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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1as the living Self, and as its being the^iva (i. e. an individual soul apparently differing from the universal Self) is due to the limiting adjuncts only. Hence the evolution of names and forms which is effected by it is in reality effected by the highest Lord. And that the highest Lord is he who evolves the names and forms is a principle acknowledged by all the Upanishads ; as we see from such passages as 'He who is called ether is the evolver of all forms and names ' [^Kh. Up. VHI, 14). The evolution of names and forms, therefore, is exclusively the work of the highest Lord, who is also the author of the tripartite arrangement. — The meaning of the text is that the evolution of names and forms was preceded by the tripartition, the evolution of each particular name and form being already explained by the account of the origin of fire, water, and earth. The act of tripartition is expressly described by Sx\x\\ in the cases of fire, sun, moon, and lightning, ' The red colour of burning fire is the colour of fire, the white colour of fire is the colour of water, the black colour of fire the colour of earth,' &c. In this way there is evolved the distinctive form of fire, and in connexion therewith the distinctive name ' fire,' the name depending on the thing. The same remarks apply to the cases of the sun, the moon, and lightning. The instance (given by the text) of the tripartition of fire implies the statement that the three substances, viz. earth, water, fire, were rendered tripartite in the same manner ; as the beginning as well as the concluding clause of the passage equally refers to all three. For the beginning clause says, ' These three beings became each of them tripartite; ' and the concluding clause says, ' Whatever they thought looked red they knew was the colour of fire,' &c. &c., up to ' Whatever they thought was altogether unknown they knew was some combination of these three beings.' Having thus described the external tripartition of the three elements the text goes on to describe another tripartition with reference to man, ' those three beings when they reach man become each of them tripartite.' This tripartition in man the teacher sets forth (in the following Sutra) according to scripture, with a view to the refutation of some foreseen objection.
2II ADHYAYA, 4 PADA, 2 2. 99 2 1. The flesh, &c., originates from earth, according to the scriptural statement ; and (so also) in the case of the two other (elements). From tripartite earth when assimilated by man there are produced as its effects flesh, &c., according to scripture. For the text says, ' Food (earth) when eaten becomes threefold ; its grossest portion becomes feces, its middle portion flesh, its subtlest portion mind.' The meaning is that the tripartite earth is eaten in the shape of food such as rice, barley, &c. ; that its grossest parts are discharged in the form of fecesj that its middle parts nourish the flesh of the body, and its subtlest parts feed the mind. Analogously we have to learn from the text the effects of the two other elements, viz. fire and water ; viz. that urine, blood, and breath are the effects of water ; bone, marrow, and speech those of fire. — Here now an objection is raised. If all material things are tripartite (i.e. contain parts of the three elements alike) — according to the indifferent statement, ' He made each of these tripartite' — for what reason then has there been made the distinction of names, ' this is fire, this is water, this is earth ? ' And again, why is it said that among the elements of the human body, flesh, &c., is the effect of the eaten earth only ; blood, &c., the effect of the water drunk ; bone, &c., the effect of the fire eaten ? — To this objection the next Sutra replies.
