उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

22-26] INTRODUCTION 87
तस्मादज्ञानहानाय संसारविनिवृत्तये ।
ब्रह्मविद्याविधानाय प्रारब्धोपनिषत्त्वियम् ॥ २५ ॥
25. The Upanishats ¹ are, therefore, ² commenced in
order to teach the Knowledge of Brahman so that
Ignorance might be removed and transmigratory ex-
istence might for ever come to an end.³
सदेरुपनिपूर्वस्य क्विपि चोपनिषद्भवेत् ।
मन्दीकरणभावाच्च गर्भादेः शातनात्तथा ॥ २६ ॥
26. The word ‘Upanishat’ is derived from the root
‘sad’⁴ prefixed by two particles, ‘Upa’⁵ and ‘ni’⁶ and
followed by the suffix ‘Kvip’. So, that⁷ which loosens
the bondage of birth, (old age), etc., (enables a man to
approach Brahman) and destroys birth, (death), etc., is
called Upanishat.⁸
¹ Upanishadic texts are meant. ² As independent of actions
right knowledge produces liberation. ³ This verse states the main
conclusion of the Chapter.
⁴ This root has three meanings, (a) to slacken, (b) to move and
(c) to destroy. ⁵ Near. ⁶ Certainly. ⁷ The Knowledge of
Brahman. ⁸ In the primary sense, the books are so called in a
secondary sense only.