उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

280 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVIII
in that case. The sentence, therefore, can have no
other meaning ¹ which involves contradiction.
श्रोतृश्रोतव्ययोर्भेदो यदीष्टः स्याद्भवेदिदम् ।
इष्टार्थकोप एवं स्यान्न युक्तं सर्वथा वचः ॥ २०८ ॥
208. The repetition of the idea, ‘I am Brahman’
might be possible if there were a difference between the
hearer (i.e. the aspirant) ² and what is to be heard (but)
the desired meaning ³ would be wronged in that case.
Therefore the sentence becomes unreasonable (i.e.,
loses authority according to that view).
सिद्धो मोक्षोऽहमित्येवं ज्ञात्वात्मानं भवेद्यदि ।
चिकीर्षुर्यः स मूढात्मा शास्त्रं चोद्घाटत्यपि ॥ २०९ ॥
209. Knowing that one is eternally existing Libera-
tion one who desires to perform actions ⁴ is a man of
clouded intellect and nullifies the scriptures.
नहि सिद्धस्य कर्तव्यं सकार्यस्य न सिद्धता ।
उभयालम्वनं कुर्वन्नात्मानं वञ्चयत्यपि ॥ २१० ॥
210. For knowing oneself to be Brahman one has
no duty to perform; nor can one be a knower of
Brahman when one has duties to perform. One deceives
oneself by having recourse to both sides.
¹ E.g., the reiteration of the idea, ‘I am Brahman.’ ² The Self
(i.e., Brahman) Br. U. p. 2, 4, 5. See also verse 111.
³ That the individual Self is Brahman. ⁴ E.g., the reiteration of
the idea, ‘I am Brahman’. For the objector’s contention see
Verses 12 and 18 above.