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VEDANTA-SUTRAS.
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term 'aga' the three elements, and that on this basis there is imagined a causal condition of these elements; but better than this assumption it evidently is to accept the term 'agâ' as directly denoting the causal state of those three elements as known from scripture.
Nor can we admit the contention that the term 'agâ' is meant to teach that Prakriti should metaphorically be viewed as a she-goat; for such a view would be altogether purposeless. Where in the passage 'Know the Self to be him who drives in the chariot'-the body, and so on, are compared to a chariot, and so on, the object is to set forth the means of attaining Brahman; where the sun is compared to honey, the object is to illustrate the enjoyment of the Vasus and other gods; but what similar object could possibly be attained by directing us to view Prakriti as a goat? Such a metaphorical view would in fact be not merely useless; it would be downright irrational. Prakriti is a non-intelligent principle, the causal substance of the entire material Universe, and constituting the means for the experience of pleasure and pain, and for the final release, of all intelligent souls which are connected with it from all eternity. Now it would be simply contrary to good sense, metaphorically to transfer to Prakriti such as described the nature of a she-goat-which is a sentient being that gives birth to very few creatures only, enters only occasionally into connexion with others, is of small use only, is not the cause of herself being abandoned by others, and is capable of abandoning those connected with her. Nor does it recommend itself to take the word aga (understood to mean 'she-goat') in a sense different from that in which we understand the term 'aga' which occurs twice in the same mantra.-Let then all three terms be taken in the same metaphorical sense (aga meaning he-goat). -It would be altogether senseless, we reply, to compare the soul which absolutely dissociates itself from Prakriti ('Another aga leaves her after having enjoyed her ') to a he-goat which is able to enter again into connexion with what he has abandoned, or with anything else. Here terminates the adhikarana of 'the cup.'
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