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

[SŪ. 3. 1. 22.
ADH. 4 ] VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA 499
Vedānta-kaustubha
It has been pointed out above that those who perform sacrifices
and the rest attain the world of the moon, being closely embraced
by the subtle elements, and after having undergone the fruits of
their works there re-descend with the remnants of the results of their
works, just as they had come and not thus. Now, the process of that
descent is being considered.
On the doubt whether the scriptural text about descent, viz..
“Then, by the very path they came they return again, just as
they came, to the ether, from the ether to the air. After having
become the air he becomes smoke, after having become smoke he
becomes mist, after having become mist he becomes cloud, after
having become cloud he rains down” (Chānd. 5.10.5-6), implies that
the descending souls, possessed of the remnants of the results of their
works, become the ether and the rest, just as they become gods, men
and so on; or that they only become similar to the ether and the
rest,—the prima facie view is. It is implied that they become the ether
and the rest, just as they become the moon, there being no distinction
between the two cases.
With regard to it, we reply: There is “attaining the nature of
that”, i e. the above text means that the descending souls, possessed
of the remnants of their works, become similar to the ether and the
rest. Why? “On account of fitting in,” i e because the only reason-
able conclusion is that they become similar to the ether and the rest,
due to their contact with them. Thus, in ordinary life, milk can
become curd, since when there is milk, there is no curd But the
descending soul, possessed of the remnants of its works, cannot
properly become the ether and the rest which are already existent, it
being impossible for one thing to become another. The fact that it
becomes a body, viz. the moon, for enjoying the fruits of its own
meritorious works, stands to reason; but its becoming the ether and so
on does not fit in, there being no question of enjoyment at that time.
Hence the above scriptural text refers to its similarity with the ether and
so on. Thus it is established that the soul becomes similar to them.
Here ends the section entitled “Attaining the nature of
that” (4).