वैश्वानरः साधारणशब्दविशेषात् ॥ २४ ॥
vaiśvānaraḥ sādhāraṇaśabdaviśeṣāt || 24 ||
vaiśvānaraḥ—Vaisvanara; sādhāraṇa śabda-viśeṣāt—because of the qualifying adjuncts to the common words (Vaisvanara and self).
24. Vaisvanara (is Brahman), because of the qualifying adjuncts to the common words (‘Vaisvanara’ and ‘Self’).
“But he who worships this Vaisvanara Self extending from heaven to the earth as identical with his own self, eats food in all beings, in all selves; of that Vaisvanara self Sutejas (heaven) is the head, the sun the eye”, etc. (Chh. 5. 18. 1-2).
Now what is this Vaisvanara Self? ‘Vaisvanara’ generally means fire, the presiding deity of fire and the gastric fre. ‘Self’ refers to both the individual soul and the Supreme Self. Which of these is referred to in the passage? Whatever be the ordinary meaning of these two words, the Sutra says that here the Supreme Self is referred to, on account of the qualifying adjuncts to these words. The adjuncts are:
Heaven is the head of this Vaisvanara Self, the sun its eyes, etc., and this is possible only in the case of the Supreme Self. Again the result of meditation on this Vaisvanara Self having the parts stated is the attainment of all desires, and freedom from all sin. (Vide Chh. 5. 24. 8). This also can be true if the Highest Self is meant. Moreover the chapter begins with the inquiry, “What is our Self? What is Brahman?”—where the word ‘Brahman’ is used in its primary sense, and so it is proper to think that the whole chapter delineates Brahman.