वेदान्त पारिजात सौरभ (भगवद् निम्बार्काचार्य - द्वैताद्वैत वेदान्त ब्रह्मसूत्र भाष्य सटीक)

[sū. 2. 2. 37.
ADH. 7.] VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA 377
meditating on himself as in the posture of bhagāsana. The necklace,
the gold ornament, the ear-ring, head-jewel, ashes, and the holy thread
are said to be the six mudrās He whose body is marked with (mudrās)
is not re-born on earth" and so on. Likewise, the Kālamukhas hold ·
"Using a skull (as the drinking vessel), besmearing one's self with the
ashes of a dead body, eating the flesh of such a body, carrying a heavy
stick, setting up a liquor-jar, worshipping the gods placed on it, and
the rest, are means to obtaining all desired results in this world, as
well as in the next". In the treatise of the Śaivas, too, it is said ·
"A bracelet made of the Rudrākṣa-beads on the arm, matted hair on
the head, a skull, besmearing one's self with ashes", and so on.
Moreover, it is clearly demonstrated in the Mahābhārata in the
story of the Mātaṅga, distressed by the sharp words of a she-ass ¹
and so on, that it is very difficult for a man of another caste to obtain
Brāhmaṇa-hood even by means of penance accumulated through
thousands of years. But they hold that it is easily obtainable by a
man of a different caste thus: "By merely entering in the initiatory
ceremony, one becomes a Brāhmaṇa at once. By understanding the
Kāpāla rite, a man becomes an ascetic".
(Correct conclusion:) With regard to this, we reply. "Of the
Lord" and so on The term 'no' is to be supplied "Of the
¹ The story of Mātaṅga and the she-ass is as follows: Once Mātaṅga, who
was endowed with all qualities and equal to a Brāhmaṇa by all means, while
travelling on a swift chariot drawn by a young ass and its mother, mercilessly
pierced the young ass in the nose again and again Thereupon its mother, being
much grieved, said to him that such an act certainly behoved a person who was
born of a Brāhmaṇa mother and a Caṇḍāla father, but had he been the son of a
Brāhmaṇa father his act would have been otherwise. Much aggrieved at this
painful information, Mātaṅga determined to attain Brāhmaṇa-hood, left home
immediately and engaged himself in a severe penance Therefore Indra being
pleased personally appeared before him to offer him a boon. Mātaṅga asked
for Brāhmaṇa-hood, which however, Indra declined to grant by reason of the
fact that he was the son of a Caṇḍāla. In spite of Indra's straight denial,
Mātaṅga went on performing austereties for a hundred years, standing on one
leg only. Very much pleased, Indra appeared once again only to go back after
saying that it was nnpossible for a Caṇḍāla to acquire Brāhmaṇa-hood, and that
Mātaṅga was most unwise to undergo penance for it. This time Mātaṅga went
on performing penance for a thousand years in the same way. Disappointed
once more, he performed the severest penance by standing on one finger only.
But in spite of this he was never able to attain his heart's desire, simply because
he was a Caṇḍāla by birth Vide Mahā. 13.1870 ff., pp. 85 ff., vol. 4.