ording to its
precepts), does in reality entitle men[192] only (to act according to
its precepts); for men only (of the three higher castes) are, firstly,
capable (of complying with the precepts of the /s/astra); are, secondly,
desirous (of the results of actions enjoined by the /s/astra); are,
thirdly, not excluded by prohibitions; and are, fourthly, subject to the
precepts about the upanayana ceremony and so on[193]. This point has
been explained in the section treating of the definition of adhikara
(Purva Mim. S. VI, 1).--Now the human body has ordinarily a fixed size,
and hence the heart also has a fixed size, viz. the size of a thumb.
Hence, as men (only) are entitled to study and practise the /s/astra,
the highest Self may, with reference to its dwelling in the human heart,
be spoken of as being of the size of a thumb.--In reply to the
purvapakshin's reasoning that on account of the statement of size and on
account of Sm/ri/ti we can understand by him who is of the size of a
thumb the transmigrating soul only, we remark that--analogously to such
passages as 'That is the Self,' 'That art thou'--our passage teaches
that the transmigrating soul which is of the size of a thumb is (in
reality) Brahman. For the Vedanta-passages have a twofold purport; some
of them aim at setting forth the nature of the highest Self, some at
teaching the unity of the individual soul with the highest Self. Our
passage teaches the unity of the individual soul with the highest Self,
not the size of anything. This point is made clear further on in the
Upanishad, 'The person of the size of a thumb, the inner Self, is always
settled in the heart of men. Let a man draw that Self forth from his
body with steadiness, as one draws the pith from a reed. Let him know
that Self as the Bright, as the Immortal' (II, 6, 17).

26. Also (beings) above them, (viz. men) (are qualified for the study
and practice of the Veda), on account of the possibility (of it),
according to Badaraya/n/a.

It has been said above that the passage about him who is of the size of
a thumb has reference to the human heart, because men are entitled to
study and act according to the /s/astra. This gives us an occasion for
the following discussion.--It is true that the /s/astra entitles men,
but, at the same time, there is no exclusive rule entitling men only to
the knowledge of Brahman; the teacher, Badaraya/n/a, rather thinks that
the /s/astra entitles those (classes of beings)