The Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanishads v2.c40.s6.46

v2.c40.s6.46

An interesting development of the doctrine occurs in the Jaiminīya Upaniṣad Brāhmaṇa;⁶ the picture is drawn of a deity, described probably as ‘the good deity’, and therefore indicating Agni-Rudra, who bars the passage to the sun or beyond to the soul, on the score of the evil he has done, declaring that only the doer of good deeds may pass. The soul replies, ‘Thou didst see whatever I used to do; thou wouldst not have made me do it (i.e. had it been evil); thou thyself art the doer.’ The answer satisfies the deity, who, therefore, lets him pass. The dangerous implications of the doctrine are obvious and undeniable.