Shloka
सत्यं यदि स्याज्जगदेतदात्मनो -
ऽनन्तत्वहानिर्निगमाप्रमाणता ।
असत्यवादित्वमपीशितुः स्या -
न्नैतत्त्रयं साधु हितं महात्मनाम् ॥ २३४ ॥
satyaṃ yadi syājjagadetadātmano -
’nantatvahānirnigamāpramāṇatā ;
asatyavāditvamapīśituḥ syā -
nnaitattrayaṃ sādhu hitaṃ mahātmanām . 234 .
Anvaya
- जगत् एतत्jagat etat
- This universe
- सत्यं यदि स्यात्satyaṃ yadi syāt
- if it were to be real
- आत्मनःātmanaḥ
- for the Atman
- अनन्तत्व–हानिःanantatva–hāniḥ
- negation of infinitude
- निगम–अप्रमाणताnigama–apramāṇatā
- Veda would not be the valid means of knowledge
- ईशितुःīśituḥ
- for Iswara
- असत्य–वादित्वम्asatya–vāditvam
- utterance of falsehood
- अपि स्यात्api syāt
- would also accrue
- एतत् त्रयंetat trayaṃ
- these three
- न साधु हितंna sādhu hitaṃ
- are not acceptable
- महात्मनाम्mahātmanām
- for the wise
Translation
If the universe were to be real, it would imply negation of infinitude to Atman. Vedas would not be the valid means of knowledge and Iswara would be accused of utterance of falsehood. These three are not acceptable for the wise.
Annotation
1) If the universe were to be real and distinct from Brahman, it would follow that Brahman is finite and delimited by the universe. Brahman would be delimited by the space. In that case the Vedic statement – ‘Brahman is existence, consciousness and infinitude’ (Tai.Up 2–1) would be rendered false and invalid. Iswara would be guilty of such false statement. 2) mahātmanām – The word mahātmā refers to realised persons who have transcended identification with the five sheaths and have attained the vision of oneness as a result of the teaching of the scriptures and guidance of the guru–s. 3) Negation of infinitude for Atman is not acceptable with the wise as it is against their experience (Jagadguru).