उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

तत्त्वज्ञानस्वभावप्रकरणम् ॥ ४ ॥
CHAPTER IV
THE NATURE OF RIGHT KNOWLEDGE
अहंप्रत्ययबीजं यदहंप्रत्ययवत्स्थितम् ।
नाहंप्रत्ययवह्न्युष्टं कथं कर्म प्ररोहति ॥ १ ॥

1. How can those actions of which the root is
   egoism¹ and which are accumulated in the mind pro-
   duce results when they are burnt² by the fire of non-
   egoism, (the right Knowledge that one is neither the
   doer of actions nor the experiencer of their results) ?
   दृष्टवच्चेत्प्ररोहः स्यान्नान्यकर्मा स इष्यते ।
   तन्निरोधे कथं तत्स्यात्पृच्छामो वस्तदुच्यताम् ॥ २ ॥
2. (The objector). Actions burnt by the fire of
   Knowledge may produce results like the seen ones (of
   the actions of a man of Knowledge). (Reply). No.
   They are due to another cause.³ (The objector). I ask
   ¹ Identification of oneself with the gross and subtle bodies.
   ² Hence, actions accumulated in previous births are not obstacles
   to liberation when the Knowledge of Brahman arises.
   ³ I.e., those actions of past lives which have given birth to the
   present body and have begun to produce results.

1-5] THE NATURE OF RIGHT KNOWLEDGE 93
you how there can be actions ¹ when egoism ² is de-
stroyed. Please answer.
देहाद्यारम्भसामर्थ्याज्ज्ञानं सद्विषयं त्वयि ।
अभिभूय फलं कुर्यात्कर्मान्ते ज्ञानमुद्भवेत् ॥ ३ ॥
3. (Reply). Such actions ³ produce their results by
overpowering the Knowledge of Brahman in you, be-
cause they have the power of producing the body etc.
Knowledge, however, becomes manifest⁴ when ⁴ the
results of these actions come to an end.
आरब्धस्य फले ह्येते भोगो ज्ञानं च कर्मणः ।
अविरोधस्तयोर्युक्तो वैधर्म्यं चेतरस्य तु ॥ ४ ॥
4. As knowledge and the experiencing (of pain and
pleasure) are both results of actions that have given rise
to the present body and have begun to produce results
it is reasonable that they are not incompatible with each
other. But other kinds of actions⁵ are different⁶ in nature.
देहात्मज्ञानवज्ज्ञानं देहात्मज्ञानबाधकम् ।
आत्मन्येव भवेद्यस्य स नेच्छन्नपि मुच्यते ।
ततः सर्वमिदं सिद्धं प्रयोगोऽस्माभिरीरितः ॥ ५ ॥
¹ Even those actions that have begun to produce results.
² For egoism is the root of all actions. (See the previous verse.)
³ See Footnote 3. Verse 2.
⁴ They come to an end only when they are exhausted by being
experienced and one gets absolutely disembodied freedom.
⁵ (1) Actions accumulated in previous states of existence and (2)
those that are done in this life after the realization of Knowledge.
⁶ For Knowledge destroys accumulated actions and makes im-
potent those that are done in the present life after the attainment
of Knowledge.

94 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. IV
5. The Knowledge of one's identity with the pure
Self that negates the (wrong) notion of the identity of
the body and the Self sets a man free even against his
will when it becomes as firm as the belief of the man
that he is a human ¹ being.
All ² this, therefore, is established. And reasons
have been already given by us.
¹ Identifying himself with the body.
² The compatibility of Knowledge with the actions that have
begun to produce results and its incompatibility with other kinds
of actions.

