वेदान्त पारिजात सौरभ (भगवद् निम्बार्काचार्य - द्वैताद्वैत वेदान्त ब्रह्मसूत्र भाष्य सटीक)

[SŪ. 1. 3. 24. 176 VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA ADH. 6.] Vedānta-kaustubha Thus, it has been establshed that Brahman is to be meditated on as the 'small one' Now, the author points out that Brahman is to be meditated on as of the size of merely a thumb. In the Katha-valli, we read: 'The Person, of the size of merely a thumb, dwells in the midst of the soul' (Katha 4.12), again 'The Person, of the size of merely a thumb, smokeless like light' (Katha 4.13); again: 'The Person, of the size of merely a thumb, the inner soul, is ever seated in the heart of beings' (Katha 6.17) Here, a doubt arises as to whether the Person of the size of merely a thumb is the individual soul or the Highest Person The prima facie view is as follows The Person of the size of merely a thumb is the individual soul in accordance with the Śvetāśvatara-text, viz. 'The lord of the vital-breaths, who is of the size of merely a thumb and of a form like the sun, moves about through his own works' (Śvet. 5 7d–8a); as well as in accordance with the Smṛti passage, viz . 'Then Yama drew forth, by force, from the body of Satyavāna, the person, of the size of merely a thumb, tied to the noose and brought under his control' (Mahā. 3.16763 ¹). With regard to this, we reply "What is measured", i.e. the Person of the size of merely a thumb, mentioned in the Kaṭha-valli, is none but the Supreme Soul. Why? "On account of the text", i.e. on account of the text 'The lord of past and future' (Katha 4.13). The sense is this. Although 'being of the size of merely a thumb', mentioned in the above Scripture and Smṛti texts, is here perceived to be a characteristic mark of the individual soul, yet that mark is set aside,²—this is the sense. If it be objected: It being impossible for the individual soul, which is by nature atomic in size, to be of the size of a thumb, and there being the mark: 'tied to the noose', the individual soul can be of the size of merely a thumb only if its subtle body be meant.³ But it

¹ P. 806, line 5, vol. 1. ² That is, although in the above scriptural and Smṛti texts, the individual soul has been designated as of the size of a thumb, yet in other numerous passages, it is designated as of the size of an atom merely Hence, the above description is set aside. ³ That is, since the individual soul cannot be of the size of a thumb, being declared to be atomic in size, the designation of it as of the size of a thumb merely means that its subtle body is so, and not that it itself is so.