उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

190 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVI
परस्य देहे न यथाभिमानिता परस्य तद्वत्परमार्थमीक्ष्य च ।
इदं हि विज्ञानमतीव निर्मलं संप्राप्य मुक्तोऽथ भवेच्च सर्वतः ॥
73. Just as one is free from the ideas of 'me' and
'mine' in respect of others' bodies, so, one becomes free
from those ideas (in respect of one's own body) when
one knows the supreme Truth. One becomes im-
mediately liberated in all respects on attaining this very
pure Knowledge.
नहीह लाभोऽभ्यधिकोऽस्ति कश्चन •
स्वरूपलाभात्स इतो हि नान्यतः ।
न देयमैन्द्रादपि राज्यतोऽधिकं
स्वरूपलाभं त्वपरीक्ष्य यत्नतः ॥ ७४ ॥
74. There is no attainment higher than that of Self-
knowledge in the worlds of men and gods. It arises
from nothing but the Vedantas. This Knowledge of the
Self, superior even to the kingdom of Indra, should,
therefore, not be imparted to any person without
examining$^1$ him carefully.
$^1$ See para II, chapter I, prose portion.

सम्यङ्मतिप्रकरणम् ॥ १७ ॥
CHAPTER XVII
RIGHT KNOWLEDGE
आत्मा ज्ञेयः परो ह्यात्मा यस्मादन्यन्न विद्यते ।
सर्वज्ञः सर्वदृक् शुद्धस्तस्मै ज्ञेयात्मने नमः ॥ १ ॥

1. The Self to be known¹ is beyond everything
   as there exists nothing else. I bow down to that pure,
   all-knowing and omniscient One which is to be known.
   पदवाक्यप्रमाणज्ञैर्दीपभूतैः प्रकाशितम् ।
   ब्रह्म वेदरहस्यं यैस्तान्नित्यं प्रणतोऽस्म्यहम् ॥ २ ॥
2. I always bow down to those (teachers) who are
   conversant with words, sentences and sources of Know-
   ledge and who, like lamps, have shown clearly to us
   Brahman, the secret of the Vedas.
   यद्वाक्सूर्यांशुसंपातप्रनष्टध्वान्तकल्मषः ।
   प्रणम्य तान्गुरून्वक्ष्ये ब्रह्मविद्याविनिश्चयम् ॥ ३ ॥
   ¹ Not as an object. See verse 1, chapter II, part II.

192 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVIII
3. I bow down to my teacher whose words fell
(into my ears) and destroyed Ignorance (in me) like
the sun's rays falling on darkness and destroying it.
I shall now state the right conclusion about the Know-
ledge of Brahman.
आत्मलाभात्परो नान्यो लाभः कश्चन विद्यते ।
यदर्था वेदवादाश्च स्मार्ताश्चापि तु याः क्रियाः ॥ ४ ॥
4. There is no other attainment higher than that of
the Self. For that is the purpose for which the teach-
ings of the Vedas, the Smritis and the actions¹ (described
in the work-portion of the Vedas) are there.
आत्मार्थोऽपि हि यो लाभः सुखायेष्टो विपर्ययः ।
आत्मलाभः परः प्रोक्तो नित्यत्वाद्व्रह्मवेदिभिः ॥ ५ ॥
5. The acquisition² considered to be a source of
happiness on the part of oneself³ produces the opposite
result⁴ also. The Knowers of Brahman say that the
greatest acquisition is that of the Self as It is eternal.⁵
स्वयं लब्धस्वभावत्वाल्लाभस्तस्य न चान्यतः ।
अन्यापेक्षस्तु यो लाभः सोऽन्यदृष्टिसमुद्भवः ॥ ६ ॥
6. Of the nature of being always⁶ attained the
Self does not depend on anything else in order to be
¹ They lead to Knowledge through the purification of the mind.
² Such as, fame, wealth and so on. ³ Br. U., 1. 4. 8. and 2. 4. 5.
⁴ Pain; owing to the loss of such acquisition.
⁵ See verses 43 and 44, chapter 16. ⁶ For it is the Self.

