Verse 37

Brahmavidya

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

पुष्पवत्सकलं विद्याद्गन्धस्तस्य तु निष्कलः । वृक्षस्तु सकलं विद्याच्छाया तस्य तु निष्कला ॥३७॥

Padapatha (Word Split)

पुष्प-वत् । सकलम् । विद्यात् । गन्धः । तस्य । तु । निष्कलः । वृक्षः । तु । सकलम् । विद्यात् । छाया । तस्य । तु । निष्कला ॥३७॥

IAST Transliteration

puṣpavat sakalaṃ vidyād gandhas tasya tu niṣkalaḥ | vṛkṣas tu sakalaṃ vidyāc chāyā tasya tu niṣkalā ||37||

Translation

Man erkenne das „Mit-Teilen“ (sakala) wie eine Blume; doch ihr Duft ist wahrlich „teil-los“ (niṣkala). Man erkenne das „Mit-Teilen“ wie einen Baum; doch sein Schatten ist wahrlich teil-los.

Academic Translation

One should know the ‘with-parts’ (sakala) as like a flower; but its fragrance is indeed ‘partless’ (niṣkala). One should know the ‘with-parts’ as like a tree; but its shade is indeed partless.

Verse Context

• Sakala/niṣkala distinction; nirguṇa Brahman as partless essence underlying the manifest
• Mahavakya: Indirectly supports ‘तत् त्वम् असि’ (Tat tvam asi): the subtle, partless reality (niṣkala) is the essence of the apparent, partite (sakala) person/world.
• Atharva
• Chandas: Anuṣṭubh (śloka)