उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHANGELESS 67
also depend on evidences like sense-perception etc.
in order to be known. I have said that Knowledge,¹
the result produced by evidences, is the same ² as the
self-evident, self-effulgent and changeless Self. That is
which I mean by knowledge."
अत्राह चोदकः—अवगतिः प्रमाणानां फलं, कूटस्थनित्या-
त्मज्योतिःस्वरूपेति च विप्रतिषिद्धम् । इत्युक्तवन्तमाह—न
विप्रतिषिद्धम् । कथं तर्हि अवगतेः फलत्वम् ? कूटस्था नित्यापि
सती प्रत्यक्षादिप्रत्ययान्ते लक्ष्यते, तादर्थ्यात् । प्रत्यक्षादिप्रत्ययस्य
अनित्यत्वे अनित्येव भवति । तेन प्रमाणानां फलं इति उपचर्यते
॥ १०८ ॥
108. The objector (the disciple) says, “It is contra-
dictory to state that Knowledge is the result of evidences
and (at the same time) it is the self-effulgent Self which
is changeless and eternal.”
The reply given to him is this : “It is not a con-
tradication.”
“How then is knowledge a result ?”
“(It is a result in a secondary sense :) though change-
less and eternal, It is noticed in the presence of mental
modifications called sense-perception etc. as they are
instrumental in making It manifest. It appears to be
transitory as mental modifications called sense-percep-
tion etc. are so. It is for this reason that It is called
the result ³ of proofs in a secondary ⁴ sense.”
¹ Knowledge, according to the Chârvâkas, is an effect produced
in the body, a combination of the elements, like the effect of a
chemical combination. ² See paras 103 and 108. ³ See para 103
above. ⁴ The same pure Consciousness is thus called, in a
secondary sense, a knower, an agent, or the result of proofs. This
is the gist of the paragraphs from 94 onwards.