The 'but' has assertory force. 'Light' in the Sûtra means Brahman, in
accordance with the meaning of the term as known from texts such as 'On
him the gods meditate, the light of lights' (Bri. Up. X, 4, 16); 'That
light which shines beyond heaven' (Ch. Up. III, 13, 7). 'She begins with
light' thus means 'she has Brahman for her cause.'--'For thus some read
in their text,' i.e. because the members of one Sâkhâ, viz the
Taittiriyas read in their text that this 'ajâ' has Brahman for her cause.
The Mahânârâyana-Upanishad (of the Taittirîyas) at first refers to
Brahman abiding in the hollow of the heart as the object of meditation.
'Smaller than the small, greater than the great, the Self placed in the
hollow of this creature'; next declares that all the worlds and Brahma
and the other gods originated from that Self; and then says that there
sprung from it also this ajâ which is the cause of all 'The one ajâ
(goat), red, white and black, which gives birth to numerous offspring of
the same shape, one aja (he-goat) loves and lies by her; another one
forsakes her after having enjoyed her.' The subject-matter of the entire
section evidently is to give instruction as to the whole aggregate of
things other than Brahman originating from Brahman and thus having its
Self in it; hence we conclude that also the ajâ which gives birth to
manifold creatures like her, and is enjoyed by the soul controlled by
karman, while she is abandoned by the soul possessing true knowledge is,
no less than vital airs, seas, mountains, &c., a creature of Brahman,
and hence has its Self in Brahman. We then apply to the interpretation
of the Svetâsvatara-text the meaning of the analogous Mahânârayana-text,
as determined by the complementary passages, and thus arrive at the
conclusion that the ajâ in the former text also is a being having its
Self in Brahman. That this is so, moreover, appears from the
Svetâsvatara itself. For in the early part of that Upanishad, we have
after the introductory question, 'Is Brahman the cause?' the passage
'The sages devoted to meditation and concentration have seen the person
whose Self is the divinity, hidden in its own qualities' (I, 1, 3);
which evidently refers to the ajâ as being of the nature of a power of
the highest Brahman. And as further on also (viz. in the passages 'From
that the Mâyin creates all this, and in this the other is bound up
through Mâya'; 'Know then Prakriti to be Mâyâ and the Great Lord the
ruler of Mâyâ'; and 'he who rules every place of birth,' V, 9-11) the
very same being is referred to, there remains not even a shadow of proof
for the assertion that the mantra under discussion refers to an
independent Prakriti as assumed by the Sânkhyas.
But a further objection is raised, if the Prakriti denoted by ajâ begins
with, i.e. is caused by Brahman, how can it be called ajâ, i.e. the non-
produced one; or, if it is non-produced, how can it be originated by
Brahman? To this the next Sûtra replies.
10. And on account of the teaching of formation (i.e. creation) there is
no contradiction; as in the case of the honey.
The 'and' expresses disposal of a doubt that had arisen. There is no
contradiction between the Prakriti being ajâ and originating from light.
On account of instruction being given about the formation (kalpana), i.e.
creation of the world. This interpretation of 'kalpana' is in agreement
with the use of the verb klip in the text, 'as formerly the creator made
(akalpayat) sun and moon.'
