Now Brahman, which is devoid of hanger etc., unconditioned, immediate and direct, and is within all, has to be described. Hence the present section.
Verse 3.8.1:
अथ ह वाचक्नव्युवाच, ब्राह्मणा भगवन्तो हन्ताहमिमं द्वौ प्रश्नौ प्रक्श्यामि, तौ चेन्मे वक्श्यति, न वै जातु युष्माकमिमं कश्चिद्ब्रह्मोद्यं जेतेति; पृच्छ गार्गीति ॥ १ ॥
atha ha vācaknavyuvāca, brāhmaṇā bhagavanto hantāhamimaṃ dvau praśnau prakśyāmi, tau cenme vakśyati, na vai jātu yuṣmākamimaṃ kaścidbrahmodyaṃ jeteti; pṛccha gārgīti || 1 ||
1. Then the daughter of Vacaknu said, ‘Revered Brāhmaṇas, I shall ask him two questions. Should he answer me those, none of you can ever beat him in describing Brahman.’ ‘Ask, O Gārgī.’
Then the daughter of Vacaknu said. Having previously been warned by Yājñavalkya, she had desisted lest her head should fall off. Now she asks the permission of the Brāhmaṇas to interrogate him once more. ‘Revered Brāhmaṇas, please listen to what I say. I shall ask him, Yājñavalkya, two more questions, if you will permit it. Should he answer me those, none of you can ever possibly beat him in describing Brahman.’ Thus addressed, the Brāhmanas gave her the permission. ‘Ask, O Gārgī.’