बुद्धयपराधप्रकरणम् ॥ ५ ॥
CHAPTER V
ERROR IN UNDERSTANDING
मूत्राशङ्को यथोदङ्को नाग्रहीदमृतं यथा ।
कर्मनाशभयाज्जन्तोरात्मज्ञानाग्रहस्तथा ॥ १ ॥

1. People do not receive Self-knowledge on ac-
   count of the fear that their duties (according to their
   castes and orders of life) would be destroyed like
   Udanka ¹ who did not accept (genuine) nectar which, he
   thought, was urine.
   [That people do not like to receive Self-knowledge
   is due to their ignorance of the real nature of the Self
   and a wrong and false conception about It.]
   बुद्धिस्थश्चलतीवात्मा ध्यायतीव च दृश्यते ।
   नौगतस्य यथा वृक्षास्तद्वत्संसारविभ्रमः ॥ २ ॥
   ¹ This man practised much austerity in order to please Vishnu
   so that he might get nectar from him. Vishnu was pleased and
   sent Indra with a pot full of nectar to give it to Udanka. Indra
   wanted to deceive him and in the guise of a Chandâla he hung the
   pot containing nectar from his waist. The pot was hanging in
   such a way that urine would fall into it if Indra were to make
   water. When he appeared before Udanka in that fashion and
   offered him the nectar the latter thought the pot contained urine
   and refused to accept the nectar.

96 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. V
2. The Self seems to be moving when the intellect
moves and It seems to be at rest when it is at rest on
account of Its identification ¹ with the intellect like trees
appearing to move in the eyes of those who are in a
moving boat. Similar is the misconception ² about
transmigratory existence.
नौस्थस्य प्रातिलोम्येन नगानां गमनं यथा ।
आत्मनः संसृतिस्तद्वद्ध्यायतीवेति हि श्रुतिः ॥ ३ ॥
3. Just as trees are thought to be moving in a
direction opposite to that of a moving boat by a man
in it, so, transmigratory existence is (wrongly) thought
to belong to the Self (by a man who has identified
himself with the intellect). For there is the passage in
the Sruti, ‘ as ³ if at rest.’
चैतन्यप्रतिबिम्बेन व्याप्तो बोधो हि जायते ।
बुद्धेः शब्दादिभिर्भासस्तेन मोमुह्यते जगत् ॥ ४ ॥
4. The modifications of the intellect are pervaded
by the reflection of Consciousness when they come to
exist. So the Self appears to be identified with sound ⁴
etc. This is the reason why people are deluded.⁵
चैतन्यभास्यताहमस्तादर्थ्यं च तदस्य यत् ।
इदमंशप्रहाणेन परः सोऽनुभवो भवेत् ॥ ५ ॥
¹ Due to ignorance. ² For people make the mistake of believ-
ing that transmigratory existence belongs to the Self instead of to
the intellect. ³ Br. U., 4. 3. 7. ⁴ The objects of the modifica-
tions of the intellect i.e., the body etc. ⁵ For unable to distin-
guish between the Self and its reflection people attribute the pro-
perties of the intellect to the Self.

2-5] ERROR IN UNDERSTANDING 97
5. As it is the object of pure Consciousness and
exists¹ for It (the ego² is not the Self). Pure Conscious-
ness is the universal Self³ when the object portion⁴ is
rejected.⁵
¹ For the agency and experience of the Self is due to the
superimposition of the ego on It.
² See footnote 3, verse 2, Chapter 2.
³ What appears to be the individual Self owing to the proxi-
mity of the ego before the attaiment of right knowledge is known
to be no other than the universal Self when the discrimination of the
Self from the ego has been accomplished.
⁴ The object portion of the consciousness 'I', i.e., the ego.
⁵ I.e., when the identification of the Self with the ego is known
to be due to a wrong conception.
7

विशेषापोहप्रकरणम् ॥ ६ ॥
CHAPTER VI
NEGATION OF ATTRIBUTES
छित्त्वा त्यक्तेन हस्तेन स्वयं नात्मा विशिष्यते ।
तथा शिष्टेन सर्वेण येन येन विशेष्यते ॥ १ ॥

1. The Self Itself is not qualified by an arm which
   has been cut off and thrown away. Similarly, It is not
   qualified by any of the remaining things¹ by which It
   is (thought to be) qualified.²
   तस्मात्त्यक्तेन हस्तेन तुल्यं सर्वं विशेषणम् ।
   ऽनात्मत्वेन तस्माज्ज्ञो मुक्तः सर्वैर्विशेषणैः ॥ २ ॥
2. Therefore all the qualifications are similar to the
   arm (cut off and) thrown away as they are all non-Self.³
   So the Self is free from all qualifications.
   विशेषणमिदं सर्वं साध्वलंकराणं यथा ।
   अविद्याध्यासतः सर्वं ज्ञात आत्मन्यसद्भवेत् ॥ ३ ॥
   ¹ The gross and subtle bodies and their attributes.
   ² See verses 91-94, Ch. 18.
   ³ For they are all superimposed on the Self.

