the twenty-fifth can comprehend the Unmanifest, he
is therefore, called Budhyamana (or Comprehender).
He cannot, however, readily comprehend the twenty-sixth,
which is stainless, which is Knowledge without duality,
which is immeasurable, and which is eternal. The
twenty-sixth, however, can know both Jiva and Prakriti,
numbering the twenty-fifth and the twenty-fourth respectively.
O thou of great effulgence, only men of wisdom succeed
in knowing that Brahma which is Unmanifest, which inheres
in its real nature to all that is seen and unseen,
and which, O son is the one independent essence in
the universe.[1633] When Jiva considers himself different
from what he truly is (i.e. when he regards himself
as fat or lean, fair or dark a Brahmana or a Sudra),
it is only then that he fails to know the Supreme
Soul and himself and Prakriti with which he is united.
When Jiva succeeds in understanding Prakriti (and knowing
that she is something different from him) then he
is said to be restored to his true nature and then
does he attain to that high understanding which is
pure and stainless and which is concerned with Brahma.
When Jiva succeeds, O tiger among kings, in attaining
to that excellent understanding, he then attains to
that Pure Knowledge (without duality) which is called
the twenty-sixth or (Brahma). He then casts off
the Unmanifest or Prakriti which is fraught with the
attributes of Creation and Destruction. When
Jiva succeeds in knowing Prakriti which is unintelligent
and subject to the action of the three attributes of
Sattwa, and Rajas and Tamas, he then becomes destitute
of attributes himself. In consequence of his
thus understanding the Unmanifest (to be something
different from him), he succeeds in acquiring the nature
of the Supreme Soul. The learned say that when
he is freed from the attributes of Sattwa and Rajas
and Tamas and united in the nature with the Supreme
Soul then does Jiva become identified with that Soul.
The Supreme Soul is called Tattwa as well as Not-Tattwa,
and transcends decay and destruction.[1634] O giver
of honours, the Soul, though it has the manifest principles
(viz. the body) for its resting place, yet it cannot
be said to have acquired the nature of those principles.
The wise say that including the Jiva soul there are
five and twenty principles in all. Indeed, O
son, the Soul is not to be regarded as possessed of
any of the principles (Mahat and the rest). Endued
with Intelligence, it transcends the principles.
It casts off quickly even that principle which is the
indication of the Knowing or awakened one.[1635] When
Jiva comes to regard himself as the twenty-sixth which
is divested of decay and destruction, it is then that,
without doubt, he succeeds by his own force in attaining
to similarity with the twenty-sixth. Though awakened
by the twenty-sixth which is Pure Intelligence, Jiva
still becomes subject to Ignorance. This is the
cause of Jiva, multifariousness (in respect of forms)
as explained in the Srutis and the Sankhya scriptures.