Mandukya Karika, verse 3.9


Text


मरणे संभवे चैव गत्यागमनयोर् अपि ।
स्थितौ सर्वशरीरेषु आकाशेनाविलक्षणः ॥ ९ ॥

maraṇe saṃbhave caiva gatyāgamanayor api |
sthitau sarvaśarīreṣu ākāśenāvilakṣaṇaḥ || 9 ||

9. Ātman, in regard to its birth, death, going and coming (i.e., transmigration) and its existing in different bodies, is not dissimilar to the Ākāśa (i.e., the Ghaṭākāśa or the ether portioned off by a jar).

Shankara Bhashya (commentary)

The point which has been just stated is again thus developed:—Birth, death, etc., of the Ātman as seen in all bodies is like the creation, destruction, coming, going and existence of the Ghaṭākāśa (or ether enclosed within a jar).