for the use
of others) this knowledge consisting of fifty branches which I had
obtained from Surya, I now meditate on the great object of that knowledge
viz., (Brahma). The Gandharva Viswavasu, well-conversant with the Vedanta
scriptures, desirous, O king, of ascertaining what is beneficial for the
Brahmanas in this knowledge and what truth occurs in it, and what is the
excellent object of this knowledge, one questioned me. He put to me
altogether four and twenty questions, O king, relating to the Vedas.
Finally, he asked me a question, numbered twenty-fifth which relates to
that branch of knowledge which is concerned with the inferences of
ratiocination. Those questions are as follows: What is universe and what
is not-universe? What is Aswa and what Aswa? What is Mitra? What is
Varuna? What is Knowledge? What is Object of knowledge? What is
Unintelligent? What is Intelligent? Who is Kah? Who is possessed of the
principle of change? Who is not possessed of the same? What is he that
devours the Sun and what is the Sun? What is Vidya and what is Avidya?
What is Immobile and what Mobile? What is without beginning, what is
Indestructible, and what is Destructible? These were the excellent
questions put to me by that foremost of Gandharvas. After king Viswavasu,
that foremost of Gandharvas, had asked me these questions one after
another, I answered them properly. At first, however, I told him, Wait
for a brief space of time, till I reflect on thy questions! So be it,
Gandharva said, and sat in silence. I then thought once again of the
goddess Saraswati in my mind. The replies then to those questions
naturally arose in my mind like butter from curds. Keeping in view the
high science of inferential ratiocination, I churned with my mind, O
monarch, the Upanishads and the supplementary scriptures relating to the
Vedas. The fourth science then that treats of Emancipation, O foremost of
kings, and on which I have already discoursed to thee, and which is based
upon the twenty-fifth, viz., Jiva, I then expounded to him.[1664] Having
said all this, O monarch, to king Viswavasu, I then addressed him,
saying, "Listen now to the answers that I give unto the several questions
that thou hast put to me. I now turn to the question, which, O Gandharva,
thou askest, viz., What is Universe and what is not-universe? The
Universe is Unmanifest and original Prakriti endued with the principles
of birth and death which are terrible (to those that are