Page:The Vedanta-sutras, with the Sri-bhashya of Ramanujacharya.djvu/98

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Adhih. I. Sat.1.] — SRi-BHAsHYA. 5

very knowledge (of the Brahman), which is the thing desir- ed, is enjoined.

What is said is this :—As the (ritualistic) works learnt from the earlier part of the Mimamsa are capable of producing only small and transitory results, and as the knowledge of the Brahman, conclusively dealt with in the latter part (thereof), is capable of producing infinite and indestructible results,—-for this reason alone, immediately after the antecedent knowledge of works, the Brahman has to be desired and known. Says the Vrittikara (Bodha- yana) therefore :—“ The desire to know the Brahman comes immediately after the acquisition of the knowledge of (ritualistic) works is completed.” Moreover, he says, in the following manner, that between the Aarma-mimamsa and the Brahma-mimamsa there is a sasiraic (7. ¢. scienti- fic) unity (whereby the antecedence of the AKarma-mi- mamsé is implied) :-—“ This Mimamsé of the Embodied (i.e. of the Brahman) is composed so as to be one with that of Jaimini (¢. e. the Aarma-mimamsa) which consists of sixteen specific chapters ; and so there is the establish- ment of Sasiraic unity between them.” Hence the differ- ence between the Pérva-mimamsa and the Uttara-mimamsé is due to the difference in the subject-matter taken up to be propounded, like the difference between the first six and the second six chapters (of the Pirva-mimamsa), as also like the difference between one chapter and another (of either of the Mimamsds). The Mimamsda-sastra (as a whole), beginning with—“ Then therefore the enquiry into dharma '8, (i. ec. duty)”—[Par. Mim, 1, 1. 1.] 3 and ending with—“ There is non-return, according to scripture ;

13. Dharma or duty is defined in the Parva-mimamsé to be “ that thing Chodanglakshanortho dharmah. which has the characteristics of a commandment." (Jaimini’s Pérva-mimamsa.1. 1. 2.].