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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
52. By the dissolution of the Upadhi, the Muni (wisdom-perfected-Sage) unites inseparably with the (All-)pervading One, just as water mixes inseparably with water, air with air, and fire with fire.
53. That gain, than which there is no greater of milk): in like manner is Brahma throughout the Universe.
gain,
That pleasure, than which there is no greater pleasure,
That knowledge, than which there is no greater knowledge,
That is Brahma.-Let this be believed! 54. That, which One having perceived, there is nothing else to perceive,
That, which One having attained, there is nothing else attainable,
That, which One knowing, there exists nothing else to be known,
That is Brahma.-Let this be believed. 55. That which is thorough, above, below, complete, perfect, existence spirit and bliss; the one without a second, endless, ever-existing and one-that is Brahma.-Let this be believed!
56. That which is in the form of rejecting whatsoever is "not this"-i.e. not Brahma-is, in the Vedanta writings, shown to be the imperishable, the perfectly happy, the One-that is Brahma.-Let this be believed.
57. Having access to a portion of the bliss of the Being of all-perfect Bliss, Brahmâ and the other (popular deities), become, by degrees, partially happy beings.
58. With this (i.e. Brahma) the Universality
(accumulated during a prior existence) is completely expiated, and incorporeal Bliss succeeds the extinction of the threefold corporealness ?'"
52. An annotation of Taylor (or Pauthier) refers the dissolution of the Upddhi merely to the gross and fine material forms. The Tamil commentator rightly refers it to the causal form. The commentator remarks: "In the three following strophes the teacher describes the sublimity of the Brahma as regards extent, place, and time."
57. The commentator remarks: "The teacher
here disposes of the objection (of the popular faith),
Brahma is the Supreme Deity, the causa materialis and causa efficiens of the illusive world.
[MAY, 1876.
of things is connected, and the (worldly) Activity is Spirit-affected: hence Brahma is a being, everywhere all-pervading, like butter everywhere in milk (i.e. the material which originates butter is diffused throughout the entire quantity
Brahma is the chief god of the Hindu Triad, and it is he who is mentioned in this strophe.
Butter has a totally different signification to the nonflesh-eating Hindu than to us. Therefore the first published Tamil Vedic writing bears the interesting title, "The fresh Butter of Happiness."
59. That which is neither coarse nor fine, neither short nor long, without birth and imperishable, without form, unbound by place, without sex and name: that is Brahma. Let this be believed!
60. That by which the sun, &c. &c. shines, but which is not illumined by any light, that by which all these are effulgent, is Brahma. Let this be believed!
Commentary.
61. Of itself pervading everything within and without, and the entire world illumining, the Brahma shines forth, like the iron-ball glowing
with fire.
62. Brahma shares not the qualities of the world; besides Brahma there exists nothing; when any other than Brahma appears it is false
like the mirage in the desert.†
63. That which is alway seen and heard is (in the most profound essence) not different from Brahma and by means of the true knowledge (in which all modifications, as well as the illusive, perish) these pertain (directly) to Brahma, to the Being full of Reality, Spirit, and Bliss, the One without a second.
64. The eye of Wisdom discerns the all-per-. vading Soul, which is Being and Spirit; the
'Undivided Bliss is ascribed to Brahmâ, Vishnu, &c. &c., and those who would attain the happiness of these Godheads perform horse-sacrifice." "
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58. The commentator here makes a very characteristic observation, i.e.: "The author wishes to meet the objection, As it is a notorious fact that great desire for sense-things exist, how can it be said that the Spirit is in a high degree the object of (human) desire?' And he meets the objection, showing, by means of the above example, that the Spirit is, equally with butter, an object worthy the desire of all."
Some of the negative attributes of the Brahma are given in this strophe; for them more at length see Kai. valjanavanita, Part II. 187.
"Everything is false which is not Brahma."
Vedanta Paribhasha. Nothing exists but he (6.e. Brahma).
Sutras, iii. 2, 29.
