Mandukya Karika, verse 1.3-5

Text

विश्वो हि स्थूलभुङ्नित्यं तैजसः प्रविविक्तभुक् ।
आनन्दभुक्तथा प्राज्ञस्त्रिधा भोगं निबोधत ॥ ३ ॥

viśvo hi sthūlabhuṅnityaṃ taijasaḥ praviviktabhuk |
ānandabhuktathā prājñastridhā bhogaṃ nibodhata || 3 ||

3. Viśva always experiences the gross (object), Taijasa the subtle and Prājña the blissful Know these to be the threefold experiences.

स्थूलं तर्पयते विश्वं प्रविविक्तं तु तैजसम् ।
आनन्दश्च तथा प्राज्ञं त्रिधा तृप्तिं निबोधत ॥ ४ ॥

sthūlaṃ tarpayate viśvaṃ praviviktaṃ tu taijasam |
ānandaśca tathā prājñaṃ tridhā tṛptiṃ nibodhata || 4 ||

4. The gross (object) satisfies Viśva, the subtle the Taijasa and the blissful the Prājña. Know these to be threefold satisfaction.


त्रिषु धामसु यद्भोज्यं भोक्ता यश्च प्रकीर्तितः ।
वेदैतदुभयं यस्तु स भुञ्जानो न लिप्यते ॥ ५ ॥

triṣu dhāmasu yadbhojyaṃ bhoktā yaśca prakīrtitaḥ |
vedaitadubhayaṃ yastu sa bhuñjāno na lipyate || 5 ||

5. He who knows both the experiencer and the objects of experience that have been described (associated) with the three states, is not affected though experiencing: the objects.

Shankara Bhashya (commentary)

Verses 3 and 4 have already been explained. Sanskrit text, IAST transliteration and English translation त्रिषु धामसु यद्भोज्यं भोक्ता यश्च प्रकीर्तितः । वेदैतदुभयं यस्तु स भुञ्जानो न लिप्यते ॥ ५ ॥

triṣu dhāmasu yadbhojyaṃ bhoktā yaśca prakīrtitaḥ | vedaitadubhayaṃ yastu sa bhuñjāno na lipyate || 5 ||

5. He who knows both the experiencer and the objects of experience that have been described (associated) with the three states, is not affected though experiencing: the objects.

In the three states, namely, waking, etc., the one1, and the same object of experience appears in threefold forms as the gross, the subtle and the blissful. Further, the experiencer (of the three states) known (differently) as Viśva, Taijasa and Prājña has been described as one on account of the unity2 of consciousness implied in such3 cognition as ‘I am that’ (common to all conditions). as well as from the absence4 of any distinction in respect of the perceiver. He who knows the two (experiencer and the objects of experience), appearing as many in the form of subject and objects of experience, though enjoying them, is5 not affected thereby; because6 all objects (of experience) are experienced by one subject alone. As (the heat of the) fire7 does not increase or decrease by consuming wood, etc., so also nothing8 is added to or taken away (from the knowingness or awareness of the Ātman) by its experience of that which, is its object.