उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

Published by
The President
Sri Ramakrishna Math
Mylapore, Madras

Second Edition
(All rights reserved)
xx-12-49

Price : Rs. 3-8-0

Printed by
C. Subbarayudu
At the Vasanta Press
The Theosophical Society
Adyar, Madras

PREFACE
Upadeshasâhasrî written by Srî Sankara, the great
Teacher is translated into English with explanatory
footnotes which will be found useful by readers while
going through the book.
References to Upanishats, the Vedânta Aphorisms and
the Bhagavad-Gîtâ mostly quoted by the author have been
carefully traced and shown at the bottom of the pages,
which, it is presumed, will throw much clear light on
the Text and solve difficulties.
In his eagerness to do good to people the great
author, while writing the book, has spared no pains in
making clear the idea of the distinction between oneself
and one's body, mind, etc., which, when rightly compre-
hended under the benevolent guidance of a Teacher, a
man of Knowledge, will perfectly convince one that one
is not other than the Unlimited Bliss untouched by
hunger and thirst, grief and delusion, old age and death,
the only real Existence, the Goal of all human beings
to be realized in life.
Râmatîrtha's glossary on Sankara's Upadesha-
sâhasrî has been followed in translating the book and
appending footnotes.
Certain words not to be found in the text but neces-
sary for making the meaning clear have very often been

iv A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
placed within brackets. Explanatory paragraphs have
been added to the translation in a few places. In
studying the book one may begin either with the prose
part or the metrical. We have adopted the most
acceptable readings after consulting the Nirnayasâgar,
Lotus Library and Mysore editions of the book.
An index to the verses is appended at the end of the
book. It will, it is hoped, be found useful.
Srinagar, Kashmir TRANSLATOR
July 24, 1941

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
Ai. U. Aitareyopanishat.
Bh. Gîta Bhagavadgîtâ.
Br. Sû. Brahma Sûtra (Vedânta Sûtras).
Br. U. Brihadâranyakopanishat.
Chh. U. Chhândogyopanishat.
G. K. Gaudapâda's Mândûkya-Kârikâ.
Ish. U. Ishopanishat.
Kath. U. Kathopanishat.
Ke. U. Kenopanishat.
Mâ. U. Mândûkyopanishat.
M. N. U. Mahânârâyanopanishat.
Mu. U. Mundakopanishat.
Nâ. U. Nârâyanopanishat.
Pra. U. Prasnopanishat.
Sw. U. Swetâswataropanishat.
T. A. Taittiriya Âranyaka.
Tai. U. Taittirîyopanishat.

इस पृष्ठ पर कोई स्पष्ट अथवा पढ़ने योग्य अग्रभूमि पाठ (foreground text) मुद्रित नहीं है। यह पृष्ठ रिक्त (blank) है, जिस पर केवल विपरीत पृष्ठ की धुंधली प्रतिच्छाया (bleed-through) दिखाई दे रही है।

CONTENTS
PART I (PROSE)
CHAPTER PAGE

1. A method of enlightening the disciple . 1
2. The knowledge of the changeless and non-
   dual Self . . . . 33
3. Reiteration and Reflection . . . 71
   PART II (METRICAL)
4. Introduction . . . . . 79
5. Negation . . . . . 88
6. Self-Brahman . . . . . 90
7. The nature of right knowledge . . . 92
8. Error in understanding . . . 95
9. Negation of attributes . . . 98
10. Knowledge through the intellect . . 101
11. Merging of the mind . . . . 104
12. Subtleness and pervasiveness . . 107
13. Right conception of the nature of Conscious-
    ness . . . . 111
14. Nature of the Witness . . . 116
15. Light . . . . . 122
16. Eyelessness . . . . . 128

viii A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
CHAPTER PAGE
14. Dream and memory . . . . 136
15. Impossibility of one being another . . 151
16. Consisting of earth . . . . 167
17. Right knowledge . . . . 191
18. Thou art That . . . . 218
19. A conversation between the Self and the
Mind . . . . . 288
Index to verses . . . . 301

उपदेशसाहस्री
A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
गद्यबन्धः प्रथमो भागः
Part I (Prose)
शिष्यप्रतिबोधविधिप्रकरणम् ॥ १ ॥
CHAPTER I
A METHOD OF ENLIGHTENING THE DISCIPLE
अथ मोक्षसाधनोपदेशविधिं व्याख्यास्यामो मुमुक्षूणां श्रद्द-
धानानामर्थिनामर्थाय ॥ १ ॥

1. We shall now ¹ explain a method of teaching
   the means ² to liberation for the benefit of those
   aspirants after liberation who are desirous (of this teach-
   ing) and are possessed of faith (in it).
   ¹ After writing various books. ² Self-Knowledge .

