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INTRODUCTION.
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and as such remains infinitely below the bliss of true mukti. And this à priori impression-which, although no doubt significant, could hardly be appealed to as decisiveis confirmed by a detailed consideration of the two sets of Sutras which Sankara connects with the knowledge of the higher Brahman. How these Satras are interpreted by Sankara and Râmânuga has been stated above in the conspectus of contents; the points which render the interpretation given by Râmânuga more probable are as follows. With regard to IV, 2, 12-14, we have to note, in the first place, the circumstance-relevant although not decisive in itself-that Sutra 12 does not contain any indication of a new topic being introduced. In the second place, it can hardly be doubted that the text of Sutra 13,'spashto hy ekeshâm,' is more appropriately understood, with Ramanuga, as furnishing a reason for the opinion advanced in the preceding Satra, than—with Sankara-as embodying the refutation of a previous statement (in which latter case we should expect not 'hi' but 'tu'). And, in the third place, the 'eke,' i.e. some,' referred to in Sätra 13 would, on Sankara's interpretation, denote the very same persons to whom the preceding Sûtra had referred, viz. the followers of the Kanva-såkhả (the two Vedic passages referred to in 12 and 13 being Bri. Up. IV, 4, 5, and III, 2, 11, according to the Kanva recension); while it is the standing practice of the Sûtras to introduce, by means of the designation 'eke,' members of Vedic sâkhâs, teachers, &c. other than those alluded to in the preceding Sûtras. With this practice Râmânuga's interpretation, on the other hand, fully agrees ; for, according to him, the 'eke' are the Mâdhyandinas, whose reading in Bri. Up. IV, 4, 5, viz. 'tasmât,' clearly indicates that the 'tasya' in the corresponding passage of the Kanvas denotes the sârira, i.e. the giva. I think it is not saying too much that Sankara's explanation, according to which the 'eke' would denote the very same Kanvas to whom the preceding Sûtra had referredso that the Kânvas would be distinguished from themselves as it were—is altogether impossible.
The result of this closer consideration of the first set of
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