3-9] RIGHT KNOWLEDGE 193
acquired. The acquisition that depends on other things
(e.g., effort etc.) is due to Ignorance (and so vanishes
when the means to which it is due vanish).
अन्यदृष्टिस्त्वविद्या स्यात्तन्नाशो मोक्ष उच्यते ।
ज्ञानेनैव तु सोऽपि स्याद्विरोधित्वान्न कर्मणा ॥ ७ ॥
7. The conception (of the existence) of the non-
Self is Ignorance the destruction of which is known
to be liberation. This destruction is possible by
means of Knowledge only which is incompatible with
Ignorance. (Compatible with Ignorance) actions can-
not destroy it.
कर्मकार्यस्त्वनित्यः स्यादविद्याकामकारणः ।
प्रमाणं वेद एवात्र ज्ञानस्याधिगमे स्मृतः ॥ ८ ॥
8. That actions produced by desires caused by
Ignorance give rise to perishable results¹ (and, that
Knowledge produces an imperishable result,²) are
known on the evidence of the Vedas.
ज्ञानैकार्थपरत्वात्तं वाक्यमेकं ततो विदुः ।
एकत्वं ह्यात्मनो ज्ञेयं वाक्यार्थप्रतिपत्तितः ॥ ९ ॥
9. The learned know the Vedas³ to be one con-
tinuous whole the only purpose of which is to demon-
strate one thing viz., Knowledge inasmuch as the
¹ E.g., higher regions. See Chh. U., 8. 1. 6.
² Liberation which is the Self Itself and therefore imperishable.
³ The work and the Knowledge portions of the Vedas. The
work portion leads an aspirant performing Vedic actions through
the purification of the mind, to Self-knowledge.
13

194 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVII
oneness of the Self¹ is to be known by the under-
standing of the Vedic sentences.²
वाच्यभेदात्तु तद्भेदः कल्प्यो वाच्यो हि तच्छ्रुतेः ।
त्रयं त्वेतत्ततः प्रोक्तं रूपं नाम च कर्म च ॥ १० ॥
10. (One may object that Brahman and the indi-
vidual Self are different from each other as they are the
meanings of two words which are not synonymous.
The objection is not reasonable) inasmuch as one has
to know the difference between the words from that
between their meanings and the difference between
their meanings from that between the words. (There-
fore the objector is led to the fallacy of reciprocal
dependence. So no difference between them can be
accepted, there being no Vedic evidence.) (Objection.)
As the Sruti states three things besides the Self viz.,
names, forms and actions (it evidently supports the
existence of things other than the Self).
असदेतत्तत्रयं तस्मादन्योन्येन हि कल्पितम् ।
कृतो वर्णो यथा शब्दाच्छ्रुतोऽन्यत्र धिया बहिः ॥ ११ ॥
दृष्टं चापि यथारूपं बुद्धेः शब्दाय कल्पते ।
एवमेतज्जगत्सर्वं भ्रान्तिबुद्धिविकल्पितम् ॥ १२ ॥
11, 12. (Reply.) As they are inter-dependent³ like
a painting⁴ and a description⁴ of it those three are unreal.
¹ Oneness of the Self with Brahman. ² Such as, 'Thou art
That', 'I am Brahman' and so on. ³ Br. U., 1. 6. 3.
⁴ For we paint a picture (say, of a god) with the help of
imagination when we hear a word (viz., the name of the god).
Again, similarly, we give a name to a painting when we see it,
say, on a wall.

