उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

272 A THOUSAND TEACHINGS [CHAP. XVIII तत्त्वमस्यादिवाक्येषु त्वंपदार्थाविवेकतः । व्यज्यते नैव वाक्यार्थो नित्यमुक्तोऽहमित्यतः ॥ १८१ ॥ अन्वयव्यतिरेकोक्तिस्तद्विवेकाय नान्यथा । त्वंपदार्थविवेके हि पाणावर्पितबिल्ववत् ॥ १८२ ॥ वाक्यार्थो व्यज्यते चैवं केवलोऽहंपदार्थतः । दुःखीत्येतदपोहेन प्रत्यगात्मविनिश्चयात् ॥ १८३ ॥ 181—183. The meaning of the sentences like ‘Thou art That’, i.e., one is Brahman ever free, does not become manifest on account of the non-discrimination of the (implied) meaning of the word ‘Thou’. It is for the purpose of discriminating the meaning of that word and for no other purpose that the method of agreement and contrariety has been described. For when the meaning of the word ‘thou’ is discriminated by the negation of the ego subject to unhappiness from the meaning¹ of the word ‘I’ one becomes prefectly sure of the nature of the Innermost Self. And then the meaning² of the sentence viz., One Pure Con- sciousness, becomes manifest like an Aegle marmelos fruit placed on one’s palm. तत्रैवं संभवत्यर्थे श्रुतहानाश्रुतार्थधीः । नैव कल्पयितुं युक्ता पदवाक्यार्थकोविदैः ॥ १८४ ॥ 184. Those who are well-versed in the meanings of words and sentences should not, therefore, assume a meaning³ which is not in accordance with the Srutis ¹ The direct meaning. See foot-note 2, verse 173. ² See foot-note 3, verse 173. ³ Action (e.g., the reiteration of the idea, ‘I am Brahman’) as the direct means to right knowledge causing the cessation of Ignorance.