उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

105-112] ' THOU ART THAT ' 251
cause the result is capable of being attributed to the
Self though immutable, like victory to a King.
आदर्शस्तु यदाभासो मुखाकारः स एव सः ।
यथैवं प्रत्ययादर्शो यदाभासस्तदा ह्यहम् ॥ १०९ ॥
109. Just as the reflection of a face which makes
a mirror appear like it, is the face itself,¹ so, the
reflection of the Self in the mirror of the ego making
it appear like the Self (is the Self).² So (the meaning
of the sentence,) ‘I am Brahman’ (is reasonable).
इत्येवं प्रतिपत्तिः स्यात्सदस्मीति च नान्यथा ।
तत्त्वमित्युपदेशोऽपि द्वाराभावादनर्थकः ॥ ११० ॥
110. It is only in this way³ and in no other that
one knows that one is Brahman (and that Brahman
is oneself). Otherwise the teaching, ‘Thou art That’
also becomes useless in the absence of a medium.⁴
श्रोतुः स्यादुपदेशश्चेदर्थवत्त्वं तथा भवेत्
अध्यक्षस्य न चेदिष्टं श्रोतृत्वं कस्य तद्भवेत् ॥ १११ ॥
111. Teaching becomes useful if it is meant for a
hearer (i.e. the aspirant). Who will be the hearer if
the Witness is not ?
अध्यक्षस्य समीपे स्याद्बुद्धेरेवेति चेन्मतम् ।
न तत्कृतोपकारोऽस्ति काष्ठाद्यद्वन्न कल्प्यते ॥ ११२ ॥
¹ Not different from the face. ² Not different from the Self.
³ I.e., when the reflection of the Self is accepted. See verse 78
above. ⁴ The reflection of the Self.