The Vedanta-Sutras with the Commentary by Sankaracarya: Sacred Books of the East, Volume 1
Religion
The Vedanta-Sutras with the Commentary by Sankaracarya: Sacred Books of the East, Volume 1
Vedanta
Moreover the Jabalas speak in their text of the highest Lord as being in
the interstice between the top of the head and the chin. 'The unevolved
infinite Self abides in the avimukta (i.e. the non-released soul). Where
does that avimukta abide? It abides in the Vara/n/a and the Nasi, in the
middle. What is that Vara/n/a, what is that Nasi?' The text thereupon
etymologises the term Vara/n/a as that which wards off (varayati) all
evil done by the senses, and the term Nasi as that which destroys
(na/s/ayati) all evil done by the senses; and then continues, 'And what
is its place?--The place where the eyebrows and the nose join. That is
the joining place of the heavenly world (represented by the upper part
of the head) and of the other (i.e. the earthly world represented by the
chin).' (Jabala Up. I.)--Thus it appears that the scriptural statement
which ascribes to the highest Lord the measure of a span is appropriate.
That the highest Lord is called abhivimana refers to his being the
inward Self of all. As such he is directly measured, i.e. known by all
animate beings. Or else the word may be explained as 'he who is near
everywhere--as the inward Self--and who at the same time is measureless'
(as being infinite). Or else it may denote the highest Lord as him who,
as the cause of the world, measures it out, i.e. creates it. By all this
it is proved that Vai/s/vanara is the highest Lord.
Notes:
[Footnote 136: The clause 'he is to meditate with a calm mind' if taken
as a gu/n/avidhi, i.e. as enjoining some secondary matter, viz. calmness
of mind of the meditating person, cannot at the same time enjoin
meditation; for that would involve a so-called split of the sentence
(vakyabheda).]
[Footnote 137: Jivezpi dehadib/rim/hanaj jyastvanyayad va brahmatety
artha/h/. An. Gi.]
[Footnote 138: The discussion is brought on by the term 'vivakshita' in
the Sutra whose meaning is 'expressed, aimed at,' but more literally
'desired to be expressed.']
[Footnote 139: Because he is vyapin.]
[Footnote 140: Another interpretation of the later part of Sutra.]
[Footnote 141: Cp. Ka/th/a Up, I, 1, 13; 20; I, 2, 14.]
[Footnote 142: Freedom from impurity can result only from the knowledge
that the individual soul is in reality Brahman. The commentators explain
rajas by avidya.]
[Footnote 143: Tadartham iti, jivasya brahmasiddhyartham iti yavat,
/k/aitanya/kh/ayapanna dhi/h/sukhadina pari/n/amata iti, tatra
purushozpi bhakt/ri/tvam ivanubhavati na tattvata iti vaktum
adhyaropayati. Ananda Giri.]
[Footnote 144: Who, somebody might say, is to be understood here,
because immortality and similar qualities belong to him not somehow
only, but in their true sense.]
[Footnote 145: The /t/ikas say that the contents of this last sentence
are hinted at by the word 'and' in the Sutra.]
[Footnote 146: I.e. at the beginning of the instruction which the sacred
fires give to Upako/s/ala, Ch. Up. IV, 10 ff.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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