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Sometimes there can be two levels of meaning for an expression – the literal meaning and the figurative meaning. The literal meaning is called vācyārtha and the figurative meaning is called lakṣyārtha or lakṣaṇā. A standard example given in Sanskrit texts is ‘the village in the Ganges’. A village cannot exist in the river and hence it should be taken as existing right on the banks of the river. Here the literal meaning does not fit in and hence the figurative meaning (a secondary sense) is taken. The figurative meaning again can be of two kinds. A father sees his son eating in his enemy’s house. He tells his son “eat poison.” He does not mean that his son should eat poison but means that eating in the enemy’s house is like eating poison. The primary sense is given up. This is called jahat lakṣaṇā. A modern example can be “he hit the nail on the head.” Another example of figurative meaning is “the village in the Ganges”, discussed above. The reference to Ganges is not given up but a secondary sense is taken. This is called ajahat lakṣaṇā, in which the primary sense is not totally given up. A modern example can be “the reds (communists) are having a meeting today.” The present verse talks of jahat–ajahat–lakṣaṇā, which partly accepts and partly rejects the primary sense and conveys a different meaning. A standard example given is “he is the same Devadatta”. A person named Devadatta, seen several years ago in some other place, had different features but now he has changed a lot. By disregarding the factors connected to limiting adjuncts like time and place, in identity is established. Similarly, in the statement “That you are”, Iswara is mentioned by the word ‘That’ and jīva is mentioned by the word ‘you’. The literal sense of the word Iswara is that he is omniscient, omnipotent and the secondary sense is that he is of the nature of consciousness. The literal sense of jīva is that he is of limited intelligence and power and the intended sense is that he is of the nature of consciousness. Disregarding the literal sense and accepting the secondary sense, the unity of both is proclaimed by the scripture. In other words, disregarding the determinants relating to the limiting factors, we identify the consciousness as the common factor and thus equate the jīva with Iswara. This is the jahat–ajahat–lakṣaṇā.