The previous conclusion is confirmed by the further fact that the text
directly teaches the released soul to be equal to Brahman in so far only
as enjoying direct insight into the true nature of Brahman. 'He reaches
all objects of desire, together with the all-knowing Brahman' (Taitt. Up.
II, 1, 1).--The conclusion thus is that we have to shape our ideas as to
the powers of the released soul in accordance with what the texts say as
to the Lord only possessing the power of ruling and controlling the
entire world, and that hence the latter power cannot be attributed to
the soul.--But if the powers of the released soul altogether depend on
the Lord, it may happen that He, being independent in all his doings,
may will the released soul to return into the Sawsara.--Of this doubt
the next Sûtra disposes.
22. Non-return, according to Scripture; non-return, according to
Scripture.
We know from Scripture that there is a Supreme Person whose nature is
absolute bliss and goodness; who is fundamentally antagonistic to all
evil; who is the cause of the origination, sustentation, and dissolution
of the world; who differs in nature from all other beings, who is all-
knowing, who by his mere thought and will accomplishes all his purposes;
who is an ocean of kindness as it were for all who depend on him; who is
all-merciful; who is immeasurably raised above all possibility of any
one being equal or superior to him; whose name is the _highest Brahman_.
And with equal certainty we know from Scripture that this Supreme Lord,
when pleased by the faithful worship of his Devotees--which worship
consists in daily repeated meditation on Him, assisted by the
performance of all the practices prescribed for each caste and âsrama--
frees them from the influence of Nescience which consists of karman
accumulated in the infinite progress of time and hence hard to overcome;
allows them to attain to that supreme bliss which consists in the direct
intuition of His own true nature: and after that does not turn them back
into the miseries of Samsâra. The text distinctly teaching this is 'He
who behaves thus all his life through reaches the world of Brahman and
does not return' (Ch. Up. VIII, 15). And the Lord himself declares
'Having obtained me great-souled men do not come into rebirth, the
fleeting abode of misery; for they have reached the highest perfection.
Up to the world of Brahma the worlds return again, O Arjuna; but having
attained to me, O son of Kunti, there is no rebirth' (Bha. Gi. VIII, 1,
5-16). As, moreover, the released soul has freed itself from the bondage
of karman, has its powers of knowledge fully developed, and has all its
being in the supremely blissful intuition of the highest Brahman, it
evidently cannot desire anything else nor enter on any other form of
activity, and the idea of its returning into the Samsâra therefore is
altogether excluded. Nor indeed need we fear that the Supreme Lord when
once having taken to himself the Devotee whom he greatly loves will turn
him back into the Samsâra. For He himself has said, 'To the wise man I
am very dear, and dear he is to me. Noble indeed are all these, but the
wise man I regard as my very Self. For he, with soul devoted, seeks me
only as his highest goal. At the end of many births the wise man goes to
me, thinking all is Vâsudeva. Such great-souled men are rarely met with'
(Bha. Gî. VII, 17-19).--The repetition of the words of the Sûtra
indicates the conclusion of this body of doctrine. Thus everything is
settled to satisfaction.--Here terminates the adhikarana of 'with the
exception of the world-energies.'
Here terminates the fourth pâda of the fourth adhyâya of the commentary
on the Sârîraka Mîmâmsâ, composed by the reverend teacher Râmânuja. This
completes the fourth adhyâya, and the whole work; and the entire body of
doctrine is thus brought to a conclusion.