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I ADHYAYA, I PÂDA, 30.
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30. If it be said that (Brahman is) not (denoted) on account of the speaker denoting himself; (we say, not so), because the multitude of connexions with the inner Self (is possible only) in that (speaker if viewed as Brahman),
An objection is raised.—That the being introduced as Indra and Präna should be the highest Brahman, for the reason that it is identical with him who, later on, is called 'blessed,''non-ageing, 'immortal'—this we cannot admit. * Know me only, I am prana, meditate on me as the intelligent Self, as life, as immortality'—the speaker of these words is Indra, and this Indra enjoins on Pratardana meditation on his own person only, the individual character of which is brought out by reference to certain deeds of strength such as the slaying of the son of Tvashtri (I slew the three-headed son of Tvashtri,' &c.). As thus the initial part of the section clearly refers to an individual being, the terms occurring in the concluding part (blessed,' 'non-ageing,' 'immortal') must be interpreted so as, to make them agree with what precedes.—This objection the Satra disposes of. For the multitude of connexions with the Self'-i.e. the multitude of things connected with the Self as its attributes—is possible only in that,' i. e. in that speaker viewed as the highest Brahman. 'For, as in a car, the circumference of the wheel is placed on the spokes, and the spokes on the nave, thus are these objects placed on the subjects, and the subjects on the prâna. That prâna indeed is the intelligent Self, blessed, nonageing, immortal.' The 'objects' (bhatamåtråk) here are the aggregate of non-sentient things; the subjects' (pragñàmâtråh) are the sentient beings in which the objects are said to abide ; when thereupon the texts says that of these subjects the being called Indra and Prana is the abode, and that he is blessed, non-ageing, immortal; this qualification of being the abode of this Universe, with all its non-sentient and sentient beings, can belong to the highest Self only, which is other than all individual souls.
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