10-15] RIGHT KNOWLEDGE 195
So the whole of the universe exists only for a deluded
intellect.
असदेतत्ततो युक्तं सच्चिन्मात्रं न कल्पितम् ।
वेदश्चापि स एवाद्यो वेद्यं चान्यत्तु कल्पितम् ॥ १३ ॥
13. It is, therefore, reasonable that these three are
unreal. Existence-Knowledge only is real. (Existing
prior to everything) It is both the knower¹ and the
known. It is the other things (i.e. name, form and
action) only that are unreal.
येन वेत्ति स वेदः स्यात्स्वप्ने सर्वं तु मायया ।
येन पश्यति तच्चक्षुः शृणोति श्रोत्रमुच्यते ॥ १४ ॥
येन स्वप्नगतो वक्ति सा वाग्घ्राणं तथैव च ।
रसनस्पर्शने चैव मनश्चान्यत्तथेन्द्रियम् ॥ १५ ॥
14, 15. Existence-Knowledge² through which all
things in dream are known is the knower.³ It is the
same entity that is the known⁴ in dream by Maya. It is
the same Consciousness through which one sees, hears,
speaks, smells, tastes, touches and thinks in that state
is respectively called⁵ the eye, the ear, the larynx, the
auditive organ, the tongue, the organ of touch and the
mind. Similary, It is the same Consciousness that
becomes in dream the other organs⁶ also functioning
variously.
¹ How It is both the knower and the known is explained in the
next two verses. ² See Br. U., 4. 3. 6.
³ For there is no other illuminator there.
⁴ For there are no objects of knowledge in dream. See Br.
U., 4. 3. 10. ⁵ See verse 54 of this chapter.
⁶ See the next verse and note 1 on it.

196 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVII
कल्प्योपाधिभिरेवैतद्भिन्नं ज्ञानमनेकधा ।
आधिभेदाद्यथा भेदो मणेरेकस्य जायते ॥ १६ ॥
16. Just as the same jewel assumes different
colours owing to its proximity to different (coloured)
things, so, this Pure Consciousness assumes different
forms ¹ on account of various adjuncts which are
superimposed on It (in dream).
जाग्रतश्च यथा भेदो ज्ञानस्यास्य विकल्पितः ।
बुद्धिस्थं व्याकरोत्यर्थं भ्रान्त्या तृष्णोद्भवक्रियः ॥ १७ ॥
17. As in dream, so in the waking state different
forms ¹ are superimposed on this Consciousness. It
manifests ² the objects of the intellect when it performs
actions produced by desires due to delusion.
स्वप्ने तद्वत्प्रबोधे यो बहिश्चान्तस्तथैव च ।
आलेख्‍याध्ययने यद्वत्तदन्योन्यधियोद्भवम् ॥ १८ ॥
18. The events in the waking state are similar to
those in dream. The ideas of the interior and exterior
in the former state is as unreal ³ as in the latter like
reading ⁴ and writing ⁴ depending on each other.
यदायं कल्पयेद्भेदं तत्कामः सन्यथाक्रतुः ।
यत्कामस्तत्क्रतुर्भूत्वा कृतं यत्तत्प्रपद्यते ॥ १९ ॥
¹ The knower, the known and the instruments of knowledge.
² See G. K., 2. 13. ³ G. K., 2. 9. 10.
⁴ Reading depends on a written page without which nothing can
be read ; and writing also depends on reading as we first read and
then write. So both of them are unreal as the sounds represented
by written letters are all-pervasive and have no forms. Hence
they can neither be really written nor read.

16-22] RIGHT KNOWLEDGE 197
19. When the Self manifests different objects It
desires to have them; and accordingly there arises in It
a determination (to acquire those objects). It then
meets with (those particular results of) actions done
according to particular desires followed by particular
determinations.
अविद्याप्रभवं सर्वमसत्तस्मादिदं जगत् ।
तद्वता दृश्यते यस्मात्सुषुप्ते न च गृह्यते ॥ २० ॥
20. Unperceived in deep sleep¹ but perceived (in
waking and dream) by those only who are ignorant
the whole of this universe² is an outcome of Ignorance
and therefore unreal.
विद्याविद्ये श्रुतिप्रोक्ते एकत्वान्यधियौ हि नः ।
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन शास्त्रे विद्या विधीयते ॥ २१ ॥
21. It is said in the Śruti that the consciousness
of the oneness (of the individual Self and Brahman)
is Knowledge, and that of a difference (between them)
is Ignorance. Knowledge is, therefore,³ demonstrated
in the scriptures with great care.
चित्ते ह्यादर्शवद्यस्माच्छुद्धे विद्या प्रकाशते ।
यमैर्नित्यैश्च यज्ञैश्च तपोभिस्तस्य शोधनम् ॥ २२ ॥
22. When the mind becomes purified like a mirror
Knowledge is revealed in it. Care should, therefore,
¹ Though there is Ignorance in deep sleep one is then not
conscious of it. ² Consisting of name, form and action.
³ For without being demonstrated it does not arise.

