Taittiriya Upanishad Bhashya Vartika
by R. Balasubramanian | 151,292 words | ISBN-10: 8185208115 | ISBN-13: 9788185208114
The English translation of Sureshvara’s Taittiriya Vartika, which is a commentary on Shankara’s Bhashya on the Taittiriya Upanishad. Taittiriya Vartika contains a further explanation of the words of Shankara-Acharya, the famous commentator who wrote many texts belonging to Advaita-Vedanta. Sureshvaracharya was his direct disciple and lived in the 9...
Verse 2.742
Sanskrit text and transliteration:
अविद्यासंश्रयादात्मा बलीयानपि दुर्बलः ।
अविद्या राजयक्ष्माऽस्य कार्श्यमेति तया यतः ।
ध्वस्तायां विद्यया तस्यामात्मानं बलयत्यतः ॥ ७४२ ॥
avidyāsaṃśrayādātmā balīyānapi durbalaḥ |
avidyā rājayakṣmā'sya kārśyameti tayā yataḥ |
dhvastāyāṃ vidyayā tasyāmātmānaṃ balayatyataḥ || 742 ||
English translation of verse 2.742:
Though strong in itself, the Self becomes weak because of the association of avidyā. Since the consumption of avidyā makes it lean, the knowledge, having destroyed ignorance, strengthens the Self.
Notes:
This verse explains why the Self needs to be strengthened by knowledge. The Self becomes weak as it were only because of avidyā. When the latter is destroyed by knowledge, the Self shines in its native strength.