Shata-shlokI of Shankara - 49,50 of 101

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Namaste.

 

49

otaH protashca tantushh-viha vitata-paTash-citra-varNeshhu

citraH

tasmin jijnAsyamAne nanu bhavati paTaH

sUtra-mAtrA-vasheshhaH /

tadvad-vishvaM vicitraM

naga-nagara-nara-grAmam-ashvAdi-rUpaM

protaM vairAja-rUpe sa viyati tad-api brahmaNi protam-otaM

//

 

iha : In this world

citraH vitata-paTaH : the spread-out picturesque cloth

otaH protaH ca : is woven crosswise and lengthwise

citravarNeshhu tantushhu : of threads of many colours.

tasmin jijnAsamAne : When this is so understood

nanu bhavati paTaH : there remains, indeed, nothing of the

cloth

sUtra-mAtra-avasheshhaH : except the threads.

tadvat vicitraM vishvaM : So is the manifold universe

naga-nagara-nara-grAmam-ashvAdi-rUpaM: in the form of

mountains, cities, men, villages, animals, etc.

protaM vairAja-rUpe : pervaded throughout by the

transcendental VirAT,

sa viyati : and that too by the space (AkAsha)

tad-api : and that too

protam-otam : woven in and through

brahmaNi : brahman.

 

Note: Recall the dialogue between Gargi and Yajnavalkya in

the Upanishad.

 

50

rUpaM rUpaM pratI-daM pratiphalana-vashAt prAti-rUpyaM

prapede

hyeko drashhTA dvitIyo bhavati ca salile

sarvato’nanta-rUpaH /

indro mAyAbhir-Aste shrutir-iti vadati vyApakaM brahma

tasmAt

jIvatvaM yAty-akasmAd-ati-vimalatare bimbitaM

buddhy-upAdhau //

 

idaM : This brahman

pratiphalana-vashAt : because of its manifestation

(reflection)

rUpaM rUpaM prati : in objects of various forms

prAtirUpyaM prapede: assumes those corresponding forms:

Eko drashhTA : (just as) one seer

dvitIyaH ca bhavati hi : becomes also a second one,

indeed,

salile : (by reflection) in water.

shrutiH iti vadati : The veda (also) speaks thus:

indraH mAyAbhiH Aste : The Ultimate One is seated along

with its powers of mAyA

sarvataH anantarUpaH : and has infinite forms on all

sides.

tasmAt : Therefore

vyApakaM brahma: The all-pervading brahman

jIvatvaM yAti : becomes the individual soul

akasmAt bimbitaM : by being accidentally reflected

buddhy-upAdhau : in the limitation of the intellect

ati-vimalatare : that is faultlessly clear.

 

Note 1. The famous words ‘indro mAyAbhiH’ come from the Rg

Veda itself (6-47-18).

ruupáM-ruupam prátiruupo babhuuva tád asya ruupám

praticákSaNaaya

índro maayaábhiH pururuúpa iiyate yuktaá hy àsya hárayaH

shataá dásha

In every figure he hath been the mode: this is his only

form for us to look on.

Indra moves multiform by his illusions; for his Bay Steeds

are yoked, ten times a hundred.

Also the same rik is in Br. U. 2.5.19.

Also recall from Katha Upanishat: Part II-1: 9 and 10

 

Note 2: The word ‘indraH’ is derived thus: ‘idam drAvayati

iti indraH’ – meaning, what pulverizes ‘this’ (this

universe) is ‘indraH’. And so ‘indra’ means ‘The

Absolute’.

 

Note 3. ‘rUpaM rUpaM pratirUpo babhUva’ – by manifesting in

different forms It assumes those forms. This thought

occurs everywhere in the Upanishads and therefore

everywhere in later literature also.

 

 

PraNAms to all students of Adi Shankaracharya.

profvk

 

 

 

 

=====

Prof. V. Krishnamurthy

My website on Science and Spirituality is http://www.geocities.com/profvk/

You can access my book on Gems from the Ocean of Hindu Thought Vision and

Practice, and my father R. Visvanatha Sastri's manuscripts from the site.

Also see my webpages on Live Happily, the Gita Way at

http://www.geocities.com/profvk/gohitvip/contentsbeach11.html