1-6] NEGATION OF ATTRIBUTES 99
3. It is reasonable that, like ornaments,¹ all these ²
are qualifications (of the Self) owing to superimposition
through Ignorance. When the Self is known they prove
to be unreal.
ज्ञातैवात्मा सदा ग्राह्यो ज्ञेयमुत्सृज्य केवलः ।
अहमित्यपि यद्ग्राह्यं व्यपेताङ्गसमं हि तत् ॥ ४ ॥
4. After rejecting the object portion ³ one should
accept the Self as the knower ⁴ free from all qualifica-
tions. The ego,⁵ the object portion, is also like the
part of the body cut off.⁶
यावान्स्यादिदमंशो यः स स्वतोऽन्यो विशेषणम् ।
विशेषप्रक्षयो यत्र सिद्धो ज्ञश्चित्रगुर्यथा ॥ ५ ॥
5. The Self of which the whole of the object portion ⁷
is the qualification is different from it. Bereft of all
qualifications It has an independent existence like that
of a man ⁸ possessing a variegated cow.
इदमंशोऽहमित्यत्र त्याज्यो नात्मेति पण्डितैः ।
अहं ब्रह्मेति शिष्टांशो भूतपूर्वगतेर्भवेत् ॥ ६ ॥
6. As it is not the Self the object portion in the
consciousness ‘I’ should be renounced ⁹ by the wise.
¹ Falsely appearing to be the qualifications of the wearer.
² See footnote 1, verse 1 above. ³ See foot note 7, verse 5.
⁴ Pure Consciousness, the witness. ⁵ Though to the ignorant
it appears to be Self. ⁶ See verse 1 of this Chapter.
⁷ In the consciousness ‘I’. ⁸ The man has an existence in-
dependent of the cow, so has the Self an existence independent of
the ego etc., Its qualifications, It having no connection with them.
⁹ See footnote 13, verse 2, Chapter 2.

100 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. VI
As It was mixed with egoism¹ previously² the remain-
ing³ (non-object) portion is implied by the word 'I'
in the sentence 'I am Brahman.'
¹ It is mixed with the Self, just as a snake may be said to be
mixed with a rope in a rope-snake i.e., a rope mistaken for a snake.
² Just as a Military Captain is called a Captain even after he has
retired, so, we call Pure Consciousness 'I', even after It has been
discriminated from the ego. ³ Pure Consciousness.

बुद्ध्यारूढप्रकरणम् ॥ ७ ॥
CHAPTER VII
KNOWLEDGE THROUGH THE INTELLECT
बुद्ध्यारूढं सदा सर्वं दृश्यते यत्र तत्र वा ।
मया तस्मात्परं ब्रह्म सर्वज्ञश्चास्मि सर्वगः ॥ १ ॥

1. I am the supreme Brahman all-knowing and
   all-pervading, as pervaded¹ by the intellect all things²
   in all conditions are always illumined by me.³
   यथात्मबुद्धिचाराणां साक्षी तद्वत्परेष्वपि ।
   नैवापोढुं न वादातुं शक्यस्तस्मात्परो ह्यहम् ॥ २ ॥
2. Just as I am the witness of all the objects of
   my intellect, so, I am that⁴ of the objects of other
   ¹ For the word आरूढ in the Text see verse 156, Chap. 18.
   ² In waking or dream ; either in this world or in the next ; known
   either through the senses or inference or from the scriptures
   etc.
   ³ Just as a lamp is different from the objects it illumines, so, I am
   different from all objects illumined by me, Pure Consciousness.
   ⁴ Being witnessed difference cannot pertain to the witness. So
   there cannot be more than one witness.