198 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVII
be taken to purify the mind by यम (Yama ¹), नियम
(Niyama ²), sacrifices ³ and religious austerities.
शारीरादि तपः कुर्यात्तद्विशुद्ध्यर्थमुत्तमम् ।
मनआदिसमाधानं तत्तद्देहविशोषणम् ॥ २३ ॥
23. The best ⁴ austerities ⁵ regarding the body, the
mind and speech should be practised in order to
purify the mind. The controlling of the mind and
the emaciating of the body should be undertaken.
मनसश्चेन्द्रियाणां च ह्यैकाग्र्यं परमं तपः ।
तज्ज्यायः सर्वधर्मेभ्यः स धर्मः पर उच्यते ॥ २४ ॥
24. The attainment of the onepointedness ⁶ of the
mind and the senses is the best of austerities. It is
superior to all religious duties and all other austerities.
दृष्टं जागरितं विद्यात्स्मृतं स्वप्ने तदेव तु ।
सुषुप्तं तदभावं च स्वमात्मानं परं पदम् ॥ २५ ॥
25. Sensuous perceptions are to be regarded as the
waking state. Those very perceptions revealed in
sleep as impressions constitute the dream state. The
absence of perceptions and their impressions is known
¹ Speaking the truth, non-stealing, continence, non-injury and
non-acceptance of gifts.
² External and internal cleanliness, contentment, study of the
Vedas and meditation on God.
³ Enjoined according to one's own caste and order of life, the
result being offered to the Lord by the performer.
⁴ Bh. Gîtâ, 17. 17.
⁵ Bh. Gîtâ, 17. 14—16.
⁶ Regarding Brahman.

23-28] RIGHT KNOWLEDGE 199
to be deep sleep. (The witness of the three states)
one's own Self should be regarded as the supreme
Goal¹ to be realised.
सुषुप्त्याख्यं तमोऽज्ञानं बीजं स्वप्नप्रबोधयोः ।
स्वात्मबोधप्रदग्धं स्याद्बीजं दग्धं यथाऽभवम् ॥ २६ ॥
26. What is called deep sleep,² Darkness³ or
Ignorance is the seed³ of the waking and dream states.
It gets perfectly burnt by the fire of Self-knowledge
(and it no more produces effects) like a burnt seed that
does not germinate.
तदेवैकं त्रिधा ज्ञेयं मायाबीजं पुनः क्रमात् ।
मायाव्यात्माऽविकारोऽपि बहुधैको जलार्कवत् ॥ २७ ॥
27. That one seed, called Mâyâ, is evolved into
the three states⁴ which come one after another again
and again. The Self, the Substratum of Mâyâ, though
one only and immutable, appears to be many like
reflections of the sun in water.
बीजं चैकं यथा भिन्नं प्राणस्वप्नादिभिस्तथा ।
स्वप्नजाग्रच्छरीरेषु तद्वच्चात्मा जलेन्दुवत् ॥ २८ ॥
28. Just as the one seed, (called Mâyâ) is regarded
as different according to different states such as, the
¹ Brahman. ² It is called Ignorance because the modifi-
cations of Ignorance are there in it.
³ The word indicates a positive entity and hence it can be the
material cause of the three states. (See the next verse.)
⁴ Waking, dream and deep sleep.

200 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVII
undifferentiated,¹ dream, etc., so, the Self appears to be
different in waking and dream bodies, (both individual
and aggregate²) like reflections of the moon in water.
मायाहस्तिनमारुह्य मायाव्येको यथा व्रजेत् ।
आगच्छंस्तद्वदेवात्मा प्राणस्वप्नादिगोऽचलः ॥ २९ ॥
29. Just as a magician comes and goes on an
elephant (created by his own magic), so, the Self,
though devoid of all motion, appears to be undergoing
conditions such as, the undifferentiated, dream, etc.
न हस्ती न तदारूढो मायाव्यन्यो यथास्थितः ।
न प्राणादि न तद्द्रष्टा तथा ज्ञोऽन्यः सदादृशिः ॥ ३० ॥
30. Just as (in the above example) there is no
elephant nor its driver, but there stands the magician
different from them, so, there are no undifferentiated
etc. nor their knower. The Witness which is always
of the nature of Pure Consciousness is different from
them.
अबद्धचक्षुषो नास्ति माया मायाविनोऽपि वा ।
बद्धाक्षस्यैव सा मायाऽमायाव्येव ततो भवेत् ॥ ३१ ॥
31. There is no magic for the people of right vision
nor for the magician himself. It is only for the people
of clouded vision that magic exists. Hence one, not
really a magician, (wrongly) appears to be so.
¹ Hiranyagarbha or the aggregate vital force before it is
manifested.
² Just as the sea may be regarded as the aggregate of waves.

