"Yājnavalkya," said she, "as a warrior from the land of Kāśi or Videha might string his unstrung bow and come forward holding in his hand two arrows to pierce through his foe, even so I have come forward against thee with two questions; answer me them."
"Ask, Gārgī."
"Yājnavalkya," said she, "that which is above the heavens, which is beneath the earth, which is midway between the heavens and the earth, which they call What hath been, What is, and What shall be—in what is it woven and woofed?"
"Gārgī," said he, "that which is above the heavens, which is below the earth, which is midway between the heavens and the earth, which they call What hath been, What is, and What shall be, is woven and woofed in the ether."
"Homage to thee, Yājnavalkya," said she. "for thou hast answered me this; make ready for the other."
"Ask, Gārgī."
"Yājnavalkya," said she, "that which is above the heavens, which is below the earth, which is midway between the heavens and the earth, which they call What hath been, What is, and What shall be—in what is it woven and woofed?"
"Gārgī," said he, "that which is above the heavens, which is below the earth, which is midway between the heavens and the earth, which they call What hath been, What is, and What shall be, is woven and woofed in the ether."
"And in what is the ether woven and woofed?"
"Gārgī," said he, "that is what Brahmans call the Unfading; it is not gross, not fine, not short, not long, not red, not fluid, not shadow, not darkness, not wind, not ether, not clinging, without taste, without smell, without eye, without ear, without speech, without mind, without vital force, without breath, without mouth, without measure, without aught inward, without aught outward; it consumes nothing, none consumes it. At the behest of the Unfading, Gārgī, sun and moon are held asunder; at the behest of the Unfading, Gārgī, heaven and earth are held asunder; at the behest of the Unfading, Gārgī, minutes, hours, days and nights, fortnights, months, seasons, and years are held asunder; at the behest of the Unfading, Gārgī, flow the rivers, some eastward from the white mountains, some westward, each in its own way. At the behest of the Unfading, Gārgī, men praise
givers, the Gods hang upon the sacrifice-giver, the Fathers upon the ladle. Indeed, Gārgī, to him who makes oblation and sacrifice, and mortifies himself in this world for many thousands of years without knowing the Unfading, it comes to an end. Indeed, Gārgī, he who departs from this world without knowing the Unfading is wretched. But he who departs from this world knowing the Unfading, Gārgī, is the Brahman. Indeed, Gārgī, the Unfading unseen sees, unheard hears, unthought thinks, uncomprehended comprehends. There is naught else than this which sees, naught else that hears, naught else that thinks, naught else that comprehends. In the Unfading, forsooth, Gārgī, is the ether woven and woofed."
72:1 Bṛihad-āraṇyaka Upanishad, III. viii. 2-11.
