The Vedanta-Sutras with the Commentary by Ramanuja: Sacred Books of the East, Volume 48
Religion
The Vedanta-Sutras with the Commentary by Ramanuja: Sacred Books of the East, Volume 48
Vedanta
This primâ facie view is set aside by the Sûtra. The 'Imperishable' is
the highest Brahman, because the text declares it to support that which
is the end, i. e. that which lies beyond ether, viz. unevolved matter
(avyâkritam). The ether referred to in Gârgî's question is not ether in
the ordinary sense, but what lies beyond ether, viz. unevolved matter,
and hence the 'Imperishable' which is said to be the support of that
'unevolved' cannot itself be the 'unevolved,' i.e. cannot be the
Pradhâna. Let us, then, the Pûrvapakshin resumes, understand by the
'Imperishable,' the individual soul; for this may be viewed as the
support of the entire aggregate of non-sentient matter, inclusive of the
elements in their subtle condition; and the qualities of non-coarseness,
&c., are characteristic of that soul also. Moreover there are several
texts in which the term 'Imperishable' is actually seen to denote the
individual soul; so e.g. 'the non-evolved' is merged in the
'Imperishable'; 'That of which the non-evolved is the body; that of
which the Imperishable is the body'; 'All the creatures are the
Perishable, the non-changing Self is called the Imperishable' (Bha. GÎ.
XV, 16).
To this alternative primâ facie view the next Sûtra replies.
10. And this (supporting) (springs) from command.
The text declares that this supporting of ether and all other things
proceeds from command. 'In the command of that Imperishable sun and moon
stand, held apart; in the command of that Imperishable heaven and earth
stand, held apart,' &c. Now such supreme command, through which all
things in the universe are held apart, cannot possibly belong to the
individual soul in the state either of bondage or of release. The
commanding 'Imperishable' therefore is none other than the supreme
Person.
11. And on account of the exclusion of (what is of) another nature (than
Brahman).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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