Satapatha Bramhana Part 05

SR No.: 007680
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Julius Eggeling
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1900
Total Pages: 2017
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 44 MB

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248
VEDANTA-SUTRAS.
passage previously quoted refers to the highest Person as connected with heaven, and we therefore recognise that Person as the light connected with heaven, mentioned in the subsequent passage.
Nor does the identification, made in a clause of the text, of light with the intestinal heat give rise to any difficulty; for that clause is meant to enjoin meditation on the highest Brahman in the form of intestinal heat, such meditation having a special result of its own. Moreover, the Lord himself declares that he constitutes the Self of the intestinal fire, 'Becoming the Vaisvânara-fire I abide in the body of living creatures' (Bha. Gi. XV, 14).
26. If it be objected that (Brahman is) not (denoted) on account of the metre being denoted; (we reply) not so, because thus the direction of the mind (on Brahman) is declared; for thus it is seen.
The previous section at first refers to the metre called Gayatrî, 'The Gayatri indeed is everything' (III, 12, 1), and then introduces-with the words 'this is also declared by a Rik verse'-the verse, 'Such is the greatness of it (viz. the Gayatri),' &c. Now, as this verse also refers to the metre, there is not any reference to the highest Person. -To this objection the second part of the Sûtra replies. The word 'Gayatrî' does not here denote the metre only, since this cannot possibly be the Self of all; but the text declares the application of the idea of Gayatri to Brahman, i.e. teaches, to the end of a certain result being obtained, meditation on Brahman in so far as similar to Gayatri. For Brahman having four feet, in the sense indicated by the rik, may be compared to the Gayatri with its four (metrical) feet. The Gayatri (indeed has as a rule three feet, but) occasionally a Gâyatrî with four feet is met with; so, e.g., 'Indras sakipatik | valena piditah | duskyavano vrisha | samitsu sâsahih.' We see that in other passages also words primarily denoting metres are employed in other senses; thus, e.g., in the samvargavidyâ (Kh. Up. IV, 3, 8), where Virág (the name of a metre of ten syllables) denotes a group of ten divine beings.
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