Listen to the profound teaching as it unfolds, revealing the nature of the Self and the Imperishable, and the wisdom shared among the sages. Within the waters, there dwells One who is distinct from the waters themselves. Though the waters do not know Him, His very body is the waters, and from within, He governs their flow. This is your Self, the inner controller, immortal. Similarly, within fire stands One who is other than fire. Fire knows Him not, yet fire is His body, and He directs its power from within. This is your Self, the inner controller, immortal. He abides within the intermediate space—yet is not the space itself. The space does not know Him, but He is its very body, and He rules it from within. This is your Self, the inner controller, immortal. Within air, within the sky, within the sun, within the moon and stars, within all space, within the directions, within lightning and thunder, within all worlds, within all the Vedas, and within all sacrifices—He stands, distinct and unknown to these, yet they are His body and He controls them from within. In each, He is your Self, the inner controller, immortal. He is present in all beings, and though all beings do not know Him, He is their very essence, controlling them from within. Thus is the teaching concerning the elements. Now, the teaching turns to the self. He stands within breath, within speech, within the eye and ear, within the mind and skin, within knowledge, within light and darkness, within seed and within the self itself. In each, He is unknown, yet is their very body and controls them from within. This is your Self, the inner controller, immortal. He is unseen, yet the true seer; unheard, yet the real hearer; unthought, yet the actual thinker; unknown, yet the knower. There is no other seer, hearer, thinker, or knower than this Self, the inner controller, immortal. All else is subject to suffering. Thus, Uddalaka, son of Aruna, became silent. Then Vacaknavi spoke: “Revered Brahmins, I wish to ask Yajnavalkya two questions. If he answers, none of you will defeat him in discussion about Brahman. If not, his head will fall off.” The sages encouraged her: “Ask, Gargi.” Gargi approached Yajnavalkya as one ready for contest, like a warrior rising with bow and arrows. She said, “Yajnavalkya, that which is above the heavens, below the earth, between heaven and earth, and that which is, was, and will be—people speak of these. In what are all these woven and interwoven?” Yajnavalkya replied, “Gargi, all these are woven and interwoven in space (ākāśa).” Gargi acknowledged his answer and pressed further: “In what, then, is space itself woven and interwoven?” Yajnavalkya answered, “Gargi, the knowers of Brahman call this the Imperishable. It is neither gross nor subtle, neither short nor long, neither red nor fluid, neither shadow nor darkness, neither air nor space, unattached, untouchable, without smell or taste, without eyes or ears, without speech or mind, without radiance, without breath, without mouth, without name or lineage, undecaying, immortal, fearless, deathless, without impurity, soundless, unmanifest, unconfined, without beginning, without end, without inside or outside. No one can reach it; no one can grasp it.” He continued, “By the command of this Imperishable, Gargi, heaven and earth stand firm; the sun and moon are held in place; day and night, months, seasons, and years are sustained; rivers flow in their courses; humans praise those who give; gods praise the sacrificer; ancestors depend on offerings.” “Whoever, Gargi, offers sacrifices, gives gifts, or performs austerities without knowing this Imperishable, even for thousands of years, his world is finite. Whoever departs this world without knowing the Imperishable is pitiable. But whoever departs knowing the Imperishable is a knower of Brahman.” “This Imperishable, Gargi, is unseen but the seer, unheard but the hearer, unthought but the thinker, unknown but the knower. There is no other seer, hearer, thinker, or knower than this. In this, Gargi, space is woven and interwoven.” Gargi then addressed the Brahmins: “You should honor him, for his answers have released you from questioning. None of you will defeat him in debate about Brahman.” With this, Vacaknavi ceased her questioning. Then Vidagdha Shakalya asked Yajnavalkya, “How many gods are there?” Yajnavalkya answered as recited in the Vaiśvadeva hymn: “Three and three hundred, three and three thousand.” Shakalya pressed, “How many gods are there?” Yajnavalkya replied, “Thirty-three.” Again, “How many gods?” “Six.” “How many gods?” “Three.” “How many gods?” “Two.” “How many gods?” “One and a half.” “How many gods?” “One.” Shakalya asked, “Which are these three and three hundred, three and three thousand?” Yajnavalkya explained, “These are but manifestations of greatness; in reality, there are only thirty-three gods. Which are these thirty-three? The eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Ādityas—these make thirty-one—Indra and Prajāpati make thirty-three.” He continued, “The Vasus are fire, earth, wind, atmosphere, sun, heaven, moon, and stars. In these all things reside; because all things reside in them, they are called Vasus.” “The Rudras are the ten vital breaths in a person, and the self as the eleventh. When these depart from the mortal body, they cause weeping; thus, they are called Rudras.” “The Ādityas are the twelve months of the year. Because they take away everything, they are called Ādityas.” “Thunder is Indra; sacrifice is Prajāpati. Thunder is lightning; sacrifice is the animals.” Thus, the sages listened as Yajnavalkya revealed the mysteries of the Self, the Imperishable, and the gods, illuminating the path to understanding Brahman.