विज्ञातं विजिज्ञास्यमविज्ञातमेत एव; यत्किंच विज्ञातम्, वाचस्तद्रूपम्, वाग्घि विज्ञाता; वागेनं तद्भूत्वावति ॥ ८ ॥
vijñātaṃ vijijñāsyamavijñātameta eva; yatkiṃca vijñātam, vācastadrūpam, vāgghi vijñātā; vāgenaṃ tadbhūtvāvati || 8 ||
8. These are what is known, what it is desirable to know, and what is/unknown. Whatever is known is a form of the organ of speech, for it is the knower. The organ of speech protects him (who knows this) by becoming that (which is known).
These are what is known, what it is desirable to know, and what is unknown. This is being specified: Whatever is clearly known iś a form of the organ of speech. The Śruti itself gives the reason: For it is the knower, being self-luminous. How can that be other than a knower which brings to light other objects as well? It will be stated later on, ‘Through the organ of speech, O Emperor, a friend is known’ (IV. i. 2). He who knows the particulars of the organ of speech gets the following result: The organ of speech protects him who knows its manifestations as given above, by becoming that which is known. That is, it becomes his food, or object of enjoyment, in that form.