Kaṭha Upaniṣad 220

220

anekatārkikakubuddhivicālitāntaḥkaraṇānāṃ pramāṇopapannam apy ātmaikatvavijñānam asakṛd ucyamānam apy anṛjubuddhīnāṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ cetasi nādhīyata iti tatpratipādana ādaravatī punaḥ punar āha śrutiḥ -- agnir yathaika eva prakāśātmā san bhuvanaṃ bhavanty asmin bhūtānīti bhuvanam ayaṃ lokas tam imaṃ praviṣṭo 'nupraviṣṭaḥ, rūpaṃ rūpaṃ prati dārvādidāhyabhedaṃ pratīty arthaḥ, pratirūpas tatra tatra pratirūpavān dāhyabhedena bahuvidho babhūva / eka eva tathā sarvabhūtāntarātmā rūpaṃ rūpaṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānām abhyantara ātmātisūkṣmatvād dārvādiṣv iva sarvadehaṃ prati praviṣṭatvāt pratirūpo babhūva bahiś ca svenāvikṛtena svarūpeṇākāśavat ///2,2.9 //

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—As the knowledge of the oneness of the atman, though supported by authority and often reiterated, is not firmly grasped by the intellect of perverse-headed Brahmins, whose mind is shaken by the intellect (arguments) of many logicians, the sruti, being anxious to inculcate it, says again and again: as fire, though one, bright by nature, having entered the world (Bhuvanam meaning world, because all bhavanti, i.e., are born there) in respect of everything to be burnt assumes separate shapes; so, being one only, the internal atrnan of all, having entered all bodies such as fire in logs, etc., being extremely subtle, assumes forms responsive and is also without them all, like the akas, in his own unmodified nature.