account of the command.--For the sacred text speaks of a
command ('By the command of that akshara, O Gargi, sun and moon stand
apart!' III, 8, 9), and command can be the work of the highest Lord
only, not of the non-intelligent pradhana. For non-intelligent causes
such as clay and the like are not capable of command, with reference to
their effects, such as jars and the like.

12. And on account of (Scripture) separating (the akshara) from that
whose nature is different (from Brahman).

Also on account of the reason stated in this Sutra Brahman only is to be
considered as the Imperishable, and the supporting of all things up to
ether is to be looked upon as the work of Brahman only, not of anything
else. The meaning of the Sutra is as follows. Whatever things other than
Brahman might possibly be thought to be denoted by the term 'akshara,'
from the nature of all those things Scripture separates the akshara
spoken of as the support of all things up to ether. The scriptural
passage alluded to is III, 8, 11, 'That akshara, O Gargi, is unseen but
seeing, unheard but hearing, unperceived but perceiving, unknown but
knowing.' Here the designation of being unseen, &c. agrees indeed with
the pradhana also, but not so the designation of seeing, &c., as the
pradhana is non-intelligent.--Nor can the word akshara denote the
embodied soul with its limiting conditions, for the passage following on
the one quoted declares that there is nothing different from the Self
('there is nothing that sees but it, nothing that hears but it, nothing
that perceives but it, nothing that knows but it'); and, moreover,
limiting conditions are expressly denied (of the akshara) in the
passage, 'It is without eyes, without ears, without speech, without
mind,' &c. (III, 8, 8). An embodied soul without limiting conditions
does not exist[174].--It is therefore certain beyond doubt that the
Imperishable is nothing else but the highest Brahman.

13. On account of his being designated as the object of sight (the
highest Self is meant, and) the same (is meant in the passage speaking
of the meditation on the highest person by means of the syllable Om).

(In Pra. Up. V, 2) the general topic of discussion is set forth in the
words, 'O Satyakama, the syllable Om is the highest and also the other
Brahman; therefore he who knows it arrives by the same means at one of
the two.' The text then goes on, 'Again, he who meditates with this
syllable Om of three matras o