2 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
तदिदं मोक्षसाधनं ज्ञानं साधनसाध्यादनित्यात्सर्वस्माद्विर-
क्ताय त्यक्तपुत्रवित्तलोकैषणाय प्रतिपन्नपरमहंसपारिव्राज्याय शम-
दमदयादियुक्ताय शास्त्रप्रसिद्धशिष्यगुणसम्पन्नाय शुचये ब्राह्मणाय
विधिवदुपसन्नाय शिष्याय जातिकर्मवृत्तविद्याभिजनैः परीक्ष्रि-
ताय ब्रूयात् पुनःपुनः यावद्ग्रहणं दृढीभवति ॥ २ ॥
2. That means to liberation, viz. Knowledge,
should be explained again and again until it is firmly
grasped, to a pure Brâhmana disciple who is indifferent
to everything that is transitory and achievable through
certain means, who has given up the desire for a son,
for wealth and for this world ¹ and the next,² who has
adopted the life of a wandering monk and is endowed
with control over the mind and senses, with compassion
etc., as well as with the qualities of a disciple well-
known in the scriptures, and who has approached the
teacher in the prescribed manner, and been examined
in respect of his caste, profession, conduct, learning and
parentage.
श्रुतिश्च—'परीक्ष्य लोकान् ... तत्त्वतो ब्रह्मविद्याम्' इति ।
दृढगृहीता हि विद्या आत्मनः श्रेयसे सन्तत्यै च भवति ।
विद्यासन्ततिश्च प्राण्‍यनुग्रहाय भवति नौरिव नदीं तितीर्षोः ।
शास्त्रं च—'यद्यप्यस्मा इमामद्भिः परिगृहीतां धनस्य पूर्णां
दद्यात् एतदेव ततो भूयः' इति । अन्यथा च ज्ञानप्राप्त्य-
भावात्—'आचार्यवान् पुरुषो वेद', 'आचार्याद्धैव विद्या
¹ Attainable through the birth of a son. Br. U., 1. 5. 16 and
Br. U., 6. 4. 1. Sankara's Commentary.
² The region of the fathers, the result of Vedic actions, and that
of the gods, the result of meditation. Br. U., 1. 5. 16.

A METHOD OF ENLIGHTENING THE DISCIPLE 3
विदिता', 'आचार्यः प्लावयिता', 'सम्यग्ज्ञानं प्लव इहोच्यते'
इत्यादिश्रुतिभ्यः, 'उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं' इत्यादिस्मृतेश्च ॥ ३ ॥
3. The Sruti¹ also says "A Brâhmana after ex-
amining those worlds which are the result of Vedic
actions should be indifferent to them seeing that
nothing eternal can be achieved by means of those
actions. Then, with fuel in his hands he should
approach a teacher versed in the Vedas and esta-
blished in Brahman, in order to know the Eternal.
The learned teacher should correctly explain to that
disciple who has self-control and a tranquil mind, and
has approached him in the prescribed manner, the
knowledge of Brahman revealing the imperishable and
eternal Being." For only when knowledge is firmly
grasped, it conduces to one's own good and is capable
of transmission. This transmission of knowledge is
helpful to people, like a boat to one who wants to cross
a river. The scriptures too say "Although one may
give to the teacher this world surrounded by oceans
and full of riches, this knowledge is even greater than
that." Otherwise² there would be no attainment of
knowledge. For the Srutis say, "A man³ having a
teacher can know Brahman," "Knowledge⁴ received
from a teacher alone (becomes perfect)," "The teacher
is the pilot," "Right Knowledge is called in this world a
raft," etc. The Smriti⁵ also says, "knowledge will be
imparted to you" etc.
¹ Mu. U., 1. 2. 12, 13. ² If it were not taught by a teacher.
³ Chh. U., 6. 14. 2. ⁴ Chh. U., 4. 9. 3. ⁵ Bh. Gîtâ, 4. 34.

