ISAVASYA BHASHYAM

From Class No.1 to Class No.3

Introductory Bhashyam

Talks By Swami Paramarthananda

Transcribed by Sri A. Venkatesan

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इशावास्-भाष्य म

1. Introduction (27-12-21)

सदा�शवसमारम्भांशङ्कराचायर्मध् यम
अस्मदाचायर्पयर्म ् वन्द ेु
ग रुपरम्परा

In the last class, we completed, Adi Sankaracharya’sभाष्यम onमाण्डूक्यउप�न

and Karika. While completing the भाष्यम, I left out something,which I recollected
later only. So first I will do what I left out and thereafter I will proceed to next
भाष्यम. What I left out was, the अन्वय of last - the one 100th verse of
माण्डूक्यका�र.दद
ु र्शर्म�तगम्भीरमजंसाम्यं�वशारदम्।बुद्ध्वापदमनानात्वंनमस्कुम�१००॥is
the 100th and last verse of 4thchapter. This अन्वय is primarily for the Sanskrit
student. I will give the अन्व. दद
ु र्शर् अ�तगम्भीरं अजं साम्यं �वशारदं अनाना पदं बुद्ध्.
So here पदंis noun. द्�वतीया �वभिक . All other words are adjective to पदं, dviteeya
vibhakti. पदं means turiyam object of बुद्ध्. पदं बुद्ध्व
(वयम ्)यथाबलम्नमस्कुम�यथाबलis अव्ययी भाव समास बलं अ�तक्रम्य यथ.यथाबलं नमस्कुमis
the अन्व. With this bit,माण्डूक्यउप�नषद्भाष is over. We have to cut and paste
there.

Now I will enter the next उप�नषद - इशावास्उप�नषद.इशावास्उप�नषद, as we have seen

in our मूलं class is a small उप�नषद, slightlybigger than माण्डूक्यका�र, consisting of
18मन्त:. माण्डूक्यका�रक has 12. इशावास् has 18 मन्त:. It is called इशावास्उप�नषद,
because it begins with the word ईशावास्य. Or two words ईशा वास्य.Therefore, it is
called इशावास्यथाबलम ् Just likeकेनोप�नषद is called केनोप�नषद which begins with the
word केन केने�षतं पत�त .Thisउप�नषद belongs to शुक्ल यजुव�द which is one of the 2
types of यजुव�द - कृष्णयजुव�द is one. शुक्ल यजुव�द is another. White and black school
of यजुव�द. Among ten उप�नषदs called primary उप�नषदs for which Sankaracharya has
written commentary there are 2 उप�नषदs taken from शुक्ल यजुव� - one is
ईशावास्उप�नषद,one of the small उप�नषदs. And the other one is बह
ृ दारण्यक उप�नष ,
one of the big उप�नषदs. And generally they say ईशावास्उप�नषद is
मन्त्रोप�belonging to मन्त्र भ ofवेद andबह
ृ दारण्यक उप�नष called ब्रह्मोप�. And
generally it is said the ब्रह्मोप� is an expansion or commentary of मन्त्रोप�.
Thus entire बह
ृ दारण्य, is considered to be an expanded version of ईशावास्उप�नषद
which is terse. And all शुक्ल यजुव�दउप�नष s have got the शािन्तपा that is पूणर्दः.
And therefore,we will start the study with the मन्त्र शािन्तमन्त् दः. But here we

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are reading it as शािन्तपा and not as मङ्गल श्ल . That is final verse. Therefore
don’t get up and go. This is introductory prayer. We will chant together.
ओंपूणर्मदःपूणर्�मदंपूणार्त्पूणर्मुदच्यते।पूणर्स्यपूणर्मादायपूणर्मेवाव�शष्य ! शािन्त !! शािन्त
In कृष्णयजुव�दwhile chanting ॐशािन्त, शाis plain and �त is down. And final �त is up.
शािन्तश is plain and �त is downfirst 2 times. And �त is up the last time. That isin
कृष्णयजुव�. Whereas in शुक्लयजुव�द श is down, and �त is plain. शािन्:शािन्: शािन् :
and �त is plain all the 3 times. Sha is down all the 3 times. There is noup at all.
That is an asidenote. For this शािन्तपा, Sankaracharyadoesn’t write a commentary.
Because this मन्त occurs in बह
ृ दारण्यक उप�नष as a part of the उप�नषद
itself.बह
ृ दारण्य, first chapter firstsection begins with पूणर्दः. And there
Sankaracharya writes a very elaborate commentary, dealing with various पूवर्प�:
and refuting them.It is a very big भाष्यम. Since he writes a commentary there in
ईशावास्य, Sankaracharya doesn’t write a commentary. I will briefly give the meaning.
Different interpretations are possible. I willgive the simplest one.
In one of the new year’s talks I gave the meaning ofपूणर्म: that we have to
recollect here.अद: पूण�. अद: refers to ब्रह्. That ब्रह्, because we are ignorant of
ब्रह्.Therefore, it is called that.ब्रह् is complete. Limitless. पूण� अद: - अकारान्:
नपुंसक �लङ्: प्रथम एक वचन . इदं पूण� .इदं refers to this जगत्, the world, which is
available for our experience. This experienceable world being प्रत्य� गो is called
इदं . इदं अिस्त सं�नकृष् . So that ब्रह्is limitless. What aboutthis world? This world is
also limitless. Because if we have to know the limitof the world, we have to know
the limit of space. Because spaceis included in world, we don’t know the boundary
of space. According to cosmologists, the space is expanding also. We don’t know
what isexpanding, thereforethis world is alsolimitless.
Then next sentence is पूणार्त्पूण� उदच् . उदच्यते is Vedic verb. In classical Sanskrit
they say उ�द्रच्य .उद+�रच् धातु . Passive voice. उ�द्रच्. And उ�द्रच्meansउत्पद्य,
emerges, evolves. So पूणार्त, from that ब्रह्, पूण� , this universe, उदच्यते. Emerges
or originates. Indicating ब्रह ्, is कारणं. The world is काय�. Bothare limitless.One is
limitless कारणं. Another is limitlessकाय�. This is कायर्कारण संबन.
In next line this relationship is going to be revised further. How? पूणर्स्य पूण� आद .
पूणर्स्य कास्य जग: Of this limitless universe, पूण� आदाय, we have - Sanskrit students
have toadd a lot of words: so जगत:पूणर्स्य स्भूतम्पण�कारणं आदाय.So it requires a
little bit explanation. Always essential nature of product is its cause. So कायर्स्
ृ भाण्डस्य स्वरूपं मृत. Similarly any
स्वरूपकारणंभव�त.आभरणस्य स्वरूपं स्वणर्म्. मत्
product has got the cause as its स्वरम ्. Since the universe is काय�, ब्रह् is कारणं,
that कारणं ब्र is the स्वरम ्, essential nature of काय�. Therefore, कायर्स्यपूणर्
जगत:स्वरभूतम्पण�कारणं आदाय . आदाय means आद�यते चेत्. We will translateआदाय as

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आद�यते चेत्. आद�यते चेत् means suppose we separate. So suppose we separate कारणं
ब्र, from the काय� जगत्. Suppose we separate the causal ब्रह्from the effectual
universe. आदाय meansआद�यते चेत् . How many things will remain? पूण� eva that
means कारणं, स्वरभूतम्पण�ब्रह एव. ब्रह्alone अव�शष्यत. Will remain. World will
disappear. World cannot exist ifब्रह्is extricated from the world, exactly like
ornaments, will not be there if gold is separated. Earthenware won’t remain if clay
is separated. Therefore, पूण� एवअव�शष्यत. पूण� ब्रह्alone remains. World will not
remain or exist.
From this we have to derive the corollaries. When ब्रह्is there, world exists.
When ब्रह्is separated, world doesn’t exist. Therefore,ब्रह्, the कारणं alone lends
existence to the world. And the world, the काय�, borrows existence from ब्रह ्.
Therefore,world has dependent existence. Borrowed existence. Like certain
coalitiongovernments. If one of the parties withdraw coalition govt falls.
Therefore,world falls if ब्रह्is separated. Therefore,world is false. World falls.
Therefore,world is false. It is called �मथ्य. So whatever is dependentlyexistent is
called �मथ्य;whatever is independently existent is called सत्यम. Corollary of 3rd and
4th lines is ब्र सत् म्गिन्मथ्. So the revised relationship between ब्रह्and
world सत्य �मथ्यासंबन:. Second line we said कायर्कारण संबन :. In3rd and 4th lines
we say सत्य�मथ्यासंब:. ब्र सत्यम and जगिन्मथ् is the message of शािन्तपा.ok.
Just aside note. Eventhough it is not said in this शािन्त मन . Really it is not
required in this context also. Aside note for contemplation. When we say ब्रह्is
कारणं and world is काय�, ब्रह्, we associate with माया. Whenever ब्रह्is given
कारणं status, माया, joins. Like in ritual whenever द��णा is to be given, wife has to
give permission.�हरण्यगभर् गभर्स she comes. She knows most of the मन्त: also.
Similarly wife माया, will have to join ब्रह्when we say ब्रह्is कारणं. World is
काय�.In कायर्कारण संबन:,माया joins ब्रह्. But whenever we talk about सत्�मथ्यासंबन:
betweenब्रह्and world,there we have to carefully note माया would have quietly
come to the world. Because world along with माया is �मथ्य.ब्रह्along withमाया is
कारणं. World along withमाया is �मथ्य. Because माया happens to be potential form of
the world. Therefore,when world is �मथ्य, माया is also �मथ्य. So an alert student
should remember whenever we say कायर्कारण संबन :, माया comes to ब्रह्side;
whenever we talk about सत्�मथ्यासंबन:, माया slides to जगत्. This we should
remember. This is the शािन्त पा . Elaborate commentary of Sankaracharya, we
have to see much later, if and when we come to बह
ृ दारण्य, we will see. With this
the शािन्तपाठ is over. We will enter into the अवता�रक भाष्यम.
Sankaracharya’sintroduction to इशावास्उप�नषद.
‘ईशावास्यम’इत्यादयोमन्त्राःकमर्स्व�व�न, तेषामकमर्शेषस्यात्मनोयाथात्म्यप्रकाश