In our text the sloka 'from that the Lord of Mâyâ creates all this'
gives instruction about the creation of the world. From that, i.e. from
matter in its subtle causal state when it is not yet divided, the Lord
of all creates the entire Universe. From this statement about creation
we understand that Prakriti exists in a twofold state according as it is
either cause or effect. During a pralaya it unites itself with Brahman
and abides in its subtle state, without any distinction of names and
forms; it then is called the 'Unevolved,' and by other similar names. At
the time of creation, on the other hand, there reveal themselves in
Prakriti Goodness and the other gunas, it divides itself according to
names and forms, and then is called the 'Evolved,' and so on, and,
transforming itself into fire, water, and earth, it appears as red,
white, and black. In its causal condition it is ajâ, i.e. unborn, in its
effected condition it is 'caused by light, i.e. Brahman'; hence there is
no contradiction. The case is analogous to that of the 'honey.' The sun
in his causal state is one only, but in his effected state the Lord
makes him into honey in so far namely as he then, for the purpose of
enjoyment on the part of the Vasus and other gods, is the abode of
nectar brought about by sacrificial works to be learned from the Rik and
the other Vedas; and further makes him to rise and to set. And between
these two conditions there is no contradiction. This is declared in the
Madhuvidyâ (Ch. Up. III), from 'The sun is indeed the honey of the Devas,'
down to 'when from thence he has risen upwards he neither rises nor
sets; being one he stands in the centre'--'one' here means 'of one
nature.'--The conclusion therefore is that the Svetâsvatara mantra under
discussion refers to Prakriti as having her Self in Brahman, not to the
Prakriti assumed by the Sânkhyas.
Others, however, are of opinion that the one ajâ of which the mantra
speaks has for its characteristics light, water, and earth. To them we
address the following questions. Do you mean that by what the text
speaks of as an ajâ, consisting of fire, water, and earth, we have to
understand those three elements only; or Brahman in the form of those
three elements; or some power or principle which is the cause of the
three elements? The first alternative is in conflict with the
circumstance that, while fire, water, and earth are several things, the
text explicitly refers to _one_ Ajâ. Nor may it be urged that fire,
water, and earth, although several, become one, by being made tripartite
(Ch. Up. VI, 3, 3); for this making them tripartite, does not take away
their being several; the text clearly showing that each several element
becomes tripartite, 'Let me make each of these three divine beings
tripartite.'--The second alternative again divides itself into two
alternatives. Is the one ajâ Brahman in so far as having passed over
into fire, water, and earth; or Brahman in so far as abiding within
itself and not passing over into effects? The former alternative is
excluded by the consideration that it does not remove plurality (which
cannot be reconciled with the _one_ ajâ). The second alternative is
contradicted by the text calling that ajâ red, white, and black; and
moreover Brahman viewed as abiding within itself cannot be characterised
by fire, water, and earth. On the third alternative it has to be assumed
that the text denotes by the term 'ajâ' the three elements, and that on
this basis there is imagined a causal condition of these elements; but
better than this assumption it evidently is to accept the term 'ajâ' as
directly denoting the causal state of those three elements as known from
scripture.
Nor can we admit the contention that the term 'ajâ' is meant to teach
that Prakriti should metaphorically be viewed as a she-goat; for such a
view would be altogether purposeless. Where--in the passage 'Know the
Self to be him who drives in the chariot'--the body, and so on, are
compared to a chariot, and so on, the object is to set forth the means
of attaining Brahman; where the sun is compared to honey, the object is
to illustrate the enjoyment of the Vasus and other gods; but what
similar object could possibly be attained by directing us to view
Prakriti as a goat? Such a metaphorical view would in fact be not merely
useless; it would be downright irrational. Prakriti is a non-intelligent
principle, the causal substance of the entire material Universe, and
constituting the means for the experience of pleasure and pain, and for
the final release, of all intelligent souls which are connected with it
from all eternity. Now it would be simply contrary to good sense,
metaphorically to transfer to Prakriti such as described the nature of a
she-goat--which is a sentient being that gives birth to very few
creatures only, enters only occasionally into connexion with others, is
of small use only, is not the cause of herself being abandoned by others,
and is capable of abandoning those connected with her. Nor does it
recommend itself to take the word ajâ (understood to mean 'she-goat')
in a sense different from that in which we understand the term 'aja'
which occurs twice in the same mantra.--Let then all three terms be
taken in the same metaphorical sense (aja meaning he-goat).--It would be
altogether senseless, we reply, to compare the soul which absolutely
dissociates itself from Prakriti ('Another aja leaves her after having
enjoyed her') to a he-goat which is able to enter again into connexion
with what he has abandoned, or with anything else.--Here terminates the
adhikarana of 'the cup.'
