Sloka 278
Sloka 278
Original Text:
यत्रैष जगदाभासो दर्पणान्तः पुरं यथा । तद्ब्रह्माहमिति ज्ञात्वा कृतकृत्यो भविष्यसि ॥ २९१ ॥
- Transliteration:
yatraiṣa jagadābhāso darpaṇāntaḥ puraṁ yathā | tadbrahmāhamiti jñātvā kṛtakṛtyo bhaviṣyasi || 291 ||
- Translation:
"Where this universe appears like a city reflected within a mirror, having known 'I am that Brahman', you shall fulfill your purpose."
- Word Meanings:
* yatra - where * eṣaḥ - this * jagadābhāsaḥ - appearance of the world * darpaṇa - mirror * antaḥ - within * puram - city * yathā - like * tat - that * brahma - Brahman * aham - I am * iti - thus * jñātvā - having known * kṛtakṛtyaḥ - one who has done what is to be done; fulfilled * bhaviṣyasi - you shall be
- Commentary:
This sloka is a profound verse from the Advaita Vedanta tradition, which emphasizes the realization of the self's identity with Brahman, the ultimate reality. The analogy of the universe appearing like a city reflected in a mirror serves to illustrate the illusory and transient nature of the world. Just as images in a mirror do not have independent existence apart from the mirror, so too the world has no independent reality from Brahman. The reflection analogy highlights the doctrine of 'Maya' or illusion, where the phenomenal world is just an appearance.
The term "tat brahma aham" (I am that Brahman) embodies the essence of the Mahāvākyas, the great declarations of the Upanishads, promoting non-dual realization. This realization dissolves the illusion of separateness and individual ego, leading to the state of 'kṛtakṛtya', meaning one who has accomplished all that needs to be achieved. According to Vedantic philosophy, the ultimate purpose of human life is to attain this self-realization, thus transcending the cycle of birth and rebirth and achieving liberation or Moksha.
The verse suggests that true fulfillment is achieved not through external accomplishments but through the inner journey of recognizing one's true nature as non-different from the infinite and indivisible Brahman.
Further Readings: