Section One (प्रथमः खण्डः)
By whom is the mind impelled to move? By whom is the vital breath first set in motion? By whose will do men utter speech? What god unites the eye and the ear with their objects?
He is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the speech of speech, the breath of breath, the eye of the eye; the wise, having realized this, transcend this world and become immortal.
There the eye does not go, nor speech, nor the mind. We do not know, we do not understand how one could teach this.
It is indeed different from the known and beyond the unknown; thus we have heard from the ancient seers who explained it to us.
Know that to be Brahman which is not expressed by speech, but by which speech is expressed; this is not what people worship.
Know that to be Brahman which the mind does not think, but by which, they say, the mind thinks; this is not what people worship.
Know that to be Brahman which the eye does not see, but by which the eyes see; this is not what people worship.
Know that to be Brahman which the ear does not hear, but by which the ear hears; this is not what people worship.
Know that to be Brahman which the breath does not breathe, but by which the breath is impelled; this is not what people worship.
Section One Bhāshya
An ancient testimonial from 'Brahma-sāra' is quoted where similar questions are asked by Shiva to Brahma. Brahma answers that it is the all pervading lord Vishnu who is inaccessible to all the gods because of his complete perfection, who impels the mind and other faculties. He is supreme and present everywhere.
Obeisance to you, Nārāyaṇa, the giver of all desired things to the benevolent, due to being full of infinite qualities, remains inaccessible even to the benevolent.
"Sadāśiva, wishing to know the truth of Viṣṇu, asked Brahmā, the four-faced one seated in seclusion among the victorious ones: "The mind inevitably falls here and there in beings; by whom is it impelled? Likewise, how does the supreme vital breath move?"
Having been asked, "Which deity directs the eye, the ear, and speech?" Brahmā then said to the god, the consort of Umā, meditating upon Nārāyaṇa—the incomparable god, the support of all, the all-knowing, the all-powerful, and free from all defects.
"He who is the impeller of breath, of the eye, and of all the senses; who is inaccessible to all the gods because of his complete perfection; who impels breath and all other faculties; who knows all entirely; who is supreme and present everywhere—that is Viṣṇu; let this be understood. ..."
[-stated thus in the testimonial brahma-sāra.]
Thus ends the first section.
