मिथश्च भिन्ना यदि ते हि चेतनाः क्षयस्तु तेषां परिमाणयोगतः । ध्रुवो भवेद्भेदवतां हि दृष्टतो जगत्क्षयश्चापि समस्तमोक्षतः ॥
mithaśca bhinnā yadi te hi cetanāḥ kṣayastu teṣāṃ parimāṇayogataḥ | dhruvo bhavedbhedavatāṃ hi dṛṣṭato jagatkṣayaścāpi samastamokṣataḥ ||
If conscious beings were mutually distinct, they would surely perish, because they would have limited size; for things that have difference are seen to be perishable. And the world would come to an end with the liberation of all.
यदि चेतन आत्माएँ परस्पर भिन्न होतीं, तो परिमाण वाली होने से उनका नाश निश्चित होता; क्योंकि भेद वाली वस्तुएँ नश्वर देखी जाती हैं। और सबकी मुक्ति होने पर जगत का भी अन्त हो जाता।
Meaning today and contextआज के लिए अर्थ और संदर्भ
A step in the argument: what is truly conscious cannot be a bounded, separate thing, or it would be as fragile as everything else that is bounded.
तर्क की एक कड़ी: जो सच में चेतन है वह सीमित, अलग वस्तु नहीं हो सकता, वरना वह भी हर सीमित वस्तु की तरह नश्वर होता।
The Self argues against schools that posit many separate conscious selves (such as Sāṃkhya): if selves were mutually distinct, they would be limited and therefore perishable.