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Thosewho have Gorakhpur edition there is a separate expression given on left side
of भाष्य in lighter letterईशा�द मन्त्राणां �व�न: - it is written by editor. He is giving a
sub-heading for this portion. ईशा�द मन्त्राणां �व�न : is editors sub-heading for this
भाष्यंportion.
Now I will have to give a background information. Anअवता�रक for anअवता�रक.In
ं ्रद, वेद is treated as consisting of 2 branches of knowledge. Or 2 branches
अद्वतसप
of teaching -शास्द्यम ्eventhough वद
े itself is one. That is all 4 Vedasput together
is broadly one only. But this Vedaitself is divided into 2 portions. वद
े पूवर for which
जै�मनी wrote सत
ू called पूवर्मीमांससत
ू . And वद
े ांत for which, व्यासाचायरwrote sutrascalled
उ�र मीमांसा sutra. So वेदपूवर the prior portion and वेदांत the final portion these 2
portions form 2 distinct शास्त्र.So this is unique to अद्वतसप
ं ्रद.Whereas most of
the other people don’t accept this division. They treat entire वद
े as one शास्म ् only.
This is calledऐक शास्त्री orएक शास्वाद; ours is शास्द्वय वा :. This we saw, long
before in the introduction to Mundaka Upanishad. Which was the first one we
saw. If you remember fantastic. And because we treat them as 2 distinct branches
of knowledge. First one is called कमर् काण्.कमरsectionor कमर् शास म ्. Second one is
called बह्काण्डor �ान काण्ड , �ानं section. So कमर् काण्ड and�ान काण्ड . काण्ड दवयोप
पाद्यायकमर् ब्स्वरुपीणे स्वगार्पवगर् रूपाय य�ेशाय : कन्द द्वय उपाद् . कमर् काण्ड
and �ान काण्ड . And the very name indicates - कमर् काण्ड deals with कमर, �ान काण्ड
deals with �ानं.Therefore,theyare 2 distinct branches of science. They should be
independently respected; either of them, cannot have a hitchhike on the other. This
is advaitins contention.
But many people object to the idea. Prime one being पूवर्मीमांसक कमकाण्ड himself is
the primary objector. And Sankaracharya very elaborately analyses this objection in
his famous Brahmasutra. भाष्यम in1-1-4द�स
ु मन्वयात् - very elaborate commentary
where Sankaracharya takes on the पूवर् मीमांस .His argument is that �ानं also is a
type of कमरalone. Because we use the verbजाना�त. He knows. He does, hewalks.
He knows. Therefore, knowing also is a verb. Like any other verb. If all other verbs
reveal action, knowing also is a verb. Reveals action कमर्only. Not only that. कमर्
also involves a process. Knowing also involves a process. Therefore,�ानं is a verb
and involves a process. Therefore,�ानं is also is a type of कमर. Therefore,�ान काण्ड
is included. Subsumed into कमर्काण. It doesn’t deserveto existseparately. Thus the
मीमांसक wants to swallow वेदान्. Just as China is waiting to swallow Taiwan. Big
crisis is going on. Which may lead to even a world war. Russia joining China.
America joining Taiwan. Because China is too big. Taiwan is too small. We are
also insame boat. कमर्काण् is too huge. And �ान काण्ड is too small. All उप�नषदs
put together will be in a booklet. Commentary it becomes big. मूलं alone is not

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big.दशोप�नषद book if youare trying to byheart ,you will get a book which is small.
This is a very big challenge advaitins face from कमर्काण्. Therefore, the very
existence of वेदान्त is threatened - existential crisis.
Therefore, in all the introductions whether it is भगवत्गीत or उप�नषद or
ब्रह्मस,Shankaracharya’s first job is solving the existential crisis, and establishing
that वेदान्त deserves to be an independent शास्. Having its own अनुबन्धचतुष्ट. In
fact, this introduction is a very terse and technical introduction. In fact, some
students asked me. Swamiji, you use theword technical. What do you mean by
that? What I mean is that it is a portion which contains many शास्concepts unique
to वेदान्त शास्. When a portion is full of concepts unique to वेदान्ता शास् not
available elsewhere, I call it a technical portion. To reveal these unique
concepts,portion contains lot of unique words, Vedantic jargons. Any portion, which
has got unique Vedantic concepts, and Vedantic jargons or technical words
revealing the concept, that I call as technical. स�
ं यशूत this introduction is a terse
and technical introduction. Ananda Giri writes a very elaborate sub commentary.
Vishnu Devanandawrites elaborate foot notes also for ईशावास्य भाष्.
So the first point Sankaracharya wants to establish is knowledge doesn’t technically
come under action. Eventhough knowledge is conveyed through a verb. And
eventhough knowledge involves a process it cannot be grouped with other karmas.
�ानं is distinct. Because what कमरdoes�ानं cannot do. What �ानं doesकमर् cannot
do. That is why we have got distinct कम�िन्द्रया and�ानेिन्द्रय. कम�िन्द्रया can
never do what �ानेिन्द्रया do. �ानेिन्द्रया can never do what कम�िन्द्रया
does.Theyare distinct. And many distinctions are discussed elsewhere. One
distinction Sankaracharya himself highlights in this introduction. Wehaveseen this
several places before. Youall know.
कमर has got 4-fold consequences like कमर्फल.चतु�वर्धंकमर्फ. I also want to be terse
andtechnical. कमर् can,action can produce something. Action can help us reach
something.Productionreaching. Action can modify something- �वकार. Action can purify
something. Like things produced in factories and there are water cleaning centres
where water iscleaned. Production is different.Cleaning is different.There are
factories where one thing is converted into something else. Recycling and
upcycling. Recently only I discovered. Purification modification. Then of course it
can reach me when I move. Butin tradition, they give sastric example for all these.
Four Gorakhpur edition examplesare given. It is only academic.Look at Hindi foot
note उत्पन्न �क्रया आ�द पुरो is a preparation before doingritual. It is small cake or
cutletlike thing. Which has to be producedand alter - it has to be offered into fire 1.
पुरोडाशis example forproductionand then2. �वकारयोग जैसे सोम आ�द .सोम is acreeper.

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And सोम creeper is to be used in सोमयाग. The creeper cannot be directlyoffered
intofire. Many यागs you have to cut सोम creeper and then you have to crush and
extract सोमरस. Is called सोमशवनं.Modified form of सोम. Therefore, सोमरसis a �वकार:.
example for �वकार. 3. 3rd one बलवान् करने अथवा प्राप्त करनेयोग जैसे मन्त reaching or
attaining. Normally we give the example of reaching or attaining a place away from
us. In the शास्त inकमर्काण् they give the example the वेदमन्त:. How do you attain
वेदमन्त:? By studying. By going to gurukulam. Youacquire the वेदमन्त:. Acquisition
process. This istheexample for आिप्. Can take to स्वगर्ल. जीव goes and
reachesस्वगर्ल. These are traditional standard example 4. 4 th
one संस्कारयोग्य जैसे
व्री�ह आ�द कमर्के शेषभुत पदाथ�मे ईन धम�को रहनाआवश्य. 4 th
example is संस्कार
purification. So before using any material for याग, for Vedic rituals, it hasto be
religiously purified. One is physical purification. Wash etc. but mere physical
purification doesn’t make it ritual worthy. You should have religious purification. And
variousmethods are there for regions purification. They give examples. Just another
one. That पत्नी अवे��त आज्यं भव. In a particular याग when he wants to offer
clarified butter or melted, ghee or butter into fore it has to be purified. वेद itself
prescribes method of purification. Wife who is busy with some other work she is
called and she looks at the clarified butter - her very look is supposed to be a
sacred look. Remember wives are respected before dakshina.So पत्नी अवे��त आज्य
भव�त. This becomes a संस्का. Another popular method is प्रो�ण sprinkling water
chanting some मन्त: -भू: भूभुर्: सव
ु : व्याह्रु मन्त:s are considered to be great
purifiers. When it is done that material becomes ससं ्कृत. Means religiously purified.
In all these things, action is involved.
For producing, for reaching, acquiring for modifying, or for purifying these are the 4
results of all action. Not only religious secular or sacred any action one or more of
these 4 results will be here Sankaracharya established in द�स
ु मन्वा.Here he
briefly mentions �ानं will not do any one of these 4. �ानं cannot produce
something. If �ानं can produce something – wonderful. I want to book a railway
ticket. I just know the train,ticket -train or flight. Mere knowledge of the details will
not produce ticket. Similarly �ानं cannot purify something. You go from room to
room,all cleaned. All not possible. Therefore, �ानं doesn’t purify. �ानं doesn’t
modify - it doesn’t convert uncooked rice into cooked rice just by knowing and it
cannot acquire or reach you anywhere. Therefore, �ानं never gives चतु�वर्धा
कमर्फल.Then eventhough�ानं isa verb, don’t treat it like anaction. The job �ानं can
do is removal of ignorance. An intangible invisible silent event happens.Especially
when important things you have to know. What is the result of particular test you
gave? Just you look at report or doctor makes statement - just gets knowledge.

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Therefore, silently it brings about a cognitive consequence of removal of invisible
intangibleignorance. Ajana nivritti alone it does. And whatever, misconceptions or
notions are there because of ignorance, those notions also will automatically
goaway. When you remove the carpetwhatever in the carpet also will go
away.Other than that, �ानं cannot do any one of theseTherefore, कमर् काण्ड is not
�ान काण्ड, �ान काण्ड is notकमर्फलresult. If कमर्काण्isधमार्थर्क, result of �ान काण्ड is
मो�. Therefore,you have to treat them separately. And thereforeit deserves
separate अनुबन्धचतुष्ट also. That we will see later. And then, these are all
general background information. How many concepts and words आिप्त उत्प�
�वकारसंस्का -so many concepts.
Then in कमर्काण, whenever the वेद introduces or talks about कमर, it will have to
invariably talk two related things also. Related thing is called कमर् शेष.
Sankaracharyauses that technical word कमर्शे: which means कमर्संबिन्. Every कमर्
requires 2 related topics. First is who has to produce or do that कमर? Because
production of कमर requires various factors like कारका�ण - accessories. A subject
performer is required. Object is required. Instrument is required. Beneficiary is
required. Locus is required. In Sanskrit 6 cases प्रथम द्�व , ततीय
ृ चतुथ� पञ्चम.
Notषष्ठ. सपतमी called कारक �वभिक्त because they talk about कारक. कारक is
�क्रयाजन . Producer of �क्र- action. So कारकं isकमर्शे: related to कमर. And second
thing is, nobody will do any कमर, unless one is interested in consequence of कमर्.
Because doing a कमरis an expensive thing - time ,energy,money expenditure. Mental
stress expenditure.Anyकमर्involves lot of strain. If a person should invest so much
resources, he’ll want return for his investment. Therefore, वेद has to tell him, what
is the फलं of that कमर. So फलं is second कमर् शे. So thus कारकं , and फलं, are -फलं
means चतु�वर्धा कमर् फ ; कारक means performer in someकमर.वद
े says ब्राह्मणो य .
कारक is ब्राह.दध्ना जुहो� -कारक is curd. It will have to be used for rituals. So
many priests are to be used. कारकं .Varieties of fire. गागर्पत्य आहवन .कारकं .Type of
ladle to offer the liquid offering. You cannot use steel or plasticspoon; you have to
make the ladle upon पणर्मय. This ladle is to be made out of this wood. Therefore,
कमर्काण will talk about 3 factors - कमर, and कमर् शेष कारक , and कमर् शेष फल .�क्र,
कारकं , फलं. The accessories to produce action. Result produced by action. Entire
कमर्काण् deals with karaka �क्रयाफ. कारकं is father, �क्र is son or daughter. �क्र is
स्त्री�ल.फलं is grandchild. कारक �क्रयाफ. कारक जन्य�प्रय�क्रयाजन्. This is subject
matter of कमर्काण्.
And Sankaracharya in this terse introduction says in �ान काण्ड ,none of these 3 is
there. There is nothing to be done. There is something to be understood. It is a
matter of knowing. There is no doing involved. And वेदserves as a प्रमा. Just as

