Mandukya Upanishad Shankara Bhashya

Mandukya Karika, verse 3.40 Text मनसो निग्रहायत्तमभयं सर्वयोगिना(णा)म् । दुःखक्षयः प्रबोधश्चाप्यक्षया शान्तिरेव च ॥ ४० ॥ manaso nigrahāyattamabhayaṃ sarvayoginā(ṇā)m | duḥkhakṣayaḥ prabodhaścāpyakṣayā śāntireva ca || 40 || 40. The Yogis (who do not follow the method of Jñāna-Yoga as described in the Kārikā) depend on the control of their mind for fearlessness, destruction of misery, the knowledge of self and eternal peace. Shankara Bhashya (commentary) Those1 who regard mind and the sense-organs, when seen apart from their identity with the very nature of Brahman, as mere imagination,—like that of the snake when seen apart from its identity with the rope—and who thus deny the sole reality of the mind and the sense-organs (independent of Brahman), i....

Mandukya Karika, verse 3.41 Text उत्सेक उदधेर्यद्वत्कुशाग्रेणैकबिन्दुना । मनसो निग्रहस्तद्वद्भवेदपरिखेदतः ॥ ४१ ॥ utseka udadheryadvatkuśāgreṇaikabindunā | manaso nigrahastadvadbhavedaparikhedataḥ || 41 || 41. The mind can be brought under control only by an unrelenting effort like that which is required to empty an ocean, drop by drop, with the help of a (blade of) Kuśa- grass. Shankara Bhashya (commentary) As one may try to empty the ocean, by draining off its water drop by drop, with the help of a (blade of) Kuśa -grass, even so may one control the mind by making the same effort with a heart which becomes neither1 depressed nor tired....

Mandukya Karika, verse 3.42 Text उपायेन निगृह्णीयाद्विक्षिप्तं कामभोगयोः । सुप्रसन्नं लये चैव यथा कामो लयस्तथा ॥ ४२ ॥ upāyena nigṛhṇīyādvikṣiptaṃ kāmabhogayoḥ | suprasannaṃ laye caiva yathā kāmo layastathā || 42 || 42. The mind distracted by desires and enjoyments as also the mind enjoying pleasure in oblivion (trance-like condition) should be brought under discipline by the pursuit of proper means. For, the state of oblivion is as harmful as desires. Shankara Bhashya (commentary) Is untiring effort the only way for bringing the mind under discipline?...

Mandukya Karika, verse 3.43 Text दुःखं सर्वमनुस्मृत्य कामभोगान्निवर्तयेत् । अजं सर्वमनुस्मृत्य जातं नैव तु पश्यति ॥ ४३ ॥ duḥkhaṃ sarvamanusmṛtya kāmabhogānnivartayet | ajaṃ sarvamanusmṛtya jātaṃ naiva tu paśyati || 43 || 43. The mind should be turned back from the enjoyment of pleasures, remembering that all this is attended with misery. If it be remembered that everything is the unborn (Brahman), the born (duality) will not be seen. Shankara Bhashya (commentary) What is the way of disciplining the mind?...

Mandukya Karika, verse 3.44 Text लये संबोधयेच्चित्तं विक्षिप्तं शमयेत्पुनः । सकषायं विजानीयात्समप्राप्तं न चालयेत् ॥ ४४ ॥ laye saṃbodhayeccittaṃ vikṣiptaṃ śamayetpunaḥ | sakaṣāyaṃ vijānīyātsamaprāptaṃ na cālayet || 44 || 44. If the mind becomes inactive in a state of oblivion awaken it again. If it is distracted,, bring it back to the state of tranquillity. (In the intermediary state) know the mind containing within it desires in potential form. If the mind has attained to the state of equilibrium, then do not disturb it again....

Mandukya Karika, verse 3.45 Text नाऽऽस्वादयेत्सुखं तत्र निःसङ्गः प्रज्ञया भवेत् । निश्चलं निश्चरच्चित्तमेकीकुर्यात्प्रयत्नतः ॥ ४५ ॥ nā''svādayetsukhaṃ tatra niḥsaṅgaḥ prajñayā bhavet | niścalaṃ niścaraccittamekīkuryātprayatnataḥ || 45 || 45. (The mind) should not be allowed to enjoy the bliss that arises out of the condition of Samādhi. It should be freed from attachment to such happiness through the exercise of discrimination. If the mind, once attaining to the state of steadiness seeks externality, then it should be unified with the Ātman, again, with effort....

Mandukya Karika, verse 3.46 Text यदा न लीयते चित्तं न च विक्षिप्यते पुनः । अनिङ्गनमनाभासं निष्पन्नं ब्रह्म तत्तदा ॥ ४६ ॥ yadā na līyate cittaṃ na ca vikṣipyate punaḥ | aniṅganamanābhāsaṃ niṣpannaṃ brahma tattadā || 46 || 46. When the mind does not merge in the inactivity of oblivion, or become distracted by desires, that is to say, when the mind becomes quiescent and does not give rise to appearances, it verily becomes Brahman....

