________________
Philosophy of Srikantha
[CH. unchangeable ground which always remains true and is not only relatively true as the world of appearance?.
We have said above that Śrīkantha regarded the second sūtra as indicating an inference for the existence of God. But in the course of later discussions he seems to move to the other side, and regards the existence of Brahman as being proved by the testimony of the Vedas. The general argument from the unity of purpose throughout the universe cannot necessarily lead to the postulation of one creator, for a house or a temple which shows unity of purpose is really effected by a large number of architects and artisans. He also thinks that the Vedas were produced by God. That is also somehow regarded as additional testimony to His existence. The nature of Brahman also can be known by reconciling the different Upanişadic texts which all point to the supreme existence of Lord Siva. In Brahma-sūtra 11. 1. 18, 19 Śrīkantha says that the Brahman as contracted within Himself is the cause while, when by His inner desire He expands Himself, He shows Himself and the universe which is His effect. This view is more or less like the view of Vallabha, and may be regarded as largely different from the idea of Brahman as given by Srīkantha in 1. 1. 2. Śrīkantha, in further illustrating his views, says that he admits Brahman to be the ultimate material cause of the universe only in the sense that the prakrti, from which the world is evolved, is itself in Brahman. So as Brahman cannot remain without His śakti or energy, He can be regarded as the material cause of the world, though He in Himself remains transcendent, and it is only His māyā that works as an immanent cause of the production of the world. He thus says that there is a difference between the individual souls and the Brahman, and there is a difference between the prakrti and the Brahman. He would not admit that the world of appearance is entirely different from Brahman; neither would he admit that they are entirely identical. His position is like that of the modified
i For the view of Sankara and his school, see Vols. I and II. For the view of Rāmānuja and his school see Vol. III.
2 "cidātmaiva hi devo" ntah-sthitam icchā-vasād bahih. yogiva nirupādānam arthajātam prkāśayed' iti. nirupādānam iti anapekşitopādānāntaram svayam upādānam bhūtvety arthaḥ. tataḥ parama-kāraņāt parabrahmanaḥ śivād abhinnam eva jagat kāryam iti...yathā samkucitaḥ sūkşma-rūpah patah prasārito mahāpatakuți-rūpena kāryam bhavati, tathā brahmāpi samkucita-rūpam karanam prasăritarūpam karyam bhavati. Srikantha's bhāsya, Vol. II, p. 29.