102 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. VIII
intellects. I am not capable of being rejected ¹ or ac-
cepted.² Therefore I am the supreme Brahman.
विकारित्वमशुद्धत्वं भौतिकत्वं न चात्मनः ।
अशेषबुद्धिसाक्षित्वाद् बुद्धिवच्चाल्पवेदना ॥ ३ ॥
3. As It is the witness of all intellects (and their
modifications) the Self is not of limited knowledge
like the intellects and has no change, impurity or
material nature in It.
मणौ प्रकाश्यते यद्वद्रक्ताद्याकारतातपे ।
मयि संदृश्यते सर्वमातपेनेव तन्मया ॥ ४ ॥
4. Just as in the presence of sunlight colours such
as red etc., (of flowers and other things) are manifested
in a jewel,³ so, all objects are seen (in the intellect ⁴) in
My Presence.⁵ All things are, therefore, illumined by
Me like sun-light.
बुद्धौ दृश्यं भवेद् बुद्धौ सत्यां नास्ति विपर्यये ।
द्रष्टा यस्मात्सदा द्रष्टा तस्माद् द्वैतं न विद्यते ॥ ५ ॥
5. Objects of knowledge exist in the intellect as
long as it is there (in waking and dream) ; but they do
not exist in the opposite case (i.e., when the intellect is
¹ None can say that the Self is not the witness or not at any
place as It is All-knowing and All pervading.
² No one can make the Self an object of one's knowledge or
bring It into existence by any action as It always exists.
³ Crystal etc. ⁴ The intellect is not the illuminator.
⁵ Changeless like sunlight.
⁶ For there is no evidence that non-conscious things exist when
unknown.

3-6] KNOWLEDGE THROUGH THE INTELLECT 103
merged during deep sleep). The Knower is always ¹
the knower. Duality has, therefore, no existence.
अविवेकात्पराभावं यथा बुद्धिरवैत्तथा ।
विवेकात्तु परादन्यः स्वयं चापि न विद्यते ॥ ६ ॥
6. The intellect ² knew the non-existence of the
supreme Brahman before the discrimination (between
the Self and the non-Self). But after the discrimination
there is no individual Self different from Brahman nor
is there the intellect itself.
¹ For the Self never ceases to exist like the intellect, its modifi-
cations or the objects of knowledge. Therefore they must be
unreal. But the Self which always exists must be real and pure.
² Here the intellect is spoken of as having delusion. For it is
on account of the mutual superimposition of the Self and the
intellect that all delusion arises. Otherwise the intellect itself
could not be spoken of as deluded or otherwise as it is non-
conscious.

मतिविलापनप्रकरणम् ॥ ८ ॥
CHAPTER VIII¹
MERGING OF THE MIND
चितिस्वरूपे स्वत एव मे मते रसादियोगस्तव मोहकारितः ।
अतो न किंचित्तव चेष्टितेन मे फलं भवेत्सर्वविशेषहानतः ॥ १ ॥

1. The connection of enjoyment etc., with me, oh
   My mind, who am by nature Consciousness Itself is
   due to the delusion created by you. As I am free from
   all attributes there is no utility accruing to Me from
   your efforts.
   विमुच्य मायामयकार्यतामिह प्रशान्तिमायाह्यसदीहितात्सदा ।
   अहं परं ब्रह्म सदा विमुक्तवत्तथाजमेकं द्वयवर्जितं यतः ॥ २ ॥
2. Give up false attempts and come to rest in Me
   from constant vain efforts as I am always the supreme
   Brahman as if ² free from bondage, unborn and devoid
   of duality.
   ¹ This and Chap. 19 may be studied together for comparison.
   ² For Brahman is never bound. So It cannot be called at any
   time liberated.

1-6] . MERGING OF THE MIND 105
सदा च भूतेषु समोऽस्मि केवलो यथा च खं सर्वगमक्षरं शिवम् ।
निरन्तरं निष्कलमक्रियं परं ततो न मेऽस्तीह फलं तवेहितैः ॥ ३ ॥
3. The supreme Brahman, the same¹ in all beings
and free from all attributes I am all-pervading like the
ether, imperishable, auspicious, homogeneous, partless
and actionless. I, therefore, have no benefit to be
derived from your efforts.
अहं ममैको न तदन्यदिष्यते तथा न कस्याप्यहमस्म्यसंगतः ।
असङ्गरूपोऽहमतो न मे त्वया कृतेन कार्यं तव चाद्वयत्वतः ॥४॥
4. No one different from Me can belong to Me who
am one only. Nor can I who am unattached belong to
anybody. I have, therefore, no benefit to be derived
from anything done by you. As you² are not other
than Myself you can have no effort nor its results.
फले च हेतौ च जनो विषक्तवानिति प्रचिन्त्याहमतो विमोक्षणे ।
जनस्य संवादमिमं प्रक्लृप्तवान्स्वरूपतत्त्वार्थविबोधकारणम् ॥५॥
5. Considering that people are attached to the ideas
of cause and effect,³ I have composed this dialogue
(between the mind and the Self) leading to the under-
standing of the real nature of the Self in order that they
might get freed from this (bondage).
संवादमेतं यदि चिन्तयेन्नरो विमुच्यतेऽज्ञानमहाभयागमात् ।
विमुक्तकामश्च तथा जनः सदा चरत्यशोकः सम आत्मवित्सुखी ॥
¹ Because the Self of all. ² You are non-conscious and have
no separate existence from Brahman. ³ G. K., 4. 14-28.

