Only by duly listening to the description of the Tattvas does the soul, O King, become conversant with the principles. Learned scholars speak about twenty-five principles.
Never does a person conversant with the Tattva get immersed in the ocean of worldly existence, O dear One! The Tattva approaches these persons quickly. Now understand their characteristics.
‘Prajna free from old age and death’ is understood as the twenty-sixth principle. This is called diversity, Nanatva, as explained in the Saamkhya scriptures.
When It is comprehended by the intellect the twenty-fifth principle, accompanied by consciousness, Chetana, shall have unity.
It attains equality, O King of Mithila, with (the enlightened one) that is being comprehended. Although the Atman is devoid of attachment, O Ruler of men, It has the features and characteristics of what is being attached.
They understand that the twenty-sixth principle is evolved out of karma, after attaining to the Atman that is free from attachment. When This is enlightened, the Omnipresent
Soul abandons the Avyakta.
The twenty-fourth principle is very subtle owing to the enlightenment of the twenty-sixth principle. Thus, the Apratibuddha (non-enlightened), Buddha (the Enlightened) and the Budhyamaana have been briefly described to you, O sinless One, in the manner explained in the sastras.
The difference between these is the same as between masaaka (mosquito) and udumbara (the fruit of a particular tree). It is the same as between fish and water. The unity and diversity of the two should be thought of in this manner.
What is mentioned as Salvation is this much. It is termed Jnana and Vijnana. The desire that ‘this person should be liberated’ suddenly originates in the body of the
twenty-fifth principle, they say, within the view of the Avyakta. It is certain that he will be liberated and not otherwise. The soul acquires the characteristics of another object by associating with it. It becomes pure when associating with the pure one, and not with the impure one. It becomes
free from attributes while associating with the Enlightened, O Bull among men!
While associating with one with the feeling of detachment, the soul becomes liberated. While associating with the liberated, it becomes liberated. One with unlimited intellect becomes pure, and of pure activities while associating with one of pure activities. While associating with another soul free from impurities, it becomes pure; and while associating with the independent, it becomes independent.
O great King! The Truth and the truthful Reality have been recounted so far. By grasping with your intellect the Eternal Brahman, the First Pure One, you have become amatsara, devoid of jealousy.
O King! This great truth should not be imparted to a person not abiding by the Veda. It imparts enlightenment to a person who is desirous of acting according to it. It
admonishes one who bows down for enlightenment.
This truth should not be imparted to a liar, a rogue, an impotent person or a person of crooked intellect. It should not be imparted to a person who harasses scholars devoted
to Knowledge. It should be imparted for enlightenment of the disciples.
This should be imparted to a disciple who is equipped with faith and good qualities, who refrains from slandering others, who possesses pure yoga and who is a learned one equipped with forbearance and sympathy.
This secret should be imparted to a person who has discrimination, who is fond of injunctions, who is devoid of quarrelsome nature, who is learned, who has humble dress and demeanour, and who has no selfish motive.
They say that knowledge of the Great Brahman should not be imparted to a person who is devoid of these qualities. The narration of virtue to such person is not conducive to the welfare of any because it is like charity accorded to a person who does not deserve it.
This should not be given to a person who does no sacred rites even if the entire earth full of jewels were given away. O Leader of men! This great knowledge should be
imparted to a person who has conquered his sense-organs, who observes pure rites, and who knows the Reality.
O Karala! Let there be no fear at all in you. You have heard of the Great Brahman today. It has been duly recounted. It is extremely sacred. It relieves you of all grief. It has no beginning, middle or end.
It is unfathomable. It is free from old age and death. It is free from ailment. It is auspicious. It is free from fear. In view of the falsity of the arguments of others, the Eternal Brahman is propitiated with great effort. That Eternal Brahman is ever realized in the same manner as you have realized the Brahman.
O Leader of men! I have recounted to you all this exclusively as I heard from Brahma. It is the great knowledge, the last resort of those who are conversant with salvation.
Vyasa said:
This Great Brahman, the twenty-fifth principle, from which one does not return, has now been recounted in the same manner as it had been recounted, O excellent Sages, by Vasistha formerly.
He who does not completely and accurately understand the great unchanging Knowledge, free from death and old age, even after striving for comprehension, returns.
O Brahmins! This Jnana that is conducive to salvation has been truthfully described by me after listening to it (and understanding it) from the divine Sage.
This was derived by sage Vasistha from Brahma. Narada, the greatest among the sages, obtained this knowledge from Vasistha.
This eternal doctrine has been recounted to me by Narada. After hearing about this great doctrine, O excellent Sages, you will not feel sorry.
He who has understood that Kshara and Akshara are different has no fear. He who does not know this accurately does certainly have fear.
Owing to the absence of perfect Knowledge, a person of confounded soul undergoes hardships again and again and attains to thousands of births ending with death.
Or, he may go to the heavenly world or to the realm of low creatures or to the human world. Or, perhaps he is released from that ocean of ignorance.
In the terrible ocean of ignorance, the Un-manifest is called the unfathomable one. O Brahmins, it is here that the living beings become immersed day by day.
Hence, owing to overcoming the unfathomable Avyakta, the Eternal One, all of you, O Brahmins, have become free from rajas and tamas.
Thus, O excellent Sages, I have recounted to you the manner of securing the great liberation (salvation), the essence of all essences. On realizing it, one does not return.
It should not be imparted to an atheist or to a person who is not a devotee. O Brahmins, it should not be imparted to an evil-minded person or a person who has no faith and who is averse to everything good. .
