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164
SANATSUGÂTIYA.
action. I do not tell you an untruth. The Khandas do not save a sinful deceitful' man who behaves deceitfully. At the time of the termination (of his life), the Khandas abandon' him, as birds who have got wings (abandon their) nest.
Dhritarashtra said : If, O acute sir! the Vedas are not able to save one who understands the Vedas, then whence is this eternal talk of the Brahmanas?
Sanatsugâta said : O you of great glory! this universe becomes manifest through his special forms—names and the rest. The Vedas proclaim (his form) after describing (it) well, and (they? also) state his difference from the universe. For thats are this penance and sacrifice prescribed. By these a learned man acquires merit, and afterwards destroying sin by merit', he has his self illuminated by knowledge. By knowledge the learned man attains
' I.c. one who parades his piety. * I.e. hypocritically.
• I.e. do not rise to his memory-Nilakantha, citing Gitá, p. 78 supra.
• Scil. about the veneration due to one who has studied the Vedas-Nilakantha, citing one or two passages in point.
• The universe consists of names and forms,' the reality being the Brahman only. Cf. K’handogya, p. 407 seq.
• Sankara refers to Taittiriya-upanishad, p. 68; Khandogya, P. 596 seq. &c.
' Sankara takes this to mean sages,' who, according to him, state the difference. He quotes Parâsara for this.
• I. c. the Brahman, that is to say, for attaining to it. Penancer kändrayana and other observances; sacrifice=gyotishtoma, &c.
. Cl. p. 158 supra, and Taittiriya-aranyaka, p. 888.
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