anyathātvaṃ ca śabdāditi cennāviśeṣāt ..3.3.7..

SUTRA III. 3. 7.

 

अन्यथात्वं च शब्दादिति चेन्नाविशेषात्॥३.३.७॥

anyathātvaṃ ca śabdāditi cennāviśeṣāt ..3.3.7..

 

… Anyathatvam, the contradictory, the non-combination of Gunas... Shabdat, on account of the word of the scriptures. … Iti, so. Chet, if. .. Na, not. …. Avisheshat, for want of special authority to support that view.

 

7. If it be said that the word: of the Scripture teaches just the contrary, we say no: because there is no specific text to that effect. — 368.

 

COMMENTARY

 

If it be objected that from the words of the Scripture, namely, from the text Atmetyevopasita, a contrary view is maintained by the Shastras, that is to say, there should be no combination of Gunas, we reply, it is not so. Why? Because thorn is no specific text saying the following qualities should not be combined. The force of Eva (alone) is to point out that non-Atman should not be meditated upon. The Atman alone should be worshipped and not the non-Atman. It does not say that the qualities of the Atman should not be meditated upon. If one says ‘Rajaiya drishtah’ — the king alone was seen it does not mean that the invariable qualities of the king were not seen, such as the royal umbrella, etc., Therefore, it is proved that combination of qualities should take place, in all meditations, according to the ability of the person meditating.

Therefore, it is said, in the Supreme Brahman there exist many forms, all eternally perfect; as there exists many hues in the crystal called lapis lazuli. Every one of these special forms is the Perfect Full Brahman. In some He manifests all His attributes, in others of these forms Tie shows forth only a few. But the knower of truth should meditate on any one of these forms, by a mental combination of all the Gunas of the Lord, manifested in other forms, though not manifested in that particular form he is meditating upon.

This combination of all Gunas in meditation, is prescribed for the Svanishtha devotees of the Lord — who are the worshippers of Brahman in His universal aspect.

(Such a combination would be incompatible to the Ekantins — the «mono-formists» — if such a word could be coined. These Ekantins who have specialised their meditation, are emotionally incapable of combining different qualitice — no more can a devout Roman Catholic meditating on the Christ on the Cross, turn his thoughts on the Lord playing lute and drawing all hearts towards Him.)

Adhikarana III — No combination for Ekantins

 

As regards the Ekantins, though they have read many Shakhas of the Vedas, (and know intellectually the different Gunas of the Lord, as taught in the different Shakhas), yet being more deeply versed in the particular Upanishad of their own Shakha, they meditate exclusively on those Gunas only which have been revealed in their Upanishad, and though they know the Gunas taught in other books, they do not meditate on them. The author, therefore, teaches an exception to the general rule of combination mentioned above.

Vishaya: The text to be construed is that of the Gopala Purva Tapani.

Doubt: In the meditation of the Ekantin, should there be combination of the Gunas or not?

Purvapaksha: There ought to be such combination, because all these qualities are spoken of with respect and veneration: provided that the devotee is capable of it.

Siddhanta: The next Sutra refutes this view.