1. The listener is asked to become alert. I shall now speak about the "Knowledge of Brahman" which is the contentment of the spiritual aspirant.
2. To acquire precious gems, soil needs to be collected. Similarly, the description of Fourteen Brahmans are given in order to be understood and then discarded.
3. Objects cannot be described without giving indications, descriptions about non-duality require using dualistic examples, the final understanding cannot be gained without first hearing about the primary premise, and no examples can be given without the power of speech.
4. First, an explanation of the false needs to be given so that it can be identified and given up. Then, the Truth will be naturally be impressed deeply within the mind.
5. Therefore the indications of the Fourteen Brahmans is being told so you can come to know the "Final Conclusion." Here, the listeners should remain attentive during this narration.
6. The first Brahman is called "Brahman as Words." The second is called "Brahman as OM." The third is "Brahman as the Sky." These names are told in the Upanishads.
7. Understand that the fourth Brahman is called "Brahman that is All," the fifth is "Brahman as Life-Energy," the sixth is "Brahman that is Power," and the seventh is "Brahman as the Witness."
8. Know that the eighth is called "Brahman with Attributes" (Saguna), the ninth is called "Brahman without Attributes" (Nirguna), and the tenth is called "Brahman of Speech" (the spoken word).
9. The eleventh is called "Brahman as Experience," the twelfth is called "Brahman that is Bliss," the thirteenth is called "Brahman the Form of Reality," and the fourteenth is called "Brahman the Indescribable."
10. These are the names of the fourteen Brahmans. Now the explanations will be given of these names, and then I shall tell the indications of the secret of "True Form" (Swaroopa) itself.
11. Know that the saying of "Brahman as Words" is actually only delusion without experience, as Brahman cannot be experienced with words. Similarly, Brahman as "OM" is only a single word, and Brahman is not a single word.
12. That which is called "Brahman as the Sky" has the quality of expansiveness, and that which is called "Brahman as All" has the quality of being all-pervading which means it is very subtle.
13. The "all" that is seen by the eyes is an intermingling of the five elements, and is essentially only Brahman.
14. That which is named "Brahman that is All" is the essential foundation of the Upanishads. Now, I shall tell about Brahman which is called "Brahman that is Life-Energy" (Chaitanya).
15. Brahman that is the Life-Energy is what brings to life the Illusion in the form of the five elements, therefore it is called Brahman as Life-Energy.
16. This Life-Energy requires some power in order that living things may become animated with Life. That which gives this power is the principle that is called "Brahman as Power" (Satta). That which knows or witnesses this Power and Life-Energy is called "Brahman as the Witness."
17. This "Witness" which is itself the capacity of knowing and observing has attributes present, thus it is called "Brahman with Attributes" (Saguna Brahman).
18. Where there is no presence of attributes, that is called "Attributeless Brahman" (Nirguna Brahman). Now, I will tell about Brahman that can be described by words.
19. That which can be described with speech is called "Brahman as Speech," yet the experience of Brahman is such that it cannot be described with words.
20. That which is called "Brahman as Experience" has as its nature the experience of Bliss, the secret of which, I shall also tell.
21. This "Brahman as Bliss," is continuous and without distinction. It is that which is indescribable, where no dialogue is possible.
22. These are the Fourteen Brahmans described in sequence. When seeing and understanding these the aspirant is not affected by Illusion.
23. Understand that Brahman is Eternal, and Illusion is all that is ephemeral. Now, the final conclusion regarding the Fourteen Brahmans will be presented.
24. The Brahman that is "words" is merely verbal and illusory as it is not based on any experience. With discrimination it is easily seen that it is not permanent.
25. Likewise, Brahman that is OM is but a single word. When thoughtfulness is applied to understanding OM, it can be seen that it is also not permanent.
26. It is said that Brahman is like the sky, but the sky is like emptiness which can be destroyed with Self-Knowledge. Thus, it can be seen that the sky is also not permanent.