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eye reveals an object.It doesn’t produce or modify or purify an object-just reveals
an object that is there. Similarlyवेदांत just reveals my real nature of बह्न्आत्म.
याथात्म् means परमात्मा स्वर. There is no कमर्involved. How do you know there
is no कमरinvolved? Because there is no कारकं . And there is no चतु�वर्धा फलं also.
Because in Vedanta,there isnoआिप्त उत्पा� संस्कार�वका. So we have to do lot of
मननं.मो�म ् is none of these 4.Therefore, फलं,कमर्फल is not there. And also कारकं s
are not there. Why? आत्मis अद्वैतम. Where is the question of subject object
instrument etc? ब्रह्मापर्णं ब्र: ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्म.एकमेवाद्�वतीय ब्र notonly कमर्फलं
is not involved because it is talking about �नत्य. फलं is अ�नत्य. And it doesn’t talk
about performer of कमर्because it is talking about अकतार, अभोक्ताआत्. There is no
performer. कतार is not there and there is no receiver of the फलं. भोक्त is not there.
अकतार,अभोक्त, अद्वैnitya आत्मा is revealed. In which �क्र, कारक,फलंs are absent.
Wiped out, eliminated, negated,falsified - बा�धतं उपमिजर्त . And therefore, Vedanta,
exists of its own accord. O कमर्काण्डdon’t come to swallow me. I am too big for
your mouth.
Nowlook at this terse sentence. ईशावास्यंइत्या:मन्त:. So these मन्त: beginning with
ईशावास्य etc. - not one मन्.Followingमन्त:कमर्सु अ�व�नयुक्. They are not intended to
be applied. कमर्सु in the field of action. So doing. They are not �व�नयुक्त: means
intended to be applied. Meant for doing something. कमर्सु अ�व�नयुक्. Action is not
required. He gives reason for that. Because तेषां because all these मन्त: are
अकमर्शेस्. आत्न: याथात्म् प्रकाशकत्व. Theyare just meant for giving or
revealing.प्रकाश means revealing.What?आत्मा न याथात्म् . Real nature of
theSelf,thereal nature of जीवात्म.आत्मन:means जीवात्म:, याथात्म्य means realnature-
real nature of जीवात्म is परमात्म.Therefore, परमात्वा स्वरप्रकाशकत्व. And what type
of परमात्म? अकमर्शेस्.That is the veryimportant, हेतु गभर् �वशेषण .An adjective which
explains.Anexplaining adjective is calledहेतु गभर् �वशेषण . What doesit explain? It
explains noकमर्is involved. Because Vedanta reveals an आत्म,which can never be
related to any कमर.नैव कु वर्न्
कारयन्.वेदा�वना�शनं �नत्य य एनमजमव्ययम ।कथं स पुरुष पाथर कं घातय�त हिन् कम ् ॥ २१॥.
So वेदान्त is revealing an आत्म, which has no connection with anything that is
remotelyकमर. आत्मा is not कमर. आत्मा is not कारकं . आत्मा is not फलं. आत्मा is कारक,
�क्रफल �वल�णं. Whereas कमर्काण, deals with कारक �क्रफलं. That is whole कमर्काण.
Voluminous. Because वेदान्त reveals the non-dualआत्मा . Where is the question of
कमर्involved? How can you include this वेदान्त, into your कमर्काण? If you include,
you will haveअजीणर् दोष.If you swallow me,you will haveअजीणर् दोष- you cannot digest.
Suppose I say you are अकतार. Therefore, you do अिग्नहोत.Where is the question of
that? याथात्म् प्रकाशकत्व. प्रकाशकत्वातौ पञ्चम . Therefore, साध्यं isकमर्सु अ�व�नयुक्त.

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Therefore, whole development is �ान काण्ड is not part of कमर् काण् .It is an
independent शास्म ्. Then he can talk about who is the अ�धकार� �वषय प्रयोजन संब.
Those details we willseein next class.

Swami Paramarthanandaji’s classes on ईशावास्भाष्यम

transcribed by Sri. A.Venkatesan

ओंपूणर्मदःपूणर्�मदंपूणार्त्मद
ु च्यते
पूणर्स्यपूणर्मादायपूणर्मेवाव�शष
ओंशािन्त ! शािन्त !! शािन्त !!!

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इशावास्-भाष्य म
2. Introduction (31-12-21)

सदा�शवसमारम्भांशङ्कराचायर्मध् यम
अस्मदाचायर्पयर्म ् वन्द ेु
ग रुपरम्परा

Page number 12, Introductoryभाष्यof इशावास्.

ईशावास्यम्इत्यादयोमन्त्राःकमर्स्व�व�, तेषामकमर्शेषस्यात्मनोयाथात्म्यप्रका ।

In this introductory भाष्य, which is a terse भाष्य, Sankaracharya established that

वेदान्त deserves to be an independent branch of knowledge or teaching. And this
has to be done because, the वेदपूव्
र भागpeople, that is कमर्काणpeople, who rely upon
the जै�मनीपूवर्मीमांससूत्रा vehemently argue that वेदान्त doesn’t deserve to be an
independent branch. Entire वेदा deals with कमर् only. Details we will be seeing in
Brahmasutra in the 4th sutra भाष्यं आम्नायस्य �क्रयथर ्त्वात् आनथर्ख्यं अददवे .
Important पूवर्मीमां sutram which claims entireवेदाdeals withकमर् alone.
Therefore,वेदान्तalso fallswithकमर. Therefore,वेदान्त is incorporated and falls within
वेद पूवर् भा . Therefore, there are 2 शास्त्र.ऐक शास्त्रीय : . And Sankaracharya
wants to establish thatवेदान्तhas got a distinct subject matter. Distinct from वेद पूवर्
भाग. Or कमर्काण.
To show this distinction, first we have to know what is the subject matter of वेद पूवर्
भाग. That is technically presented as कारक �क्रयाफ .वद
े ा deals with, or वेद पूवर् भाग
deals with only the 3 subject matters. कारक means various accessories required for
performing कमर् or �क्र. Which includes the inanimate accessories like various
materials and also includes animate accessories like the यजमान, priest, are also
called कारका�ण accessories. The most important being यजमान who is called
कतर्कार
ृ : - कतर्कारकम
ृ accessory in the form of performer of action. Sentient one.
Fire is also accessory, ladle used for ordering material is accessory. Accessories
are a mixture of both cetana and acetana कारका�ण. Most important is कतर्कारकम
ृ .
And these कारका�ण are dealt with in कमर्काण. Joined together they produce a
�क्र,याग. Or it can be उपासना रूपं मानसं कमर also. And कारक produces�क्र.
�क्रproduces फलं. One of the 4types of results - आिप्, उत्प�, संस्का,�वकार चतु�वर्ध
कमर् फल. Thus,कारक �क्रयाफ is the subject matter of कमर्काण.
In this भाष्य, Sankaracharya establishes that वेदान्त deals with nature of जीवात्म.
Which is nothing but परमात्म. परमात्म is the स्वरूप of जीवात्म. And this परमात्म

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which is the subject matter of वेदान्त doesn’t come under कारकम ्, �क्रय orफलं so
�क्रया कारक फल �वल�णआत is the �वषय. Subject matter. And that he establishes in
the first sentence itself which is a cryptic सूत्रभूत वाक . There 2 words which are
important.One is अकमर् शे . अकमर् शे :आत्म. And another word is
प्रकाशकत्वात्याथ.प्रकाशकत्व. प्रकाश is technically important. Because in the
tradition, in the context of Vedic analysis, they divide all Vedic sentences into 2
types. Those sentences which reveal a fact. Which is a matter to be
understoodcalled�सद्बोधकवाक्यम or बोधकवाक्या�. Statements revealing
things.Thatइन्: अिस्,स्वग: अिस् etc. They reveal things. And they do not ask me to
do something.स्वग: अिस्. It is something that I know from वेदा. And I am not
instructed to do something. Theyare called बोधकवाक्या�. Here
प्रकाशकवाक्यmeansबोधकवाक्यम or �ापक वाक्यम. All are same. प्रकाश . �ापकम ्. बोधकं .
Thesecond set of statements. All this we will be elaborately analysing in Brahma
Sutra 1-1-3. And 1-1-4. शास्त्र यो�नत्वात् द�ुसमन् . Very elaborately this topic is
discussed. Second group of statements is called चोदकवाक्या�. चुद् धात - to
command to impel, चोदय�त आ�ापय�त. And चोदकवाक्यमmeans those Vedic statements
which instruct a person to do something or not to do something. Statements of do’s
and don’ts.प्रवृ�� परand �नव�ृ �परं . You go after.Or you go away. After receiving the
statement, I am supposed to implement that. Theyare called चोदकवाक्यम. चोदकवाक्यम
always generate a कमर. Like saying bring water for me is called चोदकवाक्यम. I
expect someone to get up and bring water. When I say bring water. In English
grammar imperative mood. Means there is a commandment. Whereas in बोधकवाक्यम
you only generate �ानं.चोदकवाक्यम generates कमर्- action.बोधकवाक्यम only generates
knowledge. Nobody will get up. Because I am not asking to do something. Now
कमर्काण is full of चोदकवाक्या�.स्वगकामो यजेत दध्ना जुहो�.सत्यं व , धम�चरetc.So
कमर्काण is full of चोदकवाक्यम. Therefore, कमर्काण is associated with कमर.
Whereas �ान काण्ड has got only बोधकवाक्यम. There is no कमरinvolved. Only �ानं
involved. प्रकाश indicates, it only reveals something. It doesn’t instruct a person to
do something. Therefore, in चोदकवाक्म ् क मर् अिस . In बोधकवाक्यम there is no कमर.
This is difference number one. And neither कमर् is there. And कमर् शेष is also not
there. Because आत्म is not कमर् शे . If you remember last class, what is कमर्
शेष?कारकं are called कमर् शे . कारकम ् and फलं are called कमर् शे . कमर् शेष means,
related to कमर. What are 2 things relatedtoकमर? कारकम ् is related to कमरas the
producer of कमर. Producer-produced relations. And फलं is also related to कमर. In
what way? It is produced by कमर.कारकम ्is producer of कमर. फलं is produced by
karma. Thus, as a producer and as produced कारकम ् and फलं areकमर् शे:. And he
says आत्म is neither कारकम ्, nor फलं.आत्म is neither कारकम ् norफलं. Therefore, अकमर्

