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294
VEDÂNTA-SOTRAS.
on? (V, 18, 2.) Such a statement has a sense only if we understand by Vaisvanara the intestinal fire.—This difficulty the next Satra elucidates.
32. On account of imaginative identification, thus Gaimini thinks; for thus the text declares.
The teacher Gaimini is of opinion that the altar is stated to be the chest of Vaisvânara, and so on, in order to effect an imaginative identification of the offering to Prâna which is daily performed by the meditating devotees and is the means of pleasing Vaisvanara, having the heaven and so on for his body, i.e. the highest Self, with the Agnihotraoffering. For the fruit due to meditation on the highest Self, as well as the identity of the offering to breath with the Agnihotra, is declared in the following text, 'He who without knowing this offers the Agnihotra—that would be as if removing the live coals he were to pour his libation on dead ashes. But he who offers this Agnihotra with a full knowledge of its purport, he offers it in all worlds, in all beings, in all Selfs. As the fibres of the Ishikà reed when thrown into the fire are burnt, thus all his sins are burnt.' (V, 24, 1-3.)
33. Moreover, they record him in that.
They (i.e. the Vågasaneyins) speak of him, viz. Vaisvanara who has heaven for his head, &c.i. e. the highest Selfas within that, i. e. the body of the devotee, so as to form the abode of the oblation to Pråna; viz. in the text, Of that Vaisvånara Self the head is Sutegas,' and so on. The context is as follows. The clause He who meditates on the Vaisvânara Self as prâdesamatra,' &c. enjoins meditation on the highest Self having the three worlds for its body, i.e. on Vaisvanara. The following clause he eats food in all worlds' teaches that the attaining of Brahman is the reward of such meditation. And then the text proceeds to teach the Agnihotra offered to Prâna, which is something subsidiary to the meditation taught. The text here establishes an identity between the members-fire, sun, &c.—of the Vaisvanara enjoined as object of meditation (which members
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