Page:The Vedanta-sutras, with the Sri-bhashya of Ramanujacharya.djvu/101

 8 SRI-BHASHYA. [Chap. I. Part. I.

the nature of an enquiry into Vedic texts, having for its result the determination of the special character and mode of those (purposeful and fruit-giving) things. There (/. c. in the Vedas), after the true nature of the injunctions re- garding works has been ascertained, he observes the insigni- ficant and impermanent character of the result of works. And then because, from the passages of the Upanishads which are a part, of the Vedas learnt by oral recitation, a prima facie mental impression about an infinite and per- manent result in the form of immortality arises, he there- fore becomes qualified for the study of the Mlmdmsd of the Embodied (the Mlmdmsd} which is such an enquiry into Vcddntic texts as results in the determination of the nature of that (immortality).

Accordingly, Vcddntic texts declare the destructibility of the results of mere works and the indestructible charac- ter of the results arising from the knowledge of the Brah- man: "Just as the world obtained by works perishes here, so also, there, the world obtained by merit perishes." [C/ihdnd. Up. VIII. i. 6.]. "To him that (world obtained by works) indeed comes to an end." [Brih. Up. III. 8. 10.]. " It is not reached by the non-eternal (works)." [Kat/i. Up. II. 10.]. ' Frail, indeed, are these floats in the form of sacrifices." [Mnnd. Up. I. 2. 7.]. " Having examined the worlds obtained by works, let a Brdhmana acquire freedom from all desires. The changeless is not (gained) by the changeable ; to know that, let him approach, with fuel in hand, a preceptor who is learned in the Vedas and has a sure footing in the Brahman. To him (/. e. to such a pupil) who, with restrained senses and fully tranquilled mind, has thus appoached him (7. e. the perceptor), that wise man (the Guru) should speak of that knowledge of the Brahman by which the ever-existent and indestructible