Upadesa Undiyar verse 27

In a Zoom meeting with Sri Ramana Center, Houston, on 4th September 2021 Michael James discusses verse 27 of Upadēśa Undiyār:

அறிவறி யாமையு மற்ற வறிவே
யறிவாகு முண்மையீ துந்தீபற
     வறிவதற் கொன்றிலை யுந்தீபற.

aṟivaṟi yāmaiyu maṯṟa vaṟivē
yaṟivāhu muṇmaiyī dundīpaṟa
     vaṟivadaṟ koṉḏṟilai yundīpaṟa.

பதச்சேதம்: அறிவு அறியாமையும் அற்ற அறிவே அறிவு ஆகும். உண்மை ஈது. அறிவதற்கு ஒன்று இலை.

Padacchēdam (word-separation): aṟivu aṟiyāmai-y-um aṯṟa aṟivē aṟivu āhum. uṇmai īdu. aṟivadaṟku oṉḏṟu ilai.

அன்வயம்: அறிவு அறியாமையும் அற்ற அறிவே அறிவு ஆகும். ஈது உண்மை. அறிவதற்கு ஒன்று இலை.

Anvayam (words rearranged in natural prose order): aṟivu aṟiyāmai-y-um aṯṟa aṟivē aṟivu āhum. īdu uṇmai. aṟivadaṟku oṉḏṟu ilai.

English translation: Only knowledge that is devoid of knowledge and ignorance is knowledge. This is real. There is not anything for knowing.

Explanatory paraphrase: Only knowledge [in the sense of awareness] that is devoid of knowledge and ignorance [of anything other than oneself] is [real] knowledge [or awareness]. This [alone] is [what is] real [or true], [because in one’s real state of pure awareness] there is not anything [other than oneself for one either] to know [or to not know].

Michael also discusses the Sanskrit version of this verse, namely verse 27 of Upadēśa Sāraḥ:

ज्ञान वर्जिताऽ ज्ञान हीनचित् ।
ज्ञान मस्तिकिं ज्ञातु मन्तरम् ॥

jñāna varjitā’ jñāna hīnacit
jñāna mastikiṁ jñātu mantaram

पदच्छेद: ज्ञान वर्जिता अज्ञान हीन चित् ज्ञानम्. अस्ति किम् ज्ञातुम् अन्तरम्?

Padacchēda: jñāna varjitā ajñāna hīna cit jñānam. asti kim jñātum antaram?

English translation: Awareness deprived of knowledge and bereft of ignorance is knowledge. Is there another to know?

Explanatory paraphrase: Cit [awareness] deprived of jñāna [knowledge or awareness (in the sense of knowledge or awareness of other things)] and bereft of ajñāna [ignorance (in the sense of ignorance of other things)] is jñāna [knowledge or awareness (in the sense of true knowledge or real awareness)]. Is there another [anything other than awareness] to know?

While discussing the meaning and implication of this verse and answering questions about it Michael also refers to and/or discusses the following passages from Bhagavan’s writings:

Upadēśa Undiyār verses 16, 18 and 26

Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu verses 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 24, 25, 26, 32 and 36

Upadēśa Taṉippākkaḷ verse 12

Nāṉ Ār? paragraph 4, 5 and 16

Śrī Aruṇācala Aṣṭakam verse 8

Bhagavad Gītā Sāram verses 27 and 28

This episode can also be watched as a video: 2021-09-04 Sri Ramana Center, Houston: Michael James discusses Upadēśa Undiyār verse 27.