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IV ADHYAYA, I PÂDA, 5.
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to do here with the superimposition of the contemplation of one thing on another thing-just as in the case of the text, The Brahmana is Agni Vaisvanara,'-and the doubt therefore arises the contemplation of which of the two things is to be superimposed on the other.
The purvapakshin maintains that there exists no fixed rule for this case, because we have no scriptural text establishing such a rule.--Or else, he says, contemplations on Åditya and so on are exclusively to be superimposed on Brahman. For in this way Brahman is meditated upon by means of contemplations on Aditya, and scripture decides that meditations on Brahman are what is productive of fruits. Hence contemplations on Brahman are not to be superimposed on Åditya and so on.
To this we make the following reply. The contemplation on Brahman is exclusively to be superimposed on Åditya and so on.—Why ?—'On account of exaltation. For thus Aditya and so on are viewed in an exalted way, the contemplation of something higher than they being superimposed on them. Thereby we also comply with a secular rule, viz. the one enjoining that the idea of something higher is to be superimposed upon something lower, as when we view-and speak of—the king's charioteer as a king. This rule must be observed in worldly matters, because to act contrary to it would be disadvantageous; for should we view a king as a charioteer, we should thereby lower him, and that would be no ways beneficial.- But, an objection is raised, as the whole matter rests on scriptural authority, the suspicion of any disadvantage cannot arise; and it is, further, not appropriate to define contemplations based on scripture by secular rules !—That might be so, we reply, if the sense of scripture were fully ascertained ; but as it is liable to doubt, there is no objection to our having recourse to a secular rule whereby to ascertain it. And as by means of that rule we decide that what scripture means
the sun and so on, as being resolved into their causal substance, i.e. Brahman. True knowledge is concerned only with the resolution of the entire world of effects into Brahman.
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