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

[SŪ. 3. 3. 41.
ADH. 18.] VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA 671
With regard to it, we reply "Non-restriction with regard to the
specifying of that", and so on. The word "specifying" ("nirdhāraṇa)
means complete retention by the mind ¹, i e meditation. There is
"non-restriction" with regard to the meditation "of that", i.e. of the
meditations founded on the subsidiary parts of sacrificial acts, such
as the udgītha-meditation and the like. That is, the meditations on
the udgītha and the rest are not to be inserted regularly in sacrifices
as their subsidiary parts Why? "On account of that being seen,"
i e. because such a non-restriction is found in Scripture Thus, in
the scriptural text: "Both perform with this, he who knows ² this
thus and he who does not know thus" (Chānd. 1.1 10), even a non-
knower being stated to be an agent, it is ascertained that there is no
fixed rule that the meditations founded on the udgītha and the rest
would stand to the sacrifices in the same relation as the quality of being made
of the parṇa-wood (parṇamayītva) does. The quality of being made of the
parṇa-wood is permanently connected with sacrifices through the sacrificial
ladle made of the parṇa-wood. Similarly, these meditations on the udgītha
and the rest would, on this view, be permanently connected with the sacrifices
through the udgītha and the rest. That is, in accordance with the dictum laid
down in Pū. Mī. Sū. 3 6.1-2 (vide Śab. B. on the same, pp. 366–368), a sacrificial
ladle made of the parṇa-wood is an essential ingredient of a sacrifice and is to
be included in it whenever it is performed Similarly, on the first view. the
meditations on the udgītha and so on are to be performed whenever the main
sacrifices are performed.
In the latter case, however, such meditations would stand to the sacrifices
in the same relation as the milking-vessel does. That is, in accordance with
the dictum laid down in Pū. Mī. Sū 4.1.2 (vide Śab B on the same, p. 436),
the milking-vessel (go-dohana) is used in certain sacrifices, viz. in the Daśa-
pūrṇa-māsa, not universally, but only occasionally, i.e. only if the sacrificer
desires for a special end, viz. cattle. Similarly, on the second view, the medita-
tions on the udgītha and the rest are not obligatory to the main sacrifices, but
only optional.
The prima facie view is that the meditations on the udgītha and the rest
serve no special purpose, as the using of the milking-vessel, e.g. does. They simply
secure the greater potency of the sacrifices which is the general fruit of all
other connected acts, just as having one's sacrificial ladle made of the parṇa-
wood secures no special result. Hence it cannot be said those meditations on
the udgītha and the like are to be undertaken at will for the sake of securing a
special result. Therefore, they are to be undertaken always with the sacrifices.
¹ Niravaśeṣatayā dhāraṇam-nirdhāraṇam.
² Here the word "veda" (=knows) may be translated in conformity with
the context, as "meditates", the text meaning that one may perform a sacrifice
either with meditating on the Om, or not meditating on it.