उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

3-8] THE NATURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS 113 इदं तु सत्यं मम नास्ति विक्रिया विकारहेतुर्न हि मेऽद्वयत्वतः । न पुण्यपापे न च मोक्षबन्धने न चास्ति वर्णाश्रमतोऽशरीरतः ॥ ६ ॥ 6. But it is true that I have no change nor any cause of a change as I am without a second. As I do not possess a body I have neither sin nor virtue, neither bondage nor liberation, neither a caste nor an order of life. अनादितो निर्गुणतो न कर्म मे फलं च तस्मात्परमोऽहमद्वयः । यथा नभः सर्वगतं न लिप्यते तथा ह्यहं देहगतोऽपि सूक्ष्मतः ॥ ७ ॥ 7. Beginningless¹ and devoid of attributes I have neither actions nor their results. Therefore I am the supreme One without a second. Though in a body I do not get attached on account of My subtleness² like the ether which, though all-pervading, does not get tainted. सदा च भूतेषु समोऽहमीश्वरः क्षराक्षराभ्यां परमो ह्यथोत्तमः । परात्मतत्त्वश्च तथाद्वयोऽपि सन्विपर्ययेणाभिमतस्त्वविद्यया ॥ ८ ॥ 8. Though I am the Lord³ always the same in all beings, beyond the perishable and the imperishable,⁴ and therefore the Supreme, the Self of all, and without a second I am considered to be of a contrary nature on account of Ignorance. ¹ Bh. Gîtâ, 13. 31. ² I.e., having no form. See Bh. Gîtâ, 13. 32. ³ I.e., the cause. And therefore untouched by the defects of beings in whom I reside. ⁴ The unmanifested Power of Brahman which transforms itself into the manifested universe. See Bh. Gîtâ, 15. 16-18. 8