In the great assembly of learned Brahmins, the sage Yājñavalkya was questioned on the nature of the Self. It was declared: the Self is unseen, yet it is the seer; unheard, yet it is the hearer; unthought, yet it is the thinker; unknown, yet it is the knower. There is no other seer, no other hearer, no other thinker, no other knower but this very Self—the inner controller, the immortal. All else is subject to suffering. At these profound words, Uddalaka, son of Aruna, fell silent. Then, Vacaknavi, known as Gargi, rose and addressed the Brahmins, announcing her intent to challenge Yājñavalkya with two questions. She declared that if he answered, none would surpass him in debate about Brahman, but if he failed, his head would fall. The assembly encouraged her, and she turned to Yājñavalkya, likening her approach to a warrior from Kāśī or Videha, or the son of Ugra, rising with a strung bow and two sharp arrows, ready for contest. “I come to you with two questions,” she said. Yājñavalkya invited her to ask. Gargi began: “Yājñavalkya, that which is above the heavens, that which is below the earth, that which is between heaven and earth, and that which is, was, and will be—people speak of these. In what are all these woven and interwoven?” Yājñavalkya replied, “Gargi, all these are woven and interwoven in space (ākāśa).” Gargi accepted his answer with reverence and asked to pose her second question. Again, she asked, “Yājñavalkya, that which is above the heavens, that which is below the earth, that which is between heaven and earth, and that which is, was, and will be—people speak of these. In what are all these woven and interwoven?” Yājñavalkya answered, “All these are woven and interwoven in space alone. But in what, then, is space itself woven and interwoven?” He continued, “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; it is unattached, untouchable, without smell or taste, without eyes or ears, without speech or mind, without radiance, breath, or mouth, without name or lineage, undecaying, immortal, fearless, deathless, without impurity, soundless, unmanifest, unconfined, without beginning or end, without inside or outside. None can reach or grasp it. “By the command of this Imperishable, Gargi, heaven and earth stand firm; by its command, the sun and moon are held in place; by its command, day and night, months, seasons, and years are sustained; by its command, the rivers flow in their directions; by its command, humans praise those who give, gods praise the sacrificer, and ancestors depend on offerings. “Whoever offers sacrifices, gives gifts, or performs austerities without knowing this Imperishable, even for thousands of years, his world is finite. Whoever departs from this world without knowing this Imperishable is pitiable. But whoever departs knowing it is a knower of Brahman.” Yājñavalkya then declared, “That, Gargi, is the Imperishable: 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 but this. In this, Gargi, space is woven and interwoven.” Gargi addressed the assembly, “Revered Brahmins, you should honor him, for his answers have released you from questioning. None among you will ever defeat him in debate about Brahman.” With that, Gargi ended her questioning. Then Vidagdha Shākalya approached Yājñavalkya and asked, “How many gods are there, Yājñavalkya?” Yājñavalkya replied with the enumeration from the Vaiśvadeva hymn: “Three and three hundred, three and three thousand.” Shākalya pressed on, “How many gods are there?” “Thirty-three,” replied Yājñavalkya. “How many?” “Six.” “How many?” “Three.” “How many?” “Two.” “How many?” “One and a half.” “How many?” “One.” “Which are these three and three hundred, three and three thousand?” Yājñavalkya explained, “These are but manifestations of greatness; truly, there are only thirty-three gods: the eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Ādityas—thirty-one in total—plus Indra and Prajāpati.” Shākalya asked, “Which are the Vasus?” Yājñavalkya answered, “Fire, Earth, Wind, Atmosphere, Sun, Heaven, Moon, and Stars—these are the Vasus, for in them all things reside.” “And the Rudras?” “The ten vital breaths in a person, and the self as the eleventh. When these depart from the body, they cause weeping; hence, they are called Rudras.” “And the Ādityas?” “The twelve months—because they take away everything, they are called Ādityas.” “Which is Indra, which is Prajāpati?” “Thunder is Indra, sacrifice is Prajāpati. Thunder is lightning; sacrifice is the animals.” “And the six gods?” “Fire and earth, air and intermediate space, sun and sky—these are the six, for everything here is sixfold.” “And the three gods?” “The three worlds, for in them all the gods reside.” “And the two gods?” “Food and breath.” “Which is the one and a half?” “That which is wind.” “But if wind is one, why is it called one and a half?” “Because in it all attains fullness, it is called one and a half.” “And the one god?” “It is Brahman.” Yājñavalkya continued, “The earth is its support, the eye is its world, the mind is its light. Whoever knows this person whose ultimate refuge is the self of all, becomes the knower of all. I know that person, whose ultimate refuge is the self of all, whom you speak of; the very person who is in the body, he is this one.” “What is his deity?” asked Shākalya. “Woman,” he replied. “Desire is its support, the eye is its world, the mind is its light. This person, whose ultimate refuge is the self of all, is in the moon.” “What is his deity?” “The mind.” “Forms are its support, the eye is its world, the mind is its light. This person is in the sun.” “What is his deity?” “The eye.” “Space is its support, the eye is its world, the mind is its light. This person is in the wind.” “What is his deity?” “Breath.” “Light is its support, the eye is its world, the mind is its light. This person is in fire.” “What is his deity?” “Speech.” “Darkness is its support, the eye is its world, the mind is its light. This person is in shadow.” “What is his deity?” “Death.” “Water is its support, the eye is its world, the mind is its light. This person is in the waters.” “What is his deity?” “Varuṇa.” “Seed is its support, the eye is its world, the mind is its light. This person is in offspring.” “What is his deity?” “Prajāpati.” Yājñavalkya then said to Shākalya, “The Brahmins here have made you a heap of embers for me.” Shākalya pressed on, “Since you have out-argued the Brahmins of the Kurus and Pañcālas, what is Brahman, knowing which one knows the quarters, with their deities and supports?” Yājñavalkya explained: “The deity of the eastern quarter is the sun, established in the eye, which in turn is established in forms, and forms in the heart. The southern quarter’s deity is Yama, established in giving, which is based in faith, and faith in the heart. The western quarter’s deity is Varuṇa, established in the waters, which are established in seed, and seed in the heart. The northern quarter’s deity is Soma, established in consecration, which is based in truth, and truth in the heart. The fixed (upper) quarter’s deity is Agni, established in speech, which is established in the mind.” Yājñavalkya then observed, “If this were found elsewhere than in us, then dogs and birds would have attained heaven.” Shākalya asked, “On what are you and the self established?” Yājñavalkya replied, “On the breath, which is established on the downward breath, which is established on the diffused breath, which is established on the upward breath, which is established on the equalizing breath.” He concluded, “This self is not this, not this; it cannot be grasped, for it is not grasped; it does not decay, for it does not decay; it is unattached, for it does not attach; it is not afflicted, for it does not suffer. These are the eight abodes, eight worlds, eight persons. Having set aside those persons, he transcended. I ask you about that person taught in the Upaniṣad. If you do not explain him, your head will fall off.” Shākalya was silent, and his head fell off. The others, fearing the same fate, quietly departed. Thus, the assembly beheld the depth of Yājñavalkya’s wisdom and the mystery of the Self, the Imperishable, beyond all grasp, the source and support of all.