Sutra 2.2.39

39. Finiteness or absence of omniscience.

'Or' here has the sense of 'and.' If the Lord is under the influence of the adṛshṭa, it follows that, like the individual soul, he is subject to creation, dissolution, and so on, and that he is not omniscient. The Paśupati theory cannot therefore be accepted.—It is true that the Sūtra, 'but in case of conflict (with Scripture) it is not to be regarded' (Pū. Mī. Sū. I, 3, 3), has already established the non-acceptability of all views contrary to the Veda; the present adhikaraṇa, however, raises this question again in order specially to declare that the Paśupati theory is contrary to the Veda. Although the Pāśupata and the Śaiva systems exhibit some features which are not altogether contrary to the Veda, yet they are unacceptable because they rest on an assumption contrary to the Veda, viz. of the difference of the general, instrumental and material causes, and imply an erroneous interchange of higher and lower entities.—Here terminates the adhikaraṇa of 'Paśupati.'