Chapter 32, Pratijna (General Principles).

In the Vedic commentary we shall refer to the action portion only in so far as it will be deducible directly from the meaning of the words. We shall not, however, give a detailed description of the acts which ought to be performed in the various yajnas, from the Agnihotra to the Ashvamedha, according to the mantraswhich have been applied to the action portion.

The reason is that the true application of the mantras to the action portion and the details of the observances are given in the Aitareya and Shatapatha Brahmanas, the Purvamimanxa, and the Shrouta Sutras, etc. Their repetition will disfigure this commentary with the faults of tautological repetition and the grinding of a ground meal which disfigure the books not written by Rishis.

Only so much application of the mantras to the action portion is to be accepted as has the authority of the Vedas at its back, is deducible from the meaning of the mantras and is contained in the above named works. In the same way we shall describe the worship portion also only
in so far as it would be consistent with the context and the meanings of word. The reason being that it has been dealt with in detail in the Pantanjali’s Yoga Shastra. We shall adopt the same method in dealing with the (spiritual) knowledge portion because it has been fully treated of in Sankhaya, Vedanta and theUpanishads, etc.

The knowledge and its application to practical ends for utilitarian purposes obtained from knowledge of the three portions is called the Philosophy portion. The fourth portion has been fully dealt with in the books, but only so much of it should be accepted as is found on examination to be consistent and in agreement with the Vedas, for, there can be no branches in the absence of a root.

Knowledge of the Svara (tone and pitch) of the Vedic words and of their correct pronunciation should be acquired from the study of the limbs of the Vedas, grammar, etc.

It has been correctly described in the books and hence we shall not touch upon it in this commentary. Metres should be learnt from the aphorisms of Pingala. The Svaras are Shadja, Rishabha, Gandhara, Madhyama, Panchama
Dhaivata,, and Nishada. Pingala III. 94. We shall give the Svara of every mantra according to this sutra of Pingalcharya, because at the present time the practice of singing the mantras according to their particular svara in accompaniment with musical instruments is not in vogue.

The special sciences such as medical, etc. should be learnt with the help of the Upavedas such as the Ayurveda, etc. We shall refer to the special sciences in the commentary on the interpretation of the Vedic mantras only in the general way.

Doubts of men will be removed only by bringing to light the meaning of the Vedas supported by strong and valid reasons..

We shall give the meaning of each word of the Vedic mantras in both Sanskrit and the Vernacular and quote our authority for our interpretation. We shall quote the rules of grammar also wherever we shall consider it necessary to do so in order that by the removal of the perverted commentaries of modern writers which are opposed to the meaning of the Vedas and also to the ancient interpretations, all men, on seeing
the true interpretation of the Vedas, may come to love them greatly. A great mischief has been done by the commentaries of Sayanacharya, etc which they have written according to their own bent of mind and the trend of public opinion from motives of obtaining renown. Through their agency Europeans also have fallen into errors about the Vedas.

We shall bring to light the true interpretation of the Samhitas of the Vedas according to the ancient books and the dictates of our own reason.

When by God’s favor our commentary, supported as it will be by the authority of the Vedic commentaries such as the Aitareya, the Shatapatha, etc. written by the Aryan Munis, Mahamunis, Rishis and Maharishis, will be completed, great happiness will result to al men.

Wherever a verse will be capable of yielding two meanings i.e. (1) physical and (2) spiritual in accordance with authority we shall give both them. But in not a single mantra can the reference to God be entirely absent, because He is the efficient cause of this effect, the world, and pervades every portion of it, and, also, because an effect is always
connected with its cause. Where the physical interpretation alone is possible there also it must be remembered that all the substances, the earth, etc., exist in the manner in which they have been created by God. Similarly, when a mantra bears a spiritual meaning only the physical also comes in through the relation of cause and effect.

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