Mandukya Karika, verse 4.1

Text

ज्ञानेनाऽऽकाशकल्पेन धर्मान्यो गगनोपमान् ।
ज्ञेयाभिन्नेन संबुद्धस्तं वन्दे द्विपदां वरम् ॥ १ ॥

jñānenā''kāśakalpena dharmānyo gaganopamān |
jñeyābhinnena saṃbuddhastaṃ vande dvipadāṃ varam || 1 ||

1. I bow to that best among men who by means of knowledge, which is like Ākāśa and non-dijfferent from the object of knowledge (i.e., the Dharma ), realised the nature of the Dharmas (i.e., the Jīvas) which are, again, like the Ākāśa.

Shankara Bhashya (commentary)

The proposition regarding Advaita (as the Supreme Truth) has been based upon scriptural evidence, by1 determining the nature of Aum. That proposition has been established by proving2 the unreality of the distinction implied by the external objects (of experience). Again the third chapter dealing with Advaita has directly established the proposition on the authority of scripture and reason with the concluding statement3 that “This alone is the Ultimate Truth”. At the end of the previous chapter it has been hinted that the opinions of the dualists and the nihilists, who are opposed to the philosophy of Advaita which gives the true import of the scriptures, bear the name of true philosophy. But that is not true because of their mutual contradictions and also because of their being vitiated by attachment to their own opinions and aversion to those of others. The philosophy of Advaita has been extolled as the true philosophy on4 account of its being free from any vitiation (referred to above regarding the theories of the dualists and nihilists). Now is undertaken the chapter styled Alātasānti (i.e., on the quenching of the fire-brand) in order to conclude the final examination for the establishment of the philosophy of Advaita, by following the process known as the method5 of disagreement, which is done by showing here in detail that other systems cannot be said to be true philosophy. For there are mutual contradictions implied in them. The first verse has for its purpose the salutation to the promulgator6 of the philosophy of Advaita, conceiving him as identical with the Advaita Truth. The salutation to the teacher is made in commencing a scripture in order to bring the undertaking to a successful end. The word “Ākāśakalpa” in the text means resembling Ākāśa, that is to say, slightly7 different from Ākāśa. What is the purpose of such knowledge which resembles Ākāśa? By such Knowledge is known the nature of the Dharmas 8 (i.e., the attributes of Ātman). The attributes are the same as the substance. What is the nature of these Dharmas? They also can be known by the analogy9 of Ākāśa, that is to say, these Dharmas also resemble Ākāśa. The word “Jñeyābhinna” in the text is another attribute of ‘Jñānam’ or Knowledge and means that this knowledge is not10 separate from the Ātmans (Jīvas) which are the objects of knowledge. This identity of the knowledge and the knowable is like the identity of fire11 and heat and the sun and its light. I bow to the God, known as Nārāyaṇa,12 who by knowledge, non-different from the nature of Ātman (the object of knowledge) and which resembles Ākāśa, knew the Dharmas which, again, may be compared to Ākāśa. The import of the words “Dvipadām Varam” (Supreme among the bipeds), is that Nārāyaṇa is the greatest of all men, characterised by two legs, that, is to say, He is the “Puruṣottama”, the best of all men. By the adoration of the teacher it is implied that the purpose of this chapter is to establish, by the refutation of the opposite views, Advaita which gives the philosophy of the Ultimate Reality, characterised by the identity of the knower, knowledge and the object of knowledge.