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VEDANTA-SUTRAS.
ture declares that previous to creation the highest Self only exists.
3. On account of speech having for its antecedent that.
For the following reason also the word 'pråna,' in the text quoted, can denote Brahman only. Speech, i. e. the names which have for their object all things apart from Brahman, presupposes the existence of the entire universe of things-ether, and so on-which is the object of speech. But, as according to the text 'this was then non-differentiated; it was thereupon differentiated by names and forms,' then (i. e. before the differentiation of individual things), no things having name and form existed, there existed also no effects of speech and the other organs of action and sensation, and hence it cannot be inferred that those organs themselves existed.-Here terminates the adhikarana of 'the origination of the pranas.'
4. (They are seven) on account of the going of the seven and of specification.
The question here arises whether those organs are seven only, or eleven-the doubt on this point being due to the conflicting nature of scriptural texts.-The Pârvapakshin maintains the former alternative. On what grounds?—' On account of going, and of specification.' For the text refers to the 'going,' i. e. to the moving about in the different worlds, together with the soul when being born or dying, of seven prâzas only, 'seven are these worlds in which the pranas move which rest in the cave, being placed there as seven and seven' (Mu. Up. II, 1, 8)—where the repetition 'seven and seven' intimates the plurality of souls to which the prânas are attached. Moreover those moving prâzas are distinctly specified in the following text, 'when the five instruments of knowledge stand still, together with the mind (manas), and when the buddhi does not move, that they call the highest "going" (gati-Ka. Up. II, 6, 10). The highest going' here means the moving towards Release, all movement within the body having
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