17. The syllable (Aum) with which the Vedas begin, which figures in the middle of the Vedas, and with which the Vedas end, unites Prakrti with its Own Self; but that which is beyond this Prakrti-united-Pranava is Mahesvara.
18. A boat is necessary until one gets to the other side of the river, but when a man once crosses the stream, the boat is no longer necessary for his purpose.
19. As a husbandman throws away the husks, after thrashing out the corn, so does also an intelligent person give up the study of books after he has attained knowledge from them.
20. As light is necessary to find the wished-for object in a dark chamber, but when once the object is found, the light is put aside as unnecessary: so also when the Object of the Supreme Knowledge, that is kept hidden by the illusions of Maya, is once found out by the torch of Knowledge, the Knowledge itself is afterwards put aside as unnecessary.
21. As milk is not necessary for a person who is already satisfied with the drink of nectar, so also Vedas are not required for man who has already known the Supreme Deity.
22. Thrice fortunate is the Yoga who has thus satiated his thirst by the nectar of knowledge; he is henceforth bound to no Karma, as he has become the knower of the Tattvas.
23. He that has known the unspeakable Pranava as the one continuous sound of a big gong, or like one unbroken thread (Dhara) of oil, without division and separation, understand the real meaning of the Vedas.
24. He, that uses his own Atman as one Arani (a piece of wood that produces fire when rubbed), and Pranava as the other and constantly rubs the two together, he will very soon see the hidden fire thus produced by the friction of the two, even as he produces the fire that is hidden in the bosom of the Arani
25. As long as one does not see within himself that sublime Rupa which is purer than purity itself, and which beams forth like a smokeless light, he should continue his meditations with a steady mind, fixing his thoughts upon that Rupa (form).
26. The Jivatman, although (considered to be) very distant from Paramatman, is still very near to it; and although it has a body, still it is without body; the Jivatman itself is pure, omnipotent and self-evident.
27. Although it (Jivatman) is (considered to be) in the body, still it is not in the body; it is not affected by any change of the body, nor does it take part in any enjoyment appertaining to the body nor can it be bound down or conditioned by anything that binds the body.
28 & 29. All oil exists in the seed (i.e., pervading the whole of it) and butter (Ghrta) in cheese (Ksira, i.e., milk boiled and thickened). As smell exists in the flower, and juice in fruits, so does the Jivatman which permeates the whole universe, also exists in the human body. Like the fire hidden in the bosom of wood, and like the air that pervades the whole limitless Akasa, Atman, the dweller in the caves of Manas, unseen and unperceived, becomes its own expressor, and walks in the Akasa of the human heart.
30. Though the Jivatman dwells in the heart,yet it has its abode in the mind; and though dwelling in the heart it is itself mindless. The Yogi, who sees such an Atman in his own heart through the help of his own mind, gradually becomes a Siddha himself.
31. He that has been able to make his mind entirely unsupported and one with the Akasa, and to know the unchangeable One, his state is called the state of Samadhi.
32. Though living upon air he that daily practises Samadhi to make himself happy with the drink of the Yoga-nectar, becomes able to destroy the destroyer.
33. He that contemplates the Atman as No-thing above, No-thing below, No-thing in the middle, and No-thing all round, his state is called the state of Samadhi. (That is Niralamba, non-supported or self-supported samadhi) The Yogi who thus realizes the No-thingness of the Atman becomes free from all virtues and vice.
ARJUNA ASKED:
34. Tell me, O Kesava, how Yogis should meditate upon the colourless and formless Brahman, when the mind is unable to think upon that which it has never seen, and that which can be seen is material, and consequently subject to destruction (change)?
SRI BHAGAVAN SAID:
35. That which is full above, full below, full in the middle, and full all round, is the All-full Atman and he that contemplates the Atman thus, is said to be in the state of Samadhi.
ARJUNA ASKED:
36. Tell me, O Kesava, how the Yogi is to practise meditation when the Salamba which thou has just described is unreal and that which is Niralamba means No-thingness?
SRI BHAGAVAN SAID:
37. He who, after purifying his mind, contemplates the pure Paramatman, and looks unto his own Self as he one vast undivided whole of the manifested universe, becomes happy by knowing the Brahman.
ARJUNA ASKED:
38. All the letters have long and short metrical sound, they (letters) are also joined by the Bindu (Anusvara-point) and the latter (Bindu) when disjoined, merges itself into the Nada (sound), but where does the Nada merge.
SRI BHAGAVAN SAID:
39 & 40. Light exists in the voice of the ceaseless Sound, and Manas (thought) in that light; the Space where the Manas disappears (merges in itself) is the Supreme Foot of Visnu. Aiming at the unknowable, where the Sound of the Pranava, led up on high by the Life-Air, disappears, that Space is called the Supreme Foot of Visnu.
