Indian Antiquary Vol 57

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 82

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ APRIL, 1928
samyuktam.... paśyati. In the Brahman are all abishah or desires ; compare Ch. Up. 3, 1,5: etat satyam brahmapuram asmin kämdḥ samdhitaḥ: 'In this citadel, namely Brahman (so Saúkara explains the word brahmapuram) are placed all desires '; Maitryupanishat, 6, 30: alra hi sarve kamah samdhitah : Here (in the Brahman) are all desires placed '; Ait. Up. 5, 2: sankalpah keratur asuh kamo vasa iti sarvány eraitani prajña nasya ndmadheyani bhavanti.... prajñanam brahma: 'Sankalpa, keratu, asu, kdma, naša—all these are names of only prajñana. ...prajnana is Brahman'. The Brahman is ekartu, one-seasoned, because perhajis there is no succession of days and nights in Brahmaloka or to the Brahman there is but only one long unending day, and hence only one season'; compare Ch. Up. 8, 4,1: nailam selum ahordlre taratah. ...elam selum tilvipi naklam ahar evabhinishpad yale skyd-vibhalo hy evaisha brahmalokah." "This bridge is not crossed by day and night; having crossed this bridge, even night becomes day; in this Brahmaloka it is always day"; ibid., 3, 11, 3: na ha và asmd meti na nimlocati sakrd diei hdamai bhavati ya etdm evam brahmopani. shudam verla "To him who thus knows the Brahma-mystery, there is no sun rise and no sunset; it is day to him once for all." Compare also Gaudapâdakarika, 3, 35 : tad era nir. bhayam brahma....ajam anidram asvapnam.... sakrdvibhála m sarvajam : “That is the fearless Brahman.... unborn, sleepless, dreamless . . . . all-knowing, to which it is always day"; and Muktikopanishat, 2, 73: sukrd-vibhalam tu ajam ekam aksharam alepakam sarvagatam yad advayam tad eva caham sakalam vimukta om.
M. Boyer, in the course of his explanation of these verses, says (p. 419) that, a priori, there is no reason to suppose that the five questions in v. 25 refer to the same person or thing, but that, as a matter of fact, the answers in v. 26 are capable of being referred to one deity, namely the sun. This is because he understands the last pada of v. 26 to mean that 'the marvel (as already said above, yaksha=merveille in M. Boyer's opinion) on the earth.... is not surpassed by any.' It seems to me however that the words nati ricyate should be understood, not as is not surpassed' but as does not remain over ; is not different ', and that therefore these words in v. 26 refer to the same subject, and that hence the questions in v. 25 too refer to the same subject.
Ekadhdfishah means literally, the desires become one (in that being)', that is, that all desires are found at once in that being; see above. AV. 10, 2, 31-33 : ashtà' cakrá návadvárd deud' nam pi'r ayodhya'
tásyam hitanyáyaḥ kóéah svargó jyotishd' vrtah || 31 | tásmin hiranyaye kóse tryare tri pratishthite tismin yád yaksham dtmanvát tád vai brahmavido viduh !132 !! prabhrd' jamanam hirinim yasasd sampárîvrtám
púram hiranyayim bráhmd' vivebd' pardjitam || 331 “The fortress of the gods has eight wheels (i.e., circumvallations) and nine doors and is inexpugnable ; in it is a sheath of gold, heaven, enveloped in splendour ; verily, the Brahmaknowers know the animate being that is in this sheath of gold which has three spokes and is thrice-supported. Into this resplendent, yellow, invincible fortress of gold, enveloped in glory, entered the Brahman."
(To be continued.)