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----- bhagap354.html
The following is the commentary of Sankaracharya.
"This was before the soul." The soul is here defined as Praja-
pati, the first born from the Egg, the embodied soul, as resulting
from his knowledge and works in accordance with the Vedas. He
was what? " This," produced by the division of the body, " was
the soul" not separated from the body of Prajapati, "before" the
production of other bodies. He was "also bearing the shape of man",
which means that he was endowed with head, hands and other mem-
bers, he was the Viraj, the first born. " Looking round reflecting
who am I, and of what nature, he beheld nothing but himself", the
fulness of life, the organism of causes and effects. He beheld only
himself as the Universal soul. Then, endowed with the recollection
of his Vedic knowledge in a former birth, " he said first: This am I"
Viz., Prajapati, the universal soul. " Hence," because from the recol-
lection of his knowledge in a former world he called himself I, there-
fore his name was I "And
because he" Prajapati in a former birth, which is the cause, as the
first of those who were desirous of obtaining the state of PrajApati
by the exercise of reflection on works and knowledge viz. "as the
first of all of them," of all that were desirous of obtaining the state of
Prajapati, consumed by the perfect exercise of reflection on works
and knowledge of all the sins of contact which are obstacles to the
acquirement of the state of Prajapati, because such was the case,
therefore he is called Purusha, because he is Purvam Aushad, (first
burnt). As that Prajapati, by consuming all opposite sins, became
this Purusha Prajapati, so also any other consumes, reduces all to ashes
by the fire of the practice of reflection on knowledge and works,
or only by the force of his knowledge, and He verily " consumes"
Whom.? " Him who before this sage strives to obtain the state of
Prajapati." The sage is pointed out as he who thus knows, who ac-
cording to his power manifests his reflection on knowledge. " But is
it not useless for any one to strive for the state of Prajapati, if he is
consumed by one who thus knows? There is no fault in this; for
consuming means here only that the highest state, that of Prajapati,
is not obtained, because the eminence of reflection on knowledge is
wanting. Therefore by the words, " He consumes him " is meant, that
the perfect performer obtains the highest state of Prajapati; he who
is less perfect does not obtain it, and by no means that the less per-
fect performer is actually consumed by the perfect; thus it is said in
common life, that a warrior who first rushes into battle, consumes his
combatants, which means that he exceeds them in prowess."
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