106 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. VIII
6. A man gets liberated from Ignorance, the cause
of great fear,¹ and roams (over the world) free from
desires, free from grief, a Knower of the Self, the same²
in all beings and happy if he ponders over this dialogue.
¹ I.e., of this transmigratory existence.
² Because the Self of all.

सूक्ष्मताव्यापिताप्रकरणम् ॥ ९ ॥
CHAPTER IX
SUBTLENESS AND PERVASIVENESS
सूक्ष्मताव्यापिते ज्ञेये गन्धादेरुत्तरोत्तरम् ।
प्रत्यगात्मावसानेषु पूर्वपूर्वप्रहाणतः ॥ १ ॥

1. A succeeding one in the series of earth¹ etc.
   ending with the innermost Self is found to be subtler
   and more pervasive when a preceding one is negated.²
   [When we negate a preceding one we get a subtler
   and more pervasive one till at last the innermost Self
   is reached which is of the nature of Existence and
   Consciousness and is the material³ Cause of everything,
   and therefore, absolutely all-pervading and the subtlest.]
   शारीरा पृथिवी तावद्यावद्बाह्या प्रमाणतः ।
   अम्ब्वादीनि च तत्त्वानि तावज्ज्ञेयानि कृत्स्नशः ॥ २ ॥
2. External earth is the same as that pertaining to
   bodies. Water⁴ etc., the other categories also are,
   ¹ Earth, water, fire, air and the ether.
   ² Known to have no separate existence from a suceeeding one,
   its cause. ³ See Br. Sû., 1. 4. 23. ⁴ External.

108 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. IX
without exception, known to be the same ¹ according to
evidences.²
[When all the elements either external or pertaining
to bodies are ascertained to be pervaded by the Self no
distinction is known to exist between the external
elements and those pertaining to bodies as the Self only
then exists. See Br. Sû., 2. 1. 14.]
वाय्वादीनां यथोत्पत्तेः पूर्वं खं सर्वगं तथा ।
अहमेकः सदा सर्वश्चिन्मात्रः सर्वगोऽद्वयः ॥ ३ ॥
3. Always Pure Consciousness I am one without a
second, all and all-pervading like the ether before the
creation of air and other elements.
ब्रह्माद्याः स्थावरान्ता ये प्राणिनो मम पूः स्मृताः ।
कामक्रोधादयो दोषा जायेरन्मे कुतोऽन्यतः ॥ ४ ॥
4. It has been ascertained that all the beings from
Brahmâ³ down to the immovable creation are My
bodies. From what other source will blemishes like
lust, anger, etc. come into Me ? ⁴
भूतदोषैः सदाऽस्पृष्टं सर्वभूतस्थमीश्वरम् ।
नीलं व्योम यथा बालो दुष्टं मां वीक्षते जनः ॥ ५ ॥
5. People look upon Me, the Lord ⁵ residing in all
beings and always untouched by their defects, as tainted
¹ As those pertaining to the bodies. ² Measure—Ram Tirtha.
³ The soul invested with the aggregate of subtle bodies.
⁴ They do not by nature belong to me as they come and go ; nor
can they come to Me from anywhere else as there exists nothing
else except Me. ⁵ I.e., the cause, and the cause is never
touched by any of the properties of its effects.

