परमाणोरपि परं तदणीयो ह्यणीयसः । शुद्धं सूक्ष्मं परं शान्तं तदाकाशोदरादपि ॥ ३२ ॥
paramāṇōrapi paraṁ tadaṇīyō hyaṇīyasaḥ | śuddhaṁ sūkṣmaṁ paraṁ śāntaṁ tadākāśōdarādapi || 32 ||
Translation
It is beyond even the atom, subtler than the subtlest: pure, fine, supreme, at peace, finer than even the hollow of space.
Word by word
- paramāṇōr
- (paramāṇoḥ) the atom
- api
- even
- paraṁ
- beyond; supreme
- tad
- it
- aṇīyō
- (aṇīyaḥ) subtler
- hi
- indeed
- aṇīyasaḥ
- than the subtlest
- śuddhaṁ
- pure
- sūkṣmaṁ
- fine
- śāntaṁ
- at peace
- ākāśa
- of space
- udarād
- (udarāt) than the hollow
Meaning
The commentary introduces this verse and the next together: the jīva is of atomic or of middling size, stained by merit and sin, impure, and enjoys the objects its actions have earned; Brahman is wholly the opposite, so how could it be a jīva? It is beyond the atom (paramāṇu), subtler than the subtlest, wholly pure, wholly at peace, and clearer than the very middle of space. The Kaṭha Upaniṣad says it is "subtler than the subtle, greater than the great"; this verse dwells on the first half.