Salvation is declared to one who is devoted to Truth (Sat)

I.1.7

तन्निष्ठस्य मोक्षोपदेशात् |

Tannishthasya mokshopadesat

Salvation is declared to one who is devoted to truth

Tat(तत्) : to that; Nishthasya(निष्ठस्य) : of the devoted; Mokshopadesat(मोक्षोपदेशात्) : from the statement of salvation

Commentary:

Chandogya Upanishad says "Thou art That" or "Tat Tvam Asi". The non intelligent pradhana cannot be attributed to the word self. If you were to assign pradhana as That the sentence "Thou Art That" would imply Thou Art Non-intelligent. Then the scriptures would be a source of evil. Since the scriptures are a means of right knowledge, they cannot refer the self to a non-intelligent pradhana. The scriptures apply the word Self  to Sat(Truth/Right) only in its primary meaning. Hence it is declared in the scriptures that he, who is absolutely devoted to the Creator or cause of the world, attains the final emancipation. It is not reasonable to say that one attains his release by devotion to blind matter, Pradhana

Background

Introduction - part1, part2, part3, part4

Sutra - I.1.1, I.1.2, I.1.3, I.1.4, I.1.5, I.1.6

Creation can be attributed only to the Brahman

I.1.6

गौणश्चेन्नात्मशब्दात् |

Gaunaschet na Atmasabdat 

The words Atman(Soul) are being applied to the cause of the world in the scriptures. Therefore the words seeing or thinking cannot be used in a secondary sense for the cause of the world

Gaunah(गौण): indirect, secondary, figurative; Chet(चेत्): if; Na(ना): not; Atmasabdat(अत्मशब्दात्): because of the word Atman, i.e., soul.

Commentary:

The scriptures use the terms Atman(Soul) for the cause of the world for e.g. "All this universe in essence is That; That is the Truth; That is Atman(Soul)". Atman is referred to as the intelligent principle while rules over the body and supports the Prana. Therefore the intelligent Atman cannot form the nature of the non-intelligent Pradhana(matter).

Background

Introduction - part1, part2, part3, part4

Sutra - I.1.1, I.1.2, I.1.3, I.1.4, I.1.5