{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/sbe38/sbe38232.htm","path":"hin/sbe38/sbe38232.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe38/sbe38232.htm","text":"The Vedanta Sutras of Badarayana, Commentary by Sankara (SBE38), tr. by George Thibaut [1896]\n23. (The stories told in the Upanishads) are for the purpose of the p\u00e2riplava; we deny this on account of (certain stories only) being specified.\n'Y\u00e2g\u00f1avalkya had two wives, Maitrey\u00ee and K\u00e2ty\u00e2yani' (Bri. Up. IV, 5, 1); 'Pratardana, forsooth, the son of Divod\u00e2sa came to the beloved abode of Indra' (Kau. Up. III, 1); 'There lived once upon a time G\u00e2nasruti Pautr\u00e2yana, who was a pious giver, giving much and keeping open house' (Kh. Up. IV, 1, 1); with regard to these and similar stories met with in the Ved\u00e2nta portions of scripture there arises a doubt whether they are meant to subserve the performance of the p\u00e2riplava 1, or to introduce the vidy\u00e2s standing in proximity to them.\nThe p\u00fbrvapakshin maintains that those scriptural stories subserve the p\u00e2riplava because they are stories like others, and because the telling of stories is enjoined for the p\u00e2riplava. And from this it follows that the Ved\u00e2nta-texts do not chiefly aim at knowledge, because like mantras they stand in a complementary relation to sacrificial performances.\nThis conclusion we deny 'on account of the specification.' Under the heading 'he is to recite the p\u00e2riplava,' scripture specifies certain definite stories such as that of 'Manu Vivasvat's son the king.' If, now, for the reason that all tales as such are alike, all tales were admitted for the p\u00e2riplava, the mentioned specification would be devoid of meaning. We therefore conclude that those scriptural stories are not meant to be told at the p\u00e2riplava.\n305:1 I.e. have to be recited at stated intervals during the year occupied by the asvamedha sacrifice.","title":"The Vedanta Sutras of Badarayana: Third Adhy\u00e2ya. Fourth P\u00e2da.: III, 4, 23","type":"page"}