उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

180 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVI real nature is never destroyed. For It is uncaused and cannot be accepted or rejected by oneself (or by others) while other things (e.g., states etc.) are caused. स्वरूपत्वान्न सर्वस्य त्यक्तुं शक्यो ह्यनन्यतः । ग्रहीतुं वा ततो नित्योऽविषयत्वात्पृथक्त्वतः ॥ ४२ ॥ 42. As It is the Self of every thing, not different from anything and not an object like a thing separate from It the Self cannot be accepted or rejected. It is, therefore, eternal. आत्मार्थत्वाच्च सर्वस्य नित्य आत्मैव केवलः । त्यजेत्तस्मात्क्रियाः सर्वाः साधनैः सह मोक्षवित् ॥ ४३ ॥ 43. Everything (transitory) is for the experience of the Self which is eternal and free from all adjuncts. (Liberation is, therefore, nothing but being established in one's own Self.) As it is so, one aspiring after liberation should renounce all (Vedic) actions with their accessories. आत्मलाभः परो लाभ इति शास्त्रोपपत्तयः । अलाभोऽन्यात्मलाभस्तु त्यजेत्तस्मादनात्मताम् ॥ ४४ ॥ 44. To know the real Self¹ to be one's own is the greatest attainment according to the scriptures and reasoning. To know wrongly the non-Self such as, the ego etc. to be the Self is no attainment at all. One, therefore, should renounce this misconception of taking the non-Self for the Self. ¹ Brahman, the Universal Self.