असद्वा इदमग्र आसीत् । ततो वै सदजायत । तदात्मानं स्वयमकुरुत । तस्मात्तत्सुकृतमुच्यत इति । यद्वै तत्सुकृतम् । रसो वै सः । रसं ह्येवायं लब्ध्वानन्दी भवति । को ह्येवान्यात्कः प्राण्यात् । यदेष आकाश आनन्दो न स्यात् । एष ह्येवानन्दयाति । यदा ह्येवैष एतस्मिन्नदृश्येऽनात्म्येऽनिरुक्तेऽनिलयनेऽभयं प्रतिष्ठां विन्दते । अथ सोऽभयं गतो भवति । यदा ह्येवैष एतस्मिन्नुदरमन्तरं कुरुते । अथ तस्य भयं भवति । तत्वेव भयं विदुषोऽमन्वानस्य । तदप्येष श्लोको भवति ॥
asadvā idamagra āsīt | tato vai sadajāyata | tadātmānaṃ svayamakuruta | tasmāttatsukṛtamucyata iti | yadvai tatsukṛtam | raso vai saḥ | rasaṃ hyevāyaṃ labdhvānandī bhavati | ko hyevānyātkaḥ prāṇyāt | yadeṣa ākāśa ānando na syāt | eṣa hyevānandayāti | yadā hyevaiṣa etasminnadṛśye'nātmye'nirukte'nilayane'bhayaṃ pratiṣṭhāṃ vindate | atha so'bhayaṃ gato bhavati | yadā hyevaiṣa etasminnudaramantaraṃ kurute | atha tasya bhayaṃ bhavati | tatveva bhayaṃ viduṣo'manvānasya | tadapyeṣa śloko bhavati ||
'In the beginning this was non-being; from it being was born. That made itself by itself; therefore it is called well-made.' What is well-made is indeed the essence (rasa). For only on gaining this essence does one become joyful. Who indeed would breathe in, who would breathe out, if this bliss were not there in space? For it alone gives joy. When one finds a fearless foundation in that which is invisible, bodiless, undefinable and without support, then he has reached fearlessness. But when one makes even the smallest gap in it, then there is fear for him. That is the very fear of one who knows but does not reflect. On this there is also a verse.
'आरंभ में यह असत् ही था; उसी से सत् उत्पन्न हुआ। उसने स्वयं ही अपने को बनाया, इसलिए उसे सुकृत (अपने-आप भली-भाँति बना) कहते हैं।' जो सुकृत है, वही रस है। इसी रस को पाकर मनुष्य आनंदित होता है। यदि यह आनंद आकाश में न होता, तो कौन साँस लेता, कौन जीता? वही सबको आनंद देता है। जब कोई उस अदृश्य, अशरीर, अनिर्वचनीय और निराधार में निर्भय आधार पा लेता है, तब वह निर्भय हो जाता है। पर जब वह उसमें ज़रा-सा भी भेद कर लेता है, तब उसे डर होता है। यही उस विद्वान का डर है जो जानता तो है पर मनन नहीं करता। इस पर भी एक श्लोक है।
Meaning today and contextआज के लिए अर्थ और संदर्भ
There is a sweetness at the root of life itself, and every joy we taste is a share of it. Fear begins when we feel cut off, separate and alone. Knowing about this is not enough; it has to be reflected on until it changes how we feel.
जीवन की जड़ में ही एक मधुरता है, और हर सुख उसी का एक अंश है। डर तब शुरू होता है जब हम ख़ुद को कटा हुआ, अलग और अकेला मानते हैं। केवल जान लेना काफ़ी नहीं; उस पर तब तक मनन करना होता है जब तक वह हमारे अनुभव को बदल न दे।
Taittiriya 2.7.1: the verse 'in the beginning this was non-being', Brahman as rasa, the essence that makes one joyful, and the teaching that fearlessness comes from resting in the One, while fear comes from making a gap in it.