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

[sū. 3. 3. 18.
ADH. 5.] VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA 607
Vedānta-kaustubha
Now a particular subsidiary part of the above-mentioned medita-
tion on the vital-breath is being considered. In the Vājasaneyaka
it is said that the vital-breath asked speech and the rest · ‘What is
my food, what is my dress?’ (Bṛh. 6.1.14; Śat. Br. 14.9.2, 14¹).
They replied: ‘“Whatever there is here, as far as dogs, worms, crawling
and flying insects,—that is your food; water is your dress”’ (Bṛh.
6.1.14, Śat. Br. 14.9.2, 14). After that we read: “Those versed in the
Veda who know this rinse the mouth with water when they are about
to eat, and rinse the mouth with water when they have eaten. So
indeed they think that they are making the breath non-naked”
(Bṛh 6 1.14), “Hence he who knows this should rinse the mouth with
water when about to eat and should rinse the mouth with water when
he has eaten. Thus indeed he makes the breath non-naked” (Śat.
Br. 14 9.2, 15).
In the very same manner, we read the following in the Chāndogya
as well. “He said: ‘What will be my dress?’ ‘Water,’ they said.
Hence, verily, those who are about to eat clothe it before and after
with water. It is accustomed to receive a dress, it becomes non-
naked” (Chānd. 5.2.2).
Here the doubt is as to whether here the rinsing of the mouth is
enjoined or the meditation on water as forming the dress of the vital-
breath, while there is simply a re-mention of the rinsing of the mouth.
If it be suggested · As in the text: “So indeed he makes the
breath non-naked” (Śat. Br. 14 9.2, 15), there is no mention of an
injunctive form referring to the meditation on water as forming the
dress of the vital-breath, and as in this text: “He should rinse
the mouth with water when about to eat” (Śat. Br. 14.9.2, 15), there
is the mention of an injunctive form, it is the rinsing of the mouth
that is enjoined here, and water is designated as forming the dress
of the vital-breath for glorifying the rinsing of the mouth.—
We reply: It is the meditation on water as forming the dress of
the vital-breath—which is “something new”, i e. is something not
mentioned before,—that is alone enjoined here. For this very reason
there is the mention of clothing only ² in the Chāndogya: ‘They

¹ P. 1103, line 3.
² And no mention of the rinsing of the mouth with water