For the reasons stated Vaisvânara can be neither the deity Fire, nor the
elemental fire which holds the third place among the gross elements.
29. Jaimini thinks that there is no objection to (the word 'Agni')
directly (denoting the highest Self).
So far it has been maintained that the word 'Agni,' which stands in co-
ordination with the term 'Vaisvânara,' denotes the highest Self in so
far as qualified by the intestinal fire constituting its body; and that
hence the text under discussion enjoins meditation on the highest Self.
Jaimini, on the other hand, is of opinion that there is no reasonable
objection to the term 'Agni,' no less than the term: 'Vaisvânara,' being
taken _directly_ to denote the highest Self. That is to say--in the same
way as the term 'Vaisvânara,' although a common term, yet when qualified
by attributes especially belonging to the highest Self is known to
denote the latter only as possessing the quality of ruling all men; so
the word 'Agni' also when appearing in connexion with special attributes
belonging to the highest Self denotes that Self only. For any quality on
the ground of which 'Agni' may be etymologically explained to denote
ordinary fire--as when e.g. we explain 'agni' as he who 'agre nayati'--
may also, in its highest non-conditioned degree, be ascribed to the
supreme Self. Another difficulty remains. The passage (V, 18, 1) 'yas tv
etam evam prâdesamâtram abhivimânam,' &c. declares that the non-limited
highest Brahman is limited by the measure of the pradesas, i.e. of the
different spaces-heaven, ether, earth, &c.--which had previously been
said to constitute the limbs of Vaisvânara. How is this possible?