अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां प्रधानं तत्कथाश्रयम् । शास्त्रं सच्छास्त्रमित्याहुर्मुच्यते तद्विचारणात् ॥ २१ ॥
adhyātmavidyā vidyānāṁ pradhānaṁ tatkathāśrayam | śāstraṁ sacchāstramityāhurmucyatē tadvicāraṇāt || 21 ||
Translation
Of all sciences the science of the Self is the chief. The scripture that rests on its teaching they call true scripture; by inquiry into it one is freed.
Word by word
- adhyātma
- of the Self
- vidyā
- the science
- vidyānāṁ
- of all sciences
- pradhānaṁ
- the chief
- tat
- its
- kathā
- teaching
- āśrayam
- that rests on
- śāstraṁ
- the scripture
- sacchāstram
- true scripture
- iti
- (marks the name)
- āhur
- (āhuḥ) they call
- mucyatē
- one is freed
- tad
- (tat) into it
- vicāraṇāt
- by inquiry
Meaning
And what is true scripture? The science of the Self (adhyātma-vidyā), the commentary notes, is knowledge that has the Self for its aim. Whatever scripture holds an account of it, fit to give rise to that knowledge, the Upaniṣads, the commentary on the Brahma Sūtras, the Gītā and the works that explain them, is true scripture. Not reading alone but inquiry (vicāraṇa) into it frees.