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

[SŪ 1. 3. 25. ADH. 6.] VEDĀNTA-PĀRIJĀTA-SAURABHA 177 is impossible for Brahman, the topic of discussion, to be of the size of merely a thumb, even though repeatedly taught by Scripture,— (We reply·) No, it being possible for Brahman to be so, in accord- ance with the wish of His devotees, and on account of His connection with place (viz. the heart) With regard to this point, a preceding aphorism (viz Br. Sū 1.2.7) may be consulted. Moreover, on account also of a text referring to the Person of the size of merely a thumb, viz. : ‘Let one draw him forth from his own body with firmness, as a pith from a reed Let one know him’ (Kaṭha 6 17), the Supreme Soul alone is of the size of merely a thumb. Thus, the meaning of the text is as follows The individual soul, entitled to know Brahman, the agent, endowed with a right discrimination between the soul and the non-soul,—implied by the phrase ‘from his own body’,—‘should draw forth’, i.e. should lift up or put outside,—through intense prayer again,—‘him’, ie the Person of the size of a thumb, the object and known first through meditation to be within the heart, ‘from his own body’, i e from the body known as his own, ‘as the pith from a reed’; then ‘he should know him with firmness’. If this be so, the Person of the size of merely a thumb, the object to be worshipped, must be other than the worshipper himself SŪTRA 25 “BUT (THE LORD IS SAID TO BE OF THE SIZE OF MERELY A THUMB) IN REFERENCE TO THE HEART (OF MEN), BECAUSE MEN (ALONE) ARE ENTITLED (TO SCRIPTURE)” Vedānta-pārijāta-saurabha The Lord can very well be of the size of merely a thumb, “in reference to the heart” of the worshippers. To the objection, viz The size of the heart in animals being not fixed, how can Brahman be of the size of a thumb in reference to the heart !—the author replies : “Because men (alone) are entitled (to Scripture)”. Vedānta-kaustubha The author is justifying the contention that Brahman can be of the size of merely a thumb. 12