एकमेकतराभावे यदा नोपलभामहे । त्रितयं तत्र यो वेद स आत्मा स्वाश्रयाश्रय: ॥ ९ ॥
ekam ekatarabhave yada nopalabhamahe tritayam tatra yo veda sa atma svasrayasrayah
- ekam
- one
- ekatara
- another
- abhave
- in the absence of
- yada
- because
- na
- does not
- upalabhamahe
- perceptible
- tritayam
- in three stages
- tatra
- there
- yah
- the one
- veda
- who knows
- sah
- he
- atma
- the Supersoul
- sva
- own
- asraya
- shelter
- asrayah
- of the shelter.
All three of the above-mentioned stages of different living entities are interdependent. In the absence of one, another is not understood. But the Supreme Being who sees every one of them as the shelter of the shelter is independent of all, and therefore He is the supreme shelter.