29-34] RIGHT KNOWLEDGE 201
[So, it is the ignorant only that wrongly believe that
Brahman is the wielder of Mâyâ which is equally non-
existent both for men of Knowledge and for Brahman.]
साक्षाद्देवः स विज्ञेयः साक्षादात्मेति च श्रुतेः ।
भिद्यते हृदयग्रन्थिर्न चेदित्यादितः श्रुतेः ॥ ३२ ॥
32. The Self should be regarded as Brahman Itself in
accordance with the Srutis, 'The Self¹ is immediate,'
⁴All² knots of the heart are torn asunder,' 'If³ not'
and so on.
अशब्दादित्वतो नास्य ग्रहणं चेन्द्रियैर्भवेत् ।
सुखादिभ्यस्तथान्यत्वाद्बुद्ध्या वापि कथं भवेत् ॥ ३३ ॥
33. (Objection.) It is not perceived by the senses
as It is devoid of sound etc. Again how can It be
perceived by the intellect as It is different from pleasure
and so on ?
अदृश्योऽपि यथा राहुश्चन्द्रे बिम्बं यथाम्भसि ।
सर्वगोऽपि तथैवात्मा बुद्धावेव स गृह्यते ॥ ३४ ॥
34. (Reply.) Just as Râhu,⁴ though invisible, is
seen in the moon (during an eclipse) and the reflections
(of the moon etc.) are seen in water, so, the Self,
though omnipresent, is perceived in the intellect.
¹ Br. U., 3. 4. 1, 2 and 3. 5. 1. ² Mu. U., 2. 2. 8. ³ Ke. U., 1. 5.
⁴ The name of a daitya or demon who is supposed to seize the
sun and moon and thus cause eclipses. Or the shadow of the
earth and that of the moon falling on the moon and on the sun
respectively during lunar and solar eclipses is what is known to be
Râhu. See verse 40, chapter 18.

202 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVII
भानोर्बिम्बं यथा चौष्ण्यं जले दृष्टं न चाम्भसः ।
बुद्धौ बोधो न तद्धर्मस्तथैव स्याद्विधर्मतः ॥ ३५ ॥
35. Just as the reflection and the heat of the sun,
found in water, do not belong to water, so, Conscious-
ness, though perceived in the intellect, is not its quality ;
for It is of a nature opposite to that of the intellect.
चक्षुर्युक्ता धियो वृत्तिर्या तां पश्यन्नलुप्तदृक् ।
दृष्टेर्द्रष्टा भवेदात्मा श्रुतेः श्रोता तथा भवेत् ॥ ३६ ॥
केवलां मनसो वृत्तिं पश्यन्मन्ता मतेरजः ।
विज्ञाताऽलुप्तशक्तित्वात्तथा शास्त्रं नहीत्यतः ॥ ३७ ॥
36, 37. The Self whose Consciousness never goes
out of existence is called the Seer of seeing when it
illumines the modification of the intellect connected
with the eye, and similarly It is called the Hearer
of hearing (and so on). The Unborn One is called the
Thinker of thought when It illumines that modification
of the mind which is independent of external objects.
It is called the Knower as Its power of Consciousness
never fails ; so the Sruti¹ says, “The Seeing of the
Seer is not destroyed.”
ध्यायतीत्यविकारित्वं तथा लेलायतीत्यपि ।
अत्र स्तेनेति शुद्धत्वं तथाऽनन्वागतं श्रुतेः ॥ ३८ ॥
38. That the Self is immutable is known from the
Srutis, ‘As² if It were at rest’ and ‘It² moves as it
¹ Br. U., 4. 3. 23—30 and verses 6—9, ch. 13 of this book.
² Br. U. 4. 3. 7.