11. Not from the mention of the number even, on account of the diversity
and of the excess.
The Vâjasaneyins read in their text 'He in whom the five "five-people"
and the ether rest, him alone I believe to be the Self; I, who know,
believe him to be Brahman' (Bri. Up. IV, 4, 17). The doubt here arises
whether this text be meant to set forth the categories as established in
Kapila's doctrine, or not.--The Pûrvapakshin maintains the former view,
on the ground that the word 'five-people,' qualified by the word 'five,'
intimates the twenty-five categories of the Sânkhyas. The compound 'five-
people' (pañkajanâh) denotes groups of five beings, just as the term
pañka-pûlyah denotes aggregates of five bundles of grass. And as we want
to know how many such groups there are, the additional qualification
'five' intimates that there are five such groups; just as if it were
said 'five five-bundles, i. e. five aggregates consisting of five
bundles each.' We thus understand that the 'five five-people' are twenty-
five things, and as the mantra in which the term is met with refers to
final release, we recognise the twenty-five categories known from the
Sânkhya-smriti which are here referred to as objects to be known by
persons desirous of release. For the followers of Kapila teach that
'there is the fundamental causal substance which is not an effect. There
are seven things, viz. the Mahat, and so on, which are causal substances
as well as effects. There are sixteen effects. The soul is neither a
causal substance nor an effect' (Sân. Kâ. 3). The mantra therefore is
meant to intimate the categories known from the Sânkhya.--To this the
Sûtra replies that from the mention of the number twenty-five supposed
to be implied in the expression 'the five five-people,' it does not
follow that the categories of the Sânkhyas are meant. 'On account of the
diversity,' i.e. on account of the five-people further qualified by the
number five being different from the categories of the Sânkhyas. For in
the text 'in whom the five five-people and the ether rest,' the 'in
whom' shows the five-people to have their abode, and hence their Self,
in Brahman; and in the continuation of the text, 'him I believe the Self,'
the 'him' connecting itself with the preceding 'in whom' is recognised
to be Brahman. The five five-people must therefore be different from the
categories of the Sânkhya-system. 'And on account of the excess.'
Moreover there is, in the text under discussion, an excess over and
above the Sânkhya categories, consisting in the Self denoted by the
relative pronoun 'in whom,' and in the specially mentioned Ether. What
the text designates therefore is the Supreme Person who is the Universal
Lord in whom all things abide--such as he is described in the text
quoted above, 'Therefore some call him the twenty-sixth, and others the
twenty-seventh.' The 'even' in the Sûtra is meant to intimate that the
'five five-people' can in no way mean the twenty-five categories, since
there is no pentad of groups consisting of five each. For in the case of
the categories of the Sânkhyas there are no generic characteristics or
the like which could determine the arrangement of those categories in
fives. Nor must it be urged against this that there is a determining
reason for such an arrangement in so far as the tattvas of the Sânkhyas
form natural groups comprising firstly, the five organs of action;
secondly, the five sense-organs; thirdly, the five gross elements;
fourthly, the subtle parts of those elements; and fifthly, the five
remaining tattvas; for as the text under discussion mentions the ether
by itself, the possibility of a group consisting of the five gross
elements is precluded. We cannot therefore take the compound 'five
people' as denoting a group consisting of five constituent members, but,
in agreement with Pân. II, 1, 50, as merely being a special name. There
are certain beings the special name of which is 'five-people,' and of
these beings the additional word 'pañka' predicates that they are five
in number. The expression is thus analogous to the term 'the seven seven-
rishis' (where the term 'seven-rishis' is to be understood as the name of
a certain class of rishis only).--Who then are the beings called 'five-
people?'--To this question the next Sûtra replies.