27. Everything that appears must come to an end, so the Brahman that is "all" is also destructible. The final dissolution of the universe is described with certainty in the scriptures of Vedanta.43
28. Where there is a final dissolution of the universe, how can there remain any existence of the elements? Thus it is shown that there is an end to "Brahman that is All."
29. The wise will not agree that the inert is moveable, or that which is attributeless has attributes or form.
30. The "all" that is created is made up of the five elements and its destruction is inevitable. Thus, how can the conclusion be made that Brahman is "all"?
31. Now that's enough talk about "Brahman as All." Brahman as "all" is destructible, not Eternal. Even the seer that sees and is different from "all" also ends, so who is there to see what?
32. Now, as for that which gives everything Life. Know that all those things are also illusive in nature. That Life-Energy which gives life and moves everything is also destructible.
33. Now for "Brahman as "Power." Power, or satta, means to have power over something. If all things are not real, then what is there to have power over? Similarly, with Brahman as "Witness," if there is nothing objective, the witness is also false.
34. As for "Brahman with Attributes," (Saguna Brahman) it is clearly evident to the eye that all attributes are destructible. Thus, no additional proof is required to know that Saguna Brahman is definitely not Eternal.
35. Now, as for that which is named as "Attributeless Brahman" (Nirguna Brahman), what can be understood to be the relevance of such a name? How can one come to know of something, or speak about something without first bringing to mind some attributes?
36. It is said that Illusion is like a mirage or an imaginary cloud that never existed.
37. If there is no town, how can there be any question of boundaries? Without birth, how can there be any individual being? Likewise, how can similes that are dualistic really ever tell about non-duality?
38. How can there be any such thing as Illusion without "Power," or objects without the "Knower," or a state of inertia without the "Life-Energy"?
39. Power, Life-Energy, and Witness all have attributes. How can that which is without attributes be like that which is with attributes?
40. It is said that Brahman is attributeless, but you should understand that this indication is also only a name which is impermanent. There is no doubt about this.
41. The word attributeless is an indication of Brahman. Many such names are given to it, but one should understand that "Attributeless Brahman" is only a description in speech, and speech is destructible.
42. The experience of bliss is a feeling that is a personal state or attitude of mind. In the completeness of Brahman, there is no place for a personal state.
43. Brahman is indescribable, so indicating that it is a particular attitude or state has its shortcomings, as no mental attitude can be applicable to it.
44. To say that it is indescribable is indicative that it is without any attitude, which is the same as to say that it is the state of no-mind (unmani). It is the resting place of the yogis who are untainted by any identification.
45. Reality is that which is not represented by any identification. It is itself the effortless and "natural samadhi" (Sahaja Samadhi) where the suffering of worldly life is non-existent.
46. That which is the end of identification is itself the "Final Understanding." It is the confirmed Truth of Vedanta, the Self-experience of the Self.
47. Like this, Brahman is Eternal, without any trace of the delusion of Illusion. The experienced understand the secret of Self-experience.
48. By discarding concepts from one's experience, one gains the satisfaction of this Self-experience.
49. If one must imagine something, one should try to imagine that which is unimaginable (inconceivable) and in this way, the imagination is destroyed naturally. Then, "be" without being any thing, as epochs pass away.
50. The one good thing about imagination is that you can turn it in any direction. If one turns it towards one's "Self Form" it becomes pervaded by that which is without modification.
51. When one imagines that which is unimaginable, imagination cannot exist there. When one is without modification, the presence of imagination cannot remain there. When one meets with that which is unattached, one becomes unattached oneself.
52. Brahman is not a visible object, it cannot be given by the hands, or held in the hands. One should understand that it can only be experienced through the words spoken by the Sadguru.
53. After this sub-chapter, the narration will be continued in order to make the conviction in the aspirant strong. In this way, one will gain the experience of "Pure Brahman."