35-41] RIGHT KNOWLEDGE 203
were.' That It is pure is known from other Śrutis,
'The thief¹ in this state' and 'Unattached.'¹
शक्त्यलोपात्सुषुप्ते ज्ञस्तथा बोधेऽविकारतः ।
ज्ञेयस्यैव विशेषस्तु यत्र वेति श्रुतेर्वचः ॥ ३९ ॥
39. The Self is conscious even in deep sleep as well
as in waking and dream as Its power of Consciousness
never ceases to exist and as It is changeless. It is only
in the objects of knowledge that there is a difference²
(in dreamless sleep,) as the Śruti³ says 'When there is.'
व्यवधानाद्धि पारोक्ष्यं लोकदृष्टेरनात्मनः ।
दृष्टेरात्मस्वरूपत्वात्प्रत्यक्षं ब्रह्म तत्स्मृतम् ॥ ४० ॥
40. The consciousness⁴ of objects (which arises out
of the functioning of the eye etc., the non-self,) is
mediately known; for it depends on an intervening
reflection of the Self (in order to be known). As
Brahman is the Self of (phenomenal) consciousness It
is immediately⁵ known.
नहि दीपान्तरापेक्षा यद्वद्दीपप्रकाशने ।
बोधस्यात्मस्वरूपत्वान्न बोधोऽन्यस्तथेष्यते ॥ ४१ ॥
41. Just as a second lamp is not necessary in order
to illumine a lamp, so, a second consciousness is not
necessary to make known Pure Consciousness which
is of the nature of the Self.
¹ Br. U., 4. 3. 22.
² In deep sleep the objects of Knowledge get merged in
Ignorance. ³ Br. U., 4. 5. 15.
⁴ Modifications of the mind reflecting Pure Consciousness.
⁵ See verse 26, chapter 14.

204 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVII
विषयत्वं विकारित्वं नानात्वं वा नहीष्यते ।
न हेयो नाप्युपादेय आत्मा नान्येन वा ततः ॥ ४२ ॥
42. The Self is not an object (of knowledge).
There is no change or manyness in It. It is, therefore,
capable of neither being accepted nor rejected (by Itself
or) by anyone else.¹
सबाह्याभ्यन्तरोऽजीर्णो जन्ममृत्युजरातिगः ।
अहमात्मेति यो वेत्ति कुतोऽन्वेव बिभेति सः ॥ ४३ ॥
43. Why should a man have even the least fear
who knows that he is the Self comprising the interior²
and exterior,² beyond birth, decay, death and old age ?
प्रागेवैतद्विधेः कर्म वर्णित्वादेरपोहनात् ।
तदस्थूलादिशास्त्रेभ्यस्तत्त्वमेवेति निश्चयात् ॥ ४४ ॥
44. It is only before the negation of the Idea of
caste ³ etc. on the evidence of the Sruti, 'Not ⁴ large' and
before the ascertainment of the nature of the Self on the
authority of the sentence, 'Thou art That' and also
before the demonstration of the Self (to one) on the
part of (the knowledge portion of) the Vedas that Vedic
actions are to be performed (and not afterwards).
पूर्वदेहपरित्यागे जात्यादीनां प्रहाणतः ।
देहस्यैव तु जात्यादिस्तस्याप्येवं ह्यनात्मता ॥ ४५ ॥
¹ For no one else exists except the Self.
² The interior and exterior with reference to the body. The Self
is the substratum of both the interior and exterior together with
the body. ³ They are conditions of fitness for Vedic actions.
⁴ Br. U., 3. 8. 8.

