उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

16-23] IMPOSSIBILITY OF ONE BEING ANOTHER 157 व्यस्तं नाहं समस्तं वा भूतमिन्द्रियमेव वा । ज्ञेयत्वात्करणत्वाच्च ज्ञातान्योऽस्माद्घटादिवत् ॥ २० ॥ 20. I am not any one of the elements separately nor their aggregate; similarly, I am not any one of the senses nor their aggregate; for they are objects (like jars etc.) and instruments (like axes etc.) of knowledge respectively. The knower is different from all these. आत्माग्नेरिन्धना बुद्धिरविद्याकामकर्मभिः । दीपिता प्रज्वलत्येषा द्वारैः श्रोत्रादिभिः सदा ॥ २१ ॥ 21. (Placed¹) like fuel² in the fire of the Self and burning brightly by Ignorance, desire and action the intellect always shines forth through the doors called ears etc. दक्षिणाक्षिप्रधानेषु यदा बुद्धिविचेष्टते । विषयैर्हविषा दीप्ता ह्यात्माग्निः स्थूलभुत्तदा ॥ २२ ॥ 22. The fire of the Self is the experiencer of gross objects (in the waking state) when the intellect, ignited³ by oblations, the objects function among the senses of which the right⁴ eye is the chief. हूयन्ते तु हवींषीति रूपादिग्रहणे स्मरन् । अरागद्वेष आत्माग्नौ जाग्रद्दोषैर्न लिप्यते ॥ २३ ॥ ¹ One gets unattached if one considers the perceptions of objects to be oblations to the fire of the Self. ² Fuel keeps fire burning. The intellect keeps the Self in manifestation. ³ Assuming the forms of. ⁴ For it is well-known that the right part of the body is superior to the left.