4 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
शिष्यस्य ज्ञानाग्रहणं च लिङ्गैर्बुद्ध्वा अग्रहणे हेतून अधर्म-
लौकिक-प्रमाद-नित्यानित्यविवेकविषयासञ्जातदृढपूर्वश्रुतत्व-लोक-
चिन्तावेक्षण-जात्याद्यभिमानादीन् तत्प्रतिपक्षैः श्रुतिस्मृतिविहितैः
अपनयेत्, अक्रोधादिभिरहिंसादिभिश्च यमैः, ज्ञानाविरुद्धैश्च
नियमैः ॥ ४ ॥
4. When the teacher finds from signs that know-
ledge has not been grasped (or has been wrongly
grasped) by the disciple he should remove the causes
of non-comprehension which are past and present sins,
laxity,¹ want of previous firm knowledge of what con-
stitutes the subjects ² of discrimination between the
eternal and the non-eternal, courting popular esteem,
vanity of caste etc., and so on, through means contrary
to those causes, enjoined by the Srutis and Smritis viz.
avoidance of anger etc., and the vows (Yama³) con-
sisting of non-injury etc., also the rules of conduct
that are not inconsistent with knowledge.
अमानित्वादिगुणं च ज्ञानोपायं सम्यक् ग्राहयेत् ॥ ५ ॥
5. He should also thoroughly impress upon the
disciple qualities like humility, which are the means
to knowledge.
आचार्यस्तूहापोहग्रहणधारणशमदमदयानुग्रहादिसम्पन्नो लब्धा-
गमो दृष्टादृष्टभोगेष्वनासक्तः त्यक्तसर्वकर्मसाधनो ब्रह्मवित् ब्रह्मणि
स्थितोऽभिन्नवृत्तो दम्भदर्पकुहकशाठ्यमायामात्सर्यान्नृताहङ्कारम-
¹ Unrestrained conduct, speech, eating, etc. ² viz., the Self and
the non-Self. ³ i.e., non-injury, truthfulness, non-stealing, contin-
. ence and non-acceptance of gifts.

A METHOD OF ENLIGHTENING THE DISCIPLE 5
त्त्वादिदोषवर्जितः केवलपरानुग्रहप्रयोजनो विद्योपयोगार्थी पूर्व-
मुपदिशेत्—'सदेव सोम्येदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वितीयम्', 'यत्र
नान्यत्पश्यति', 'आत्मैवेदं सर्वम्', 'आत्मा वा इदमेक एवाग्र
आसीत्', 'सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म' इत्याद्याः आत्मैक्यप्रतिपादन-
पराः श्रुतीः ॥ ६ ॥
6. The teacher is one who is endowed with the
power of furnishing arguments pro and con, of under-
standing questions$^1$ and remembering$^2$ them, who
possesses tranquillity, self-control, compassion and a
desire to help others, who is versed$^3$ in the scriptures and
unattached to enjoyments both seen$^4$ and unseen, who
has renounced the means to all kinds of actions, is a
knower of Brahman and established in It, is never a
transgressor of the rules of conduct, and who is devoid of
shortcomings such as ostentation, pride, deceit, cunning,
jugglery, jealousy, falsehood, egotism and attachment.
He has the sole aim of helping others and a desire to
impart the knowledge of Brahman only. He should
first of all teach the Sruti texts establishing the oneness
of the Self with Brahman such as, "My$^5$ child, in the
beginning it (the universe) was Existence only, one
alone without a second," "Where$^6$ one sees nothing
else," "All$^7$ this is but the Self", "In$^8$ the beginning
all this was but the one Self" and "All$^9$ this is verily
Brahman".
$^1$ Put by the disciple. $^2$ So as to answer them. $^3$ Through instruc-
tions traditionally handed down to him. $^4$ i.e., both here and here-
after. $^5$ Chh. U., 6. 2. 1. $^6$ Chh. U., 7. 24. 1. $^7$ Chh. U., 7. 25. 2.
$^8$ Ai. U., 1. 1. 1. $^9$ Chh. U., 3. 14. 1.

