JijnAsAdhikaraNa continued-objection by mimamsaka.
The mimamsakas are of the opinion that the significance of the words
is only through their connection with action. They cite the example
of vrddhavyavahara, the use by elders, where a sentence spoken by an
elder or experienced person such as 'gAm Anaya,bring the cow,' and
an inexperienced or younger person understands the meaning of the
words by seeing a cow being brought up.Hence they say that the sruthi
texts have meaning only through action and as study of Brahman does
not result in action it need not be taken up. The vedantin may
mention the sentence ' a son is born ' which does not result in
action but produces result, namely joy and hence meaningful, but the
mimAmsaka objects, saying that even in such cases due to the
reference to sukhaprasava etc. resulting in action like brightening
of face etc they cannot be the exception.Therefore the purport of
word should denote action and not an existing thing.Since the vedanta
texts have reference to Brahman which is an established thing they
cannot be authoritative.
Ramanuja refutes the view that the meaning of the words must be
grasped only in connection with action.. The meaning can be made
clear even otherwise. The children understand the meaning of words
father, uncle etc. and also other things when indicated by the
forefinger pronouncing the words. Ramanuja cites another example
also. Suppose a man tells another by gestures to inform Devadattha
that his father is alright. When it is conveyed to Devadattha by
words, a person who has been a witness to all the happenings
understands the words spoken to be the meaning of the gestures.
Even assuming that the vedantha texts relate only to established
entity the inquiry into brahman must be taken up, says Ramanuja. The
action of meditation is enjoined by the sruthi texts like 'AthmA vA
arE drahstavyah srothavyah manthavyah nidhiDHYasithavah,the Self has
to be seen, heard, thought of and meditated upon.'(Brhd.2-4-5), 'sO
anvEshtavyah vijinAsithavyah,' it has to be sought after and
understood.(chan.8-7-1) As an action must have a result, vedantic
passages have texts which can be termed as arTHa vadha,
laudatory,such as 'brahmavidhApnothi param,' (Taitt.2-1) one who
knows Brahman attains the highest. Thes types of texts are found in
purvamimAmsa also in relation to vedic injunctions. The text that
enjoins horse sacrifice for instance for the one who desires to go to
heaven does not describe the nature of heaven which is known only
through other texts describing it as a place free from grief. Hence
even the texts referring to an established entity are purposeful.
Mimamsaka hold the view that meaning of words lies in what ought to
be done, says Ramanuja, ' krthibhavabhAvi krthyuddhesyam hi bhavathah
kAryam, ' in which case they have to define what is krthyuddesyam,
what ought to be done and if it is krthikarmathvam, what is desired
to be achieved by the action. But what ought to be done need not be
agreeable always unless it achieves the fulfilment of some desire
conducive to pleasure as in the injunction 'jyothishtomena svargakamo
yajetha,' one desirous of heaven should perform jyothishtoma
sacrifice.Neither is the obligatory work can be termed as seshi to
which other things are susidiary. But Ramanuja says that a work done
as an injunction ,that is, what ought to be done does not qualify to
be a seshi. The real sesha- seshi bhava is when an entity acting
through a desire to serve another. Finally the words of injunction
also present their meaning only in connection with other words such
as the devathas like agni through which the indweller of all the
parampurusha is being propitiated.
Therefore , says Ramanuja, kEvalAnAm karmaNAm alpa
asthiraphalathvAth, brahmajnAnasyacha anantha sthiraphalathvath
thannirNayaphalah brahmavichara Arambhahuktha ithi sTHitham,
considering the meagre transitory nature of the results of karam and
the infinite and everlasting fruit of brahmajnana the inuiry into
Brahman has to be pursued. Thus ends the jijnasADHikaraNa of
sribhashya.
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