Section 7.6 (sixth khaṇḍa) (two texts)

Upaniṣad text:

‘Contemplation indeed is greater than Intelligence, the Earth is contemplating, as it were; the sky^is contemplating as it were; the Heaven is contemplating as it were; water is contemplating as it were; the mountains are contemplating as it were; Deities and men are contemplating as it were. Therefore, one who among men attains greatness seems to have obtained a share of Contemplation; and while small people are quarrelsome and abusive and slandering, great men appear to have obtained a share of Contemplation.—Meditate upon Contemplation.’—(1)

One who meditates upon Contemplation as Brahman becomes free to act as he wishes in the sphere within reach of Contemplation,—one who meditates upon Contemplation as Brahman.’—‘Is there anything greater than Contemplation, Revered sir?’—‘Certainly there is something greater that Contemplation.’—‘Please explain it to me, Revered sir.’—(2)

Commentary (Śaṅkara Bhāṣya):

Contemplation indeed is greater than Intelligence.—‘Contemplation’ stands for that unshaken continuous series of conceptions of such objects as a Deity and other beings mentioned in the scriptures, which is uninterrupted by other heterogenous conceptions; this is what they call ‘one-pointedness’, concentration’. How important Contemplation is actually seen in its results.—“In what way?”—When the Yogin is wrapped in Contemplation, he becomes immobile, unshaken, firm, on the attainment of the result of that Contemplation.—In the same way, the Earth is contemplating as it were, and hence, it is found to be immovable;—the Sky is contemplating, as it were;—the rest is as before.—Deities and men (which is one way of taking the compound ‘devamanuṣyāḥ’),—or Divine Men—(menlike Deities, which is another explanation of the Compound ‘devamanuṣyāḥ’), i.e. men endowed with calmness and other qualities, who never renounce their divine character.—Inasmuch as Contemplation is so excellent,—those who, among men, attain greatness,—through wealth, or learning or other qualities—i.e., those who acquire wealth and such other sources of greatness, superiority,—seem to have obtained a share of Contemplation,—i.e. obtained a part of the effects of Contemplation,—and they appear to be immovable,—nor like small people; on the other hand, those who are small,—’ mean,—who have not obtained even a fraction of the effects of Contemplation,—they are quite contrary to the above,—are quarrelsome—prone to quarrel with people,—abusive— finding fault with others,—and slandering—speaking ill of people, as if what is said happened before their eyes;—while those who have attained greatness,—due to wealth and other things,—are great,—lord it over other people, like Professors and Emperors,—and they appear to have obtained a share of Contemplation;—this has been already explained.—Thus the greatness of Contemplation is seen in its effects; hence, it is greater than Intelligence; for these reasons, meditate upon Contemplation, etc., etc.—as already explained.—(1 -2).

End of Section (6) of Discourse VII.