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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00216 Jul 2006

 
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JijnAsAdhikaraNa continued-objection by mimamsaka.

The mimamsakas are of the opinion that the significance of the words 
is only through their connection with action. They cite the example 
of vrddhavyavahara, the use by elders, where a sentence spoken by an 
elder  or experienced person  such as 'gAm Anaya,bring the cow,' and 
an inexperienced or younger person understands the meaning of the 
words by seeing a cow being brought up.Hence they say that the sruthi 
texts have meaning only through action and as study of Brahman does 
not result in action it need not be taken up. The vedantin may 
mention the sentence ' a son is born ' which does not result in 
action but produces result, namely joy and hence meaningful, but the 
mimAmsaka objects, saying that even in such cases due to the 
reference to sukhaprasava etc. resulting in action like brightening 
of face etc they cannot be the exception.Therefore the purport of  
word should denote action and not an existing thing.Since the vedanta 
texts   have reference to Brahman which is an established thing they 
cannot be authoritative.
Ramanuja refutes the view that the meaning of the words must be 
grasped only in connection with action..  The meaning  can be made 
clear even otherwise. The children understand the meaning of words 
father, uncle etc. and also other things when indicated by the 
forefinger  pronouncing the words. Ramanuja cites another example 
also. Suppose a man tells another by gestures to inform Devadattha 
that his father is alright. When it is conveyed to Devadattha by 
words, a person who has been a witness to all the happenings 
understands the words spoken to be the meaning of the gestures.
Even assuming that the vedantha texts relate only to established 
entity the inquiry into brahman must be taken up, says Ramanuja. The 
action of meditation is enjoined by the sruthi texts like 'AthmA vA 
arE drahstavyah srothavyah manthavyah nidhiDHYasithavah,the Self has 
to be seen, heard, thought of and meditated upon.'(Brhd.2-4-5), 'sO 
anvEshtavyah vijinAsithavyah,' it has to be sought after and 
understood.(chan.8-7-1) As an action must have a result, vedantic 
passages have texts which can be termed as arTHa vadha, 
laudatory,such as 'brahmavidhApnothi param,' (Taitt.2-1) one who 
knows Brahman attains the highest. Thes types of texts are found in 
purvamimAmsa also in relation to vedic injunctions. The text that 
enjoins horse sacrifice for instance for the one who desires to go to 
heaven does not describe the nature of heaven which is known only 
through other texts describing it as a place free from grief. Hence 
even the texts referring to an established entity are purposeful. 
Mimamsaka hold the view that meaning of words lies in what ought to 
be done, says Ramanuja, ' krthibhavabhAvi krthyuddhesyam hi bhavathah 
kAryam, ' in which case they have to define what is krthyuddesyam, 
what ought to be done and if it is krthikarmathvam, what is desired 
to be achieved by the action. But what ought to be done need not be 
agreeable always unless it achieves the fulfilment of some desire 
conducive to pleasure as in the injunction 'jyothishtomena svargakamo 
yajetha,' one desirous of heaven should perform jyothishtoma 
sacrifice.Neither is the obligatory work can be termed as seshi to 
which other things are susidiary. But Ramanuja says that a work done 
as an injunction ,that is, what ought to be done does not qualify to 
be a seshi. The real sesha- seshi bhava is when an entity acting 
through a desire to serve another. Finally the words  of injunction 
also present their meaning only in connection with other words such 
as the devathas like agni through which the indweller of all the 
parampurusha is being propitiated.
Therefore , says Ramanuja, kEvalAnAm  karmaNAm alpa 
asthiraphalathvAth, brahmajnAnasyacha anantha sthiraphalathvath 
thannirNayaphalah brahmavichara Arambhahuktha ithi sTHitham, 
considering the meagre transitory nature of the results of karam and 
the infinite and everlasting  fruit of brahmajnana  the inuiry into 
Brahman has to be pursued. Thus ends the jijnasADHikaraNa of 
sribhashya.
   































 
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