Commentary of Sankaracharya: on the Brahma Sutra

 

I-i-1: Brahman does exist as a well-known entity - eternal, pure, intelligent, free by nature and all -knowing and all-powerful. For from the very derivation of the word Brahman, the ideas of eternality, purity etc., become obvious, this being in accord with the root brmh.* Besides, the existence of Brahman is well known from the fact of Its being the Self of all; for everyone feels that his Self exists and he never feels, "I do not exist". Had there been no general recognition of the existence of the Self, everyone would have felt, "I do not exist".