p. 264
यो वेद जानाति वेदान् ऋगादीन्, स च वेद वेद्यं सोऽपि अनात्मविदेव भिन्नेन संवेदनेन वेद्यं प्रपञ्चं वेद ।नन्वेवं तर्हि वेद्यवत् परमात्मानमपि जानीयादित्याशङ्क्याह—न तं परमात्मानं वाचामगोचरं विदुः वेदविदो न वेदाः; वेदा अपि न तं विदुः न तं विषयी कुर्वन्तीत्यर्थः ।नन्वेवं तर्हि कथमौपनिषदं ब्रह्म स्यादित्याशङ्क्याह—तथापि वेदेन विदन्ति वेदं परमात्मानं यद्यपि वागाद्यविषयं ब्रह्म, तथापि वेदेन ऋगादिना विदन्ति विजानन्ति वेदं संविद्रूपं परमात्मानम् ।के ते? ये ब्राह्मणा वेदविदो भवन्ति वेदानां वेदप्रतिपादनप्रकारं जानन्तीत्यर्थः ॥
In plain words
Whoever merely studies the Vedas—the Ṛg and the rest—and knows the objective world through ordinary, dualistic perception remains merely a knower of the non-Self. But someone might object: 'Shouldn't he then be able to know the Supreme Self just as easily as an ordinary object?' To this, the text replies: Those who pride themselves on studying the scriptures do not know that Supreme Self who eludes all speech; even the sacred texts themselves cannot make Him an object of cognition. Then how can Brahman be called the subject of the Upaniṣads? To this it is answered: Still, the qualified know the Supreme Self through the Veda. Even though Brahman is never an object for the tongue or senses, those who are true Brāhmaṇas—real knowers of the Vedic secret—use the scriptural words as a pointer to realize that living awareness which is the Supreme Self, because they understand the unique way the texts reveal the Immeasurable.
Close to the Sanskrit
Whoever knows the Vedas, the Ṛg and others, he also knows the knowable; yet he is merely a knower of the non-Self, knowing the manifest universe through separate awareness. Now, if it is thus, then should he not know the Supreme Self like a knower of objects? Anticipating this, he says: The knowers of the Vedas do not know that Supreme Self who is beyond speech; even the Vedas do not know Him, meaning they do not make Him an object. Now, if it is thus, how can Brahman be known through the Upaniṣads? Anticipating this, he says: Nevertheless, they know the Veda, the Supreme Self, through the Veda. Although Brahman is not an object of speech and others, yet through the Veda, such as the Ṛg, they know, they specially know the Veda, the Supreme Self of the nature of consciousness. Who are they? Those who are Brāhmaṇas, knowers of the Vedas, meaning those who know the method of the Vedas in revealing [Brahman].