उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

27-33] ' THOU ART THAT ' 227
आत्माभासो यथाहंकृदात्मशब्दैस्तथोच्यते ।
उल्मुकादौ यथाग्न्यर्थाः परार्थत्वान्न चाञ्जसा ॥ ३१ ॥
31. Just as words denoting¹ the action of fire are
applied only indirectly and nor directly to torches etc.
(having fire in them) as they imply a thing² different
from torches etc. ; so, words³ implying the Self are
applied to the ego having the reflection of the Self (and
appearing like It).
मुखादन्यो मुखाभासो यथादर्शानुकारतः ।
आभासान्मुखमप्येवमादर्शाननुवर्तनात् ॥ ३२ ॥
अहंकृत्यात्मनिर्भासो मुखाभासवदिष्यते ।
मुखवत्स्मृत आत्मान्योऽविविक्तौ तौ तथैव च ॥ ३३ ॥
32, 33. As it imitates the mirror the reflection of a
face is different from the face. The face which does
not depend on the mirror (for its existence) is also
different⁴ from its reflection. Similarly, the reflection
of the Self in the ego is also regarded (as different from
the pure Self) like that of the face which is different
from the face. The pure Self is considered to be
different (from Its reflection) like the face (which is
different from its own). In fact, however, the Self and
¹ The word: 'burn' for example, is used with reference to a torch
when we say 'The torch burns a thing'. ² Fire.
³ E.g., the word, 'I' implying Existence, Knowledge, Bliss, etc.
⁴ As a matter of fact it is the real face reflected in a mirror and
acquiring, as it were, the quality of being in it and possessing its
properties that is called the reflection. The reflection cannot be
real, because it is not always in the mirror; nor can it be called
absolutely unreal, because it is sometimes seen there. Therefore,
the reflection is indescribable and the face is different from it.