6 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
उपदिश्य च ग्राहयेत् ब्रह्मणो लक्षणम्—‘य आत्माऽपहत-
पाप्मा’, ‘यत्साक्षादपरोक्षाद्ब्रह्म’, ‘योऽशनायापिपासे’, ‘नेति
नेति’, ‘अस्थूलमनणु’, ‘स एष नेति’, ‘अदृष्टं द्रष्टृ’,
‘विज्ञानमानन्दम्’, ‘सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तम्’, ‘अदृश्येऽनात्म्ये’,
‘स वा एष महानज आत्मा’, ‘अप्राणो ह्यमनाः’, ‘सबाह्या-
भ्यन्तरो ह्यजः’, ‘विज्ञानघन एव’, ‘अनन्तरमबाह्यम्’,
‘अन्यदेव तद्विदितादथो अविदितात्’, ‘आकाशो वै नाम’
इत्यादिश्रुतिभिः ॥ ७ ॥
स्मृतिभिश्च—‘न जायते म्रियते वा’, ‘नादत्ते कस्यचि-
त्पापम्’, ‘यथाकाशस्थितो नित्यम्’, ‘क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां
विद्धि’, ‘न सत्तन्नासदुच्यते’, ‘अनादित्वान्निर्गुणत्वात्’, ‘समं
सर्वेषु भूतेषु’, ‘उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः’ इत्यादिभिः श्रुत्युक्त-
लक्षणाविरुद्धाभिः परमात्मासंसारित्वप्रतिपादनपराभिः तस्य सर्वे-
षानानन्यत्वप्रतिपादनपराभिश्च ॥ ८ ॥
7, 8. After teaching these he should teach the defi-
nition of Brahman through such Sruti texts as “The
Self¹ devoid of sins”, “The Brahman² that is immediate
and direct,” “That³ which is beyond hunger and thirst”,
‘'Not⁴-this, not-this”, “Neither⁵ gross nor subtle”,
“This⁶ Self is not-this”, “It⁷ is the Seer Itself un-
seen”, “Knowledge⁸-Bliss”, “Existence⁹-Knowledge-
Infinite”, “Imperceptible¹⁰ bodiless”, “That¹¹ great
¹ Chh. U., 8. 7. 1. ² Br. U., 3. 4. 1. ³ Br. U., 3. 5. 1.
⁴ Br. U., 2. 3. 6. ⁵ Br. U., 3. 8. 8. ⁶ Br. U., 3. 9. 26.
⁷ Br. U., 3. 8. 11. ⁸ Br. U., Sloka 7, under 3. 9. 27.
⁹ Tai. U., 2. 1. ¹⁰ Tai. U., 2. 7. ¹¹ Br. U., 4. 4. 22.

A METHOD OF ENLIGHTENING THE DISCIPLE 7
unborn Self ", " Without ¹ the vital force and the mind,"
" Unborn ², comprising the interior and exterior ", " Con-
sisting ³ of knowledge only ", " Without ⁴ interior or exte-
rior ", " It ⁵ is verily beyond what is known as also what
is unknown " and " Called ⁶ Âkâsha (the self-effulgent
One) ", and also through such Smriti texts as the follow-
ing : " It is ⁷ neither born nor dies," " It is ⁸ not affected
by anybody's sins," " Just ⁹ as air is always in the ether,"
" 'The individual ¹⁰ Self should be regarded as the univer-
sal one,' " " It is ¹¹ called neither existent nor non-existent,"
" As ¹² the Self is beginningless and devoid of qualities,"
" The ¹³ same in all beings " and " The Supreme ¹⁴ Being
is different ; "—all these support the definition given by
the Srutis and prove that the innermost Self is beyond
transmigratory existence and that it is not different from
Brahman, the all-comprehensive principle.
एवं श्रुतिस्मृतिभिः गृहीतपरमात्मलक्षणं शिष्यं संसारसागरा-
दुत्तितीर्षुं पृच्छेत्—कस्त्वमसि सोम्येति ॥ ९ ॥
9. The disciple who has thus learnt the definition
of the inner Self from the Srutis and the Smritis and is
eager to cross the ocean of transmigratory existence is
asked, " who are you, my child ? "
स यदि ब्रूयात्—ब्राह्मणपुत्रः अदोन्वयः ब्रह्मचार्यासिम् ,
गृहस्थो वा, इदानीमस्मि परमहंसपरिव्राट् संसारसागरात् जन्म-
मृत्युमहाग्राहात् उत्तितीर्षुरिति ॥ १० ॥
¹ Mu. U., 2. 1. 2. ² Mu. U., 2. 1. 2. ³ Br. U., 2. 4. 12.
⁴ Br. U., 2. 5. 19. ⁵ Ke. U., 1. 3. ⁶ Chh. U., 8. 14. 1.
⁷ Bh. Gîtâ, 2. 20. ⁸ Bh. Gîtâ, 5. 15. ⁹ Bh. Gîtâ, 9. 6.
¹⁰ Bh. Gîtâ, 13, 2. ¹¹ Bh. Gîtâ, 13. 12. ¹² Bh. Gîtâ, 13. 31.
¹³ Bh. Gîtâ, 13. 27. ¹⁴ Bh. Gîtâ, 15. 17.

