Verse 2.245

Sanskrit text and transliteration:

श्रुतेरनतिशङ्क्यत्वात्सम्भाव्येत यथोदितम् ।
लिङ्गप्रत्यक्षगम्ये हि स्यादाशङ्का नृबुद्धितः ॥ २४५ ॥

śruteranatiśaṅkyatvātsambhāvyeta yathoditam |
liṅgapratyakṣagamye hi syādāśaṅkā nṛbuddhitaḥ || 245 ||

English translation of verse 2.245:

Since śruti can never be doubted, (the fruits) as declared (by śruti) will take place. There is, indeed, scope for doubt in respect of what is known through inference and perception which are dependent on man’s intellect.

Notes:

The Upaniṣad says in the sequel (II, ii, 1) that "those who meditate on food as Brahman acquire all food” (sarvaṃ vai te'nnam āpnuvanti

ye'nnam brahmopāsate). When śruti specifically declares that the attainment of food is the fruit that accrues to one who meditates on food as Brahman, how could it be said, so the critic argues, that meditation on the kośas leads to the attainment of Brahman-realization? It is the contention of the critic that one and the same meditation cannot give rise to two different fruits—the attainment of food as well as Brahman-realization,

This objection is wrong. Since śruti declares that both the fruits accrue to one who practises meditation as specified, it must be so, and there can be no doubt about that. Scripture which is impersonal (apauruṣeya) is free from defect and distortion. So the teaching of Scripture can never be doubted. But there is scope for doubt with regard to what is known through perception, inference, and other sources of knowledge because of the association of the human factor with them. Unlike śruti, every one of these sources of knowledge is dependent on the mind and the senses of the person, which are liable to defect and distortion.