उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

15-21] INTRODUCTION 85 18. How¹ can Ignorance, once negated (by Vedic evidence), arise again? For it is neither in the inner- most Self which is only one² without a second and without attributes nor in the non-Self.³ न चेद्भूयः प्रसूयेत कर्ता भोक्तेति धीः कथम् । सदस्मीति च विज्ञाने तस्माद्विद्याऽसहायिका ॥ १९ ॥ 19. How can there again be the idea⁴ that one is a doer of actions and experiencer of their results if Ignor- ance does not arise after there has grown the Know- ledge, ‘ I am Brahman ’ ? Knowledge, therefore, is inde- pendent of actions (in producing liberation). अत्यरेचयदित्युक्तो न्यासः श्रुत्यात एव हि । कर्मभ्यो मानसान्तेभ्य एतावदिति वाजिनाम् ॥ २० ॥ अमृतत्वं श्रुतं यस्मात्त्याज्यं कर्म मुमुक्षुभिः । अग्निष्टोमवदित्युक्तं तत्रेदमभिधीयते ॥ २१ ॥ 20, 21 (first line). Therefore, it is said by the Sruti that the renunciation of actions including mental ones (catalogued in the Nârâyanopanishat)⁵ is superior to their performance. Again immortality is heard of in the Brihadâranyakopanishat⁶ which says “ This⁷ alone.” Hence they should be renounced by those who aspire after liberation. ¹ This verse is an answer to the objection that Ignorance, though negated, may prevail again. ² So, the Self cannot cause Ignor- ance. ³ No category in the domain of the non-Self can cause Ignorance as all such categories are caused by it. ⁴ So, actions, naturally depending on this idea, become impossible then. ⁵ Nâ. U. 78. ⁶ 4. 5. 15. ⁷ I. e., knowledge alone, independent of actions, is the cause of immortality (liberation).