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652
VEDÂNTA-SÓTRAS.
There is no restriction to that limited class of devotees, since all who carry on meditations have to go on that path. For on this latter assumption only text and inference, i.e. scripture and authoritative tradition, are not contradicted. As to scripture, the Khåndogya and the Vågasaneyaka alike, in the Parkågni-vidya, declare that all those who practise meditation go on that path. In the Vågasaneyaka the words 'who know this' refer to those who practise the meditation on the five fires, while the following words
those who in the forest meditate on faith and the True' refer to those who meditate on Brahman; and the text then goes on to say that all those devotees go to Brahman, on the path of the gods. Texts such as 'the True, knowledge, infinite is Brahman,' and 'the True must be enquired into,' prove that the term 'the True' denotes Brahman; and as in the Khandogya the term 'tapas' occurs in the corresponding place, we conclude that both these terms, viz. the True and tapas, denote nothing else but Brahman. Meditation on Brahman, preceded by faith, is mentioned elsewhere also; in the text which begins 'The True must be enquired into' we read further on 'Faith must be enquired into' (Kh. Up. VII, 18, 16; 19). Smriti also declares that all those who know Brahman proceed on the path of the gods, Fire, the light, the day, the bright fortnight, the six months of the sun's northern progressproceeding by that road those who know Brahman go to Brahman' (Bha. Gi. VIII, 24). And there are many other Sruti and Smriti passages of this kind. The conclusion therefore is that the Upakosalavidya and similar texts merely refer to that going of the soul which is common to all vidyâs.—Here terminates the adhikarana of nonrestriction.'
33. But the conceptions of the Imperishable are to be comprised (in all meditations). There being equality (of the Brahman to be meditated on) and (those conceptions) existing in Brahman); as in the case of what belongs to the upasad. This has been explained.
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