Verse 2.555

Sanskrit text and transliteration:

अनन्यश्चेद्भवेद्विद्वान्भूतत्वाद्भवतीति किम् ।
बाढं प्राप्तं परं ब्रह्म नानात्माऽऽप्नोति येन तत् ॥ ५५५ ॥

ananyaścedbhavedvidvānbhūtatvādbhavatīti kim |
bāḍhaṃ prāptaṃ paraṃ brahma nānātmā''pnoti yena tat || 555 ||

English translation of verse 2.555:

If the knower of Brahman is non-different (from Brahman), he is already Brahman, and so why is it said that he becomes (Brahman)? Yes, the supreme Brahman is already attained by him, since one who is not already Brahman cannot attain it.

Notes:

The first line of the verse states an objection. It was stated earlier that the jīva in his essential nature is always of the nature of Brahman. That is to say, he is always identical with Brahman. If so, it must be conceded, so the critic urges, that the jīva is identical with Brahman even prior to his realization of this identity through knowledge. And this would make the Muṇḍaka text (III, ii. 9). “He who knows Brahman becomes Brahman himself,” which speaks about the jīva attaining Brahman through knowledge, untenable.

The siddhāntin gives the reply in the second line of the verse. Admitting that the jīva in his essential nature is non-different from Brahman, he says that Brahman is always attained by him, for one who is not already Brahman cannot become Brahman. He will show in the subsequent verse that this view does not conflict with the śruti text cited by the opponent.