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

[sū. 3. 4. 23. ADH. 3.] VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA 737 Adhikaraṇa 3: The section entitled "The legends recited at the Aśva-medha". (Sūtras 23-24) SŪTRA 23 "IF IT BE SAID THAT (THE SCRIPTURAL STORIES) ARE MEANT TO BE RECITED AT THE AŚVA-MEDHA, (WE REPLY:) NO, ON ACCOUNT OF BEING SPECIFIED." Vedānta-pārijāta-saurabha It is not to be thought that the scriptural stories in the Vedāntas are meant to be recited at the Aśva-medha sacrifice,¹—since only some are specified (to be so) by texts, beginning: "He is to tell the legends recited at the Aśva-medha" and continuing: "Manu, Vivasvat's son, the King" (Śat. Br. 13 4.3, 3 ²) and so on. Vedānta-kaustubha Apprehending the objection that the texts about the best essence are concerned with something else, it has been shown that they relate to meditation (and not to action). Similarly, apprehending the objection that the texts dealing with particular stories are concerned with something else, (the author) shows that they (too) relate to meditation. In the different Vedāntas, there are many texts relating stories, such as: "Forsooth, Pratardana, the son of Divodāsa, went to the favourite place of Indra" (Kauṣ. 3.1), "Now, there was Jānaśruti, the great-grandson (of Janaśruti) a pious giver, a liberal donor, a preparer of much food" (Chānd. 4.1.1), "Now, there was Śvetaketu, the son of Aruṇa" (Chānd. 6.1.1), "Yājñavalkya had two wives, Maitreyī and Kātyāyanī" (Bṛh. 4.5.1) and so on. Here the doubt is, viz. whether they are meant to be recited at the Aśva-medha sacrifice, or whether they subserve the injunction of meditation. What is reasonable to begin with? "If it be said that they are meant to be recited at the Aśva-medha, (we reply) no." Why? "On ¹ A pāriplava is a legend to be recited at the Aśva-medha sacrifice and repeated at certain intervals throughout the year. ² Ś, R, Bh, Śk, B.