The Vedânta-Sûtras, Part II, with the Commentary by Sankarâkârya — SBE Vol. 38

Ill ADHYAYA, 2 PADA, 7. I4I

is not meant to indicate that dreams are real, for that would conflict with the soul's self-luminousness (referred to above), and scripture, moreover, expressly declares that the chariots, &c., of a dream have no real existence ; it merely means that dreams, because due to mental impressions (vasana) received in the waking state, are equal to the latter in appearance.— From all this it follows that dreams are mere illusion.

7. The absence of that (i.e. of dreams, i.e. dreamless sleep) takes place in the na^^is and in the Self; according to scriptural statement.

The state of dream has been discussed ; we are now going to enquire into the state of deep sleep. A number of scriptural passages refer to that state. In one place we read, ' When a man is asleep, reposing and at perfect rest so that he sees no dream, then he has entered into those na^is' [Kh. Up. VIII, 6, 3). In another place it is said with reference to the na^is, ' Through them he moves forth and rests in the surrounding body' (BW. Up. II, i, 19). So also in another place, ' In these the person is when sleeping he sees no dream. Then he becomes one with the prawa alone' (Kau. Up. IV, 20). Again in another place, 'That ether which is within the heart in that he reposes ' (Br/. Up. IV, 4, 22). Again, ' Then he becomes united with that which is ; he is gone to his Self {Kh. Up. VI, 8, i). And, ' Embraced by the highest Self (pra^/^a) he knows nothing that is without, nothing that is within' (B/-/. Up. IV, 3, 21). Here the doubt arises whether the na^is, &c., mentioned in the above passages are independent from each other and constitute various places for the soul in the state of deep sleep, or if they stand in mutual relation so as to constitute one such place only. The purvapakshin takes the former view on account of the various places mentioned serving one and the same purpose. Things serving the same purpose, as, e.g. rice and barley ^, are never seen to be dependent

^ Either of which may be employed for making the sacrificial cake.

142 vedanta-sOtras.

on each other. That the na^is, &c., actually serve the same purpose appears from the circumstance of their being all of them exhibited equally in the locative case, ' he has entered into the na^is,' ' he rests in the pericardium/ &c.^ — But in some of the passages quoted the locative case is not employed, so, e.g. in ' He becomes united with that which is' (sata, instrumental case)! — That makes no difference, we reply, because there also the locative case is meant. For in the complementary passage the text states that the soul desirous of rest enters into the Self, 'Finding no rest elsewhere it settles down on breath ' {Kh. Up. VI, 8, 2) ; a passage in which the word ' breath ' refers to that which is (the sat). A place of rest of course implies the idea of the locative case. The latter case is, moreover, actually exhibited in a further complementary passage, ' When they have become merged in that which is (sati), they know not that they are merged in it.' — In all these passages one and the same state is referred to, viz. the state of deep sleep which is characterised by the suspension of all special cognition. Hence we conclude that in the state of deep sleep the soul optionally goes to any one of those places, either the na^iis, or that which is, &c.