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264
VEDÂNTA-SÚTRAS.
the accomplishment of the sacrificial action itself occupies only a short time.-Nor may we suppose the passage (which contains the linga) to be a mere arthavada-passage (in which case, as the purvapakshin avers, the linga would be unable to refute prakarana). For in those cases where we meet with an unmistakeable injunctory passagemarked out as such by the use of the optative or imperative form—there indeed we may assume a glorificatory passage (met with in connexion with that injunctory passage) to be an arthavada. In the present case, however, we observe no clear injunctory passage, and should therefore be obliged to construct one enjoining the knowledge of the various fanciful agnis, merely on the basis of the arthavadapassage. But in that case the injunction can be framed only in accordance with the arthavada, and as the arthavada speaks of the continual building of the agnis, the latter item would have to appear in the injunction also. But, if so, it follows (as shown above) that the mental construction of those agnis constitutes an independent vidyà (and does not form part of the actual agnikayana).—The same argumentation applies to the second linga-passage quoted above, Whatever those beings conceive in their minds,' &c.-And the sentence finally shows, by means of the clause, 'For him who thus knows,' that those agnis are connected with a special class of men (viz. those who thus know), and are therefore not to be connected with the sacrificial action.For all these reasons the view of those agnis constituting an independent vidya is preferable.
50. On account of the connexion and so on (the agnis built of mind, &c. are independent); in the same way as other cognitions are separate. And there is seen (another case of something having to be withdrawn from the leading subject-matter); this has been explained (in the Purva Mimâmsâ-sûtras).
Independence has, against the general subject-matter, to be assumed for the fire-altars built of mind and so on, for that reason also that the text connects the constituent
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