n heard by us. Of objects of the senses and
the mind, the wise have said that the mind constitute Vidya. Of mind and
the five subtile essences, the five subtile essences constitutes Vidya.
Of the five subtile essences and Consciousness, Consciousness constitutes
Vidya. Of Consciousness and Mahat, Mahat, O king, is Vidya. Of all the
topics or principles beginning with Mahat, and Prakriti, it is Prakriti,
which is unmanifest and supreme, that is called Vidya. Of Prakriti, and
that called Vidhi which is Supreme, the latter should be known as Vidya.
Transcending Prakriti is the twenty-fifth (called Purusha) who should be
known as Vidya. Of all knowledge that which is the Object of Knowledge
has been said to be the Unmanifest, O king.[1627] Again, Knowledge has
been said to be Unmanifest and the Object of knowledge to be that which
transcends the four and twenty. Once more, Knowledge has been said to be
Unmanifest, and the Knower is that which transcends the four and twenty.
I have now told thee what is truly the import of Vidya and Avidya. Listen
now to me as I tell thee all that has been said about the Indestructible,
and the Destructible. Both Jiva and Prakriti have been said to be
Indestructible, and both of them have been said to be Destructible. I
shall tell thee the reason of this correctly as I have understood it.
Both Prakriti and Jiva are without beginning and without end or
destruction. Both of them are regarded as supreme (in the matter of
Creation). Those that are possessed of knowledge say that both are to be
called topics or principles. In consequence of its attributes of
(repeated) Creation and Destruction, the Unmanifest (or Prakriti) is
called Indestructible. That Unmanifest becomes repeatedly modified for
the purpose of creating the principle. And because the principles
beginning with Mahat are produced by Purusha as well, and because also
Purusha and the Unmanifest are mutually dependant upon each other,
therefore is Purusha also, the twenty-fifth, called Kshetra (and hence
Akshara or Indestructible).[1628] When the Yogin withdraws and merges all
the principles into the Unmanifest Soul (or Brahma) then the twenty-fifth
(viz., Jiva or Purusha) also, with all those principles disappears into
it. When the principles become merged each into its progenitor, then the
one that remains is Prakriti. When Kshetrajna too,[1629] O son, becomes
merged into his own producing cause then (all that remains is Brahma and,
th