In plain words
Not only the paṇḍitas gathered there but their disciples too were filled with wonder. ‘The bird is small, but its song is mighty.’ The man was small. Look at his teachings: they were very great. Not only his teachings: his conduct too was very great. This is the mark of great souls. ‘Manasyekam, vacasyekam, karmaṇyekam mahātmanam’, they said in praise. This is what they called the proper study of mankind is man. There must be purity of Manas, speech and action. The Manas must be pure. The words that come from that pure Manas must be pure. Good conduct must join Satya in speech, to match it. This is what they have been calling trikaraṇa-śuddhi in the Veda. In Śaṅkara, trikaraṇa-śuddhi showed plainly, striking every eye. Many put questions: ‘What is Advaita?’ ‘Advaita is oneness itself! That is true Advaita. The principle of the one Ātma is Advaita,’ he replied. ‘Advaitadarśanaṃ jñānaṃ.’ That alone is true Advaita.
The root principle is one!
What is Jñāna? Knowledge of the physical? Knowledge of the world? Knowledge of Prakṛti? Spiritual Jñāna? Which Jñāna? Spiritual Jñāna, Jñāna of the Ātma. This alone is the root and base. No paṇḍita is trying to recognise such a root principle. I told you yesterday; the VC also said it. Pots came from clay. The pot has clay in it, but the clay has no pot in it. We must recognise this well. From clay many pots came to be formed. ‘Suvarṇamekaṃ bahubhūṣaṇāni’: gold is one, yet the ornaments come in many kinds. In the same way, the root principle is one! Names and forms are different. Wear it here, and they call it a bangle! Wear it here, and they call them earrings! Wear it on a finger, and they call it a ring. Put it round the neck, and they call it a necklace. Wear it at the waist, and they call it a girdle. Names and forms differ, but the gold is one! Śaṅkara went on teaching this to everyone in that assembly so that its meaning came home to them.