Verse 3.1.20-21

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of verse 3.1.20-21:

भिन्ना इति परोपाधिरभिन्ना इति वा पुनः ।
भावत्मसु प्रपञ्चोऽयं संसृष्टेष्वेव जायते ॥ २० ॥
नैकत्वं नापि नानात्वं न सत्त्वं न च नास्तिता ।
आत्मतत्त्वेषु भावानामसंसृष्टेषु विद्यते ॥ २१ ॥

bhinnā iti paropādhirabhinnā iti vā punaḥ |
bhāvatmasu prapañco'yaṃ saṃsṛṣṭeṣveva jāyate || 20 ||
naikatvaṃ nāpi nānātvaṃ na sattvaṃ na ca nāstitā |
ātmatattveṣu bhāvānāmasaṃsṛṣṭeṣu vidyate || 21 ||

20. To say that things are different or that they are identical presupposes some external basis (paropādhiḥ). This diversity in objects arises only when they are united in some way.

21. Neither identity nor difference, neither existence nor non-existence of objects is possible if they are not linked with one another.

Commentary

The author now points out the need for postulating the existence of the universal.

[Read verse 20-21 above]

[The above two verses are meant to be an answer to one who might say that things differ from one another only because of time, place and circumstances. If such differences are ignored, all things would be the same. Why then postulate an universal? It is pointed out here that unless it is postulated, all vyavahāra or verbal transaction, would be impossible. Vyavahāra depends upon some basis (upādhi) or other].

The author now puts forward the advaita view on this subject, namely, that it is the powers of the One which are the basis.