Brahma Sutras (Ramanuja)

by George Thibaut | 1904 | 275,953 words | ISBN-10: 8120801350 | ISBN-13: 9788120801356

The English translation of the Brahma Sutras (also, Vedanta Sutras) with commentary by Ramanuja (known as the Sri Bhasya). The Brahmasutra expounds the essential philosophy of the Upanishads which, primarily revolving around the knowledge of Brahman and Atman, represents the foundation of Vedanta. Ramanjua’s interpretation of these sutras from a V...

13. But the rule (over the prāṇas) on the part of Fire and the rest, together with him to whom the prāṇa belong (i.e. the soul), is owing to the thinking of that (viz. the highest Self); on account of scriptural statement.

It has been shown that the prāṇas, together with the main prāṇa, originate from Brahman, and have a limited size. That the prāṇas are guided by Agni and other divine beings has also been explained on a previous occasion, viz. under Sū. II, 1, 5. And it is known from ordinary experience that the organs are ruled by the individual soul, which uses them as means of experience and fruition. And this is also established by scriptural texts, such as 'Having taken these prāṇas he (i.e. the soul) moves about in his own body, according to his pleasure'(Bṛ. Up. II, 1, 18). The question now arises whether the rule of the soul and of the presiding divine beings over the prāṇas depends on them (i.e. the soul and the divinities) only, or on some other being.—On them only, since they depend on no one else!—Not so, the Sūtra declares. The rule which light, and so on, i.e. Agni and the other divinities, together with him to whom the prāṇas belong i.e. the soul, exercise over the prāṇas, proceeds from the thinking of that, i.e. from the will of the highest Self.—How is this known?—'From scriptural statement.' For Scripture teaches that the organs, together with their guiding divinities and the individual soul, depend in all their doings on the thought of the highest Person. 'He, who abiding within Fire, rules Fire from within.—He, who abiding within the air—within the Self—within the eye, and so on' (Bṛ. Up III, 7); 'From fear of it the wind blows, from fear of it the sun rises, from fear of it Agni and Indra, yea Death runs as the fifth' (Taitt. Up. II, 8, 1); 'By the command of that Imperishable one, sun and moon stand, held apart'(Bṛ Up III, 8, 9).

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