IV-1 Śrī Bhāshya | Rāmānuja | 3-5

Topic 3 - Where symbols of Brahman are used for contemplation, the meditator is not to comprehend them as identical with him

 Sutra 4,1.4

न प्रतीके न हि सः ॥ ४ ॥

na pratīke na hi saḥ || 4 ||

na—Not; pratīke—in the symbol; na—is not; hi—because; saḥ—he.

4. (The meditator is) not (to see the self) in the symbol, because he is not (that).

'Let a man meditate on mind as Brahman ' (Kh. Up. III, 18, 1); 'He who meditates on name as Brahman' (Kh. Up. VII, l5)--with regard to these and similar meditations on outward symbols (pratīka) of Brahman there arises a doubt, viz. whether in them the symbols are to be thought of as of the nature of Self or not. The Pūrvapakshin holds the former view. For, he says, in form those injunctions do not differ from other injunctions of meditation on Brahman, and Brahman, as we have seen, constitutes the Self of the meditating Devotee.-- This view the Sūtra sets aside. A pratīka cannot be meditated on as being of the nature of Self; for the pratīka is not the Self of the meditating Devotee. What, in those meditations, is to be meditated upon is the pratīka only, not Brahman: the latter enters into the meditation only as qualifying its aspect. For by a meditation on a pratīka we understand a meditation in which something that is not Brahman is viewed under the aspect of Brahman, and as the pratīka--the object of meditation--is not the Self of the Devotee it cannot be viewed under that form.--But an objection is raised here also, it is Brahman which is the real object of meditation; for where Brahman may be viewed as the object of meditation, it is inappropriate to assume as objects non-sentient things of small power such as the mind, and so on. The object of meditation therefore is Brahman viewed under the aspect of mind, and so on.

--This objection the next Sūtra disposes of.

Topic 4 - In meditations on symbols the latter are to be viewed as Brahman and not in the reverse way

 Sutra 4,1.5

ब्रह्मदृष्टिः, उत्कर्षात् ॥ ५ ॥

brahmadṛṣṭiḥ, utkarṣāt || 5 ||

brahmadṛṣṭiḥ—Viewing as Brahman; utkarṣāt—on account of the elevation.

5. (The symbol is) to be viewed as Brahman (and not in the reverse way), on account of the elevation (of the symbol thereby).

The view of Brahman may appropriately be superimposed on mind and the like; but not the view of mind, and so on, on Brahman. For Brahman is something superior to mind, and so on; while the latter are inferior to Brahman. To view a superior person, a prince e.g., as a servant would be lowering; while, on the other hand, to view a servant as a prince is exalting.--Here terminates the Adhikaraṇa of 'symbols.'

Topic 5 - In meditations on the members of sacrificial acts the idea of the divinity is to be superimposed on the members and not vice versa

 Sutra 4,1.6

आदित्यादिमतयश्चाङ्गे, उपपत्तेः ॥ ६ ॥

ādityādimatayaścāṅge, upapatteḥ || 6 ||

ādityādi-matayaḥ—The ideas of the sun etc.; ca—and; aṅge—in a subordinate member (of sacrificial acts); upapatteḥ—because of consistency.

6. And the ideas of the sun etc. (are to be superimposed) on the subordinate members (of sacrificial acts), because (in that way alone would the statement of the scriptures) be consistent.

'He who shines up there let a man meditate on him as the Udgītha' (Kh. Up. I, 3, 1).--With regard to this and similar meditations connected with subordinate parts of sacrificial performances there arises the doubt whether the idea of Āditya and so on has to be superimposed on the subordinate part of the sacrifice, such as the Udgītha, or vice versa (i.e. whether Āditya should be meditated upon under the aspect of the Udgītha, or vice versa).--The Pūrvapakshin holds the former view. For the general principle is that the lower being should be viewed under the aspect of the higher, and the Udgītha and so on, which are parts of the sacrifices through which certain results are effected, are superior to the divinities who do not accomplish any result.--Of this view the Sūtra disposes. The ideas of Āditya and so on are to be superimposed on the 'members,' i.e. the Udgītha and so on, which are constituent members of the sacrifices; because of the gods only superiority can be established. For it is only through the propitiation of the gods that sacrifices are capable of bringing about their results. The Udgītha and the rest therefore are to be viewed under the aspect of Āditya and so on.

--Here terminates the Adhikaraṇa of 'the ideas of Āditya and so on.'