Part 10

3.7.15 to 3.7.23
There is one internal ruler though the organs are different. The organs do not know that the ruler is different from them, but He knows them. The “Internal Ruler is your own immortal self”. “He· is never seen but is the Witness; He is never heard but is the Hearer; He is never thought but is the Thinker; He is never known but is the Knower. There is no other witness but Him, no other hearer but Him, no other thinker but Him, no other knower but Him.” After getting the answers, Uddalaka becomes silent.

Chapter 3 Section 8
3.8.1 and 3.8.2
Gargi reappears in this section. Earlier, she has asked questions based on logic with a view to reach the ultimate cause of creation. After a certain stage, logic is not helpful. She has reached the stage of Hiranyagarbha and wanted to go beyond. It is the domain of scriptures. In this section, she questions on the basis of scriptures. In section 7, the questions are up to stage of Isvara, i.e., Saguna Brahman. Beyond it is Nirguna Brahman. Gargi intends to ask two questions and adds that if Yajnavalkya answers them, he should be considered invincible and he will be worthy to take the prizes.             3.8.3 to 3.8.5                                                                                                              Though Gargi intends to ask two questions, the first question has already been answered in the section 7. The first question is about the entity which pervades Hiranyagarbha, the cosmic subtle body. Yajnavalkya has already answered to Uddalaka that Isvara pervades Hiranyagarbha. He repeats the answer but uses the word unmanifested ether for Isvara.
3.8.6 to 3.8.18                                                                                                               The second question seeks to know the entity which pervades the unmanifested ether, i.e, Isvara. Yajnavalkya says that according to knowers of Brahman, it is the Immutable. It is devoid of all attributes. It is neither gross nor minute; neither long nor short. The fourfold negation of size and all the characteristics means that It is not a substance. It is devoid of colour, oiliness. It is not shadow. It is not darkness. It is not air. It has no eyes, no ears. It has no exterior, no interior. It is one only without a second. It cannot be described.
3.8.9                                                                                                                              The Sruti, by negating attributes of the Immutable, has indicated Its existence as what is left over (‘negator’) and cannot be negated thereby establishing Its existence. Other things (objects) exist because of It. And in this sense, It is the ruler of all that is in the world, big or small.
3.8.10 to 3.8.12                                                                                                                   The Immutable is never seen but is the Witness; It is never heard but is the Hearer; It is never thought but is the Thinker; It is never known but is the Knower. There is no other witness but This, no other hearer but This, no other thinker but This, no other knower but This. By this Immutable is the (unmanifested) ether pervaded.                         A person who offers oblations in the fire, performs sacrifices and undergoes austerities even for many thousand years, finds all such acts but perishable. He must move forward and should know the immutable. He who departs from this world without knowing this Immutable, is miserable. And who departs from this world after knowing this Immutable is immortal. There is another reason for the existence of the Immutable. Until one knows It one is bound to suffer transmigration; and That must exist, the knowledge of which puts a stop to it.  It is but logical. Gargi is satisfied with the answers and pronounces that Yvk is invincible.
Contd Part 12