अध्यक्षः स्वयमस्त्येव चेतनस्यापरोक्षतः । तुल्य एवं प्रबोधः स्यादज्ञस्यासत्त्ववादिना ॥
adhyakṣaḥ svayamastyeva cetanasyāparokṣataḥ | tulya evaṃ prabodhaḥ syādajñasyāsattvavādinā ||
The overseer exists of itself, since the conscious one is immediately present. [If it did not,] awakening the ignorant would be on a par with [awakening] one who holds [that the Self] does not exist.
अध्यक्ष स्वयं ही है, क्योंकि चेतन अपरोक्ष है। [ऐसा न होता तो] अज्ञानी को जगाना वैसा ही होता जैसा [आत्मा के] अभाव को मानने वाले को [जगाना]।
Meaning today and contextआज के लिए अर्थ और संदर्भ
You never need proof that you are aware; you are aware even of doubting it. That self-evident awareness is the firm ground the teaching rests on.
आपको इस बात का प्रमाण कभी नहीं चाहिए कि आप सचेत हैं; उस पर संशय करते समय भी आप सचेत हैं। यही स्वयंसिद्ध चेतना उपदेश की ठोस नींव है।
Shankaracharya replies that the overseer simply exists of itself, since the conscious one is always immediate; it needs no proof. Otherwise trying to awaken the ignorant would be like trying to awaken one who denies the Self altogether.