उपदेशसाहस्री (आदि शङ्कराचार्य - गद्य व पद्य भाग)

222-228] 'THOU ART THAT' 285 knowledge, the Srutis, inasmuch as no$^1$ other source of knowledge can then exist for one? तस्माद्वाक्यार्थविज्ञानान्नोर्ध्वं कर्मविधिर्भवेत् । नहि ब्रह्मास्मि कर्तेति विरुद्धे भवतो धियौ ॥ २२५ ॥ 225. No actions can, therefore, be enjoined on one when one has known the meaning of the sentence.$^2$ For the two contradictory ideas, 'I am Brahman' and 'I am an agent' cannot exist together. ब्रह्मास्मीति च विद्येयं नैत्र कर्तेति बाध्यते । सकामो बद्ध इत्येवं प्रमाणाभासजातया ॥ २२६ ॥ शास्त्राद्ब्रह्मास्मि नान्योऽहमिति बुद्धिर्भवेद्दृढा । यदाऽयुक्ता तदैवं धीर्यथा देहात्मधीरिरिति ॥ २२७ ॥ 226, 227. That one is Brahman is the right know- ledge. It is not negated by the false conceptions that one is an agent, has desires and is bound arising from fallacious evidences. This (false) knowledge (i.e., I am an agent), like the identification$^3$ of the Self with the body, becomes unreasonable when the knowledge that one is Brahman and not other than It is firmly grasped according to (the teaching of) the scriptures. सभयादभयं प्राप्तस्तदर्थं यतते च यः । स पुनः सभयं गन्तुं स्वतन्त्रश्चेन्न गच्छति ॥ २२८ ॥ 228. A man who tries to remain free from fear after going to a place devoid of it from one full of fear does not, if independent, go to a place of fear again. $^1$ They are then all proved to be unreal. $^2$ 'Thou art That.' $^3$ The idea, 'I am a man.'