उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

266 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVIII belongs. Moreover the Self is changeless because ¹ It has no other witness. कर्त्रा चेदहमित्येवमनुभूयेत मुक्तता । सुखदुःखविनिर्मोक्षो नाहंकर्तरि युज्यते ॥ १६० ॥ 160. If the agent, the ego, were to feel ' I am liberated ' ² freedom from pain and pleasure would not be reasonable ³ with respect to it. बाध्यते प्रत्ययेनेह विवेकेनाविवेकवान् । देहादावभिमानोत्थो दुःखीति प्रत्ययो ध्रुवम् । कुण्डलीप्रत्ययो यद्वत्प्रत्यगात्माभिमानिना ॥ १६१ ॥ विपर्ययेऽसदन्तं स्यात्प्रमाणस्याप्रमाणतः ॥ १६२ ॥ 161, 162. The wrong knowledge that one is happy or unhappy due to one's identification with the body etc., like the pleasure or sorrow due to the possession or loss of an ear-ring, is surely negated by the right knowledge that one is Pure Consciousness. An evidence becoming non-evidence, everything will end in non-existence in the reverse case.⁴ दाहच्छेदविनाशेषु दुःखित्वं नान्यथात्मनः । नैव ह्यन्यस्य दाह्यादावन्यो दुःखी भवेत्क्वचित् ॥ १६३ ॥ 163. One feels pain when one's body gets burnt, cut or destroyed, (because one identifies oneself with ¹ It is only changeful things that can have a witness. If a witness of the Self is assumed there will be a regressus ad infinitum. ² Liberation, the result, apparently belongs to the Self. (See verses 107, 108 and 109 above.) ³ For an agent is always connected with pain and pleasure. ⁴ Where wrong knowledge to negate right knowledge.