Chapter II, Section IV, Adhikarana VIII

Adhikarana summary: The organs are independent principles and not modes of the chief Prana

Brahma-Sutra 2.4.17: Sanskrit text and English translation.

त इन्द्रियाणि, तद्व्यपदेशादन्यत्र श्रेष्ठात् ॥ १७ ॥

ta indriyāṇi, tadvyapadeśādanyatra śreṣṭhāt || 17 ||

te—They; indriyāṇi—organs; tadvyapadeśāt—being so designated; śreṣṭhāt anyatra—except the chief.

17. They (the other Pranas) except the chief (Prana) are organs (and so different from the chief Prana), on account of (their) being so designated (by the scriptures).

The question is raised whether the eyes etc. are but inodes of the vital force or independent entities. The opponent holds the former view since the scripture says, “‘This is the greatest amongst us (the organs). . . . Well, let us all be of his form.’ They all assumed its form. Therefore they are called by this name of ‘Prana’” (Brih. 1. 5. 21). The Sutra refutes this and says that the eleven organs belong to a separate category, and are not modes of the vital force, because they are shown to be different in texts like : “From Him are born, the vital force, mind, and all organs” (Mu, 2. I. 3), where the vital force and the organs are separately mentioned. The text of the Brihadaranyaka is to be taken in a secondary sense.

 

Brahma-Sutra 2.4.18: Sanskrit text and English translation.

भेदश्रुतेः ॥ १८ ॥

bhedaśruteḥ || 18 ||

18. On account of differentiating scriptural texts.

In Brih. 1. 3. the organs are treated first in one section, and after concluding it the vital force is treated in a fresh section, which shows that they do not belong to the same category. Hence also the organs are independent principles, and not modes of the vital force.

 

{19 and 20 are missing in this book}

 

Brahma-Sutra 2.4.21: Sanskrit text and English translation.

मांसादि भौमं यथाशब्दमितरयोश् च ॥ २१ ॥

māṃsādi bhaumaṃ yathāśabdamitarayoś ca || 21 ||

21. Flesh etc. result from earth, according to the scriptures. So also as regards the other two (viz. fire and water).

Tripartite earth, when assimilated by man, forms flesh etc. “The earth (food) when eaten becomes threefold, ... its middle portion becomes flesh, and its finest portion mind” (Chh. 6. 5. 1). So also we have to understand the effects of the other two elements according to the scriptures. Water produces blood, Prana, etc., and fire produces bone, marrow and the organ of speech.

 

Brahma-Sutra 2.4.22: Sanskrit text and English translation.

वैशेष्यात्तु तद्वादस्तद्वादः ॥ २२ ॥

vaiśeṣyāttu tadvādastadvādaḥ || 22 ||

vaiśeṣyāt—On account of the preponderance; tu—but; tadvādaḥ(-tadvādaḥ)—that special name.

22. But on account of the preponderance (of a particular element in them the gross elements), are so named (after it).

An objection is raised, if all the gross elements contain the three fine elements, then why such distinctions as “This is water,” “This is earth,” “This is fire”? The Sutra refutes this objection saying that as the fine elements are not found in equal proportion in each of the gross elements, they are named after that fine element which preponderates in their constitution. The repetition of “that special name” is to show that the chapter ends here.