IV-2 Śrī Bhāshya | Rāmānuja | 10
Topic 10 - The soul of a knower of the Saguṇa Brahman follows the rays of the sun after death and goes to Brahmaloka
Sutra 4,2.18
रश्म्यनुसारी ॥ १८ ॥
raśmyanusārī || 18 ||
raśmi-anusārī—Following the rays.
18. (The soul of a knower of the Saguṇa Brahman when he dies) follows the rays (of the sun).
Scripture teaches that the soul of him who knows, after having passed forth from the heart by way of the hundred and first artery, follows the rays of the sun and thus reaches the disc of the sun: 'when he departs from this body he goes upwards by these rays only' (eva) (Kh. Up. VIII, 6, 5). The idea here suggests itself that the going of the soul cannot be exclusively bound' to those rays, since when a man dies during the night it cannot follow tae rays of the sun. Hence the text quoted above can refer only to a part of the actual cases.--This view the Sūtra rejects. The soul moves upwards, following the rays only; the text expressly asserting this by means of the 'eva'--which would be out of place were there any alternative. Nor is there any strength in the argument that the soul of him who dies at night cannot follow the rays as there are none. For in summer the experience of heat at night-time shows that there are present rays then also; while in winter, as generally in bad weather, that heat is overpowered by cold and hence is not perceived (although actually present). Scripture moreover states that the arteries and rays are at all times mutually connected: 'As a very long highway goes to two villages, so the rays of the sun go to both worlds, to this one and to the other. They stretch themselves forth from the sun and enter into these arteries'; they stretch themselves forth from these arteries and enter into yonder sun' (Kh. Up. VIII, 6, 2).--As thus there are rays at night also, the souls of those who know reach Brahman by way of the rays only.--Here terminates the Adhikaraṇa of 'the following up the rays.'
Sutra 4,2.19
निशि न इति चेत्, न, सम्बन्धस्य यावद्देहभावित्वाद्, दर्शयति च ॥ १९ ॥
niśi na iti cet, na, sambandhasya yāvaddehabhāvitvād, darśayati ca || 19 ||
niśi—In the night; na—not; iti cet—if it be said; na—not; sambandhasya yāvat-deha-bhāvitvād—because the connection continues as long as the body lasts; darśayati— (the Śruti) declares; ca—also.
19. If it be said (that the soul does) not (follow the rays) in the night, (we say) not so, because the connection (of the nerves and the rays) continues as long as the body lasts; (the Śruti) also declares (this).
It is now enquired into whether the soul of him who, while having true knowledge, dies at night reaches Brahman or not. Although, as solar rays exist at night, the soul may move on at night also following those rays; yet, since dying at night is spoken of in the Sūtras as highly objectionable, we conclude that he who dies at night cannot accomplish the highest end of man, viz. attainment to Brahman. The Sūtras eulogize death occurring in daytime and object to death at night-time: 'Day-time, the bright half of the month and the northern progress of the sun are excellent for those about to die; the contrary times are unfavourable.' According to this, their different nature, dying in day-time may be assumed to lead to a superior state of existence, and dying at night to an inferior state. He who dies at night cannot therefore ascend to Brahman.--This view the Sūtra refutes: 'Because, in the case of him who knows, the connexion with works exists as long as the body does.' This is to say--since those works which have not yet begun to produce their results and which are the cause of future inferior states of existence are destroyed by the contact with knowledge, while at the same time later works do not 'cling' (also owing to the presence of true knowledge), and those works which have begun to act come to an end with the existence of the last body; there is no reason why he who knows should remain in bondage, and hence he reaches Brahman even if dying at night-time. Scripture also declares this, 'for him there is delay only as long as he is not freed from the body, then he will be united.' The text which praises the advantages of night-time, the light half of the month, etc., therefore must be understood as referring to those who do not possess true knowledge.
--Here terminates the Adhikaraṇa of 'night.'