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शेष: means कारक फल �भन् : इत्यथ:. So therefore, अप्रकाशकत्व negates कमर.अकमर्
शेषस्य negates कारकम ् and फलं. Thus, the entire sentencenegates�क्रया कारक फ .
याथात्म्यप्रकाशकत. Therefore, कमर्स्व�व�नयुक्.Up tothis we saw in the last class.
And before going further just wanted to make a correction in the previous class. In
the previous class, after, giving the meaning of पूणर्म: मन्त, I said Sankaracharya
doesn’t commentuponपूणर्म: in ईशावास्because it occurs in बह
ृ दारण्य,as part of the
उप�नषद itself. I gave you referencealso. There was a mistake. I want to make a
correction. पूणर्म doesn’t occur in first chapter. It occurs in the 5th chapter.
Chapter 5, firstsection, first मन्त.5-1-1, not 1-1-1. It is 5-1-1. There alone
Sankaracharya writes a very elaborate commentary. Now we will continue this
अवता�रक भाष्य.

याथात्म्यंचात्मनःशुद्धत्वापाप�वद्धत्वैकत्व�नत्यत्वाशर�रत्वसवर्गतत ।
तच्चकमर्णा�वरुध्यतइ�तयुक्तएवैषांकमर्स्व�व

In theprevioussentence, Sankaracharya said ईशावा�दमन्त’s are meant for revealing

nature of आत्मायाथात्म प्रकाशान. Natural question will be what is the nature of
आत्मrevealedin उप�नषद in general. And revealed in इशावास्. In इशावास् especially
in the initial मन्तs up to 8thमन्त,आत्मस्वरू is talked about. And there in 8thमन्त
certain important features of आत्म is mentioned. Sankaracharya is referring to
those features given in 8thमन्त of iśā. He says याथात्म्यंचायाथातम ् means another
word for स्वरू. स्वरूपor nature of आत्म is शुद्धतम ् - ever pure. Free from all types
of impurities.Physical, emotional, intellectual, as well as अदृष्पापा�द. So शुद्धत्. And
अपाप�वद्धतम ्- these are the words occurring in 8thमन्त. He is referring to those
अपाप�वद्धं - means not afflicted by पापं. Literally word �वद्धं means pierce. व्यध to
pierce to hurt to strike etc. in this context afflicted by affected.व्यध् धातु �वध्य
4thconjugation, its past passive participle is �वद्धं पाप�वद्ध means afflicted by पापं.
अपाप �वद्ध means unafflicted by पापं. Which is more an explanation of शुद्धत्व
सवर्गतत्. सवर्गतत्means it is all-pervading before that एकत्व.एकत्वmeans non duality.
�नत्यतम ् eternity. And अशर�रत्व freedom from all the 3 bodies. सवर्गततम ् all
pervasiveness, आ�द�दetc is स्वरू of आत्म. We may wonder how does
Sankaracharya know? He saysव�यमाणम ्. I have already read मन्त. You have not
read. Therefore, व�यमाणम ् means whichare going to be said in 8h मन्त of इशावास्य.
And if you look at descriptions of आत्म, it is very clear that such an आत्मcannot
be one of the कारका�ण.आत्म cannot be any one of the कारकम ्. What are the
कारका�ण?1.कतार. आत्म being all-pervading it cannot do any action. Therefore, it
cannot be कतार. And can it be कमर, an object of anaction? एकत्,आत्म being non

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dual, there cannot be a second thing which can become an object of आत्म. It is
not subject. It is not an object. It is not an instrument. It is not a beneficiary. It is
not the locus. It cannot be anything connected to कमर. Therefore, this description
reveals आत्न:अकारकत्व.Therefore, अ�क्रयाशत्व. Mentioned in the firstsentence.
Tasmātअकमर् शे: आत्म.So thereforesuch a nature of आत्म, अकारकत्वा स्वरof आत्म.
र णा�वरुध - is opposed to कमर. So आत्म and कमरcannot have any type of
कम्
relationship �वरुद्ध्य इ�तहेतुना. हेत्वथ� इ�.इ�त हेतुना. Therefore, युक्तएव - it is but
logical that एषां कमर्स्व�व�नयो. Therefore, एषां मन्तनाम ् all these मन्तs which are
talking about कारक andआत्म cannot have any connection with कमर, thereforeकमर्सु
अ�व�नयोगः- these मन्तs can never be employed in the field of कमर्काण्.कमर्सु
अ�व�नयोग:. That is the reason that वेद अन् is associated with संन्यास आश. And वेद
पूवर् भाis associated with गह
ृ स्थश्.
A गह
ृ स्थisassociated with Vedic rituals. As even he enters गह
ृ स्थश्,he is introduced
to 2types of rituals.स्मथरकमर. And the ritualistic fire associated with स्मथरकमर is called
स्मथरअिग्, औपासन अिग्:, स्मथरअिग्: etc. When he gets married on the very day of
marriage he has to start औपासनम ्.For that he has to create a fire. It is called
स्माथअिग्:. So a ritualistic fire meant for doing स्माथ ritual.स्माथ means,स्मृ�त
connected rituals. And within 6 months after marriage, also be ready for श्रौतक.And
for that he has to do a special ritual called अिग्नआधान. And once गह
ृ स्थ performs
अिग्आधानं, he is called आ�हदा अिग्: and an आ�हदािग्नis associated with श्रौतअि-
another type of ritualistic fire for doing श्रौतक.श्रौतकmeans śruti prescribed
कमर.Thusश्रौतअि: for śruti prescribed Vedic rituals. स्मथरअिग् for स्मृ�त prescribed
ritual. Every गह
ृ स्थis associated with श्रौतस्माथर्. For doing what? कमर. Therefore,
कमर्काण्,श्रौतसथरकमर, श्रौतसथरअिग्:, गह
ृ स्थश्. They all are inter-connected. And
when a गह
ृ स्था becomes a संन्यास,what is he going to do? He wants to enter
�ानकाण्ड. What type of �ानकाण्ड? A section which has no relationship with कमर.
Therefore, श्रकमार्�ण he has to renounce. स्मथर्कमार्� he has to renounce.
Therefore, he has to renounce श्रौतअि. And he has to renounce स्मथरअिग्. And
therefore, a संन्यासीgets a special name, care of 6th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.
अना�श्र कमर्फल काय� कमर करो�त यः।
स संन्यास च योगी च न �नरिग्नन चा�क्र ॥१॥
Aसंन्यासी is called �नरिग्:। And when a संन्यासी is called �नरिग्:, many people
think, that he doesn’t have cooking fire. Because wife is not there. Kitchen out.
Therefore, भव�त �भ�ां दे �ह theyconnect with cooking fire. Really speaking we are not
talking about cooking fire. We are talking about श्रौतअि:called त्रेताि:। So much
in पूवर्मीमां. I don’t want to confuse you. So श्रौतसथरअिग्he can renounce.
Because, in �ान काण्, there is no kuru. There is no कमर. Then what? �क्रया कार

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फल �वल�णआत्मा�ान and abiding in the आत्म�ान,स्वरुप अवस्थानं . So this is how
संन्यास आश, �ान काण्डare interconnected. गह
ृ स्थश्and कमर्काण are interconnected.
Thus,जै�मनी and गह
ृ स्थ,व्यासandसंन्यासs, that was the classical connection. And that
is why in those days when गह
ृ स्थ has to enter वेदान्त he had problems because he
had too many rituals to do. There was no time
यस्यािग्नहोत्रमदशर्मपौणर्मासमचातुमार्स्यमनाग्रयणम� ।मण
ु ्डकोप�नष . So
many rituals he has to do - no time. But now even though a गह
ृ स्थ doesn’t do
श्रौतसथरकमर, it is replaced by office कमर. And therefore, right from working from
home means, the number of hours increases. Net result is, when a person is busy
with कमर,casualty is, वेदान्त.Anyway, I am getting lost. Let’s come to our topic.
Therefore, संन्यासisश्रौतसथरअिग्प�रत्या: �नरिग्नत्वContinuing.

नह्येवंल�णमात्मनोयाथात्म्यम्उत्पाद्यं�वकायर्म्आप्यंसंस्काय�वाकतृर्, येनकमर्शेषतास्या;

Here he clearly says an आत्म of above description- शुद्धत्व

अपाप�वद्त्वमएकत्िम्नत्यत्वं अशर�र आत्म of above description can never be कारकम ्
norफलं. एवं ल�ण: आत्न:याथात्म् य. Such a nature of आत्म as described in
8 मन्त्राउत्प. आत्म is not उत्पाद्. Not a produced कमर् फल.�वकायर्म- Not a modified
th

कमर् फल . कमर् फलं in the form of modification आप्यंकमर् फ ,कमर् फलं in the form of
reaching some place. Reaching is 2-fold. One is physical reaching by travel.
Another is time wise reaching by waiting. Suppose, a person wants to celebrate
शता�भषेकं . He is 70years old. He has to reach 80. Timewise he has to reach. For
reaching can be either timewise or space wise. As far as आत्म is concerned it is
not reachable either by time or space travel. Therefore, �वकायर्म. आप्यंसंस्काnor is it
a purifiable thing. A product of purification so संस्काय. So, these 4 are mentioned to
show that आत्म is कमर् फल �वल� . Next one is kaarana �वल�णत्वंकतभ
रृ ोक्तृ रूपं .
आत्म cannot be a कतार also. A भोक्ताalso. Previous portion is फल �वल�णत्व. This
one is कारण �वल�णत्व. आत्म is not a कतार not a भोक्ताalso. येन because of which
कमर्शेषतास्या. आत्म would have become कमर्शेषत,if it were फलं orकारकम ्. But since
आत्म is different it cannot be either. Here शेषता means relationship with कमर्आत्
could have had. But आत्म cannot have.

