Verse 2.542

Sanskrit text and transliteration:

उताविद्वानमुं लोकमितिप्रश्नविनिर्णयात् ।
अस्ति नास्तीति सिद्धः स्यात्प्रश्नयोरपि निर्णयः ॥ ५४२ ॥

utāvidvānamuṃ lokamitipraśnavinirṇayāt |
asti nāstīti siddhaḥ syātpraśnayorapi nirṇayaḥ || 542 ||

English translation of verse 2.542:

Since the questions (relating to the ignorant and the wise) stated in the text utāvidvānamuṃ lokam, etc., have been (directly) answered, the other question whether Brahman exists or not is also settled (thereby).

Notes:

It was stated earlier that the śruti texts beginning from yadā hyevaiṣa etasminnadṛśye and ending with tattveva bhayaṃ viduṣo'manvānasya answer the two questions relating to the man of knowledge and the ignorant man. The advantage in this interpretation of Sureśvara is that both these questions are answered directly by the śruti text (śabdāt) and not by implication (arthāt). The question whether Brahman exists or not has also been answered here by these texts, since it is meaningless to talk about the attainment or otherwise of something which does not exist. Only on the basis that Brahman exists, the answer given by śruti, viz., that the wise man attains Brahman and that the ignorant man who thinks that Brahman is different from his Self does not attain it, becomes intelligible and tenable. In short, all the three questions of the disciple are answered by these texts.