Translations & Commentaries on K3.27-28 re: sato / asato

27. sato hi māyayā janma yujyate na tu tattvataḥ, tattvato jāyate yasya jātaṁ tasya hi jāyate.

सतः – which is even existent; हि मायया – through delusion alone; जन्म युज्यते – birth is possible; तु – but; न तत्त्वतः – not from the standpoint of Reality; तत्त्वतः – Reality (is real); जायते – passing into birth; यस्य – for a person; जातम् – (then) which is born; तस्य – for him; हि जायते – alone is born (again) (tr-C)

What is ever existent appears to pass into birth through maya, yet from the standpoint of Reality it does not do so. But he who thinks this passing into birth is real asserts, as a matter of fact, that what is born passes into birth again. (tr-N)

As an existing entity, such as a rope, produces an effect, such as a snake, only through maya, and not in reality, so the incomprehensible and eternal Atman is seen to produce an effect, in the form of the universe, only through maya. No real birth from Atman can be predicated. ~N

28. Asato māyayā janma tattvato naiva yujyate, vandhyā-putro na tattvena māyayā vāpi jāyate.

असतः – unreal, non-existent; मायया – through delusion; जन्म – be born; तत्त्वतः – in Reality; न-एव युज्यते – not at all possible; वन्ध्या-पुत्रः – son of a barren woman; न – not; तत्त्वेन – in Reality; मायया – through delusion; वा-अपि – and also; जायते – is born. (tr-C)

The unreal cannot be born either really or through maya. For it is not possible for the son of a barren woman to be born either really or through maya. (tr-N)

There are those who hold that all entities are non-existent and that they are produced from a non-existent cause. But a non-existent entity cannot be produced either in reality or through illusion; for we know nothing like this in our experience. One cannot imagine the birth of the son of a barren woman either in reality or through maya. Therefore the view of the nihilists, who deny the reality of appearances and consequently of the cause, is untenable. ~N

A world of plurality cannot emerge out of the Reality, which is existent (sat) or non-existent (asat). By denying this effect as having arisen from any cause, we deny the very existence of the effect. ~C

Therefore, sat is not a cause and asat is not a cause. No other cause is there. The world has not originated. But what is seen? An appearance caused by māyā is seen. ~P

Legend:

C: Chinmayananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda