Verse 2.633

Sanskrit text and transliteration:

न चापीहात्मविज्ञानं चोदनाभिर्विधीयते ।
स्वाध्यायोऽध्येतव्य इति ह्येतस्मात्तस्य सिद्धितः ॥ ६३३ ॥

na cāpīhātmavijñānaṃ codanābhirvidhīyate |
svādhyāyo'dhyetavya iti hyetasmāttasya siddhitaḥ || 633 ||

English translation of verse 2.633:

The knowledge of the Self, too, is not enjoined here by the injunctive texts, for from the general injunction, “Every one shall study his own section of the Veda,” it will take place.

Notes:

Let us now consider the other alternative, viz., the knowledge of the Self (ātma-jñāna) is the subject of an injunction. There are two possibilities here. Is the Self-knowledge, which is conveyed by śabda, the subject of an injunction? Or, is it some other knowledge? If the former, then does it require an injunction for its origination (svotpattyartham) or for bringing out its result (svaphalārtham)? A special injunction is not required in respect of the origination of Self-knowledge. There is the general injunction (sāmānya-vidhi), viz-, “Every one shall study his own section of the Veda.” Following this injunction, a person begins the study of the Veda and thereafter is interested either in the ritual-section (karma-kāṇḍa) of the Veda or in the knowledge-section (jñāna-kāṇḍa) depending upon the purity of mind and other qualifications he has attained. A person who resorts to the study of the Vedānta as a result of the general injunction attains the knowledge of the Self therefrom. No special injunction is, therefore, needed for the origination of Self-knowledge.