सवार्सामुप�नषदामात्मयाथात्म्य�नरूपणेनैवोप, गीतानांमो�धमार्णांचैवम्परत्व ।
Poorvamimasika will generally raise a question. Sometimes वेदा talks about certain
things �च� बोधकवाक्यम. no चोदकवाक्या�.बोधकवाक्या�न are there like description of
heaven. Description of various दे वता:.बोधकवाक्यम. Eventhough वेदा describes certain
देवता:स्वग आ �द loka etc. after describing them, then वद
े ा prescribes anaction, in

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which action स्वग is a part or the devata is a part. It will describe a heaven. And it
will describe a devata. It won’t put a full stop. It will say worship इन् through this
याग.So therefore�सद्ध बोधकवाक् य will be connected with a चोदकवाक्यम. I hope I am
communicating. �सद्धबोधकवाक् य will talk about a thing like heaven or devata. Later
it will give a चोदकवाक्यम, may you do a ritual for getting the heaven.Thus a
बोधकवाक्यम, can be connected to a चोदकवाक्यिम�ध ना तु एक वाक्यत्वात् श्रुत्
ु मन्वयात will come. And similarly,इन् also can be used as an object of
�व�धमांस्य: द�स
worship. स्वग can be a goal of attainment. Similarly, why can’t the उप�नषद talk
about आत्म, �सद्ध बोध वाक्यand then it can use the आत्म for some puja or the
other. Like दे वता: or like स्वग etc. Similarly why can’t आत्म, become a part of a
कमर?
And for that Sankaracharya gives the answer. Unfortunately, after revealing the
आत्म, वेदा doesn’t prescribe any action. In छान्दोग् उप�नषद, after revealing
आत्मतत्म�स etc. it just concludes saying तद्धस्य�वज� - श्वेतकेत understood the
आत्म. It doesn’t say that you use the आत्म for some कमर् or the other. And in
तै�तर�य उप�नषद् भृु
ग वल्ल� आनन्दो ब्रह्मो�दव् य. आनन्द is ब्र, भगु
ृ understood.
Then it concludesसैषाभागर्वीवारुणी�वद्या।परमेव्योमन्प्र�With knowledge the उप�नषद
ends the teaching without prescribing any कमर. Using the आत्म or using ब्रह्. And
therefore Sankaracharyasays सवार्सां उप�नषदाम - all the उप�नषदs
आत्मयाथात्म्य�नरूपणेby merely revealing the nature of the आत्म, उप�यात्,उप�यात्
means it subsides. It keeps quiet. It becomes quiet. That means, it doesn’t
prescribe any other action using the आत्म or ब्रह्. Because ब्र�वत्आप्नो�त परम.
Gaining the �ानं itself gives fulfilment without requiring any further actions. Gaining
the knowledge of इन्दdoesn’t give me any benefit. I feel miserable. He has got the
best vehicle in the world. Like seeingsomebody’s Benz car. I don’t have. I have
got old Maruti. So thereforeइन् has got airāvatam which I don’t have. Therefore,
knowing इन् doesn’t give me fulfilment, knowing स्वग doesn’t give me fulfilment.
Knowledge should be followed by some action.
Here after gaining �ानं,अदृश्येऽनात्म्येऽ�नरुक्तेऽ�नलयनेऽभयंप्र�तष्ठां�वन्दते।अथसोऽभ.
This is called उप�य:. उप�नषद feels fulfilled after teaching. Therefore, it withdraws.
Students also get hopefully fulfilled. And therefore, they also withdraw telling guru
thatwe are grateful to you. They don’t keep asking for blessing. Always asking for
some blessing or the other. No fulfilment. Guru will be happy when the students
doesn’t ask for any more blessing. Instead, he says we are grateful to you.
Because I don’t need any more blessing. I am ready to bless others. That is called
fulfilment. उप�य means उप�नषद is fulfilled. Therefore it withdraws. With satisfaction.
And not only theउप�नषद. All the other स्मृ�त granthāswhichare dealing with वेदान्त.

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So वेदान्ताबोधकस्मृ� granthās. And whatare they? गीतानां – Bhagavad Gitais one
स्मृ�. And मो�धमार्णांचैमो� धम : is another स्मृ�.Both are part of महाभारतं. Plural
number is given - each sloka is taken as a भगवतगीता. Therefore, plural number.
And मो� धमर :occurs in महाभारतंशािन्तपव. Very huge text consisting of 190 odd
chapters, not slokas. Slokas are more than 5000.मो� धमर :Sankaracharya often
refers. So गीतानां मो�धमार्णां च एवं परत्वा. एवं परत्वातmeans has got the same subject
matter as the central topic.एवं परत्व meansतात्पयर्वत्व . So thus, all the उप�नषदs,
the भगवतगीता, and all the स्मृ�तgranthas, also culminate in आत्मा�ान.Just an aside
note. Eventhough we talk about the कमर्काण of the वेदा and �ान काण् of the वेदा,
and वेदापूवर् भा and वेदाअन्त भा . And we say वेदपूवर् भा deals with कमर. वेद अन्त
deals with �ानं. But this division is a very porous and loose division. It is not a
very rigid division because, in the वेद पूवर् भाग also, there are उप�नषदic portions.
Vedantic teaching occurs in several वद
े पूवर् भाग also. Theyare called मन्उप�नषद:. In
मन्तभाग it occurs. So thus �ानं occurs in कमर्काणम ् also. And vice versa. कमरs are
talked about in उप�नषदs also. In तै��र�यउप�नषद्the entire first chapter talked about
lot of कमर. ऋतंचस्वाध्यायप्रवच -
अग्नयश्यस्वाध्यायप्रवचनेच।अिग्नहोत्रंचस्वाध्यायप्रवचनेच।सत्यंवद।धम�चर।स्.
All these are part of तै��र�यउप�नषद्श�ावल्ल. In भगु
ृ वल्ल� also lot of उपासना�नwere
talked about. We should remember that �ानकाण्ड does talk about कमर. But even if it
talks about कमर, we should connect it with कमर्काण्.Similarly, in the कमर्काण
wherever आत्स्वरूपis talked about, it should be connected with �ानकाण्ड. This is a
rough division only must be noted.

तस्मादात्मनोऽनेकत्वकतृर्त्वभोक्तृत्वा�दचअशुद्धत्वपाप�वद्धत्वा�दचोपादायलोकबुद्�ध�सद्ध
�न।
So then a question will come. If आत्मis really अकतारand अभोक्त, that is the स्वरूपof
the आत्म, then naturally आत्म cannot do any कमर. And if आत्म cannot do any कमर,
according to vision of the वेदाs or वेदान्त, how can वेद पूवर् भा prescribe कमरfor the
same student.Because theजीवात्मा is essentially अकतार and अभोक्त. Therefore, not
connected with कमर. That is the nature of जीवात्म. If जीवात्मा is अकतार and अभोक्त
and thereforenot a कारक, therefore he cannot do any कमर. How can the every same
वेदा prescribe कमर in the वेद पूवर् भा? That means वेदा is contradictingitself. In the वेद
पूवर् भा ,वेदा treats जीवात्मा as कतार and भोक्त. And in वेद अन्तभा , same वद
े ा treats
जीवात्मा as अकतार, अभोक्त. Therefore, how can the same वेदा, in two portions,
beginning and end portions deal with same जीवात्माasकतार at one time. And अकतार
at another time? Is it not वेदाcontradictingor confusing the seeker? This may be the
question. And वेद पूवर् भा will become अप्रमा. Or वेदान्ताभाग will become अप्रमा.

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Because theyarecontradicting. If वेदान्त is correct वेदपूवर् भा will become अप्रमाand
ifवेद पूवर् भा is correct वेदान्त will become अप्रमा. Or both will become अप्रमा
because theyarecontradicting eachother. अप्रमा means invalid. How do you resolve
this?
We saw this in the Bhagavad Gita भाष्य 18th chapter सवर् धमार्न् प�रत् . The
answer given is this. Really speaking,जीवात्मा is अकतार, अभोक्तis the fact. But not
knowing this fact, aजीवात्मा mistakes himself or herself to be कतार and भोक्त. And
therefore, he wants to do कमर. And he wants toseekकमर् फल etc. Therefore,
अ�ानात्जीवात् mistakes himself to be, कतार ,भोक्ताand does कमर. And not only does
कमर. He earns पुण्य पाप and becomes a सस
ं ार� also.So self-misconception,
makesजीवa कतार, भोक्ताand संसार� also.
Then comes next question. If जीवात्माis mistaking himself, and he performs कमर्and
gets पुण्म ्and becomes सस
ं ार�, and वद
े ा knows it is a mistake. What should वेदा
do?वद
े ाshould teach जीवात्मा that you areअकतारअभोक्त। May you know your real
nature.Don’t do कमरand earn पुण्म ् and पापंम ्and सस
ं ार�. That should be वेदा’s job.
Why should वेदा also join the mistake of every जीवात्म? And prescribe कमर?
Because by prescribing कमर् what is वेदा doing? वेदा is reinforcing -, what? The
mistake that the जीवात्माhas committed. So when person mistakes rope as snake,
he should be taught there is only rope, no snake. Suppose you give him a stick.
Beat the snake. You should just hit and kill. I am joining and reinforcing the
mistakes. Similarly how can वेदा reinforce the mistake of जीवात्म and give the
जीवात्माlot of कमरs. Doसंध्यावन्द.Doअिग्नहोत. Doपूजा. Doपञ्चमहा य.
So why should वेदा reinforce the mistaken कतत्म
रृ will be natural question. For that,
our answer is, if the जीवात्मा is ready for this corrective treatment, if जीवात्मा is
ready for वेदान्त, वेदान्त will love to teach him instantaneously. यदहरे व �वरजेत्
तदहरेवप्रव्रif you are ready. If you want to give up कमर, give up. I am waiting for
you.Unfortunately majority of humanity is not ready for corrective treatment. Justas
a doctor who wants to do a simple surgery of cataract , he will ask him for certain
tests. If there is pressure, sugar, so many other problems, he cannot do surgery.
First,he has to give medicine to make him surgeryworthy.Similarlyवेदा feels that
जीवात्माshould become साधन चतुष्टय संपन्न अ�धका. For that mistake is useful. It is
a useful mistake. I am कतार्भोक्तmistake is useful using the mistake, Veda, gives
कमर. And eventhough , that is reinforcing the mistake, but it is giving him साधन
चतुष्टय संप�. So दोष: अ�प अल्पो भ�वष्य said in माण्डूकeventhough there is a दोष,
reinforcing the mistake in सिृ ष्ट प्र�, Goudapadacharya said. So therefore, it uses,
it addsa beneficial दोष and prescribes कमर. And when जीवात्माis ready it will teach
and thereforeSankaracharya says कमर्काण is valid in the beginning stage.