8 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
आचार्यो ब्रूयात्—इहैव तव सोम्य मृतस्य शरीरं वयोभि-
र्भक्ष्यते मृद्भावं वापद्यते, तत्र कथं संसारादुद्धर्तुमिच्छसीति । नहि
नद्याः अवरे कूले भस्मीभूते नद्याः पारं तरिष्यसीति ॥ ११ ॥
10, 11. If he says, “ I am the son of a Brâhmaṇa
belonging to such and such a lineage, I was a student
or a householder, and am now a wandering monk
anxious to cross the ocean of transmigratory existence
infested with the terrible sharks of birth and death,” the
teacher should say, “ My child, how do you desire to
go beyond transmigratory existence as your body will
be eaten up by birds or will turn into earth even here
when you die ? For, burnt to ashes on this side of the
river, you cannot cross to the other side.”
स यदि ब्रूयात्—अन्योऽहं शरीरात् । शरीरं तु जायते
म्रियते, वयोभिर्भक्ष्यते, शस्त्राग्न्यादिभिश्च विनाश्यते, व्याध्यादि-
भिश्च प्रयुज्यते । तस्मिन् अहं स्वकृतधर्माधर्मवशात् पक्षी नीड-
मिव प्रविष्टः पुनःपुनः शरीरविनाशे धर्माधर्मवशात् शरीरान्तरं
यास्यामि, पूर्वनिीडविनाशे पक्षीव नीडान्तरम् । एवमेवाहमनादौ
संसारे देवमनुष्यतिर्यङ्निरयस्थानेषु स्वकर्मवशादुपात्तमुपात्तं
शरीरं त्यजन्, नवं नवं च अन्यदुपाददानो, जन्ममरणप्रबन्धचक्रे
घटीयन्त्रवत् स्वकर्मणा भ्राम्यमाणः क्रमेणेदं शरीरमासाद्य
संसारचक्रभ्रमणात् अस्मान्निर्विण्णो भगवन्तमुपसन्नोऽस्मि संसा-
रचक्रभ्रमणप्रशमाय । तस्मान्नित्य एवाहं शरीरादन्यः । शरीराणि
आगच्छन्त्यपगच्छन्ति च वासांसीव पुरुषस्येति ॥ १२ ॥
आचार्यो ब्रूयात्—साध्ववादीः, सम्यक्पश्यसि । कथं मृषा-
ऽवादीः, ब्राह्मणपुत्रोऽदोन्वयो ब्रह्मचार्यासम्, गृहस्थो वा, इदा-
नीमस्मि परमहंसपरिव्राडिति ॥ १३ ॥

A METHOD OF ENLIGHTENING THE DISCIPLE 9
12, 13. If he says, "I am different from the body.
The body is born and dies, is eaten up by birds, is
destroyed by weapons, fire etc., and suffers from
diseases and the like. I have entered it, like a bird its
nest, on account of merit and demerit accruing from
acts done by myself, and like a bird going to another
nest when the previous one is destroyed I shall enter
into different bodies again and again as a result of
merits and demerits when the present body is gone.
Thus in this beginningless world on account of my own
actions I have been giving up successive bodies assum-
ed among gods, men, animals and the denizens of hell
and assuming ever new ones. I have in this way been
made to go round and round in the cycle of endless
births and deaths, as in a Persian wheel by my past
actions, and having in the course of time obtained the
present body I have got tired of this going round and
round in the wheel of transmigration, and have come to
you, Sir, to put an end to this rotation. I am, therefore,
always different from the body. It is bodies that come
and go, like clothes on a person,"—the teacher would
reply, "You have spoken well. You see aright. Why
then did you wrongly say, 'I am the son of a Brâhmaṇa
belonging to such and such a lineage, I was a student
or a householder and am now a wandering monk?'"
तं प्रति ब्रूयादाचार्यः—स यदि ब्रूयात् भगवन्, कथमहं
मृषाऽवादिषमिति ॥ १४ ॥ यतस्त्वं भिन्नजात्यन्वयसंस्कारं
शरीरं जात्यन्वयवर्जितस्यात्मनः प्रत्यभ्यज्ञासीः ब्राह्मणपुत्रोऽदो-
न्वय इत्यादिना वाक्येनेति ॥ १५ ॥