2-8] SUBTLENESS AND PERVASIVENESS 109
(with those defects) like a boy who (erroneously) looks
upon the sky as blue.
मच्चैतन्यावभास्यत्वात्सर्वप्राणिधियां सदा ।
वपुर्मे प्राणिनः सर्वे सर्वज्ञस्य विपाप्मनः ॥ ६ ॥
6. As the intellects of all beings are illumined by
My¹ Consciousness all beings are bodies belonging to
Me who am all-knowing and free from all sins and virtues.
जनिमज्ज्ञानविज्ञेयं स्वप्नज्ञानवदिष्यते ।
नित्यं निर्विषयं ज्ञानं तस्माद् द्वैतं न विद्यते ॥ ७ ॥
7. Objects that come into being and are capable of
being made the objects of Knowledge are as unreal
as those known in dream. As duality has no (real)
existence Knowledge is eternal and objectless.
ज्ञातुर्ज्ञातिर्हि नित्योक्ता सुषुप्ते त्वन्यशून्यतः ।
जाग्रज्ज्ञातिस्त्वविद्यातस्तद्ग्राह्यं चासदिष्यताम् ॥ ८ ॥
8. As there is nothing other than the Self in
dreamless sleep it is said by the Sruti² that the Consci-
ousness of the Knower³ is eternal. (As Knowledge is
really objectless) the knowledge of objects in the waking
state must be due to Ignorance. Accept then that its
objects are also unreal.⁴
¹ I.e., by Me Who am Pure Consciousness.
² Br. U., 4. 3. 23-30. ³ Consciousness is the real nature of the
knower like heat which is the nature of the sun.
⁴ For the changeless Self cannot be the seat of knowledge nor
can the non-conscious intellect. Therefore Knowledge in the
waking state with its objects cannot but be falsely superimposed on
the Self which alone is real.

110 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. IX
रूपवत्त्वाद्यसत्त्वान्न दृष्ट्यादेः कर्मता यथा ।
एवं विज्ञानकर्मत्वं भूम्नो नास्तीति गम्यते ॥ ९ ॥
9. It is clearly understood that Brahman cannot be
the object¹ of knowledge just as It cannot be the
object² of seeing etc. as It has no colour, form and
the like.
¹ It is said in the Chhândogyopanishat (7. 24. 1) : ' Where one sees
nothing else, knows nothing else it is Brahman', from which it
might be inferred that one does not see or know anything else, it is
true but one sees and knows the Self. The above verse is to remove
this doubt. The Chh. text (7. 24. 1) prohibits in Brahman the
duality appearing to be real during Ignorance.
² It is said in the Brihadâranyakopanishat (2. 4. 5) : ' The Self
should be seen, heard, reflected upon and meditated on.' So there
may be a doubt that the Self is the object of seeing etc. The
present verse is to remove this doubt. The Br. text (2. 4. 5) is
really intended to make people turn away from the non-Self. It is
not to teach them that the Self is object of seeing etc.

दृशिस्वरूपपरमार्थदर्शनप्रकरणम् ॥ १० ॥
CHAPTER X
RIGHT CONCEPTION OF THE NATURE OF
CONSCIOUSNESS
दृशिस्वरूपं गगनोपमं परं सकृद्विभातं त्वजमेकमक्षरम् ।
अलेपकं सर्वगतं यदद्वयं तदेव चाहं सततं विमुक्तॐ ॥ १ ॥

1. I am the supreme Brahman which is pure con-
   sciousness, always clearly manifest, unborn, one only,
   imperishable, unattached and all-pervading like the
   ether and non-dual. I am, therefore, ever-free. Aum.¹
   दृशिस्तु शुद्धोऽहमविक्रियात्मको
   न मेऽस्ति कश्चिद्विषयः स्वभावतः ।
   पुरस्तिरश्चोर्ध्वमधश्च सर्वतः
   संपूर्णभूमा त्वज आत्मनि स्थितः ॥ २ ॥
2. Pure and changeless consciousness I am by
   nature devoid of objects (to illumine). Unborn and
   established in the Self I am all-pervading Brahman in
   the front, oblique, upward, downward and all other
   directions.
   ¹ The Sanskrit word ‘Aum’ used in the text indicates that one
   realizes Brahman by meditating on it. See Kathopanishat 1. 2. 16, 17.