42-48] RIGHT KNOWLEDGE 205
45. Caste ¹ etc. given up with the giving up of the
previous body do belong to the body only (and not to
the Self). For the very same reason (of being perish-
able) the body is also not the Self.
ममाहं चेत्यतोऽविद्या शरीरादिष्वनात्मसु ।
आत्मज्ञानेन हेया स्यादसुराणामिति श्रुतेः ॥ ४६ ॥
46. The conceptions of ‘ me ’ and ‘ mine ’ with regard
to the non-Self, the body etc., are due to Ignorance and
should be renounced by means of Self-knowledge as
there is the Sruti,² ‘ of the Asuras.’ ³
दशाहाशौचकार्याणां पारिव्राज्ये निवर्तनम् ।
यथा, ज्ञानस्य संप्राप्तौ तद्वज्जात्यादिकर्मणाम् ॥ ४७ ॥
47. Just as the duty of observing defilement for ten
days (following child birth or the death of a kinsman)
is refrained from when one becomes a wandering
religious mendicant ; so, the duties belonging to parti-
cular castes etc. come to an end when right Knowledge
is achieved.
यत्कामस्तत्क्रतुर्भूत्वा कृतं त्वज्ञः प्रपद्यते ।
यदा स्वात्मदृशः कामाः प्रमुच्यन्तेऽमृतस्तदा ॥ ४८ ॥
48. A man of Ignorance reaps ⁴ the results of those
actions done according to particular desires followed by
¹ See verse 5, chapter 15.
² Chh. U., 8. 8. 4, 5. ³ Opponents of gods.
⁴ See verse 19 of this chapter.

206 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVII
particular determinations. But when the desires ¹ of a
man of Self-knowledge vanish he becomes immortal.²
आत्मरूपविधेः कार्यं क्रियादिभ्यो निवर्तनम् ।
न साध्यं साधनं वाऽऽत्मा नित्यतृप्तः स्मृतेर्मतः ॥ ४९ ॥
49. The outcome of the ascertainment of the real
nature of the Self is cessation from actions etc. and from
having an end or a means. (For) It is, according to
the Smriti,³ eternally contended.
उत्पाद्याप्यविकार्याणि संस्कार्यं च क्रियाफलम् ।
नातोऽन्यत्कर्मणा कार्यं त्यजेत्तस्मात्ससाधनम् ॥ ५० ॥
50. The results of actions are the production,
acquisition, transformation and purification of something.
They produce no other results. All actions with their
accessories ⁴ should, therefore, be given ⁵ up.
तापान्तत्वाद‍नित्यत्वादात्मार्थत्वाच्च या बहिः ।
संहृत्यात्मनि तां प्रीतिं सत्यार्थी गुरुमाश्रयेत् ॥ ५१ ॥
शान्तं प्राज्ञं तथा मुक्तं निष्क्रियं ब्रह्मणि स्थितम् ।
श्रुतेराचार्यवान्वेद तद्विद्धीति स्मृतेस्तथा ॥ ५२ ॥
51, 52. One desirous of attaining Truth should with-
draw into the Self the love that he has for external
¹ For these are in the mind and such a man gives up his
identification with it on the strength of Self-knowledge.
² Brahman. ³ Bh. Gîtâ, 4. 20.
⁴ Wife, children, wealth, sacred tuft of hair and holy thread.
⁵ By one who aspires after liberation which by its nature cannot
be the result of any action.

49-55] RIGHT KNOWLEDGE 207
persons or things. For this love, secondary ¹ to that for
the Self, is evanescent and entails pain. He then
should take refuge in a Teacher who is tranquil, free,
bereft of actions and established in Brahman as the
Sruti ² and Smriti ³ say “ One having a Teacher knows ”
and “ Know that.”
स गुरुस्तारयेद्युक्तं शिष्यं शिष्यगुणान्वितम् ।
ब्रह्मविद्याप्लवेनाशु स्वान्तध्वान्तमहोदधिम् ॥ ५३ ॥
53. That teacher should immediately take the
disciple in the boat of the Knowledge of Brahman
across the great ocean of the darkness ⁴ which is within
him—the disciple who is of a one-pointed mind and
endowed with the qualities ⁵ of a (true) disciple.
दृष्टिः स्पृष्टिः श्रुतिर्ध्रातिर्मतिर्विज्ञातिरेव च ।
शक्तयोऽन्याश्च भिद्यन्ते चिद्रूपत्वेऽप्युपाधिभिः ॥ ५४ ॥
54. The powers of seeing, touching, hearing, smell-
ing, thinking, knowing and so on, though of the nature
of Pure Consciousness,⁶ differ on account of adjuncts.⁷
अपायोद्भूतिहीनाभिर्नित्यं दीप्यन्खरविर्यथा ।
सर्वज्ञः सर्वदृक् शुद्धः सर्वं जानाति सर्वदा ॥ ५५ ॥
55. Just as the sun illumines the world with its rays
which are free from growth and decay, so, the Self
¹ See verses 4 and 5 of this chapter. ² Chh. U., 6. 14. 2.
³ Bh. Gîtâ, 4. 34.
⁴ Ignorance. ⁵ See verse 72, chapter 16.
⁶ See verses 14, 15 and 16 of this chapter.
⁷ The eye etc., the sense organs.