322. But on account of their distinctive nature there is a (distinctive) designation of them. The word ' but ' repels the objection raised. By ' distinctive nature' we have to understand preponderance. Although all things are tripartite, yet we observe in different places a preponderance of different elements ; heat preponderates in fire, water in all that is liquid, food in earth. This special tripartition aims at rendering possible the distinctions and terms of ordinary life. For if the tripartition resulted in sameness, comparable to that of the three strands of a tripartite rope, we could not distinguish — and speak of as distinguished— the three elements. — Hence, H 2 lOO VEDANTA-SUTRAS. although there is a tripartition, we are enabled ' on account of distinctive nature ' to give special designations to the three elements, viz. fire, water, and earth and their products.— The repetition (of ' designation of them ') indicates the termination of the adhyaya. THIRD ADHYAYA. FIRST pADA. Reverence to the highest Self ! I. In obtaining a different (body) (the soul) goes enveloped (by subtle parts of the elements), (as appears from) question and explanation.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1as the living Self, and as its being the^iva (i. e. an individual soul apparently differing from the universal Self) is due to the limiting adjuncts only. Hence the evolution of names and forms which is effected by it is in reality effected by the highest Lord. And that the highest Lord is he who evolves the names and forms is a principle acknowledged by all the Upanishads ; as we see from such passages as 'He who is called ether is the evolver of all forms and names ' [^Kh. Up. VHI, 14). The evolution of names and forms, therefore, is exclusively the work of the highest Lord, who is also the author of the tripartite arrangement. — The meaning of the text is that the evolution of names and forms was preceded by the tripartition, the evolution of each particular name and form being already explained by the account of the origin of fire, water, and earth. The act of tripartition is expressly described by Sx\x\\ in the cases of fire, sun, moon, and lightning, ' The red colour of burning fire is the colour of fire, the white colour of fire is the colour of water, the black colour of fire the colour of earth,' &c. In this way there is evolved the distinctive form of fire, and in connexion therewith the distinctive name ' fire,' the name depending on the thing. The same remarks apply to the cases of the sun, the moon, and lightning. The instance (given by the text) of the tripartition of fire implies the statement that the three substances, viz. earth, water, fire, were rendered tripartite in the same manner ; as the beginning as well as the concluding clause of the passage equally refers to all three. For the beginning clause says, ' These three beings became each of them tripartite; ' and the concluding clause says, ' Whatever they thought looked red they knew was the colour of fire,' &c. &c., up to ' Whatever they thought was altogether unknown they knew was some combination of these three beings.' Having thus described the external tripartition of the three elements the text goes on to describe another tripartition with reference to man, ' those three beings when they reach man become each of them tripartite.' This tripartition in man the teacher sets forth (in the following Sutra) according to scripture, with a view to the refutation of some foreseen objection.
2II ADHYAYA, 4 PADA, 2 2. 99 2 1. The flesh, &c., originates from earth, according to the scriptural statement ; and (so also) in the case of the two other (elements). From tripartite earth when assimilated by man there are produced as its effects flesh, &c., according to scripture. For the text says, ' Food (earth) when eaten becomes threefold ; its grossest portion becomes feces, its middle portion flesh, its subtlest portion mind.' The meaning is that the tripartite earth is eaten in the shape of food such as rice, barley, &c. ; that its grossest parts are discharged in the form of fecesj that its middle parts nourish the flesh of the body, and its subtlest parts feed the mind. Analogously we have to learn from the text the effects of the two other elements, viz. fire and water ; viz. that urine, blood, and breath are the effects of water ; bone, marrow, and speech those of fire. — Here now an objection is raised. If all material things are tripartite (i.e. contain parts of the three elements alike) — according to the indifferent statement, ' He made each of these tripartite' — for what reason then has there been made the distinction of names, ' this is fire, this is water, this is earth ? ' And again, why is it said that among the elements of the human body, flesh, &c., is the effect of the eaten earth only ; blood, &c., the effect of the water drunk ; bone, &c., the effect of the fire eaten ? — To this objection the next Sutra replies.
322. But on account of their distinctive nature there is a (distinctive) designation of them. The word ' but ' repels the objection raised. By ' distinctive nature' we have to understand preponderance. Although all things are tripartite, yet we observe in different places a preponderance of different elements ; heat preponderates in fire, water in all that is liquid, food in earth. This special tripartition aims at rendering possible the distinctions and terms of ordinary life. For if the tripartition resulted in sameness, comparable to that of the three strands of a tripartite rope, we could not distinguish — and speak of as distinguished— the three elements. — Hence, H 2 lOO VEDANTA-SUTRAS. although there is a tripartition, we are enabled ' on account of distinctive nature ' to give special designations to the three elements, viz. fire, water, and earth and their products.— The repetition (of ' designation of them ') indicates the termination of the adhyaya. THIRD ADHYAYA. FIRST pADA. Reverence to the highest Self ! I. In obtaining a different (body) (the soul) goes enveloped (by subtle parts of the elements), (as appears from) question and explanation.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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