The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Muṇḍakopaniṣadbhāṣyam

Bhashya

Bhashya

अत्यन्तपरोक्षत्वात्कथ नाम प्रत्यक्षवत्सत्यमक्षरं प्रतिपद्येर-न्निति दृष्टान्तमाह-- यथा सुदीप्तात् सुष्ठु दीप्ताद्विद्धात्पावकात् अग्ने विस्फुलिङ्गा अग्न्यवयवा सहस्रश अनेकश प्रभवन्ते निर्गच्छन्ति सरूपा अग्निलक्षणा एव,तथा उक्तलक्षणात् अक्षरात् विविधा नानादेहोपाधिभे-दमनुविधीयमानत्वाद्विविधा हे सोम्य, भावा जीवाआकाशादिवद्घटादिपरिच्छिन्ना सुषिरभेदा घटाद्युपाधिप्रभेदमनु भवन्ति, एव नानानारूपकृतदेहोपाधिप्रभवमनु प्रजायन्ते तत्र चैव तस्मिन्नेव चाक्षरे अपियन्ति देहोपाधिविलयमनु विलीयन्ते घटादिविलयमन्विव सुषिरभेदा ।यथाकाशस्य सुषिरभेदोत्पत्तिप्रलयनिमित्तत्व घटाद्युपाधि-कृतमेव, तद्वदक्षरस्यापि नामरूपकृतदेहोपाधिनिमित्तमेव जी-वोत्पत्तिप्रलयनिमित्तत्वम् ॥

In plain words

Because the Imperishable is entirely imperceptible to the senses, how could people grasp it directly? To make this clear, the text offers an example: just as brilliant sparks emerge by thousands from a blazing fire, sharing its nature, so from the Imperishable various beings are born and into it they dissolve again.

Close to the Sanskrit

Due to extreme remoteness, how indeed could they comprehend the true imperishable like something directly perceived? To explain this, an example is given: just as from a well-blazing fire sparks originate by thousands, so from the imperishable, various beings are born and merge back.