उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

110 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. IX रूपवत्त्वाद्यसत्त्वान्न दृष्ट्यादेः कर्मता यथा । एवं विज्ञानकर्मत्वं भूम्नो नास्तीति गम्यते ॥ ९ ॥ 9. It is clearly understood that Brahman cannot be the object¹ of knowledge just as It cannot be the object² of seeing etc. as It has no colour, form and the like. ¹ It is said in the Chhândogyopanishat (7. 24. 1) : ' Where one sees nothing else, knows nothing else it is Brahman', from which it might be inferred that one does not see or know anything else, it is true but one sees and knows the Self. The above verse is to remove this doubt. The Chh. text (7. 24. 1) prohibits in Brahman the duality appearing to be real during Ignorance. ² It is said in the Brihadâranyakopanishat (2. 4. 5) : ' The Self should be seen, heard, reflected upon and meditated on.' So there may be a doubt that the Self is the object of seeing etc. The present verse is to remove this doubt. The Br. text (2. 4. 5) is really intended to make people turn away from the non-Self. It is not to teach them that the Self is object of seeing etc.