उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

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.