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460
VIVEKACŪDĀMAŅI
is ever identical, compact and undifferentiated?
These ideas are discussed in the following Brahma Sūtras seriatim.
utkrānti-gatyāgatīnām (II. iii.1): "on account of the spiritual declarations of (the soul's) passing out, going and returning (the soul is of atomic size).
tadgunasäratvāt tadvyapadeśah prājñavat (I1.iii. 29): "But it is designated thus (i.e., as atomic), on account of its having for its essence the qualities of that (i.e., the buddhi), as in the case of the intelligent Self (i.e. Brahman)."
kartā śāstrārthavattvāt (II. iii.33:) "(The soul is) an agent on account of scripture having a purport.”
yathā ca takşobhayathā (11.iii.40): “(thereby) and as the carpenter, in double fashion."
carācaravyapāśrayastu syāt tadvyapadeśo bhāktas tadbhāvabhāvitvāt (II. iii. 16): “But the designation (as being born and dying) abides in the (bodies of beings) moving and non-moving; it is secondary (metaphorical) if applied to the soul, as the existence (of those terms) depends on the existence of that (i.e., the body)."61
(All these sūtras state the pūrvapakşa (opponent's views) about the soul which are considered and refuted by the author of the Brahma Sūtras in the sequel).
I am ever unmoving like the Kula mountain. Activity and withdrawal cannot pertain either together or in succession to what is always one. What is without parts or limbs cannot change. How will what is one through and through closely compacted and without intervening space like the sky ever act?
504 पुण्यानि पापानि निरिन्द्र यस्य
निश्चेतसो निविकृतेः निराकृतः । कुतो ममाखण्डसुखानुभूतेः
ब्रूते ह्यनन्वागतमित्यपि श्रुतिः ॥ ५०४ ॥
61 The Sutras discuss the questions about the size of the atman, whether it is an agent (karta) of action and if it is capable of motion and decide that it is infinite (vibhu), that it is not an agent (akarta) and that it is not subject to motion. For elucidation of the sutras the reader is referred to the excellent translation by Swami Gambhīrānanda of śrī Samkara's Commentary on them in the edition of the Brahmasūtra Bhāsya, published by the Advaita Asrama, Ramakrsna Mission.