Self and the highest Self which results from Nescience.  Although the question relating to the Self is in reality one only, yet its former part (I, 1, 20) is seen specially to refer to the individual Self, since there a doubt is set forth as to the existence of the soul when, at the time of death, it frees itself from the body, and since the specific marks of the sa/m/sara-state, such as activity, &c. are not denied; while the latter part of the question (I, 2, 14), where the state of being beyond all attributes is spoken of, clearly refers to the highest Self.—­For these reasons the Sutra is right in assuming three topics of question and explanation, viz. the fire sacrifice, the individual soul, and the highest Self.  Those, on the other hand, who assume that the pradhana constitutes a fourth subject discussed in the Upanishad, can point neither to a boon connected with it, nor to a question, nor to an answer.  Hence the pradhana hypothesis is clearly inferior to our own.

7.  And (the case of the term avyakta) is like that of the term mahat.

While the Sa@nkhyas employ the term ‘the Great one,’ to denote the first-born entity, which is mere existence[232] (? viz. the intellect), the term has a different meaning in Vedic use.  This we see from its being connected with the Self, &c. in such passages as the following, ‘The great Self is beyond the Intellect’ (Ka.  Up.  I, 3, 10); ’The great omnipresent Self’ (Ka.  Up.  I, 2, 23); ‘I know that great person’ (Sve.  Up.  III, 8).  We thence conclude that the word avyakta also, where it occurs in the Veda, cannot denote the pradhana.—­The pradhana is therefore a mere thing of inference, and not vouched for by Scripture.

8. (It cannot be maintained that aja means the pradhana) because no special characteristic is stated; as in the case of the cup.

Here the advocate of the pradhana comes again forward and maintains that the absence of scriptural authority for the pradhana is not yet proved.  For, he says, we have the following mantra (Sve.  Up.  IV, 5), ’There is one aja[233], red, white, and black, producing manifold offspring of the same nature.  There is one aja who loves her and lies by her; there is another who leaves her after having enjoyed her.’—­In this mantra the words ‘red,’ ‘white,’ and ‘black’ denote the three constituent elements of the pradhana.  Passion is called red on account of its colouring, i.e. influencing property; Goodness is called white, because it is of the nature of Light; Darkness is called black on account of its covering and obscuring property.  The state of equipoise of the three constituent elements, i.e. the pradhana, is denoted by the attributes of its parts, and is therefore called red-white-black.  It is further called aja, i.e. unborn, because it is acknowledged to be the fundamental matter out of which everything springs, not a mere effect.—­But has not the word aja the settled