2023-05-31 04:00:47 by ambuda-bot
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BHAGAVAD GUNA DARPANA
(about God)." The Anandavalli section of the Taittiriya
Upanishad starts with the words, "We will investigate into the
measurement of bliss," and goes on multiplying the bliss
a hundredfold at each stage and arrives towards the end
at the bliss of Brahma (the four-faced creator). From the
very order in which the manifold nature of the bliss is
mentioned, it is clear that what is aimed at is to describe
a bliss, vast and immeasurable, and not to postulate that
there is no quality like bliss at all. Hence, the author of
the Vedānta Sitras say.: "(The relevant passage) negates the
'this muchness' of the description of the quality mentioned."
(III. ii. 21). The principle enunciated there has to be applied
here. Thus, my (Commentator's) revered father has said:
"Starting as if to measure the qualities, bliss, etc., the Veda
says that the speech and mind retreated, because there is
no question of any limit to them (the qualities)". By this
the passage "O Lord! No name, class, etc., and such imaginary
things are to be found in Thee." also gets explained.
Moreover, when there is a prohibition of the imaginary
attribution of name, class to the Lord, it is thereby esta-
blished that He has qualities which are not imaginary, but
fundamentally real. Thus, you (the opponent) yourself supply
the fetters to bind your feet. Even the invocation, "Oh Lord",
shows that He has a name. Not only this, it shows that He can
be within the reach of speech, even though He is beyond it (in
another sense). The passage only means that He cannot be
denoted by words expressive of limited things. But He is
possessed of names and forms suitable to Him and different
from those found in the universe. This is made clear else-
where: "His names, forms and activities which constitute all
the source of knowledge concerning Him, are not within the
range of measurement. Such a Person, i. e., Vishnu has now
come into your womb." (Vishnu Purūna, V. 2. 19).
Some say: In the use of these Names, there is no scope
for analysing each word into its parts and finding the actual
meaning as derived from the meanings of each part. The real
object is not to teach us the qualities (That is to say, these
names are used only as a help for the devotee to realise the
Nirguna Brahman through the recitation of the qualities of
the Saguna Brahman, a step towards such realisation).
52
(about God)." The Anandavalli section of the Taittiriya
Upanishad starts with the words, "We will investigate into the
measurement of bliss," and goes on multiplying the bliss
a hundredfold at each stage and arrives towards the end
at the bliss of Brahma (the four-faced creator). From the
very order in which the manifold nature of the bliss is
mentioned, it is clear that what is aimed at is to describe
a bliss, vast and immeasurable, and not to postulate that
there is no quality like bliss at all. Hence, the author of
the Vedānta Sitras say.: "(The relevant passage) negates the
'this muchness' of the description of the quality mentioned."
(III. ii. 21). The principle enunciated there has to be applied
here. Thus, my (Commentator's) revered father has said:
"Starting as if to measure the qualities, bliss, etc., the Veda
says that the speech and mind retreated, because there is
no question of any limit to them (the qualities)". By this
the passage "O Lord! No name, class, etc., and such imaginary
things are to be found in Thee." also gets explained.
Moreover, when there is a prohibition of the imaginary
attribution of name, class to the Lord, it is thereby esta-
blished that He has qualities which are not imaginary, but
fundamentally real. Thus, you (the opponent) yourself supply
the fetters to bind your feet. Even the invocation, "Oh Lord",
shows that He has a name. Not only this, it shows that He can
be within the reach of speech, even though He is beyond it (in
another sense). The passage only means that He cannot be
denoted by words expressive of limited things. But He is
possessed of names and forms suitable to Him and different
from those found in the universe. This is made clear else-
where: "His names, forms and activities which constitute all
the source of knowledge concerning Him, are not within the
range of measurement. Such a Person, i. e., Vishnu has now
come into your womb." (Vishnu Purūna, V. 2. 19).
Some say: In the use of these Names, there is no scope
for analysing each word into its parts and finding the actual
meaning as derived from the meanings of each part. The real
object is not to teach us the qualities (That is to say, these
names are used only as a help for the devotee to realise the
Nirguna Brahman through the recitation of the qualities of
the Saguna Brahman, a step towards such realisation).
52