उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

ईश्वरात्मप्रकरणम् ॥ ३ ॥ CHAPTER III SELF-BRAHMAN ईश्वरश्चेदनात्मा स्यान्नासावस्मीति धारयेत् । आत्मा चेदीश्वरोऽस्मीति विद्या साऽन्यनिवर्तिका ॥ १ ॥

1. The aspirant cannot know that he is Brahman if It be different from the Self. (It then contradicts the Sruti.) But if he has the conviction that he, the Self, is Brahman (there is no contradiction to the Sruti). This is (right) Knowledge which destroys Ignorance.¹ आत्मनोऽन्यस्य चेद्धर्मा अस्थूलत्वादयो मताः । अज्ञेयत्वेऽस्य किं तैः स्यादात्मत्वे ह्यन्यधीह्नुतिः ॥ २ ॥
2. What would be the use (of the description by the Sruti) of the qualities, ‘not² large’ etc. if they were the qualities of one³ other than the Self, it being not⁴ an object of search? But if Brahman (with these qualities) is the Self the ideas⁵ such as, largeness, smallness, etc. are negated⁶ from the latter. ¹ Which falsely shows that there are things other than the Self. ² Br. U., 3. 8. 8. ³ Personal God. ⁴ For it is other than the Self. See Br. U., 1. 4. 7. ⁵ Superimposed on the Self. ⁶ And thus libera- tion is achieved.