उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

226 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVIII
Witness, One imparting consciousness to others,
Eternal, devoid of qualities and without a second.
संनिधौ सर्वदा तस्य स्यात्तदाभोऽभिमानकृत् ।
आत्मात्मीयं द्वयं चातः स्यादहंममगोचरः ॥ २७ ॥
27. On account of the constant proximity of the
conscious Self the ego also appears to be conscious.¹
Hence the two things viz., oneself ² and things related
to oneself denoted by the words, 'I' and 'mine'
originate.
जातिकर्मादिमत्त्वाद्धि तस्मिञ्छब्दास्त्वहंकृति ।
न कश्चिद्वर्तते शब्दस्तदभावात्स्व आत्मनि ॥ २८ ॥
28. As the ego is possessed of species action, etc.
words are applicable to it. But no word can be used
with respect to the innermost Self owing to the absence ³
of these from it.
आभासो यत्र तत्रैव शब्दाः प्रत्यग्दृशि स्थिताः ।
लक्षयेयुर्न साक्षात्तमभिदध्युः कथंचन ॥ २९ ॥
नह्यजात्यादिमान्कश्चिदर्थः शब्दैर्निरूप्यते ॥ ३० ॥
29, 30. Words which denote the ego and the other
things which reflect the innermost Self express the
latter only indirectly but by no means describe It
directly. For nothing that has no species etc. can be
described by means of words.
¹ E.g., Proximate to a red flower a crystal appears to be red.
² The experiencer, the agent.
³ See verse 24 above.