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Thereforeतस्मदthereforeआत्म: अनेकत् आ�द च उपादाय . Mistake committed by the
जीवात्म, the उप�नषद initially accepts. Whatare the mistakes? Accepted mistakes of
जीवात्म.Accepted by वेदा:. अनेकत्म ्. The non-dualआत्म is mistaken as dualistic
आत्म. This mistake उप�नषद endorses initially.उपादानं means endorsing the mistake.
Called अध्यारोप प्रकर . Entire अध्यारोis endorsing the mistake. अनेकत्वकतृत्व
doership is amistake endorsed. भोक्तृत् is a mistake endorsed. आ�द means I am
father. I am going to become father-in-law, Swamiji. I am going to become a
grandfather. So proud he is. What should वेद do or a संन्यासीdo.? He should not
talk ईशावास्यandall. Endorse. And give additional blessing hoping that one day he
will come and ask - what is the purpose of गह
ृ स्थश्? वैराग्य, भोक्तृत्व, then
अशुद्धत्वम्।Even though आत्माis शुद्ध, he mistakes himself to be अशुद्: like पापं. I
have got lot of papam or राग द्वेष –they are all अशुद्धत्. And पाप�वद्धत्. V ery
careful in this. It is अपाप�वद्ध. Here is पाप�वद्धंis a mistaken notion. I am afflicted
by प्रारब्धं च उपा .Temporarily accepting the mistakes of जीवात्म. Because these
people are in majority. संन्यासीis in minority. And therefore he should not say you
are not a father or mother. He will get a punch. Therefore, he should go न बुद्�ध
भेदं जनयेत् . Don’t confuse humanity. वद
े ा goes along with them लोक वुद्�ध�सद् .
Popular mistake वेदा endorses and कमार्�ण �व�हता�न वेदा prescribes कमर् for धमरअथर्
कामपुरुषाथ. And later �च� शुद्� also. कमरs are prescribed तदेमवेदानु वचनेन ब्रह्म
�व�व�दषिन्त य�ेन �ानेन तपस . Any day hopefully he will attend ईशावास्भाष्यंin spite
of rain.

Swami Paramarthanandaji’s classes on ईशावास्भाष्म ्

transcribed by Sri. A.Venkatesan

ओंपूणर्मदःपूणर्�मदंपूणार्त्मद
ु च्यते
पूणर्स्यपूणर्मादायपूणर्मेवाव�शष
ओंशािन्त ! शािन्त !! शािन्त !!!

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इशावास्-भाष्य म
3. Introduction (07-01-22)

सदा�शवसमारम्भांशङ्कराचायर्मध् यम
अस्मदाचायर्पयर्म ् वन्द ेु
ग रुपरम्परा

Page no. 12 Introductory bhashyam last 4 lines at the bottom.

तस्मादातन:अनेकत्वकतृर्त्वभोक्तृत्
अशुद्धत्वपाप�वद्धत्व
उपादायलोकबुद्�ध�सदम्मार्�ण�व�हता�न

Sankaracharya is establishing in this introduction that वेदान्तdeserves to be treated

as a separate sastra different from कमर्काणof theवेद.And the primary reason is, that
the subject matter ofवेद पूवर् भा andवेदान्त, are totally different. In the वेद पूवर्
भाग,कारक,�क्र, andफलम ्are the subject matter. Where as वेदअन्त deals with the
आत्म, our real nature which is different from कारक �क्र and फलम ्. कारकmeaning
accessories of action. �क्र meaning the action produced by the accessories
andफलम ्means the result produced by the action. So, accessories, action, and
result, these three are subject matters of वेद पूवर् भा . Whereas वेदअन्deals with a
different subject matter and thereforeवेदान्तis different. And the आत्म revealed is
different from कारक,�क्र and फलम ्. Because आत्म is not one of the accessories of
the action. Atma is not one of the results of action also. So कारक�वल�णम ्,
फल�वल�णं च. And of course, आत्म is not a �क्र also. And this आत्म, which is
अकतार and अभोक्त is the subject matter of वेदान्त. Then naturally the question
comes, if आत्म is अकतार and अभोक्त,then how come every जीवात्मlooks upon
himself as a कतार and भोक्त? And for that the simple answer is, neat ignorance. Of
course, neat if I say you will think of something else. Big controversy going on.
Clear ignorance.
Then the next question comes - aजीवात्मा out of ignorance may look upon look
upon himself as a कतार्भोक्. How comeवेद itself looks upon everyजीवात्मा as
aकतारandभोक्त? How do you know thatवेदitself is looking uponजीवात्मas
aकतार्भोक्?The entireकमर्काणis aप्रमाणof that. In the voluminousकमर्काण, वेदis
prescribing varieties of dos and don’ts. And ifवद
े prescribesकमर, वेदmust be looking
upon everyजीवात्माas aकतार्भोक्. And you cannot sayवेदisdoing it out of ignorance.
Aजीवात्मा may mistake. But how can a वेदmistake theजीवात्मा as

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aकतारorभोक्त?Andवेदmeansभगवान्.भगवान्cannot have ignorance. So, we have to
explain the phenomenon in whichवेदtakes theजीवात्मा asकतारandभोक्त. And the
answer is what? The intention of theवद
े is to educate theजीवात्म.அசட.You are
mistaking yourself asकतार. You areअकतार - वेदwants to educate. But unfortunately, for
receiving the teaching of theवेद, the जीवात्माrequires lot of preparation.And for that
preparationकमारis useful. And for performing theकमर, themistakenकतर्त्व
ृ is
useful.उवर्शीशापंउपकारெசால்லறமாத. The mistaken notion that I am कतार, वेदintelligently,
ingeniously makes use of and retains theकतर्त्
ृ . OK, you mistake yourself to be a
कतार. I will give you�नत्यनै�म��ककम. First, I have to do lot ofकाम्य कमा - they have to
give to developवरै ाग्य.पर��यलोकान्.And after developingवैराग्य,one will get interested in
self- knowledge.तमेदंवेदानु वचनेन ब्राह्मणा�व�व�दष . िज�ासाwill come. And
whenिज�ासाis there, one should have the preparation.That�ववेक वैराग्य all of them
should be there. For all of them�नत्यनै�म��ककमsare useful. For gettingिज�ासाalso it
is useful. And for improving the other qualifications also, it is useful.
Therefore, firstवेदjoins the mistake.And assuming the mistake or accepting the
mistake,वेदgives varieties ofकमारhoping that one day fromकमर्काण,theजीवात्माwill come
to�ानकाण्.Therefore, Sankaracharya said,तस्मद्त्म:अनेकत्वकतृर् - the whole list is
a mistake. The self -misconceptions are enumerated.अनेकत्वis misconception1. कतर्त्व
ृ
2.भोक्तृत्3.अशुद्धतम ् 4.पाप�वद्धतम ् 5., very careful, notअपाप�वद्धतम ्-all these
mistakes. How do you know theyare mistakes?Sankaracharya says लोकबुद्�ध�सद्-
mistakes which are widely committed by the humanity. Here लोक: means अ� जना: -
अ�ानी जन बुद्�ध �सद्धंच उपाद . Soलोकबुद्�ध�सद्– Sanskrit students - is adjective for
2 portions.लोकबुद्�ध�सद्कत्रुर्त्isनपुंसक �लङ्ग द्�वती बहुवचनं.
Andपाप�वद्धत्वाisनपुंसक�लङ्गद्�वतीयएकवच. For both of them,लोकबुद्�ध�सद्is
adjective.How do you doअन्व? लोकबुद्�ध�सद्भोक्त्रुत्वा�दउप.
लोकबुद्�ध�सद्धंप�वद्धत्वा�दउपाद. उपादायmeans accepting temporarily.Accepting what?
Accepting the universal mistake. So, accepting the 2-fold universal mistakes.
What doesवेदdo? OK. You have mistaken yourself to beकतार. I will also join that
mistake And I will also assume you areकतार. That is calledअध्यारोप प्रकर .
Deliberately, superimposingकतर्त्व
ृ done by the Vedas. With what intention? Later,
after the student becomes senior enough, the वेदcan wipe off. I give the example of
applying soap. Why do you apply soap? For removing the ignoranceकतर्त्व
ृ impurity.
And just because soap is useful you don’t permanently keep the soap. We apply
soap calledअध्यारोपand rinse the soap, is called अपवाद. कतर्त्व
ृ soapवेदapplies. And
afterत�वम�स महावाक्य, or throughत�वम�स महावाक्य,the soap calledकतर्त्व
ृ is washed off.
That is calledअपवाद प्रकरण . Therefore,उपादायmeansअध्यारोम्कृत्.

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कमार्�ण�व�हता�. Actions are prescribed for this அசடकतार,the ignoramusकतार. Up to this,
we saw in the last class. Continuing.

यो�हकमर्फलेनाथ�दृष्टह्वचर्सा�दनाअदृष्टेनस्वगार्द्�जा�तरहंनकाणत्वकु�णत्�द
अन�धकारप्रयोजकधमर्वान्इत्यात्मानंमन्यतेसोऽ�ध�क्रयते: अ�धकार�वदोवदिन्त

And that वेद assumes the universal mistake as a fact is proved by the पूवर्
मीमांसशास्त् also.So the कमर्काण्sthemselves accept thatand theytalk about the
qualifications required for performing the कमार of the वेद पूवर् भा .Justas वेदान्त
requires 4-fold qualifications,वै�दक कमार requires 3-fold qualifications. And all these
qualifications are universal mistakes. The first mistake is what? I am a कतार. He
has committed the mistake. And a कतार, what will he do? He will be in search of
varieties of कमर्फल. Every कतार is interested in varieties of कमर्फल, varieties
meaningआिप्त उत्प�� संस्कार �व. And for acquiring varieties of कमर्फल, he performs
varieties of कमार. Therefore,the first qualification is desire for कमर्फल.And this
qualification is called कमर् फल अ�थर्त .And अ�थर्त्व is qualification no. 1. अ�थर्त्व you
have to supply कमर् फल अ�थर्त. So, when a person is interestedin पुत, पुत्र कामो यज.
पुत्रकामेिष्ट . When I want rain,कार�व्या यजेत कार��र याग:. And if a person is not
interested in कमर्फल, there is no use prescribing पुत्रकामेिष्ट to कुचेलwho has got
several children. You don’t prescribe because he is not putraअथ�. So, I can
prescribe a कमार, and he will be qualified only when अ�थर्त्वisthere.
And then what is the second qualification?द�त्व.द�त्वंmeans what? The ability, the
affordability, that is what in the advertisement, in newspaper. It is a wonderful
house and it is affordable. Only 7,000 rupees per square feet. So therefore, one
person must be capable of doing the कमार. Financial resources must be there. And
people resources, manpower, is required. And above all, physical fitness is also
required. That he must not be blind. He should not be deaf. If he is blind, he will
not know where the fire is - to offer oblation. If he is deaf, he will not be able to
hear the मन्तand chant. So if he is lame, he cannot do प्रद��णा नमस् s. And
therefore, द�त्वं physical fitness etc is required.
And then the 3rd one, they call it अपयुर्दस्तत.अपयुर्दस्तत् means scriptural
disqualification. Should not be there. Absence of scriptural
disqualifications.अपयुर्दस्त्व means scriptural disqualification. Sanskrit
studentsप�र+उद+अस ् धातु 4 conjugation. पयुर्दस्य� means to negate. पयुर्दस: means
th

negated. Banned. For example, we should show the certificate of 2 vaccinations to

enter the shop.Means those who do not have the certificate – they are all पयुर्दस्:.
And only if I have the certificate, I become अपयुर्दस्: - permitted. Not banned. Or

