anyad eva tad viditād atho aviditād adhi | iti śuśruma pūrveṣāṁ ye nas tad vyācacakṣire ||
"It is different from the known and also beyond the unknown. Thus we have heard from the ancients who explained it to us."
What This Means:
Brahman is neither something you can know (like objects) nor something unknowable (like nothing). It's in a completely different category. This understanding comes from an unbroken lineage of teachers.
Going Deeper:
The "known" refers to objects of knowledge; the "unknown" refers to what hasn't yet been known but could be. Brahman transcends both categories because it is the very ground of knowing itself. The reference to "ancients" establishes the teaching as belonging to an authentic lineage (parampara).
How To Apply This:
When someone asks "Do you know God?" — recognize that the question assumes God is an object to be known. True understanding transcends the known/unknown duality. It's about being, not knowing about.
Key Sanskrit Terms: