{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/sbe38/sbe38198.htm","path":"hin/sbe38/sbe38198.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe38/sbe38198.htm","text":"The Vedanta Sutras of Badarayana, Commentary by Sankara (SBE38), tr. by George Thibaut [1896]\n55. But the (meditations) connected with members (of sacrificial acts are) not (restricted) to (particular) S\u00e2kh\u00e2s, according to the Veda (to which they belong).\nThe above occasional discussion being terminated, we return to the discussion of the matter in hand.--We meet in the different S\u00e2kh\u00e2s of each Veda with injunctions of vidy\u00e2s connected with certain members of sacrificial acts, such as the udg\u00eetha and the like. Cp. e.g. 'Let a man meditate on the syllable Om (as) the udg\u00eetha' (Kh. Up. I, 1, 1); 'Let a man meditate on the fivefold S\u00e2man as the five worlds' (Kh. Up. II, 2, I); 'People say: \"Hymns, hymns!\" the hymn is truly this earth' (Ait. \u00c2r. II, 1, 2, 1); 'The piled up fire-altar truly is this world' (Sat. Br\u00e2. X, 5, 4, 1). A doubt here arises whether the vidy\u00e2s are enjoined with reference to the udg\u00eetha and so on as belonging to a certain S\u00e2kh\u00e2 only or as belonging to all S\u00e2kh\u00e2s. The doubt is raised on the supposition that the udg\u00eetha and so on differ in the different S\u00e2kh\u00e2s because the accents, &c. differ.\nHere the p\u00fbrvapakshin maintains that the vidy\u00e2s are enjoined only with reference to the udg\u00eetha and so on which belong to the particular S\u00e2kh\u00e2 (to which the vidy\u00e2 belongs).--Why?--On account of proximity. For as such general injunctions as 'Let a man meditate on the udg\u00eetha' are in need of a specification, and as this need is satisfied by the specifications given in the same S\u00e2kh\u00e2 which stand in immediate proximity, there is no reason for passing over that S\u00e2kh\u00e2 and having recourse to specifications enjoined\nin other S\u00e2kh\u00e2s. Hence the vidy\u00e2s are to be held apart, according to the S\u00e2kh\u00e2s to which they belong.\nTo this the S\u00fbtra replies 'but those connected with members,' &c.--The word 'but' discards the prim\u00e2 facie view. The meditations are not restricted to their own S\u00e2kh\u00e2s according to the Veda to which they belong, but are valid for all S\u00e2kh\u00e2s.--Why?--Because the direct statements of the texts about the udg\u00eetha and so on enounce no specification. For to such general injunctions as 'Let a man meditate on the udg\u00eetha'--which say nothing about specifications--violence would be done, if on the ground of proximity we restricted them to something special belonging to its own S\u00e2kh\u00e2, and that would be objectionable because direct statement has greater weight than proximity. There is, on the other hand, no reason why the vidy\u00e2 should not be of general reference. We therefore conclude that, although the S\u00e2kh\u00e2s differ as to accents and the like, the vidy\u00e2s mentioned refer to the udg\u00eetha and so on belonging to all S\u00e2kh\u00e2s, because the text speaks only of the udg\u00eetha and so on in general.","title":"The Vedanta Sutras of Badarayana: Third Adhy\u00e2ya. Third P\u00e2da.: III, 3, 55","type":"page"}