Verse 2.364

Sanskrit text and transliteration:

अथानन्तरमस्यैव साधारण्याप्रमेयतः ।
आचार्योक्तिमनुप्रश्नाः शिष्यस्य गुरुसंनिधौ ॥ ३६४ ॥

athānantaramasyaiva sādhāraṇyāprameyataḥ |
ācāryoktimanupraśnāḥ śiṣyasya gurusaṃnidhau || 364 ||

English translation of verse 2.364:

Then, that is, after hearing from the teacher, questions of the disciple raised in the presence of the teacher follow immediately after the teacher’s instruction, because Brahman is common (to the man of knowledge and the ignorant man alike) and also because Brahman is unknowable.

Notes:

This verse explains the meanings of the words contained in the śruti text athāto'nupraśnāḥ.

The word atha means after hearing from the teacher that the knowledge of the non-difference between Brahman and Ātman is fruitful.

The disciple seeks clarification from the teacher because of two difficulties he has. The knower of Brahman, he was told, attains the Supreme which is the source of all beings, which is the essence of all.

It means that Brahman which constitutes the nature or the essence of all is common to both the man of knowledge and the ignorant man. It would follow from this that the attainment of Brahman must be possible for both. If so, why should it be said that the knower of Brahman alone attains the supreme Brahman? Further, since Brahman is unknowable, how could one talk about the knower of Brahman? In view of these difficulties the disciple raises certain questions following upon the teacher’s exposition. The word ataḥ, which means therefore, states the reasons for the doubts on the part of the disciple.

Anupraśna [Anupraśnāḥ] means questions after what the teacher has spoken.