, Taitt. Up. II), we
reply that therefrom it would follow that also the Selfs consisting of
food, breath, &c., denote Brahman (because the governing influence of
the mantra extends to them also).--The advocate of the former
interpretation will here, perhaps, restate an argument already made use
of above, viz. as follows: To assume that the Selfs consisting of food,
and so on, are not Brahman is quite proper, because after each of them
an inner Self is mentioned. After the Self of bliss, on the other hand,
no further inner Self is mentioned, and hence it must be considered to
be Brahman itself; otherwise we should commit the mistake of dropping
the subject-matter in hand (as which Brahman is pointed out by the
mantra), and taking up a new topic.--But to this we reply that, although
unlike the case of the Selfs consisting of food, &c., no inner Self is
mentioned after the Self consisting of bliss, still the latter cannot be
considered as Brahman, because with reference to the Self consisting of
bliss Scripture declares, 'Joy is its head. Satisfaction is its right
arm. Great satisfaction is its left arm. Bliss is its trunk. Brahman is
its tail, its support.' Now, here the very same Brahman which, in the
mantra, had been introduced as the subject of the discussion, is called
the tail, the support; while the five involucra, extending from the
involucrum of food up to the involucrum of bliss, are merely introduced
for the purpose of setting forth the knowledge of Brahman. How, then,
can it be maintained that our interpretation implies the needless
dropping of the general subject-matter and the introduction of a new
topic?--But, it may again be objected, Brahman is called the tail, i.e.
a member of the Self consisting of bliss; analogously to those passages
in which a tail and other members are ascribed to the Selfs consisting
of food and so on. On what grounds, then, can we claim to know that
Brahman (which is spoken of as a mere member, i.e. a subordinate matter)
is in reality the chief matter referred to?--From the fact, we reply, of
Brahman being the general subject-matter of the chapter.--But, it will
again be said, that interpretation also according to which Brahman is
cognised as a mere member of the anandamaya does not involve a dropping
of the subject-matter, since the anandamaya himself is Brahman.--But, we
reply, in that case one and the same Brahman would at first appear as
the whole, viz. as the Self consisting of b