The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Aparokṣānubhūtiḥ

Verse 12

कोऽहं कथमिदं जातं को वै कर्ताऽस्य विद्यते ।उपादानं किमस्तीह विचारः सोऽयमीदृशः ॥ १२ ॥

In plain words

Who am I? How did all this come to be? Who is its maker — is there one to be found at all? And what is it made out of? Inquiry, vicāra, is exactly this and nothing else.

Close to the Sanskrit

Who am I? How has this come to be? Who indeed is found as the maker of this? What material cause exists here? — that inquiry is this, of such a kind.