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ब्रह्मविदः - by the knower of Brahman, उपदेशमननध्यानादिभिः - through the instruction, reflection, meditation, etc., spyd - is gained, Arrrffatifea - hidden under delusion and its effects, 24the Self, अमलम् - Pure, तत्वम् - the reality, न • not, दुर्युक्तिभिः - perverted arguments.
A treasure hidden deep below the earth can be found only on knowing the exact site, excavation carried out, and the earth, stones etc., hiding it are removed; never can it come out if it is called out by name. Similarly, the Pure Truth of the Self which is lying hidden beneath our delusion and its effects can be attained through the instructions of one who has realised the Eternal, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth-but ever, never can the Self, on its own accord, emerge out, however much we may repeat our own perverted arguments.
· In the course of the last many stanzas, Sankara had been trying to bring home to us the utter necessity and urgency for self-effort undertaken in the right direction. That no amount of study and philosophical dialectics can take one, even by a fraction, the nearer to the Divine experience which is the life's fulfilment, has already been elaborately discussed. The same idea has been brought out to us in this stanza which, we may consider, is the summary of a library of books on spiritual literature.
In order to explain this idea, Sankara brings the picture of one digging out a treasure. One may wonder how the treasure-hunters' activities can be a theme by which the spiritual technique can be explained; a poet always sees much more meaning in a factual happening than an ordinary matter-of-fact observer. does.
A treasure-hunt can be successful only when the digger has correct information of the place where the treasure is hidden. He must have also the enthusiasm and the energy to dig and find the treasure. He must slowly and steadily, with hopeful patience and perseverance continue digging
