Aphorisms on Brahman 12.23

12.23

ūrdhvaretassvāśrameṣu brahmavidyā saṃbhavati, neti saṃśayaḥ| yajñādyabhāvātteṣāṃ tadaṅgikā vidyā na saṃbhavatīti pūrvaḥ pakṣaḥ| rāddhāntastu- |yadicchanto brahmacaryaṃ caranti |etameva pravrājino lokamicchantaḥ pravrajanti|ityādiśruteḥ teṣāṃ vidyāvattvāvagamātteṣvagnihotrādyanapekṣā vidyeti niścīyate| sūtrārthastu-ata - eva- vidyāvattvaśrutereva, ādhānādyanapekṣā teṣu vidyā| agnīndhanaṃ hi agnyādhānam|
3-4-26
karmavatsu gṛhastheṣu kiṃ yajñādikarmāpekṣā vidyā, uta tatrāpi kevalaiveti saṃśayaḥ| ūrdhvaretassu yajñādyanapekṣaivāmṛtatvaṃ sādhayati cet; karmanirapekṣāyā vidyāyā eva sādhanatvamabhyupagamanīyam| tathā sati gṛhastheṣvapi tannirapekṣaiva sādhayituṃ samartheti pūrvaḥ pakṣaḥ| na hi svargādisādhanabhūtamagnihotrādikarma puruṣabhedena nānāvidhāṅgakaṃ dṛṣṭam| |vividiṣantīti śabdo'pi vedanecchāyāṃ karmāṇi viniyuṅkte, na vidyāyām| rāddhāntastu-karmavatsu gṛhastheṣu yajñādi sarvakarmāpekṣā vidyā; kutaḥ? yajñādi śruteḥ- |tametaṃ vedānuvacanena brāhmaṇā vividiṣanti yajñena dānena|iti hi yajñādayo vidyāṅgatvena viniyujyante| ato gṛhastheṣu karmāpekṣā vidyā| icchāyā iṣyamāṇapradhānatvāt vividiṣantītiṣyamāṇaṃ jñānamevetyavagamyate| yathā gamanasādhanabhūto'śvaḥ svaparikarabandharūpaparikarmāpekṣaḥ; evaṃ mokṣasādhanabhūtā vidyāpi
nityanaimittikaparikarmāpekṣā| ūrdhvaretassu ca svāśramavihitaṃ karmaiva parikarma bhavatīti teṣvapi vidyāsaṃbandhaśśāstrādavagamyate| śāstraikasamadhigamye hi yathāśāstramabhyupagamanīyam| sūtramapi vyākhyātam|| iti sarvāpekṣādhikaraṇam||

There is a doubt whether knowledge of Brahman is possible in the stages of life of the celibates or not. The prima facie view is that, because of the absence of sacrifice and the like among them, knowledge which has these as its auxiliary elements is not possible. But the established conclusion is: from scripture such as, 'Desiring which they lead the life of celibacy,' and 'Desiring this very world, renunciants renounce,' their possession of knowledge is known, and therefore it is determined that knowledge among them does not require the Agnihotra and the like. The meaning of the aphorism is: 'for this very reason'—precisely from the scripture mentioning the possession of knowledge—knowledge among them does not require the kindling of the fire and the like; for the 'fueling of the fire' indeed refers to the ritual setting up of the sacred fires.
3-4-26
There is a doubt whether, among householders who perform rites, knowledge requires rites such as sacrifice, or whether there too it is solely independent. If among celibates it accomplishes immortality without any requirement of sacrifice and the like, then knowledge entirely independent of rites must be accepted as the means. That being so, even among householders it would be capable of accomplishing it quite independently [of rites]—this is the prima facie view. For a rite like the Agnihotra, which serves as a means to heaven and the like, is not observed to have diverse auxiliary elements depending on differences among persons. Moreover, the word 'they desire to know' (vividiṣanti) applies rites to the desire to know, not to knowledge itself. But the established conclusion is: among householders who perform rites, knowledge requires all rites such as sacrifice. Why? Because of the scripture regarding sacrifice and the like. For through the text, 'Him this [Self] the Brāhmaṇas desire to know through the study of the Veda, through sacrifice, through giving,' sacrifices and the like are indeed enjoined as auxiliary elements of knowledge. Therefore, among householders, knowledge requires rites. Because desire is subordinate to the object desired, it is understood that what is desired in 'they desire to know' is knowledge itself. Just as a horse, serving as a means of travel, requires preparation in the form of fastening its equipment, so too knowledge, serving as the means to liberation, requires preparation in the form of obligatory and occasional rites. And among celibates, the rite enjoined for one's own stage of life is itself the preparation, and so the connection with knowledge in their case too is known from scripture. For in a matter that is ascertainable solely through scripture, one must accept it as scripture states. The aphorism too has been explained. Thus ends the topical section on the requirement of all.