अध्याय १६ — शङ्कर-उमा-वरदानम् तथा तण्डि-स्तुतिः (Śaṅkara–Umā Boon-Granting and Taṇḍi’s Hymn)
यं सांख्या गुणतत्त्वज्ञा: सांख्यशास्त्रविशारदा: । सूक्ष्मज्ञानतरा: सूक्ष्मं ज्ञात्वा मुच्यन्ति बन्धनै:
yaṃ sāṅkhyā guṇatattvajñāḥ sāṅkhyaśāstraviśāradāḥ | sūkṣmajñānatarāḥ sūkṣmaṃ jñātvā mucyanti bandhanaiḥ ||
वायुरुवाच—यत् सूक्ष्मं तत्त्वं सांख्याः गुणतत्त्वज्ञाः सांख्यशास्त्रविशारदाः सूक्ष्मज्ञानतराः सूक्ष्मं ज्ञात्वा बन्धनैः प्रमुच्यन्ते।
वायुदेव उवाच
Liberation (mokṣa) comes through realizing a subtle ultimate principle: those trained in Sāṅkhya—who discern the guṇas and tattvas with refined insight—are freed from bondage once that subtle Reality is truly known.
Vāyudeva is speaking and points to a highest, subtle principle known to advanced Sāṅkhya experts; he emphasizes that its realization breaks all bonds, framing the discussion as a teaching on the means and goal of spiritual release.