Mandukya Karika, verse 4.77

Sanskrit text, IAST transliteration and English translation

अनिमित्तस्य चित्तस्य याऽनुत्पत्तिः समाऽद्वया ।
अजातस्यैव सर्वस्य चित्तदृश्यं हि तद्यतः ॥ ७७ ॥

animittasya cittasya yā'nutpattiḥ samā'dvayā |
ajātasyaiva sarvasya cittadṛśyaṃ hi tadyataḥ || 77 ||

77. The non evolution (i.e., the state of knowledge) of the mind, which is unborn and free from causal relation, is absolute and constant. Everything else is also equally unborn. (So what is true of the mind is true of everything else as well.) For, all duality is merely an objectification of the mind.

Shankara Bhashya (commentary)

It has already been stated that in the absence of a cause, the mind is not subject to birth. But what is the nature of that non-evolution of the mind? It is thus replied:—The causes of birth are meritorious actions and their opposite. The state of absolute non-manifestation of the mind,—known as liberation (knowledge) and free from causality¹ on account of the realisation of the Supreme—is² always constant under all conditions and absolute, that is, ever non-dual. Even³ before the attainment of knowledge, the mind always remains nonmanifest and non-dual. Even prior to the realisation of the highest knowledge the idea of duality (i.e., the subject and the object) and the idea of birth are merely an objectification of the mind. Hence the non-evolution of the mind which is always⁴ free from change or birth is constant and absolute. In other words, it cannot be said that this non-evolution or liberation sometimes exists and sometimes disappears. It is always the same and changeless.

It may be contended from the previous Kārikā that liberation depends upon the external factor of time. This contention is-answered in this verse.

Anandagiri Tika (glossary)

¹ Which, etc.—The causes of birth, in the form of meritorious and vicious deeds, are seen to exist only during the state of ignorance.

² Is always, etc.—All duality, due to the objectification of the mind, is unreal. There is no cause for the mind which is absolute, eternal, immutable and all-sufficient, to pass into birth. Therefore from the standpoint of Reality, the mind or Jīva is always liberated. He is ever free from bondage which is non-existent.

³ Even before, etc.—It may be objected that liberation is possible only during the state of knowledge, while the Jīva is bound during the state of ignorance. In reply it is said that from the standpoint of Reality ignorance does not exist. Even when a man looks upon himself as subject to birth and death and living in the plane of ignorance, he is, really speaking, Ātman free and non-dual. Even when the rope is seen to be the snake by the ignorant mind, it is nothing but the rope. Similarly Ātman never deviates from his real nature though he appears as Jīva during ignorance. The idea of birth, death, etc., is mere unreal imagination.

⁴ Always—That is to say, the mind is really free from birth, etc., even when the ignorant persons see it coming into existence and again disappearing.