he intelligent
Viswarupa, of several of the deities, of the Pitris and the Daityas. I
have acquired all that they say, for they generally discourse that
eternal object of all knowledge. I desire, however, to hear what thou
mayst say on those topics with the aid of thy intelligence. Thou art the
foremost of all persons, and a learned lecturer on the scriptures, and
endued with great intelligence. There is nothing that is unknown to thee.
Thou art an ocean of the Srutis, as described, O Brahmana, in the world
of both the deities and Pitris. The great Rishis residing in the region
of Brahma say that Aditya himself, the eternal lord of all luminaries, is
thy preceptor (in the matter of this branch of knowledge). O Yajnavalkya,
thou hast obtained the entire science, O Brahmana, of the Sankhyas, as
also the scriptures of the Yogins in particular. Without doubt, thou art
enlightened, fully conversant with the mobile immobile universe. I desire
to hear thee discourse on that knowledge, which may be likened to
clarified butter endued with solid grains."

"'"Yajnavalkya said, 'Thou art, O foremost of Gandharvas, competent to
comprehend every knowledge. As, however, thou askest me do thou hear me
then discourse to thee according as I myself have obtained it from my
preceptor. Prakriti, which is unintelligent, is apprehended by Jiva.
Jiva, however, cannot be apprehended by Prakriti, O Gandharva. In
consequence of Jiva being reflected in Prakriti, the latter is called
Pradhana by Sankhyas and Yogins conversant with the original principles
as indicated in the Srutis. O sinless one, the other, beholding, beholds
the twenty-fourth (Prakriti) and the twenty-fifth (Soul); not beholding,
it beholds the twenty-sixth.[1669] The twenty-fifth thinks that there is
nothing higher than itself. In reality, however, though beholding, it
does not behold that (viz., the twenty-sixth) which beholds it.[1670] Men
possessed of wisdom should never accept the Twenty-fourth (viz.,
Prakriti, which is unintelligent or inert) as identifiable with the
Twenty-fifth or the Soul which has a real and independent existence. The
fish live in water. It goes thither impelled by its own nature. As the
fish, though living in the water, is to be regarded as separate from it,
after the same manner is the Twenty-fifth to be apprehended (i.e., though
the Twenty-fifth exists in a state of contact with the Twenty-fourth or
Prakriti, it is, however, in its real nature, separat