उपनिषद् · Avadhūta 16
॥
देवनागरी
शृण्वन्त्वज्ञाततत्त्वास्ते जानन्कस्माञ्छृणोम्यहम् । मन्यन्तां संशयापन्ना न मन्येऽहमसंशयः
लिप्यंतरण (IAST)
śṛṇvantvajñātatattvāste jānankasmāñchṛṇomyaham | manyantāṃ saṃśayāpannā na manye'hamasaṃśayaḥ
शब्दशः अर्थ
संस्कृतIASTअर्थ
शृण्वन्तु अ-ज्ञात-तत्त्वाः तेśṛṇvantu a-jñāta-tattvāḥ telet those who have not known the truth listen
जानन् कस्मात् शृणोमि अहम्jānan kasmāt śṛṇomi ahamknowing, why would I listen
मन्यन्तां संशय-आपन्नाःmanyantāṃ saṃśaya-āpannāḥlet those fallen into doubt reflect
न मन्ये अहं अ-संशयःna manye ahaṃ a-saṃśayaḥI, undoubting, do not reflect
अनुवाद
Let those who have not known the truth listen; knowing [it], why would I listen? Let those fallen into doubt reflect; I, undoubting, do not reflect.
संस्करण
d34c1ab9b976 · प्रकाशित 6 अग॰ 2026, 4:24:37 pm UTC
उपलब्ध भाषाएँRUENश्लोक बदलें इन कुंजियों से
Śravaṇa and manana, "hearing and reflection" — the first two of the three steps we examined when reading the Adhyātma (2.33–2.34) — are rejected. The argument is the same as throughout this series: a means is needed while the goal is absent; one who has attained needs it no longer. Let me answer this with what Vaiṣṇava books say about hearing, and answer firmly, for one of our chief differences runs right through here.
By this reckoning hearing is a means, and falls away upon attainment. By ours — hearing is not only a means, but the very deed itself; and so it never falls away. I will give my proof not by argument but by testimony. The Bhāgavatam says: "even the ātmārāmas, those who rejoice in themselves and are free of bonds, render unmotivated devotion to Him who is wondrous in qualities" (1.7.10); and Śuka, who narrated this book, was exactly such a person — attained before all hearing, and yet hearing and narrating still.
Let us add a simple consideration. Of Him one can learn endlessly much, for He is inexhaustible; and so hearing does not end for the same reason its object does not end. Only one for whom the object is exhausted stops listening; and only what is finite can be exhausted.