The knower of Brahman attains the Supreme. About this it has been said: Brahman is Truth, Knowledge, Infinite. Whoever knows It hidden in the cave of the heart, in the supreme space, realizes all desires together with the omniscient Brahman.

This opening verse of the Brahmānanda Vallī establishes the central theme: knowledge of Brahman leads to supreme realization. The threefold definition satyaṃ jñānam anantam is one of the most celebrated in the Upaniṣads.

Brahmavidāpnoti param — the knower of Brahman attains the supreme. It does not say “attains Brahman” but “the supreme” (param), because in truth there is nothing to attain: the Self already is Brahman. Knowledge removes the ignorance that veiled this truth.

Satyam — truth, reality. Brahman is the only thing that truly is, that which does not change. Everything else is superimposed appearance (adhyāropa).

Jñānam — pure knowledge, consciousness. Not knowledge of something, but consciousness itself, self-luminous (svayam-prakāśa).

Anantam — infinite, without limits. There is nothing outside Brahman that could limit it. The three terms together eliminate the three limitations: deśa (space), kāla (time) and vastu (object).

Nihitaṃ guhāyām — hidden in the cave. The spiritual heart (hṛdaya) where the Ātman resides. Parame vyoman — in the supreme space, the ākāśa of the heart, subtler than physical space.

This verse prepares the ground for the teaching of the five koshas that follows: Brahman is right here, veiled by successive layers of identification.