Chapter IV, Section I, Adhikarana V

Adhikarana summary: In meditations on the members of sacrificial acts the idea of the divinity is to be superimposed on the members and not vice versa

 Sutra 4,1.6

आदित्यादिमतयश्चाङ्गे, उपपत्तेः ॥ ६ ॥

ādityādimatayaścāṅge, upapatteḥ || 6 ||

ādityādi-matayaḥ—The ideas of the sun etc.; ca—and; aṅge—in a subordinate member (of sacrificial acts); upapatteḥ—because of consistency.

6. And the ideas of the sun etc. (are to be superimposed) on the subordinate members (of sacrificial acts), because (in that way alone would the statement of the scriptures) be consistent.

“One ought to meditate upon that wh’ich shines yonder ps the Udgitha” (Chh. 1. 3. 1); “One ought to meditate upon the Saman as fivefold” etc. (Chh. 2. 2. 1). In meditations connected with sacrificial acts as given in the texts quoted, how is the meditation to be observed ? For example, in the first cited text, is the sun to be viewed as the Udgitha, or the Udgitha as the sun? Between the Udgitha and the sun there is nothing to show which is superior, as in the previous Sutra, where Brahman being preeminent, the symbol was viewed as Brahman. This Sutra says that the members of sacrificial acts, as here the Udgitha, are to be viewed as the sun and so on. Because by so doing the fruit of the sacrificial act is enhanced, as the scriptures say. If we view the Udgitha as the sun, it undergoes a certain ceremonial purification and thereby contributes to the Apurva, the invisible fruit of the whole sacrifice. But by the reverse way, the sun being viewed as the Udgitha, the purification of the sun by this meditation will not contribute to the Apurva, inasmuch as the sun is not a member of the sacrificial act. So if the statement of the scriptures that the meditations enhance the result of the sacrifice, is to come true, the members of the sacrificial acts are to be viewed as the sun etc.