“Viswavasu then said, ’Thou hast, O foremost of Brahmanas, said that Jiva-soul is indestructible and truly undistinguished from the Supreme Soul.  This, however, is difficult to understand.  It behoveth thee to once more discourse on this topic to me.  I have heard discourses on this subject from Jaigishavya, Aista, Devala, the regenerate sage Parasara, the intelligent Varshaganya, Bhrigu, Panchasikha Kapila, Suka, Gautama, Arshtisena, the high-souled Garga, Narada, Asuri, the intelligent Paulastya, Sanatkumara, the high-souled Sukra, and my sire Kasyapa.  Subsequently I heard the discourses of Rudra and the 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