छायाक्रान्तेर्निषेधोऽयं न तु वस्तुत्वसाधकः । न ह्यर्थान्तरनिष्ठं सद्वाक्यमर्थान्तरं वदेत् ॥
chāyākrānterniṣedho'yaṃ na tu vastutvasādhakaḥ | na hyarthāntaraniṣṭhaṃ sadvākyamarthāntaraṃ vadet ||
This [statement] is a denial that a shadow covers [the sun or moon]; it does not establish [the reflection's] reality. For a sentence intent on one meaning should not be taken to state another.
यह [वचन] छाया के ढकने का निषेध है, [प्रतिबिम्ब की] वास्तविकता का साधक नहीं। क्योंकि जो वाक्य एक अर्थ में निष्ठ है, वह किसी दूसरे अर्थ को नहीं कहता।
Meaning today and contextआज के लिए अर्थ और संदर्भ
A principle of reading: take a text for what it is actually trying to say.
पढ़ने का एक नियम: किसी पाठ को उसी अर्थ में लें जो वह सचमुच कहना चाहता है।
Shankaracharya clarifies how to read the scriptural statement about the eclipse: it denies that a shadow covers the sun or moon, and does not set out to prove Rahu's reality.