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VIVEKACUDAMANI
sattvātmani: in the innermost cave of the buddhi, i.e., the buddhi which is predominantly sattva is itself the cave. The word 'guha comes from the root 'güḥ': guhu samvarane: which means covering or concealment. The atman is covered by the vijñānamayakośa, the sheath of the knowledge. avyakṛtākāśe: the avyākṛtākāśa which is continuous as the material: in it.
uruprakāśaḥ: uru: adhika: abundant, extremely effulgent; illumining everything by its cognitive luminosity. Vide: taddevā jyotiṣām jyotiḥ. (Brh.).
ākāśaḥ: The Paramatman by His own effulgence is the illuminator of all lights beginning with the sun by shedding the light of knowledge on everything. Vide the śruti: yena suryastapati tejaseddhaḥ; (Taitt.)
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idam viśvam: this entire universe which is dṛśya, what is seen. prakāśayan: shining (illumining) like the sun.
manner.
uccaiḥ prakāśate: shines in the most radiant (resplendent) Or, like the sun high up in the sky (uccaiḥ).
In the previous śloka, where it was said: eṣo'ntarātmā puruṣaḥ; the atman was referred to as puruşaḥ i.e., puri (in the body) sete (abides). This is further explained in this sloka as follows: atra: here; i.e. in the gross body; dhi-guhāyām: in the cave of the buddhi, i.e., in the subtle body and, avyākṛta ākāśe: in the unmanifested ākāśa: in the causal body.
It is well known that the sun in the sky is the illuminator of all things in all directions. So, too the atman, which is the inmost core of everything, is the illuminator of all objects.
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ज्ञाता मनोहंकृति - विक्रियाणां देहेन्द्रिय-प्राणकृत- क्रियाणाम् । अयोऽग्निवत्ताननु वर्तमानो न चेष्टते नो विकरोति किञ्चन ।। १३५ ।। jñātā mano'hamkṛti-vikriyāṇām
dehendriya-prāṇakṛta-kriyāṇām |
ayo'gnivat tananu vartamāno
na cestate no vikaroti kiñcana ||
The atman is the knower of the modifications of the mind, the ahaṁkāra and the activities of the body, indriyas and the breath. Accompanying them all, like fire in an iron, it neither acts nor effects changes in anything.
