The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣadbhāṣyam

Bhashya

Bhashya

सः प्रजापतिः सर्वमिदं जगत्सृष्ट्वा अवेत् ।कथम् ? अहं वाव अहमेव, सृष्टिः-- सृज्यत इति सृष्टं जगदुच्यते सृष्टिरिति-- यन्मया सृष्टं जगत् मदभेदत्वादहमेवास्मि, न मत्तो व्यतिरिच्यते ; कुत एतत् ? अहं हि यस्मात्, इदं सर्व जगत् असृक्षि सृष्टवानस्मि, तस्मादित्यर्थः ।यस्मा- त्सृष्टिशब्देनात्मानमेवाभ्यधात्प्रजापतिः ततः तस्मात् सृष्टि-रभवन् सृष्टिनामाभवत् सृष्ट्यां जगति ह अस्य प्रजापतेः एत-स्याम् एतस्मिञ्जगति, स प्रजापतिवत्स्रष्टा भवति, स्वात्मनो-ऽनन्यभूतस्य जगतः; कः? य एवं प्रजापतिवद्यथोक्तं स्वा-त्मनोऽनन्यभूतं जगत् 'साध्यात्मआधिभूताधिदैवं जगदहम-स्मि,' इति वेद ॥

In plain words

Prajāpati, having projected this entire universe, reflected upon it. How? 'I alone am creation,' he thought. Because what is brought forth is called creation, and because this projected world is none other than myself by virtue of non-difference, it is not separate from me. Why? Because I brought forth all this world; that is the meaning. And because Prajāpati spoke of his own self through the very word creation, creation itself came to bear that name. In this world, whoever realizes the universe—in its subjective, physical, and divine dimensions—to be non-separate from his own self, becomes a creator just like Prajāpati.

Close to the Sanskrit

That Prajāpati, having created all this world, knew. How? I indeed am creation, since the created world is called creation because what world was created by me is myself alone due to non-difference, it is not separate from me; why is this? For I created all this world, therefore is the meaning. Because Prajāpati named the self by the word creation, therefore creation became named creation; in this creation, in this world indeed, this one becomes a creator like Prajāpati, of the world which is not other than his own self; who? He who thus knows the world as non-different from his own self, comprising the adhyātma, adhibhūta, and adhidaiva, as 'I am'.