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Upanishads · Sarasvatīrahasya 4.12
॥
Devanāgarī
प्रकृतित्वं ततः सृष्टं सत्त्वादिगुणसाम्यतः । सत्यमाभाति चिच्छाया दर्पणे प्रतिबिम्बवत्
Transliteration (IAST)
prakṛtitvaṃ tataḥ sṛṣṭaṃ sattvādiguṇasāmyataḥ | satyamābhāti cicchāyā darpaṇe pratibimbavat
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
प्रकृतित्वं ततः सृष्टंprakṛtitvaṃ tataḥ sṛṣṭaṃthen nature-being was created
सत्त्व-आदि-गुण-साम्यतःsattva-ādi-guṇa-sāmyataḥfrom the equilibrium of the qualities, beginning with clarity
सत्यम् आभाति चित्-छायाsatyam ābhāti cit-chāyātruly the shadow of consciousness appears
दर्पणे प्रतिबिम्ब-वत्darpaṇe pratibimba-vatas a reflection in a mirror
Translation
Then, from the equilibrium of the qualities beginning with clarity, nature-being was created; and in it the shadow of consciousness truly appears, as a reflection in a mirror.
Version
736cb7832a72 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
An image is introduced on which this whole part rests: pratibimba, "reflection." This teaching in the non-dual school is called pratibimba-vāda, "the doctrine of reflection," and belongs to one of its two main branches; the other holds avaccheda-vāda, "the doctrine of limitation" (space in a pot). It is worth examining it precisely, for it is set out here in compressed and good form.
Consciousness is one; nature is a mirror; and in the mirror appears a reflection of consciousness — and this is the living being. It is worth noting the phrase satyam ābhāti, "truly appears": the reflection is called appearing truly, not merely seemingly. Let us add the Vaiṣṇava side's objection, for here it is direct, and it was cited when reading the Varāha (3.20), where the same comparison with the sun in water occurred.
Her objection is this: a reflection disappears together with the mirror. If the soul is a reflection, then with the destruction of nature it ceases to be; and then liberation is not the soul's salvation but its cessation. Her own definition was cited more than once: the soul is aṃśa, "a part," and moreover sanātana, "eternal" (Gītā 15.7); and that an eternal part does not cease to be a part was discussed when reading the Varāha (3.8).
The distinction between a reflection and a part is, in essence, the whole dispute between the two schools; and it is tested by one question: does anyone remain?