The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Ātmabodhaḥ

Verse 3

बोधोऽन्यसाधनेभ्यो हि साक्षान्मोक्षैकसाधनम् ।पाकस्य वह्निवज्ज्ञानं विना मोक्षो न सिध्यति ॥ २ ॥

In plain words

Set knowledge beside every other practice and it stands alone: it goes straight to freedom. Cooking happens by fire. Freedom happens by knowledge — without it, nothing you do finishes the work.

Close to the Sanskrit

Knowledge, indeed, compared with the other means, is directly the sole means of liberation. As fire is for cooking, so — without knowledge, liberation is not accomplished.