiencer. ⁹ See verse 9 above.