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in positive language,permitted. What is that? Every व�ै दक कमर is prescribed for, first
a द्�व:. The one who has gone through उपनयनं. He must be ब्ह्ण, ��त्रorवैश्.
The one who is not any one of these3, he is पयुर्दस:. Therefore, first qualification
is what? I should be द्�व:.And thereafter the rest qualifications - राजा राजसूयेन यजेत.
Let a ��त्र perform the rituals. ��त्र will becomeअपयुर्दस:. ब्ह्ण and वैश् will
come under पयुर्दस्तत. And therefore,in कमर्काण language, I should be a
द्�व:.द्�व: means the one who has got the sacred thread. And not only, a person
must be a द्�व:, a person must conclude, I am द्�व:.
After �ानं,य�दद्रेश्यमग्राह्यमगोत्रमवणर्मच�ुःश्रोत्र. A �ानी doesn’t look upon
himself as द्�व:. He looks upon himself as अज:. अज:means अजो�नत्य शास्वतोऽयंपुरा.
And once I look upon as myself अज:, I am पयुर्दस:or अपयुर्दस:? A �ानी
becomesपयुर्दस:.He is no more fit for doing the कमार. Sankaracharya says a �ानी is
अन�धकार�. संन्यासी एव अ�धका: न तु कमार्�.And if I am a �ानी, I am पयुर्दस:. I cannot
do a ritual.And even if I perform the ritual, �ानी’s ritual will not produce the
necessary पुण्य, the कमर्फल.आगा�म is not there. Why? पयुर्दसत्वात. Hs कमार will be
called कमरआभास:.Therefore, �ानीis prohibited and all the other non-द्�वजतीs are also
prohibited. Therefore,not only I should be द्�व:, I should look upon myself as
द्�व:. And therefore, in the qualifications they say nicely. They don’t say द्�व: is
qualified. They say the one who thinks, I am a द्�व: is qualified. Very fine note.
So अ�थर्त्,द�त्वंand अपयुर्दस्तत. When these 3are there, I am qualified. That is said
here. य: कमर्फले अ थ�the one who is a seeker. Of what? Notमो�.कमार्फले.�न�म�
ततीय
ृ .कमर्फलम्�न�म�ं अथ� भव�त . For the purpose of कमर्फल, he becomes अथ�. And
what type of कमर्फल?2- foldकमर्फलs.दृष्टेनब्रह्मवचर्. Either it is visible result. So
rain will come under visible result or invisible result? Invisible rain
வந்துஎன்னபிரேய? It is दृष्फलम ्.पुतisदृषफलम ्orअदृषफलम ्? It is दृषफलम ्। So he
is interested in दृष्टफल? Like what? Sankaracharyagivesan example -
ब्रह्मवचर.ब्रह्मवचmeans what? The spiritual glow. Of personality. கைளin
Tamil.व�ै दकகைள. So ब्रह्मवच means glowing personality. Not by applying Fair and
Lovely. Glow because of वेद adhyayanam. वै�दक कमार्अनुष्ठानgives a personality. A
person may be interested in that glow. So ब्रह्मवचर्स-adjective to दृष् फलेनअथ�.
Or,स्वगार्�दनाअदृष फलेन. स्वगर will come under अदृष्टफल.अदृषम ् now. Very careful -
svarga is अदृष्ट now. But when I go to svarga, it should not be अदृष्ट.ரம்ப உற்வ
டான்ெசபாக்கா என் பிரேயாஜன. So therefore, they must be visible. So you should
add, now अदृष्ट. And later दृष्टेन फलेनअ . This is qualification numberone. Then
द्�वज�त:इ�त अहम्मन्यत comes later. And also concludes that I have gone through
उपनयनंand therefore, I am qualified to do वै�दक कमार . So द्�वज�त: अहं इ�त य: मन्यत.
This is second qualification. This qualification alone is calledअपयुर्दस्तत. शद
ू : is

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 ू : is prohibited from doing कमार- all controversial topic–I don’t want to get
पयुर्दस:. शद
into that. So that is अपशत्
ू �धकरणं. बह्मसूत्-huge discussion is there. Ok.द्�वज�त:अहं.
And then the third qualification is द�त्व.I have got all the physical fitness. And that
means what? That means काणकुिब्जत्वा�दअन�धकारप्रयोजक धमर्वत्वन्. I don’t have
the qualification. I don’t have the features which disqualifyme. So, instead of saying
I have qualification he puts in negative language.I am free from disqualifying
features. What a language! I am free from disqualifying features.
And what arethe disqualifying features? काण,means blindness especially in one eye
or two eyes. काण: means one eyed person.अन्: means one who is blind in both
the eyes. So काणत्म ् and अन्त्म ् and कु ब्त्व.कुब्means hunch back. Therefore
who cannot sit properly,who cannot stand properly,who cannot performthe
ritual.Therefore, कुब्जत्वा�दअन�धकार प्रयोजक धमर . Means disqualifying features. न I
am not.So, I am not endowed with disqualifying features. That means I have
qualifying features. That meansअहं द�:. द�: means समथर: - capable. Able bodies. I
am. So धमर्वान् इ�त.Sanskrit students nitya आत्मनं you should not read– it is not
eternal आत्म. धमर्वान् इ�त आत्मा मन्यत, he should say,I am ब्ह्म:. I am now 80
yearsold. I am qualified to perform शदा�भषेकं .देहा�भमान is required.वणर् आश्रम अ�भis
required. The one who has got all.
And all of them will come under what? Self-misconception. All the 3 qualifications
are self- misconceptions.In fact, what qualifies a person for वेद पूवर् भा,disqualifies a
person for वेदअन्. And what qualifies a person for वेदअन्, disqualifies a person for
वेद पूवर .That’s why they are diagonally opposite. That is why an aside note. When
wedding is taking place, suppose a संन्यासी comes, traditionally it is considered
अपशकुनं.संन्यासीnever feels bad. He is happy only. But in the mandapam, entrance
of संन्यासी is considered to be अपशकुनं. And the reason you can guess.If a संन्यासी
comes, you have to welcome. And you have to chant संन्यासी मन् . What is the
mantra? न कमर्णा न प्रजया न ध.प्र are useless is the मन्त. He is getting married
for what? धमर् प्रजा अ� द्ध्यथर. So thustheyare diagonally opposite. In the Gita,
Sankaracharya says like the east and west. If you remember that, it is wonderful.
Like east and west they are diagonally opposite. Anyway, I’m getting lost. Let us
come to the topic. इ�तआत्मनं अ�भमन्यत .He wrongly conceives himself. स:- sucha
mistaking person alone अ�ध�क्रh
य eis fitकमर्सु in performing all the वै�दक कमार s.इ�त:
अ�धकार�वध:.अ�धकार�वध: means पूवर् मीमांस . So पूवर् मीमां का:वदिन्. So sub
commentators refer to the पूवर् मीमांससूत् and all. Where 6-1-1 or something, the सत
ू
number they give. In thisपूवर् मीमांससूत् calledअ�धकार सूत्. There they declare. And
what does वेद do? वेद also joins them. Continuing.

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तस्माद ेतेमन्:आत्मनोयाथात्म्यप्रकाशनेनआत्म�वषयंस्वाअ�ानं�नवतर्यन्तःशोकमोहा�दसंसारध
�विच्छ��साधनम् आत्मैकत्वा�द�व�ानम् उत्पादयन्ती। इत्येवम्उक्ता
अ�भधेयसम्बन्धप्रयोजनान्मन्त्रान् सङ्�ेपतोव्या

So, theकमार्�धकाis कमर् फलअथ it was said. कमर् फल अथ is the one who is anअ�धकार�
for कमर्काण. So who isअ�धकार�for�ानकाण्? The one who is not interested in
कमर्फल.पर��य लोकान् कमर्�चतान् ब ह्मण:�नव�दमायात्निस्त अकृत कृते , So कमर् फल अथ is
पूवर्काण्डअ�धका. कमर् फल �वरागी is �ानकाण्डअ�धकार. Not only �वषयis different, अ�धकार�
is also different.�वषय भेद :, अ�धकार� भेद :. These are all called अनुबन्धचतुष्ट. If you
remember the word अनुबन्धचतुष्ट,I will be very, very happy. Otherwise ok. So �वषय
भेद:, अ�धकार� भेद:. Then whataboutप्रयोज?So in कमर्काण, आिप्त उत्प�� संस्क
�वकारअ�नत्य प्रयोज comes. Whereas here मो� is going to come. That issaid
here.तस्माद ेतेमन्.
Therefore,these मन्तs, आत्मनोयाथात्म्यप्रकby revealing who we really ask.So by
revealing the real Self, what is the immediate benefit? The immediate benefit is
intellectual.Intellectual benefit is immediate benefit. Knowledge is intellectual. Let
there not be any doubt. Because, many people think spiritual knowledge is called
spiritual knowledge because it is taking place in the spirit. Therefore, self-knowledge
takes place in the आत्म is very big misconception. Remember, spiritual knowledge
is intellectual knowledge. Then if it is intellectual knowledge, why do you call it
spiritual knowledge?It is not a knowledge taking place in the spirit. But it is a
knowledge about the spirit.Therefore, spirit is not the locus of knowledge. Spirit is
the object of knowledge. Intellect is the locus of knowledge. Spirit is the object of
knowledge. Since the spirit is the object of knowledge it can be called spiritual
knowledge. Since the intellect is the locus of the knowledge, it can be called
intellectual knowledge. Therefore, we get an intellectual spiritual knowledge.So
therefore, आत्म�वषयक बुद्�ध आश्रयक � .आत्म�वषक बुद्�ध अ�धकरणक �ानं.Therefore,
the knowledge is intellectual knowledge and the immediate benefit is
intellectual.Which is instantaneous. And what is the instantaneousintellectual benefit?
Ignorance walks out. If it doesn’t walk out, it is not called knowledge.अ�ान �नवतर्कं
�ानं. So अ�ान �नवतर्क वृ�alone is called �ानं.Otherwise it will come under उपासनंc/o
the 9thchapter of पञ्चदश. उपासन व�ृ �we are not talking about.�ान व�त
ृ .
Therefore,instantaneousintellectual benefit is I am no more ignorant of the fact
about myself. And what is the fact? I happen to be बह्न्. I happen to be बह्न्,
whether you like it or not. I am no more confusion. And once the ignorance goes
away, the self-misconception also goes away. The worst misconception being, I am
a सस
ं ार�. I am a साधक:. I am a संसार� is a misconception. I am a sadhak. He will