208 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVII
always knows¹ all things in general and all particular
things and is pure.
अन्यदृष्टिः शरीरस्थस्तावन्मात्रो ह्यविद्यया ।
जलेन्द्राद्युपमाभिस्तु तद्धर्मा च विभाव्यते ॥ ५६ ॥
56. Appearing to be in the body² owing to Ignorance
and, therefore, appearing to be of the same size² as the
body the Self is regarded as different from things other
than the body (and possessed of its qualities) like the
moon etc. reflected in water and appearing to be
possessed of its qualities.
दृष्ट्वा बाह्यं निमील्याथ स्मृत्वा तत्प्रविहाय च ।
अथोन्मील्यात्मनो दृष्टिं ब्रह्म प्राप्नोत्यनध्वगः ॥ ५७ ॥
57. One merges the gross external objects experienced
in the waking state in the subtle objects experienced in
dream and these again in Ignorance. One then comes
to have the vision of the Consciousness of the Self,
attains Brahman⁴ and has not to follow any path
(northern⁵ or southern.⁶)
प्राणाद्येवं त्रिकं हित्वा तीर्णोऽज्ञानमहोदधिम् ।
स्वात्मस्थो निर्गुणः शुद्धो बुद्धो मुक्तः स्वतो हि सः ॥ ५८ ॥
¹ With Its consciousness which is Itself.
² Gross and subtle. ³ See verse 22, chapter 16.
⁴ For a clearer exposition see verses 65 and 66 of this chapter,
and also Mâ. U., 3—7.
⁵ The path which leads one to the region of Brahmâ (Hiranya-
garbha) at death. See Br. U., 6. 2. 15, and Bh. Gîtâ, 8. 24.
⁶ The path leading to the region of the moon when one dies.
See Br. U., 6. 2. 16, and Bh. Gîtâ, 8. 25.

56-61] RIGHT KNOWLEDGE 209
58. Having thus renounced ¹ the three states of the
undifferentiated ² etc. one gets across the great ocean of
Ignorance, for one is by nature established in the Self
without qualities, pure, awakened and free.
अजोऽहं चामरोऽमृत्युरजरोऽभय एव च ।
सर्वज्ञः सर्वदृक् शुद्ध इति बुद्धो न जायते ॥ ५९ ॥
59. One is not born again when one knows that
one is unborn, deathless, devoid of old age, free from
fear, pure and all-knowing (i.e. knowing all particular
things and things in general).
पूर्वोक्तं यत्तमोबीजं तन्नास्तीति विनिश्चयः ।
तदभावे कुतो जन्म ब्रह्मैकत्वं विजानतः ॥ ६० ॥
60. How can one be born again who has known
the oneness of the Self and Brahman and is sure of
the non-existence of the seed, called Ignorance, stated
before ³ ?
क्षीरात्सर्पिर्यथोद्धृत्य क्षिप्तं तस्मिन्नपूर्ववत् ।
बुद्ध्यादेर्ज्ञस्तथाऽसत्यान्न देही पूर्ववद्भवेत् ॥ ६१ ॥
61. When the Witness is discriminated from the
intellect etc. which are unreal It does not identify Itself
again with the (gross or the subtle) body as before, just
as butter raised from milk and thrown into it does
not get mixed with it again.
¹ I.e., one's identity with the three states. ² Deep sleep.
³ Verse 26 above.
14