________________
FIRST ADHYÅYA.
FIRST PÅDA.
May my mind be filled with devotion towards the highest Brahman, the abode of Lakshmi; who is luminously revealed in the Upanishads; who in sport produces, sustains, and reabsorbs the entire Universe; whose only aim is to foster the manifold classes of beings that humbly worship him.
The nectar of the teaching of Parasara's son (Vyasa), which was brought up from the middle of the milk-ocean of the Upanishads—which restores to life the souls whose vital strength had departed owing to the heat of the fire of transmigratory existence, which was well guarded by the teachers of old-which was obscured by the mutual conflict of manifold opinions,—may intelligent men daily enjoy that as it is now presented to them in my words.
The lengthy explanation (vritti) of the Brahma-sâtras which was composed by the Reverend Bodhayana has been abridged by former teachers; according to their views the words of the Satras will be explained in this present work.
1. Then therefore the enquiry into Brahman.
In this Satra the word 'then' expresses immediate sequence; the word 'therefore' intimates that what has taken place (viz. the study of the karmakânda of the Veda) constitutes the reason (of the enquiry into Brahman). For the fact is that the enquiry into (lit. 'the desire to know') Brahman-the fruit of which enquiry is infinite in nature and permanent-follows immediately in the case of him who, having read the Veda together with its auxiliary
B 2
Digitized by
Digitized by Google