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" THE REVEALED WORD."
1045
If what is seen in the reflection), is the same Sun, and not the Reflected Image,-then, how is it that it is not perceived as being overhead ? It could be so seen if the same Sun had been seen in different places (in the reflecting surfaces) not otherwise ; as otherwise there would be incongruities.
Further, in the case of the Well, how could there be perception of the Sun lying so far deep inside, if its Reflected Image were not produced there? Certainly the Sun does not actually exist there inside the Well.
Then again, when a man facing the East looks at the mirror, how does he come to face the West ? Certainly a face is not seen to have been produced at his back.-(2219-2220)
The Mimāmsaka's answer to the above is as follows:
TEXTS (2221–2223).
"WHEN A MAN IS LOOKING AT THE SUN AND THE WATER, HIS EYE (RAYS)
PROCEED IN TWO WAYS, -ONE UPWARDS AND THE OTHER DOWNWARDS ; THE PERCEIVER DOES NOT PERCEIVE THAT SUN WHICH IS ILLUMINED BY THE EYE-RAYS PROCEEDING UPWARDS, BECAUSE IT IS NOT IN A STRAIGHT LINE WITH THE BODILY SUBSTRATUM OF THE VISUAL ORGAN; WHILE WHAT IS PERCEIVED BY THE DOWNWARD RAYS IS THE SUN SHINING ABOVE PRESENTED MEDIATELY (INDIRECTLY); AND BECAUSE IT IS THE SAME SUN THAT IS SO PRESENTED, THE OBSERVER THINKS THAT WHAT IS SEEN IS 'BELOW. IT IS THUS THAT IT IS THE SUN ITSELF THAT IS SEEN BELOW, THROUGH THE INTERVENING MEDIUM (OF THE DOWXWARD RAYS).”–{Shlokavārtika-ETERNALITY OF WORDS, 186–188].—(2221-2223)
COMMENTARY.
The opinion entertained is as follows:-If the organ were to go out and then render the Sun cognisable,-then it would be necessary that it should be seen above, not below what happens however is that the organ brings about the cognition while it is itself still in the body, and does not move upwards, as has been declared in the following words : If the organ, going out, were to render the object cognisable there, then it might be as urged; as a matter of fact, however, it brings about the cognition while still in the body':-(Shlokavārtika-Eternality of Words, 185-186.)
The whole process is as follows Those who see, in the vessel, the Water as well as the Sun, for these persons looking at the Sun and the Water, the single Visual Organ (in the shape of Rays) proceeds in two ways-one upward and the other downward ;-then the Sun that is illumined by the upward rays
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