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Balaki at the outset proposes Brahman as the object of instruction, and when he is found himself not to know Brahman, Ajatasatru instructs him about it, 'he indeed is to be known. But from the relative clause 'to whom this work belongs, which connects the being to be known with work, we infer that by Brahman we have here to understand the enjoying soul which is the ruler of Prakriti, not any other being.
Now as the different personal souls abiding in the sun, &c., and connected with karman in the form of good and evil actions, are known already by Balaki, the term 'karman' met with in the next clause is clearly meant to throw light on some Person so far not known to Balaki, and therefore must be taken to mean not good and evil deeds or action in general, but rather the entire Universe in so far as being the outcome of activity.
Moreover some, viz. the Vajasaneyins in this same colloquy of Balaki and Ajatasatru as recorded in their text, clearly distinguish from the vijnana-maya, i.e. the individual soul in the state of deep sleep, the highest Self which then is the abode of the individual soul. 'Where was then the person, consisting of intelligence, and from whence did he thus come back? Up.
Further on also the text treats of the individual soul only, 'As the master feeds with his people, nay as his people feed on the master, thus does this conscious Self feed with the other Selfs. We must consider also the following passage which contains the explanation given by Ajatasatru to Balaki, who had been unable to say where the soul goes at the time of deep sleep There are the arteries called Hitas.
The teacher Jaimini is of opinion that the mention made of the individual soul has another meaning, i.e. aims at conveying the idea of what is different from the individual soul, i.e. the nature of the highest Brahman. Then, with a view to teaching Balaki the difference of Brahman from the individual soul, he asks him the following questions: 'Where, O Balaki, did this person here sleep?
Ajatasatru however refuses to accept this instruction as not setting forth Brahman, and finally, in order to enlighten Balaki, addresses him 'He, O Balaki, who is the maker of those persons, &c.
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