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394 Philosophy of the Rāmānuja School of Thought [CH. transformation through the instrumentality of its deeds. To this the reply is that the Vedic texts always declare that the soul is in itself unchangeable, and if that is so the change has to be explained through the instrumentality of another factor, the ajñāna. Knowledge is thus to be regarded as the pure essence or nature of the soul and not as its dharma or character, and it is this character that is in itself universal and yet is observed to undergo change on account of obstructions. Thus, the soul in itself is eternal, though when looked at in association with its character as knowledge which is continually expanding or contracting it may seemingly appear to be non-eternall. Thought in itself has no parts and therefore cannot itself be regarded as non-eternal. It is nothing but relationship, and as such the analogy of change which, in other objects, determines their non-eternity cannot apply to it.
Now there are different kinds of Upanisadic texts, from some of which it may appear that the soul is eternal, whereas from others it may appear that the soul is created. How can this difficulty be avoided? On this point Srinivasa says that the eternity and uncreated nature of the self is a correct assertion, for the soul as such is eternal and has never been created. In its own nature also the soul has thought associated with it as it were in a potential form. Such an unmanifested thought is non-existent. But knowledge in its growing richness of relations is an after-production, and it is from this point of view that the soul may be regarded as having been created. Even that which is eternal may be regarded as created with reference to any of its special characteristics or characters. The whole idea, therefore, is that before the creative action of God the souls are only potentially conscious; their real conscious activity is only a result of later development in consequence of God's creative action.
Again, the Upanişads assert that by the knowledge of Brahman everything else is known. Now according to the Sankarite explanation the whole world is but a magical creation on Brahman which alone has real being. Under the circumstances it is impossible that
Inityā-nitya-vibhāgo-starupa-drārakatva-stabhāva-dvārakatrābhyām ziyaT'asthita iti na kas cid dosah. Virodha-nirodha. MS.
? stā-sādhārana-dharma-bhuta-jñāna-risista-reșena utpattim tudantı suddhasyā'pi hi l'astunah dharma-ntara-t'iśışta-r'eşena sādhyată trihyu-duu drstā. Ibid.
prāk srster jilānum niskriyatro-ktyā ca idam era darsitam. Ibid.
