उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

236 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVIII]
हन्त तर्हि न मुख्यार्थो नापि गौणः कथंचन ।
जानातीत्यादिशब्दस्य गतिर्वाच्या तथापि तु ॥ ५९ ॥
शब्दानामयथार्थत्वे वेदस्याप्यप्रमाणता ।
सा च नेष्टा, ततो ग्राह्या गतिरस्य प्रसिद्धितः ॥ ६० ॥
प्रसिद्धिर्मूढलोकस्य यदि ग्राह्या निरात्मता ।
लोकायतिकसिद्धान्तः सा चानिष्टा प्रसज्यते ॥ ६१ ॥
अभियुक्तप्रसिद्धिश्चेत्पूर्ववद्दुर्विवेकता ।
गतिशून्यं न वेदोऽयं प्रमाणं संवदत्युत ॥ ६२ ॥
59—62. (Objection). Well, words that have no
primary meanings can have no secondary ones also.
Therefore, you are to explain the application of the
words ‘knows’ etc.
The Vedas would lose their authority as an evidence
if words were false.¹ But that is not desirable.² (Reply).
Should one, therefore, have to accept the application of
words according to popular usage ?
(Objection). If you accept the usage of ignorant
people you will have to arrive at the conclusion of
the Chârvâkas who hold that there is no Self (other
than the body). But that is undesirable.
If, on the other hand, you accept the usage of the
learned you will arrive at the same dilemma as before.³
The Vedas which are an authority do not use meaning-
less words.
आदर्शे मुखसामान्यं मुखस्येष्टं हि मानवैः ।
मुखस्य प्रतिबिम्बो हि मुखाकारेण दृश्यते ॥ ६३ ॥
¹ Have no meanings. ² For the Vedas are the only evidence
regarding the Self. ³ See verse 54 above.