बृहस्पतिर्वै शुक्रो भूत्वेन्द्रस्याभयायासुरेभ्यः क्षयायेमामविद्यामसृजत् तया शिवमशिवमित्युद्दिशन्त्यशिवं शिवमिति वेदादिशास्त्रहिंसकधर्माभिध्यानमस्त्विति वदन्ति अतो नैनामभिधीयेतान्यथैषा बन्ध्येवैषा रतिमात्रं फलमस्या वृत्तच्युतस्येव नारम्भणीयेत्येवं ह्याह दूरमेते विपरीते विषूची अविद्या या च विद्येति ज्ञाता ।विद्याभीप्सितुं नचिकेतसं मन्ये न त्वा कामा बहवो लोलुपन्ते ॥विद्यां चाविद्यां च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह ।अविद्यया मृत्युं तीर्त्वा विद्यया अमृतमश्नुते ॥अविद्यायामन्तरे वेष्ट्यमानाः स्वयं धीराः पण्डितं मन्यमानाः ।दन्द्रम्यमानाः परियन्ति मूढा अन्धेनैव नीयमाना यथान्धाः ॥ ॥७.९ ॥
In plain words
Bṛhaspati, becoming Śukra, brought forth this ignorance for the safety of Indra and the destruction of the demons. By it they point out the auspicious as the inauspicious and the inauspicious as the auspicious. They say that there should be meditation on a law that does violence to the Veda and the other sacred books. Therefore this is not to be studied; otherwise it is barren, and its fruit is mere pleasure, and it is not to be taken up, as by one fallen from his own way. So it is said: "Widely apart and pointing different ways are these two, which are known as ignorance and knowledge. I hold Naciketas to be one who desires knowledge; the many desires do not tear at thee." And: "He who knows both together, knowledge and ignorance, crosses death by ignorance and by knowledge attains the immortal." And: "Wrapped about within ignorance, holding themselves to be steadfast and learned, the fools go round and round, stumbling, like blind men led by the blind."