उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

सूक्ष्मताव्यापिताप्रकरणम् ॥ ९ ॥
CHAPTER IX
SUBTLENESS AND PERVASIVENESS
सूक्ष्मताव्यापिते ज्ञेये गन्धादेरुत्तरोत्तरम् ।
प्रत्यगात्मावसानेषु पूर्वपूर्वप्रहाणतः ॥ १ ॥

1. A succeeding one in the series of earth¹ etc.
   ending with the innermost Self is found to be subtler
   and more pervasive when a preceding one is negated.²
   [When we negate a preceding one we get a subtler
   and more pervasive one till at last the innermost Self
   is reached which is of the nature of Existence and
   Consciousness and is the material³ Cause of everything,
   and therefore, absolutely all-pervading and the subtlest.]
   शारीरा पृथिवी तावद्यावद्बाह्या प्रमाणतः ।
   अम्ब्वादीनि च तत्त्वानि तावज्ज्ञेयानि कृत्स्नशः ॥ २ ॥
2. External earth is the same as that pertaining to
   bodies. Water⁴ etc., the other categories also are,
   ¹ Earth, water, fire, air and the ether.
   ² Known to have no separate existence from a suceeeding one,
   its cause. ³ See Br. Sû., 1. 4. 23. ⁴ External.