Mandukya Karika, verse 3.47-48 Text स्वस्थं शान्तं सनिर्वाणमकथ्यं सुखमुत्तमम् । अजमजेन ज्ञेयेन सर्वज्ञं परिचक्षते ॥ ४७ ॥ svasthaṃ śāntaṃ sanirvāṇamakathyaṃ sukhamuttamam | ajamajena jñeyena sarvajñaṃ paricakṣate || 47 || 47. This highest bliss is based upon the realisation of Self it is peace, identical with liberation, indescribable and unborn. It is further described as the omniscient Brahman, because it is one with the unborn Self which is the object sought by Knowledge....

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....

Mandukya Karika, verse 4.2 Text अस्पर्शयोगो वै नाम सर्वसत्त्वसुखो हितः । अविवादोऽविरुद्धश्च देशितस्तं नमाम्यहम् ॥ २ ॥ asparśayogo vai nāma sarvasattvasukho hitaḥ | avivādo'viruddhaśca deśitastaṃ namāmyaham || 2 || 2. I salute this Yoga known as the Asparśa (i.e., free from all touch which implies duality), taught through the scripture,—the Yoga which promotes the happiness of all beings and conduces to the well-being of all and which is free from strife and contradictions....

Mandukya Karika, verse 4.3 Text भूतस्य जातिमिच्छन्ति वादिनः केचिदेव हि । अभूतस्यापरे धीरा विवदन्तः परस्परम् ॥ ३ ॥ bhūtasya jātimicchanti vādinaḥ kecideva hi | abhūtasyāpare dhīrā vivadantaḥ parasparam || 3 || 3. Quarrelling among themselves, some disputants postulate that an existing entity undergoes evolution, whereas other disputants, proud of their understandings maintain that evolution proceeds from a non-existing entity. Shankara Bhashya (commentary) How do the dualists quarrel with one another? It is thus replied:1 Some disputants, such as the followers of the Sāṃkhya system, admit production as the effect of an entity that is already existent....

Mandukya Karika, verse 4.4 Text भूतं न जायते किंचिदभूतं नैव जायते । विवदन्तो द्वया ह्येवमजातिं ख्यापयन्ति ते ॥ ४ ॥ bhūtaṃ na jāyate kiṃcidabhūtaṃ naiva jāyate | vivadanto dvayā hyevamajātiṃ khyāpayanti te || 4 || 4. The existent cannot (again) pass into (birth) existence. Nor can the non-existent be born or come into being as existent. Thus disputing among themselves, they, as a matter of fact, tend to establish the Advaita view and support the Ajāti or the absolute non-evolution (of what exists)....

Mandukya Karika, verse 4.5 Text ख्याप्यमानामजातिं तैरनुमोदामहे वयम् । विवदामो न तैः सार्धमविवादं निबोधत ॥ ५ ॥ khyāpyamānāmajātiṃ tairanumodāmahe vayam | vivadāmo na taiḥ sārdhamavivādaṃ nibodhata || 5 || 5. We approve the Ajāti or non-creation declared by them. We do not quarrel with them. Now, hear from us (the Ultimate Reality) which is free from all disputations. Shankara Bhashya (commentary) We simply accept the view of the Ajāti or the absolute non-causation declared by them1 and say,“Let it be so”....

Mandukya Karika, verse 4.6 Text अजातस्यैव धर्मस्य जातिमिच्छन्ति वादिनः । अजातो ह्यमृतो धर्मो मर्त्यतां कथमेष्यति ॥ ६ ॥ ajātasyaiva dharmasya jātimicchanti vādinaḥ | ajāto hyamṛto dharmo martyatāṃ kathameṣyati || 6 || 6. The disputants (i.e., the dualists) contend that the ever-unborn (changeless) entity (Ātman) undergoes a change. How does an entity which is changeless and immortal partake of the nature of the mortal? Shankara Bhashya (commentary) The word “disputant” in the text includes all the dualists, viz....

Mandukya Karika, verse 4.7-8 Text न भवत्यमृतं मर्त्यं न मर्त्यममृतं तथा । प्रकृतेरन्यथाभावो न कथंचिद्भविष्यति ॥ ७ ॥ na bhavatyamṛtaṃ martyaṃ na martyamamṛtaṃ tathā | prakṛteranyathābhāvo na kathaṃcidbhaviṣyati || 7 || 7. The immortal cannot become mortal, nor can the mortal ever become immortal. For, it is never possible for a thing to change its nature. स्वभावेनामृतो यस्य धर्मो गच्छति मर्त्यताम् । कृतकेनामृतस् तस्य कथंस्थास्यति निश्चलः ॥ ८ ॥ svabhāvenāmṛto yasya dharmo gacchati martyatām | kṛtakenāmṛtas tasya kathaṃsthāsyati niścalaḥ || 8 ||...