Chapter IV, Section III, Adhikarana IV

Adhikarana summary: Deities identified with the flame

Adhikarana IV - Flame etc. referred to in the text describing the path of the gods mean deities identified with the flame etc., which conduct the soul stage after stage till Brahmaloka is reached.

 

Brahma-Sutra 4.3.4: Sanskrit text and English translation.

आतिवाहिकाः, तल्लिङ्गात् ॥ ४ ॥

ātivāhikāḥ, talliṅgāt || 4 ||

ātivāhikāḥ—(These are) deities conducting the soul; tat-liṅgāt—on account of indicatory marks of that.

4. (These are) deities conducting the soul (on the path of the gods), on account of indicatory marks to that effect.

In the texts cited in the previous Sutras, flame, bright half of the month, year, etc. are the deities identified with these, which receive the departed soul and conduct it on its way to Brahmaloka. That deities are meant here, and not marks or places of enjoyment, is indicated by the text of the Chhandogya, which ends thus: “From the moon to the lightning. Then a being who is not a man leads them to Brahman” (Chh. 4. 15. 5; 5. 10. 1). This text shows that unlike the previous guides who were more or less human, this particular guide is not human in nature.

 

Brahma-Sutra 4.3.5: Sanskrit text and English translation.

उभयव्यामोहात्तत्सिद्धेः ॥ ५ ॥

ubhayavyāmohāttatsiddheḥ || 5 ||

ubhaya-vyāmohāt—From the benumbed state of both; tat-siddheḥ— that is established.

5. (That deities are meant in those texts) is established, because both (i.e. the traveller and the path) are benumbed (i.e. unconscious).

The departed souls, because their organs etc. are withdrawn into the mind, are incapable of guiding themselves. And the flame etc. being without intelligence cannot guide the souls. Hence it is proved that intelligent deities identified with the flame etc. guide the souls to Brahmaloka. Moreover, as the organs of the departed souls are withdrawn into the mind, they cannot enjoy, and so flame and the rest cannot be worlds where they enjoy.

 

Brahma-Sutra 4.3.6: Sanskrit text and English translation.

वैद्युतेनैव ततः, तच्छ्रुतेः ॥ ६ ॥

vaidyutenaiva tataḥ, tacchruteḥ || 6 ||

vaidyutena—By (the superhuman) guide connected with lightning; eva—alone; tataḥ—from thence; tat-śruteḥ—that being known from the Sruti.

6. From thence (the souls are guided) by the very same (superhuman) person who comes to lightning, that being known from the Sruti.

After they have reached the deity identified with lightning, they are led by that very superhuman person who takes charge of them from the deity of lightning to Brahmaloka through the worlds of Varuna, Indra, and Prajapati. This is known from Chh. 4. 15. 5, 5. 10 . ] and Brih. 6. 2. 15. Varuna and others do not actually guide the soul like the earlier guides, since the superhuman person guides them all through after lightning up to Brahmaloka. They only favour the souh either by not obstructing or helping them in some way.

Therefore it is established that by flame etc. deities are meant.