Page:The Vedanta-sutras, with the Sri-bhashya of Ramanujacharya.djvu/49

 XXxil ANALYTICAL OUTLINE OF CONTENTS.

hand, ritualistic works themselves are declared in the Vedas to be capable of yielding eternal and indestructible meritorious results. Therefore the enquiry into the Brah- man need not at all be undertaken (pp. 242-246).

The answer to this objection is called Adhikarana- siddJuinta, and it leads us to the conclusion that the enquiry into the Brahman has necessarily to be con- ducted. The linguistic argument of the Pfirvapakskm is here met by pointing out distinctly that the relation be- tween words and their meanings is not primarily made out by means of any inference from the actions to which the utterance of words generally does give rise. Certain things have somehow acquired certain names, and the re- lation between such things and their names is dependent upon usage and is of itself naturally established without the help of any inference. The use of language is taught to children by their elders ; and which words denote which tilings is distinctly and frequently enough pointed out to the young learners ; thus they learn to associate the words with the things. The meaning of words is primari- ly made out only in this fashion ; it may in some rare cases be made out also with the help of gestures. There- fore the rule that the meaning of words is only to denote actions is not binding (pp. 246-247). Even if the Vedas denote only actions, all such actions are seen to relate to the worship of the Brahman so that thereby He may be attained; and hence the knowledge of the true nature of the Brahman and His attributes is helpful to actions, and the Vcdanta which deals with the Brahman has to be studied accordingly (pp. 248-249). Even in sentences like l Bring the ox', the significance of words is not to be inferred from ' action '; for, this < action ' has to be aimed at by the voli- tion of the speaker, and all activity proceeds from the