तदेते श्लोका भवन्ति ।
अणुः पन्था विततः पुराणो मां स्पृष्टोऽनुवित्तो मयैव ।
तेन धीरा अपियन्ति ब्रह्मविदः
स्वर्गं लोकमित ऊर्ध्वं विमुक्ताः ॥ ८ ॥tadete ślokā bhavanti |
aṇuḥ panthā vitataḥ purāṇo māṃ spṛṣṭo’nuvitto mayaiva |
tena dhīrā apiyanti brahmavidaḥ
svargaṃ lokamita ūrdhvaṃ vimuktāḥ || 8 ||8. Regarding this there are the following verses: The subtle, extensive, ancient way has touched (been reached by) me. (Nay) I have realised it myself. Through that sages—the knowers of Brahman—(also) go to the heavenly sphere (liberation) after the fall of this body, being freed (even while living).
Regarding this subject, that liberation is attained by the knower of Brahman all the objects of whose desire are the Self—a subject that has been dealt with by both Mantra and Brāhmaṇa in the preceding portion—there are the following verses showing the details: The subtle, being difficult to comprehend; extensive, or on account of another reading, ‘Vitara,’ effectively leading to liberation; ancient primeval, being revealed by the eternal Śrutis, not modem like the misleading paths emanating from the intellect of the logicians; way, the path of knowledge that conduces to liberation; has touched me, i.e. has been reached by me. That which is attained by somebody is connected with him as if it touched him; hence the path of liberation consisting in the knowledge of Brahman, having been attained by me, is said to have touched me. I have not merely attáined it, but have realised it myself. Realisation (Anuvedana) is that attainment which, as knowledge ripens, culminates in the ultimate results, as eating culminates in satiety. In the previous clause only a contact with knowledge is meant. This is the difference.
Objection: Is this seer of the Mantras the only person who has achieved the result of the knowledge of Brahman, and has none else done it, so that he asserts, I have realised it myself’?
Reply: There is nothing wrong in it. It is a eulogy on the knowledge of Brahman, inasmuch as its result is unique—it is subjective. Such indeed is Self-knowledge: it gives one the conviction that one is completely blessed, and it requires no other witness than the testimony of one’s own experience; so what can be better than this? Thus it is a glorification of the knowledge of Brahman; not that no other knower of Brahman attains that result. For the Śruti says, ‘Whoever among the gods (knew It also became That)’ (I. iv. 10), which shows that the knowledge of Brahman is accessible to all. This is expressed by the text: Through that path of the knowledge of Brahman sages, men of illumination, i.e. other knowers of Brahman also, go to the heavenly sphere, or liberation, which is the result of the knowledge of Brahman—‘Heavenly sphere’ generally means heaven, the abode of the gods, but here from the context it means liberation—after the fall of this body, being freed even while living.