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proudly say. I am aसाधक्. These are all misconceptions. This साधकत्व
ं ा�रत्misconception goes away. अहं �सद्: अिस्. मुक्: अिस्.
सस आत्मअिस्.Thus
ignorance and misconception go away. This is the instantaneous intellectual benefit.
And then comes the by product called emotional benefit.That emotional benefit will
have to come gradually because, even after claiming अहं
ब्रह्मा,अहंजीवोिस्मवासन,lingers. They give the example of the residue of oil. Nice
example. Suppose we have got oil. You pour the oil. And keep the vessel
overnight. Next morning you see. Oil will bethere. You pour thatovernight it will
continue to be there.Like the oil residue,वासनाscontinue. And majority of time it is
the वासना, that responds to the situation. According to psychologists, 90% of our
responses come from subconscious mind.Subconscious mind dominates in
response.And after responding, conscious mind will slowly come. It will ask. Why
did youdo like this. Why did you cry. Therefore,since subconscious mind responds
and emotions happen from subconsciousmind,emotional benefit requires �वपर�त
भावना �नवतर्क �न�दध्यास for long time.श्रवण मन will remove intellectual सस
ं ार.
�न�दध्यासनं has to gradually remove emotional सस
ं ार. Emotional सस
ं ार �नव�ृ � is
byproduct.Intellectualसस
ं ार �नव�ृ � is the primary benefit.
Then anaside note. If the intellectual सस
ं ार is eliminated, even if the emotional
ं ार �नव�ृ � is slow, I am not worried. Why? My intellect tells me emotionalproblems
सस
belong to अनात्म. My intellect tells me I am not अनात्म.Therefore, let the
emotionalproblem goaway. Therefore, the rate of the removal of emotional सस
ं ार
should not disturb me if my knowledge is clear which is called �ान �नष्ठ. If �ान
�नष्ठा is there, I am not worried about the emotional reactions. Because, mind is
not me. Mind is not mine. Mind is mithya. You improve the mind. But don’t worry
about that.Relax.So focus on �ान �नष्ठ. That is important.Not emotional सस
ं ार �नव�ृ �.
That issecondary.Primary thing is �ान �नष्ठ.Just an aside note.
याथात्म्य प्रशनेन आत्म�वषयं स्वाभा�वकं अ�ानं �नवतर्यन:. Primary benefit is removal
of ignorance. What ignorance? आत्�वषयं अ �ानं. Self-ignorance it removes, What
removes? एते मन्त:;इशावास्मन्तsremoveself ignoranceand youcanadd self-
misconceptionthinking that I am the mind, thinking that I have a mind, thinking that
I reacted. All these are misconceptions,When do I say I reacted? When I think I
am the mind.If I have�ान �नष्ठ , I will never complain I reacted. Mind reacted.
Therefore, ignorance and misconception, वेदान्तremoves. That is calledस्वरूप अवस्थ
रूमो�:. This is primary benefit. Then, what is the secondary by product?
शोक.शोक, means worry. मोह - conflict. आ�द -means all other things. We know. We
have a big list. Fear. All are emotional सस ं ार धमर,this emotional सस
ं ार.आ�द सस ं ार will
never be removed instantaneously. It will take long �न�दध्यासन.That is why I said

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FIR,you can never remove. FIR you can only reduce. From what to so what? And
gap between whatand so what you can keep on reducing which is called R
reduction. Recovery period gradually comes down. I can go on and on.शोकमोहा�द
संसार धमार् �विच्छ . Thusवेदान्त gives importance to intellectualसस
ं ार �नव�ृ �and
emotionalसस
ं ार �नव�ृ �. And initially, we are interested in only emotional सस
ं ार �नव�ृ �.
We consider it primary but really speaking it is secondary only. Intellectual सस
ं ार is
primary. That should be eliminated.
साधनं - means of removing 2-fold सस
ं ार. What is that mean? साधनं आत्मएकत्वा�
�व�ानं. So this self-knowledge is the means of removing the 2-fold सस
ं ार, which
साधनं इशावास्य उप�नष produces. What a sentence. We have to dwell on the
sentence. इशावास्य उप�नष produces the knowledge which knowledge is the means
for removing the 2-fold सस
ं ार. The intellectual –the primary सस
ं ार and emotional - the
secondary सस
ं ार. And this itgives. And what is that knowledge? आत्मकत्व�ानं.I am
not one of the जीवात्मs struggling with other जीवात्मs in the family. Bothare equally
ignorant. Imagine the rate of सस
ं ार . Everyone in family is equally andintenselyसस
ं ार�.
And therefore, theeffect is what? Cumulative. Nuclear reaction. Therefore, ifwe have
gotviolent सस
ं ार at home, it is legitimate. It is most natural. So thereforeI am जीवात्म
and thereare so manyजीवात्मs and whole life becomes struggle with every member
of the family. Spousegives me trouble, children give me maha trouble, grandchildren
gives me mahatrouble. And I have celebrated कनका�भषेकं with great grand children,
and each one is सस
ं ार कारणं. Who I am proud of – அத ேவைற. Therefore,�विच्छ��
साधनं आत् एकत्वम.एकत्वम्you have to underline. There is only one आत्म and आ�द
पदात् not only आत्न: एकत्व. But also आत्न: ब्रह्म.आत्म: जगद�दष्ठ नत्वम.आत्म:
असङ्त्व.आत्म:सवर् कमर् �व�नमुर त्वम.आत्न: �नत्यमुक्तत. Allof them �ानं उत्पादयिन.So
as even we read this introduction the importance and glory ofइशावास्य उप�नष must
get jacked up. What is the value of this Gorakhpur edition इशावास्यbook? 7 rupees.
But when you read this introduction, is it 7 rupees. It produces मो�पुरुषाथ.Respect
should increase.उत्पादयिन. After that there is a fullstop which is not required. इ�त.
Because of this reason, इ�त एवं उक्त अ�धकार� अ�भधेय संबन्ध प्रयोजनइशावास्यhas got
all the 4 अनुबन्चतुष्टय.,Whatare the4? अ�धकार�and who is अ�धकार�? मो� अथ� is the
अ�धकार�. Not कमर्फलअथ. Or you can say कमर् फल �वरागी is अ�धकार� . Then अ�भधेय.
अ�भधेय means the subject matter. And what is the subject matter? �क्रकारक
फल�वल�णआत्मwhich is a very loaded expression. You can talk for one hour on his
word itself. �क्रयाकारक �वल�ण आत्म is theअ�भधेय. And what is the संबन्?संबन्ध
between the मन्त्and the �वषय. संबन्धis between the मन्त्and अ�धकार� you can
take. Or मन्तand �वषय you can take. Or मन्त्andप्रयोजyou can take. And any one
of these three you can take. But normallywe take मन्त् and �वषय. �वषय means

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आत्म. What is the relationship between these मन्त् andआत्म?मन्त् is प्रमा -
शब्प्रमाण. And आत्मis �वषय, the प्रमे.And what is the relationship between
प्रमाणand प्रमे? प्रमाreveals the प्रमे.Revealer-Revealedसंबन्.शास्त्र यो�न त् शास्त्
एव यो�न प्रमाणं य . So therefore, संबन्ध is called प्र�तपाद्य प्र� संबन्.Or
Sankaracharya’s expression प्रकाश्य शक संबन्.प्रशकमन्त: he said and
therefore,प्रकाश्य शकसंबन्. What is प्रकाश? आत्म is प्रकाशrevealed. उप�नषद
isप्रशकम ् - revealer as the शब्प्रमाण. So प्रयनान्. Soप्रयनान्मन्त् – बहुव्री.So
how is the�वग्रह वाक , Sanskrit students?उक्ता�अ�धकार� अ�भधेय संबन् प्रयोजना�
उक्ता�न एषां मन्त्र- बहुव्री. Those मन्तs for which the अनुबन्धचतुष्टय
hasbeenpresented. Where? In the introduction. Thus the whole introduction has
presented a distinct अ�धकार� �वषय प्रयनandसंबन्distinct from the अ�धकार� �वषय
प्रयन andसंबन्from कमर्काण. Therefore, अनुबन्चतुष्टय भेदात् शास्त्र . शास्त्
becomes a शास्त्when it has got its own distinct अनुबन्धचतुष्ट. And therefore, it is
worthcommenting because कमर्काण will not give thisप्रयोज. Therefore, he says
मन्त्र-हेतु गभर् �वशेषण. So,प्रयनान् मन्तन्व्ख्यास्य:.We are going to comment upon.
Why bahuvacanam?We are going to comment? Can we say royal We?Where is
royal for sanyasi? So c/o Platform. How can you callroyal?Youjustify by saying
Sankaracharya identifies with the गुरु परम रा.येर� मे गुरु�: पूव� पद वाक्य
प्रमा:व्याख्या: सवर्वेदान्:स्तािन्नत्यं प्रनतो .I am boldly entering into the
commentary because I am backed up bya wonderfulपरम्प.व्याख्यास.With this, the
अनुबन्ध चतुष्टय रूप अवत�रक भाष्यं सम. Brilliant introduction. I hope youare able to
appreciate the glory of भाष्य.And in this book it is only 2 pages. You goto Ananda
Giri and footnote etc., this itself becomes more elaborate.

Swami Paramarthanandaji’s classes on ईशावास्भाष्म ्

transcribed by Sri. A.Venkatesan
ओं पूणर्मदःपूणर्�मदंपूणार्त्मद
ु च्यते
पूणर्स्यपूणर्मादायपूणर्मेवाव�शष
ओंशािन्त! शािन्त!! शािन्त!!!

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