श्रीमद् भगवद्गीता

मूल श्लोकः

बहिरन्तश्च भूतानामचरं चरमेव च।

सूक्ष्मत्वात्तदविज्ञेयं दूरस्थं चान्तिके च तत्।।13.16।।

Sanskrit Commentary By Sri Shankaracharya

।।13.16।। -- बहिः त्वक्पर्यन्तं देहम् आत्मत्वेन अविद्याकल्पितम् अपेक्ष्य तमेव अवधिं कृत्वा बहिः उच्यते। तथा प्रत्यगात्मानमपेक्ष्य देहमेव अवधिं कृत्वा अन्तः उच्यते। बहिरन्तश्च इत्युक्ते मध्ये अभावे प्राप्ते? इदमुच्यते -- अचरं चरमेव च? यत् चराचरं देहाभासमपि तदेव ज्ञेयं यथा रज्जुसर्पाभासः। यदि अचरं चरमेव च स्यात् व्यवहारविषयं सर्वं ज्ञेयम्? किमर्थम् इदम् इति सर्वैः न विज्ञेयम् इति उच्यते -- सत्यं सर्वाभासं तत् तथापि व्योमवत् सूक्ष्मम्। अतः सूक्ष्मत्वात् स्वेन रूपेण तत् ज्ञेयमपि अविज्ञेयम् अविदुषाम्। विदुषां तु? आत्मैवेदं सर्वम् (छा0 उ₀ 7।25।2) ब्रह्मैवेदं सर्वम् (बृ0 उ₀ 2।5।1) इत्यादिप्रमाणतः नित्यं विज्ञातम्। अविज्ञाततया दूरस्थं वर्षसहस्रकोट्यापि अविदुषाम् अप्राप्यत्वात्। अन्तिके च तत्? आत्मत्वात् विदुषाम्।।किञ्च --,

English Translation Of Sri Shankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary By Swami Gambirananda

13.16 Existing, bahih, outside- the word bahih is used with reference to the body including the skin, which is misconceived through ignorance to be the Self, and which is itself taken as the boundary. Similarly, the word antah, inside, is used with reference to the indwelling Self, making the body itself as the boundary. When 'outside' and 'inside' are used, there may arise the contingency of the nonexistence of That in the middle. Hence this is said: acaram caram eva ca, moving as well as not moving-even that which appears as the body, moving or not moving, is nothing but the Knowable, in the same way as the appearance of a snake on a rope (is nothing but the rope). In all empirical things, moving as also non-moving, be the Knowable, why should It not be known by all as such? In answer it is said: It is true that It shines through everything; still it is subtle like space. Therefore, although It is the Knowable, tat, It; is avijneyam, incomprehensible to the ignorant people; suksmatvat, due to Its intrinsic subtleness. But to the enlightened It is ever known from the valid means of knowledge such as (the texts), 'All this is verily the Self' (Ch. 7.25.2), 'Brahman alone is all this' (Nr. Ut.7), etc. It is durastham, far away, since, to the unenlightened, It is unattainable even in millions of years. And tat, That; is antike, near, since It is the Self of the enlightened.