Jñāna śakti is inherent in māyā, and manifested inherent in īśvara. The quality that belongs to this power is sattva guṇa. This is the quality that destroys ignorance in the individual mind and reveals brahman through knowledge. Jñāna śakti is the 'total knowledge, sarvavit' of īśvara, and the 'limited knowledge, alpavit' of jīva.

But jñāna śakti is also inherent in vikṣepa śakti, the projective power, because intelligence provides the concepts that seemingly create a creation. All objects that we see have information as their most subtle material form.

Jñāna śakti is a reflection of pure knowledge (jñapti, prajñā, prajñāna, jñaptimātra or svarūpa jñānam) which is consciousness, just as moonlight is a reflection of sunlight. Jñāna śakti is mithyā (dependent on pure knowledge). This gives brahman in its infinity the ability through māyā to make objects appear within itself, without actually changing into anything.

Jñāna śakti is therefore māyā's/ īśvara's knowledge of manifested things (all mithyā, apparently true, not really true). So pure knowledge is not concrete, discrete knowledge. Pure knowledge makes it appear that something is manifesting, but in reality it remains pure consciousness.