शिवज्ञानबोध (मेय्कण्डार - शैव सिद्धान्त का आधारभूत दार्शनिक सूत्र ग्रन्थ)

THIRD SUTRA. 39
NOTES.
This Sutra is a remarkable example of condensation of
thought and brevity of expression. This contains 7 arguments
on a most important subject and yet there is only a word or two
to express each argument and there are not more than 20 words
in Tamil or 14 words in Sanskrit. The first Sutra established
from the fact of the objective universe and its undergoing
evolution, the existence of Sat. In the next Sutra the nature of
Chit by which this evolution is brought about and which is all
Love is explained. Now God need not be active and be all
loving, if no body is to be benefited by it. He could not desire
anything for Himself, as He is "வேண்டுதல் வேண்டாமையிலான்"
(has no likes nor dislikes). Every act of His must be construed
as Para-Prayochanam and not Swaprayochanam. We have
therefore to postulate a separate entity as Soul which requires
the support of the Supreme Intelligence and Love. This Sutra
therefore proceeds to the proof of its existence.

1. The first argument is directed against Suniyavadis
   according to whom there is no Atma at all. The subject though
   it identifies itself with every part of the objective body, organs
   and sensations yet it exercises its sense of difference and distin-
   guishes itself from one and all of these. Therefore that which
   so discriminates could not be a non-entity. This discriminating
   subject is the Soul or Atma. Even if we were to think we do
   not exist, the very thinking so, proves the existence of the
   thinking beings. The illustration further enjoins a caution
   that this thinking intelligence, being no other than Atma
   is not to be confounded with Divine Intelligence, when