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I ADHYAYA, I PÂDA, 1.
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knowledge may arise, evil works have to be got rid of, and this is effected by the performance of acts of religious duty not aiming at some immediate result (such as the heavenly world and the like); according to the text by works of religious duty he discards all evil.' Knowledge which is the means of reaching Brahman, thus requires the works prescribed for the different asramas; and hence the systematic enquiry into works (i. e. the Parva Mîmamsa) -from which we ascertain the nature of the works required and also the transitoriness and limitation of the fruits of mere works—forms a necessary antecedent to the systematic enquiry into Brahman. Moreover the discrimination of permanent and non-permanent things, &c.(i. e. the tetrad of 'means' mentioned above, p. 11) cannot be accomplished without the study of the Mîmâmså; for unless we ascertain all the distinctions of fruits of works, means, modes of procedure and qualification (on the part of the agent) we can hardly understand the true nature of works, their fruits, the transitoriness or non-transitoriness of the latter, the permanence of the Self, and similar matters. That those conditions (viz. nityanityavastuviveka, sama, dama, &c.) are 'means' must be determined on the basis of viniyoga (application which determines the relation of principal and subordinate matters-angin and anga); and this viniyoga which depends on direct scriptural statement (sruti), inferential signs (linga), and so on, is treated of in the third book of the Parva Mîmâmsa-sútras. And further we must, in this connexion, consider also the meditations on the Udgitha and similar things--which, although aiming at the success of works, are of the nature of reflections on Brahman (which is viewed in them under various forms and as such have reference to knowledge of Brahman. Those works also (with which these meditations are connected) aim at no special results of their own, and produce and help to perfect the knowledge of Brahman : they are therefore particularly connected with the enquiry into Brahman. And that these meditations presuppose an understanding of the nature of works is admitted by every one.
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