10 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
14, 15. If the disciple says, "How did I speak
wrongly, Sir?" The teacher would reply, "Because by
your statement, 'I am the son of a Brāhmana belonging
to such and such a lineage etc.' you identified with the
Self devoid of birth, lineage and purificatory ceremonies,
the body possessed of them that are different¹ (from
the Self)."
स यदि पृच्छेत् कथं भिन्नजात्यन्वयसंस्कारं शरीरं, कथं वा
अहं जात्यन्वयसंस्कारवर्जित इति ॥ १६ ॥
आचार्यो ब्रूयात्—शृणु सोम्य यथेदं शरीरं त्वत्तो भिन्नं
भिन्नजात्यन्वयसंस्कारं, त्वं च जात्यन्वयसंस्कारवर्जितः, इत्यु-
क्त्वा तं स्मारयेत्—स्मर्तुमर्हसि सोम्य, परमात्मानं सर्वात्मानं
यथोक्तलक्षणं श्रावितोऽसि 'सदेव सोम्येदम' इत्यादिभिः श्रुतिभिः
स्मृतिभिश्च । लक्षणं च तस्य श्रुतिभिः स्मृतिभिश्च ॥ १७ ॥
16, 17. If he asks, "How is the body possessed
of the diversities of birth, lineage and purificatory cere-
monies (different from the Self) and how am I devoid
of them?"—The teacher would say, "Listen, my child,
how this body is different from you and possessed of
birth, lineage and sanctifying ceremonies and how you
are free from these." Speaking thus he will remind the
disciple saying, "You should remember, my child, you
have been told about the innermost Self which is the
Self of all with its characteristics as described by the
Srutis such as 'This² was existence, my child' etc., as
also the Smritis, and you should remember these charac-
teristics also."
¹ i.e., of the nature of the non-Self. ² Chh. U., 6. 2. 1.

A METHOD OF ENLIGHTENING THE DISCIPLE 11
लब्धपरमात्मलक्षणस्मृतये ब्रूयात् — योऽसावाकाशनामा नाम-
रूपाभ्यामर्थान्तरभूतः अशरीरः अस्थूलादिलक्षणः अपहत-
पाप्मादिलक्षणश्च सर्वैः संसारधर्मैः अनागन्धितः ‘यत्तत्साक्षाद्-
परोक्षाद्ब्रह्म’, ‘य आत्मा सर्वान्तरः’, ‘अदृष्टो द्रष्टा अश्रुतः
श्रोता अमतो मन्ता अविज्ञातो विज्ञाता’ नित्यविज्ञानस्वरूपः,
अनन्तरः अबाह्यः विज्ञानघन एव, परिपूर्णः आकाशवत्, अन-
न्तशक्तिः, आत्मा सर्वस्य, अशनायादिवर्जितः, आविर्भावतिरो-
भाववर्जितश्च, स्वात्मविलक्षणयोः नामरूपयोः जगद्बीजभूतयोः
स्वात्मस्थयोः तत्त्वान्यत्वाभ्यामनिर्वचनीययोः स्वसंवेद्ययोः
सद्भावमात्रेणाचिन्त्यशक्तित्वाद् व्याकर्ता अव्याकृतयोः ॥ १८ ॥
18. The teacher should say to the disciple who has
remembered the definition of the Self, “That which is
called Âkâsha (the self-effulgent one) which is distinct
from name and form, bodiless and defined as not gross
etc., and as free from sins and so on, which is untouched
by all transmigratory conditions, ‘The Brahman¹ that
is immediate and direct,’ ‘The innermost² Self,’ ‘The
unseen³ seer, the unheard listener, the unthought
thinker, the unknown knower’, which is of the nature
of eternal knowledge, without interior or exterior, con-
sisting only of knowledge, all-pervading like the ether
and of infinite power—that Self of all devoid of hunger
etc., as also appearance and disappearance, is, by
virtue of Its inscrutable power, the cause of the manifes-
tation of unmanifested name and form which abide in
the Self through Its very presence,⁴ but are different from
¹ Br. U., 3. 4. 1. ² Br. U., 3. 4. 1. ³ Br. U., 3. 7. 23.
⁴ They have no existence of their own apart from that of the Self.

