Vedanta-Sutras Part I · 48 of 103

Adhyaya I: Pada II: Sutras 30-32

The circumstance of the highest Lord who transcends all measure being spoken of as measured by a span has for its reason ‘manifestation.’ The highest Lord manifests himself as measured by a span, i.e. he specially manifests himself for the benefit of his worshippers in some special places, such as the heart and the like, where he may be perceived. Hence, according to the opinion of the teacher Âsmarathya, the scriptural passage which speaks of him who is measured by a span may refer to the highest Lord.

30.On account of remembrance; so Bâdari opines.

Or else the highest Lord may be called ‘measured by a span’ because he is remembered by means of the mind which is seated in the heart which is measured by a span. Similarly, barley-corns which are measured by means of prasthas are themselves called prasthas. It must be admitted that barley-grains themselves have a certain size which is merely rendered manifest through their being connected with a prastha measure; while the highest Lord himself does not possess a size to be rendered manifest by his connexion with the heart. Still the remembrance (of the Lord by means of the mind) may be accepted as offering a certain foundation for the Sruti passage concerning him who is measured by a span.—Or else 1 the Sûtra may be interpreted to mean that the Lord, although not really measured by a span, is to be remembered (meditated upon) as being of the measure of a span; whereby the passage is furnished with an appropriate sense.—Thus the passage about him who is measured by a span may, according to the opinion of the teacher Bâdari, be referred to the highest Lord, on account of remembrance.

Footnotes 151:1 Parimânasya hridayadvârâropitasya smaryamâne katham âropo vishayavishayitvena bhedâd ity âsankya vyâkhyântaram âha prâdeseti. Ânanda Giri.

31.On the ground of imaginative identification (the highest Lord may be called prâdesamâtra), Gaimini thinks; for thus (Scripture) declares.

Or else the passage about him who is measured by a span may be considered to rest on imaginative combination.—Why?—Because the passage of the Vâgasaneyi-brâhmana which treats of the same topic identifies heaven, earth, and so on—which are the members of Vaisvânara viewed as the Self of the threefold world—with certain parts of the human frame, viz. the parts comprised between the upper part of the head and the chin, and thus declares the imaginative identity of Vaisvânara with something whose measure is a span. There we read, ‘The Gods indeed reached him, knowing him as measured by a span as it were. Now I will declare them (his members) to you so as to identify him (the Vaisvânara) with that whose measure is a span; thus he said. Pointing to the upper part of the head he said: This is what stands above (i.e. the heavenly world) as Vaisvânara (i.e. the head of Vaisvânara 1). Pointing to the eyes he said: This is he with good light (i.e.

the sun) as Vaisvânara (i.e. the eye of V.). Pointing to the nose he said: This is he who moves on manifold paths (i.e. the air) as Vaisvânara (i.e. the breath of V.). Pointing to the space (ether) within his mouth he said: This is the full one (i.e. the ether) as Vaisvânara. Pointing to the saliva within his mouth he said: This is wealth as Vaisvânara (i.e. the water in the bladder of V.). Pointing to the chin he said: This is the base as Vaisvânara (i.e.

the feet of V.).’—Although in the Vâgasaneyi-brâhmana the heaven is denoted as that which has the attribute of standing above and the sun as that which has the attribute of good light, while in the Khândogya the heaven is spoken of as having good light and the sun as being multiform; still this difference does not interfere (with the unity of the vidyâ) 2, because both texts equally use the term ‘measured by a span,’ and because all sâkhâs intimate the same.—The above explanation of the term ‘measured by a span,’ which rests on imaginative identification, the teacher Gaimini considers the most appropriate one.

Footnotes 152:1 Atra sarvatra vaisvânarasabdas tadangaparah. Go. Ân.

152:2 Which unity entitles us to use the passage from the Sat. Brâ. for the explanation of the passage from the Kh. Up.

32.Moreover they (the Gâbâlas) speak of him

(the highest Lord) in that (i.e. the interstice between the top of the head and the chin which is measured by a span).

Moreover the Gâbâlas speak in their text of the highest Lord as being in the interstice between the top of the head and the chin. ‘The unevolved infinite Self abides in the avimukta (i.e. the non-released soul). Where does that avimukta abide? It abides in the Varanâ and the Nâsî, in the middle. What is that Varanâ, what is that Nâsî?’ The text thereupon etymologises the term Varanâ as that which wards off (vârayati) all evil done by the senses, and the term Nâsî as that which destroys (nâsayati) all evil done by the senses; and then continues, ‘And what is its place?—The place where the eyebrows and the nose join. That is the joining place of the heavenly world (represented by the upper part of the head) and of the other (i.e. the earthly world represented by the chin).’ (Gâbâla Up. I.)—Thus it appears that the scriptural statement which ascribes to the highest Lord the measure of a span is appropriate. That the highest Lord is called abhivimâna refers to his being the inward Self of all. As such he is directly measured, i.e. known by all animate beings. Or else the word may be explained as ‘he who is near everywhere—as the inward Self—and who at the same time is measureless’ (as being infinite). Or else it may denote the highest Lord as him who, as the cause of the world, measures it out, i.e. creates it. By all this it is proved that Vaisvânara is the highest Lord.