Whence am I am and whence are you? Tell me this fully. Tell me also what is the final cause. Why also, O best of twice-born ones, when the material and destruction take place in such dissimilar ways? You should, O you of great learning, also explain the object of the saying in the Vedas, the meaning of the injunctions of the Smritis and of those injunctions which apply to all classes of men.
कुतश्चाहं कुतश्च त्वं तत् सम्यग्ब्रूहि यत्परम्॥ कथं च सर्वभूतेषु समेषु द्विजसत्तम। सम्यग्वृत्ता निवर्तन्ते विपराताः क्षयोदयाः॥ वेदेषु चापि यद् वाक्यं लौकिकं व्यापकं च यत्। एतद् विद्वन् यथातत्त्वं सर्वं व्याख्यातुमर्हसि॥