chhAndogya upaniShad 6.2.1 - Shankara Bhashya 1 of 3

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advaitin, Gummuluru Murthy <gmurthy@m...> wrote:

>

> shrIlalitAyai namaH

>

> continuing on chhAndogya upaniShad, chapter 6

>

>

> sad eva, saumya, idam agra AsId ekam evAdvitIyam,

> taddhaika AhuH, asad evedam agra AsId ekam evAdvitIyam,

> tasmAd asataH sat jAyata 6.2.1

>

> saumya: dear boy

> idam: this (universe)

> agre: in the beginning (before creation)

> ekam: one

> eva: only

> advitIyam: without a second

> sat: existence

> eva: only

> AsId: was

> tad: about that

> ekeha: some

> Ahu: say

> idam: this

> agre: in the beginning

> ekam: one

> eva: only

> advitIyam: without a second

> asat: non-existence

> eva: alone

> AsId: was

> tasmAd asat: from that non-existence

> sat: whatever exists

> jAyet: arose (was born)

>

>

> In the beginning, dear boy, there was existence alone,

> one only without a second. Some people say that, in the

> beginning, there was non-existence alone, one only without

> a second. From that non-existence (they say), arose whatever

> exists.

 

Namaste,

 

Shankara Bhashya - tr. Sw. Gambhirananda Part 1 of 3

 

1 of 4

sat, Existence; eva, alone: The word sat means mere

Existence, a thing that is subtle, without distinction, all

pervasive, one, taintless, partless, consciousness,

which is known from all the Upanishads. The word eva is

used for emphasis.

What is that which is being determined?

This is being said: That which is idam, this, the

universe which is perceived as a modification possessed

of name, form, and movement; that AsIt, was Exist-

ence alone. The word sat-eva is connected with AsIt.

'When was all this Existence alone? This is being

answered: agre, in the beginning, before the creation

of the universe.

Objection: Is it that this is not Existence now, be-

cause of which it is said that it was so in the beginning?

Reply: No.

Objection: Then, why is the qualification there?

Reply: Even now it is surely Existence. But now it

stands qualified by name and form, and also as an

object of the word and idea 'this'. Therefore it is

termed as 'this'. But before creation, in the beginning,

this was only an object of the word and idea 'Existence'.

Hence it is emphasized that 'in the beginning, this

was Existence alone'. For, as in deep-sleep, so also

before creation it was not possible to grasp this as

possessed of name or form. As someone, after rising

from deep-sleep, realizes that in deep-sleep the thing

that existed was mere existence, i.e. he realizes exist-

ence alone, similar was the case before creation. This is

the meaning.