12 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS
It, which are the seed of the universe, are describable
neither as identical with It nor different from It, and are
cognized by It alone.
ते नामरूपे अव्याकृते सती व्याक्रियमाणे तस्मादेतस्मादात्मन
आकाशनामाकृती संवृत्ते । तच्चाकाशाख्यं भूतमेन प्रकारेण
परमात्मनः सम्भूतं प्रसन्नादिव सलिलान्मलमिव फेनम् । न सलिलं
न च सलिलादत्यन्तभिन्नं फेनम् । सलिलव्यतिरेकेणादर्शनात् ।
सलिलं तु स्वच्छं अन्यत् फेनान्मलरूपात् । एवं परमात्मा नाम-
रूपाभ्यामन्यः फेनस्थानीयाभ्यां शुद्धः प्रसन्नः तद्विलक्षणः । ते
नामरूपे अव्याकृते सती व्याक्रियमाणे फेनस्थानीये आकाश-
नामाकृती संवृत्ते ॥ १९ ॥
19. "That name and form originally unmanifested
took the name and form of the ether as they were
manifested from that Self. This element called the
ether thus arose out of the supreme Self, like the dirt
called foam coming out of transparent water. Foam is
neither water nor absolutely different from it. For it is
never seen apart from water. But water is clear, and
different from the foam which is of the nature of dirt.
Similarly the supreme Self which is pure and transparent
is different from name and form, which stand for foam.
These—corresponding to the foam—having originally
been unmanifested, took the name and form of the
ether as they were manifested.
ततोऽपि स्थूलभावमापद्यमाने नामरूपे व्याक्रियमाणे वायु-
भावमापद्येते, ततोऽप्यग्निभावं, अग्नेरब्भावं, ततः पृथिवीभावं
इत्येवंक्रमेण पूर्वपूर्वानुप्रवेशेन पञ्चमहाभूतानि पृथिव्यन्तान्युत्प-

A METHOD OF ENLIGHTENING THE DISCIPLE 13
न्नानि । ततः पञ्चमहाभूतगुणविशिष्टा पृथिवी । पृथ्व्याश्च पञ्चा-
त्मिक्यो व्रीहियवाद्या ओषधयो जायन्ते । ताभ्यो भक्षिताभ्यो
लोहितं च शुक्लं च स्त्रीपुंसशरीरसंबन्धि जायते । तदुभयमृतुकाले
अविद्याप्रयुक्तकामखजनिर्मथनोद्धृतं मन्त्रसंस्कृतं गर्भाशये निषि-
च्यते । तत्स्वयोनिरसानुप्रवेशेन विवर्धमानं गर्भीभूतं नवमे दशमे
वा मासि सञ्जायते ॥ २० ॥
20. "Name and form, as they became still grosser
in the course of manifestation assumed the form of air.
From that again they became fire, from that water, and
thence earth. In this order the preceding elements
penetrated the succeeding ones, and the five gross
elements ending with earth came into existence. Earth,
therefore, possesses the qualities of all the five gross
elements. From earth compounded of all the five great
elements, herbs such as paddy and barley are produced.
From these, after they are eaten, are formed blood and
the seed of women and men respectively. These two
ingredients drawn out, as by a churning rod, by lust
springing from Ignorance, and sanctified by mantras,¹
are placed in the womb at the proper time. Through
the infiltration of the sustaining fluids ² of the mother's
body, it ³ develops into an embryo and is delivered at
the ninth or tenth month.
तज्जातं लब्धनामाकृतिकं जातकर्मादिभिः मन्त्रसंस्कृतं पुनः
उपनयनसंस्कारयोगेन ब्रह्मचारिसंज्ञं भवति । तदेव शरीरं पत्नी-
¹ sacred mystical formulae. ² derived from food.
³ blood and seed mixed together.