The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Sanatsujātīyam

p. 286

p. 286

यदिदं महाव्रतस्यात्मनि दृश्यते, तत् अवारणीयं ब्रह्म, सर्वगतत्वात् ।तमसः अज्ञानात् परस्तात् ।तत् ब्रह्म अन्ततः अभ्येति जगत् विनाशकाले प्रलयकाले—अणीयरूपं च तथाप्यणीयसां महत्स्वरूपं त्वपि पर्वतेभ्यः ।श्रूयते च—‘अणोरणीयान् महतो महीयान्’ इति ।दृश्यन्ते च येऽणुत्वमहत्त्वादयो लोके तदेतत् सर्वं जगत् अह्ना अह्नो रूपेण प्रकाशरूपेण ब्रह्मणि संस्थितं तदात्मनैव भाति ।श्रूयते च—‘तस्य भासा सर्वमिदं विभाति’ इति, ‘येन सूर्यस्तपति तेजसेद्धः’ इति च ।तत् ब्रह्म आत्मवित्पश्यति ज्ञानयोगात् न कर्मयोगेन ।तस्मिन् एव परमात्मनि जगत्सर्वमिदं प्रतिष्ठितम् ।य एतद्विदुः अमृतास्ते भवन्ति ॥

In plain words

That which is perceived within the Supreme Self of great vows is unobstructed Brahman, because it is all-pervading and transcends all ignorance. At the time of cosmic dissolution, everything is reabsorbed into that Brahman, which is subtler than the subtle yet vaster than mountains. As the scripture declares: 'Subtler than the atom, greater than the vast.' All the atomic and immense phenomena seen in this world rest in Brahman, shining by its luminous presence alone. As the scriptures say: 'By its light all this is illumined,' and 'By its radiance the sun glows with heat.' The knower of the Self perceives this Brahman through the path of knowledge, not through ritual action. In that very Supreme Self this entire universe is established. Those who know this truth attain immortality.

Close to the Sanskrit

Whatever this is seen in the Self of the great vow, that is unobstructed Brahman, due to all-pervasiveness. Beyond darkness. That Brahman ultimately approaches the world at the time of destruction and dissolution—subtle in form and yet greater than mountains among subtle things. And it is heard—'Subtler than the atom, greater than the great' thus. And whatever atomic and great qualities are seen in the world, all this universe abides in Brahman in the form of day by day light and shines by its very nature alone. And it is heard—'By its luster all this shines' thus, 'By whom the sun shines kindled by radiance' thus. That Brahman the knower of the Self sees through knowledge yoga, not by karma yoga. In that very Supreme Self all this universe is established. Those who know this become immortal.