Page:The Vedanta-sutras, with the Sri-bhashya of Ramanujacharya.djvu/100

 Adhik. I. Sil.1.) | SRi-BHASHYA. 7

ledge of the Vedas. Learning the Vedas is, moreover, a samskara (i. e. a refinement or an exaltation of excellence) in relation to the Vedas, since it is seen that Swadhyaya forms the object (of such a samska@ra) in the passage— «The Veda has to be learnt.” [ Zaitt, Ar. II. 15.]. Sams- kara (i. e. refinement or exaltation of excellence), it is well known, is the means of qualifying (a thing) for the fulfil- tment of other objects (than those for which it is suited without that samskéra). And it is proper for the Vedas to be worthy of samskara (i. c. of getting their excellence exalted), because (when so qualified) they enable us to know (the nature of) duty, wealth, desire and final release, which form the fourfold objects of human pursuit ; and (they enable us to know also) the means of accomplishing them. And again (they are worthy of such samskéra), because, in the way of a mere silent repetition (of prayers), «&e., they form, even as they are verbally, the means of accomplishing those (objects of human pursuit). Thus the injunction as to learning the V’edas finally comes to mean a mere mental reception of a collection of syllables, after (reciting) certain mantras'* and (obeying) certain regula- tions. P

Because the Vedas, as learnt by oral recitation, are, of their own nature, seen to give us knowledge of purposeful (i. e. fruit-giving) things, the person who has learnt the Vedas perceives, in the first instance, those purposeful (fruit- giving) things which are disclosed to him by the Vedas so learnt ; and then betakes himself, of his own accord, to the ‘hearing’ (7. c. the study) of the Azmamsa which is of

14. A Mantra is interpreted to properly, a hymn or prayer address- mean a sacred formula and its ed to a deity, and is supposed to

thought which protect the thinker possess mystic and — supernatural thereof. from all danger. It is, powers.