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704
VEDÂNTA-SOTRAS.
It has been declared that the members of the four asramas have a claim to the knowledge of Brabman, and that the duties connected with each asrama promote knowledge. A doubt now arises whether those men also who, on account of poverty and so on, stand outside the asramas are qualified for the knowledge of Brahman, or not.—They are not, the Purvapakshin holds, since such knowledge is to be attained in a way dependent on the special duties of each asraina ; while those who do not belong to an asrama are not concerned with asrama duties.
-This view the Sätra rejects. Those also who do not stand within any asrama are qualified for knowledge, 'because that is seen,' i. e. because the texts declare that men such as Raikva, Bhishma, Samvarta and others who did not belong to asramas were well grounded in the kaowledge of Brahman. It can by no means be maintained that it is asrama duties only that promote knowledge; for the text by gifts, by penance, by fasting, and so on' (Bri. Up. IV, 4, 22) distinctly declares that charity also and other practices, which are not confined to the asramas, are helpful towards knowledge. In the same way as in the case of those bound to chastity—who, as the texts show, may possess the knowledge of Brahman—knowledge is promoted by practices other than the Agnihotra and the like, so-it is concluded in the case of those also who do not belong to any asrama knowledge may be promoted by certain practices not exclusively connected with any asrama, such as prayer, fasting, charity, propitiation of the divinity, and so on.
37. Smriti also states this.
Smriti also declares that men not belonging to an asrama grow in knowledge through prayer and the like. Through prayer also a Brâhmana may become perfect. May he perform other works or not, one who befriends all creatures is called a Brahmana' (Manu Smri. II, 17).
38. And there is the promotion (of knowledge) through special acts (of duty).
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