Verse 2.554

Sanskrit text and transliteration:

नान्यस्यान्यात्मता यस्माद् ध्वंसे वाऽध्वंस एव वा ।
तस्मादनन्यो विज्ञेयः परस्मादात्मनो बुधः ॥ ५५४ ॥

nānyasyānyātmatā yasmād dhvaṃse vā'dhvaṃsa eva vā |
tasmādananyo vijñeyaḥ parasmādātmano budhaḥ || 554 ||

English translation of verse 2.554:

Since one object cannot become another, whether it gets destroyed or not, the wise man must know the jīva as non-different from the supreme Brahman.

Notes:

It was stated earlier that the discussion of the relation between the jīva and Brahman would help us to ascertain the correct position. Let us, therefore, first of all consider the view according to which the jīva is different from Brahman. The advocate of this view cites the Muṇḍaka text (III, ii, 9), "He, verily, who knows Brahman becomes Brahman himself,” in support of his view. This text, according to him, means that the jīva who is different from Brahman attains it through knowledge (ananyo jīvo jñānadvārā brahma prāpnoti).

But this view is untenable. It is necessary to inquire how the jīva, who is said to be different from Brahman, becomes Brahman. Is it the case that an object becomes another by ceasing to be what it is? Or is it the case that one object, remaining what it is, becomes another? Whatever be the alternative that is adopted, it cannot be shown that one object becomes another. A pot which continues to be what it is cannot become a cloth. Nor can it be said that it becomes a cloth when it is destroyed, i.e., when it ceases to exist. In the same way, remaining what he is, a jīva cannot become Brahman. Nor can it be said that he becomes Brahman when he ceases to exist. The truth is that the jīva is always Brahman and not different from it. If the jīva is really different from Brahman, he can never become Brahman by any means, much less by knowledge.