The alleged reference to the individual soul which has been pointed out (by the purvapakshin) in the passage complementary to the passage about the small ether (’Now that serene being,’ &c., VIII, 3, 4) teaches, if the small ether is interpreted to mean the highest Lord, neither the worship of the individual soul nor any qualification of the subject under discussion (viz. the small ether), and is therefore devoid of meaning.—­On that account the Sutra declares that the reference has another meaning, i.e. that the reference to the individual soul is not meant to determine the nature of the individual soul, but rather the nature of the highest Lord.  In the following manner.  The individual soul which, in the passage referred to, is called the serene being, acts in the waking state as the ruler of the aggregate comprising the body and the sense-organs; permeates in sleep the na/d/is of the body, and enjoys the dream visions resulting from the impressions of the waking state; and, finally, desirous of reaching an inner refuge, rises in the state of deep sleep beyond its imagined connexion with the gross and the subtle body, reaches the highest light, i.e. the highest Brahman previously called ether, and thus divesting itself of the state of specific cognition appears in its own (true) nature.  The highest light which the soul is to reach and through which it is manifested in its true nature is the Self, free from sin and so on, which is there represented as the object of worship.—­In this sense the reference to the individual soul can be admitted by those also who maintain that in reality the highest Lord is meant.

21.  If it be said that on account of the scriptural declaration of the smallness (of the ether) (the Lord cannot be meant; we reply that) that has been explained (before).

The purvapakshin has remarked that the smallness of the ether stated by Scripture (’In it is that small ether’) does not agree with the highest Lord, that it may however be predicated of the individual soul which (in another passage) is compared to the point of a goad.  As that remark calls for a refutation we point out that it has been refuted already, it having been shown—­under I, 2, 7—­that a relative smallness may be attributed to the Lord.  The same refutation is—­as the Sutra points out—­to be applied here also.—­That smallness is, moreover, contradicted by that scriptural passage which compares (the ether within the heart) with the known (universal) ether. (’As large as is this ether so large is the ether within the heart.’)

22.  On account of the acting after (i.e. the shining after), (that after which sun, moon, &c. are said to shine is the highest Self), and (because by the light) of him (all this is said to be lighted).

We read (Mu.  Up.  II, 2, 10, and Ka.  Up.  V, 15), ’The sun does not shine there, nor the moon and the stars, nor these lightnings, much less this fire.  After him when he shines everything shines; by the light of him all this is lighted.’  The question here arises whether he ’after whom when he shines everything shines, and by whose light all this is lighted,’ is some luminous substance, or the highest Self (praj/n/a atman).