of all names and forms.’  We see, moreover, that various synonyma of aka/s/a are employed to denote Brahman.  So, for instance, Rik Sa/m/h.  I, 164, 39, ’In which the Vedas are[118], in the Imperishable one (i.e.  Brahman), the highest, the ether (vyoman), on which all gods have their seat.’  And Taitt.  Up.  III, 6, ’This is the knowledge of Bh/ri/gu and Varu/n/a, founded on the highest ether (vyoman).’  And again, ‘Om, ka is Brahman, ether (kha) is Brahman’ (Ch.  Up.  IV, 10, 5), and ‘the old ether’ (B/ri/.  Up.  V, 1)[119].  And other similar passages.  On account of the force of the complementary passage we are justified in deciding that the word ‘ether,’ although occurring in the beginning of the passage, refers to Brahman.  The case is analogous to that of the sentence, ’Agni (lit. the fire) studies a chapter,’ where the word agni, although occurring in the beginning, is at once seen to denote a boy[120].  It is therefore settled that the word ‘ether’ denotes Brahman.

23.  For the same reason breath (is Brahman).

Concerning the udgitha it is said (Ch.  Up.  I, 10, 9), ’Prastot/ri/, that deity which belongs to the prastava, &c.,’ and, further on (I, 11, 4; 5), ’Which then is that deity?  He said:  Breath.  For all these beings merge into breath alone, and from breath they arise.  This is the deity belonging to the prastava.’  With reference to this passage doubt and decision are to be considered as analogous to those stated under the preceding Sutra.  For while in some passages—­as, for instance, ’For indeed, my son, mind is fastened to pra/n/a,’ Ch.  Up.  VI, 8, 2; and, ‘the pra/n/a of pra/n/a,’ B/ri/.  Up.  IV, 4, 18—­the word ‘breath’ is seen to denote Brahman, its use in the sense of a certain modification of air is better established in common as well as in Vedic language.  Hence there arises a doubt whether in the passage under discussion the word pra/n/a denotes Brahman or (ordinary) breath.  In favour of which meaning have we then to decide?

Here the purvapakshin maintains that the word must be held to denote the fivefold vital breath, which is a peculiar modification of wind (or air); because, as has been remarked already, that sense of the word pra/n/a is the better established one.—­But no, an objector will say, just as in the case of the preceding Sutra, so here also Brahman is meant, on account of characteristic marks being mentioned; for here also a complementary passage gives us to understand that all beings spring from and merge into pra/n/a; a process which can take place in connexion with the highest Lord only.—­This objection, the purvapakshin replies, is futile, since we see that the beings enter into and proceed from the principal vital air also.  For Scripture makes the following statement (Sat.  Br.  X, 3, 3, 6), ’When man sleeps, then into breath indeed speech merges, into breath the eye, into breath the ear, into breath the mind; when he awakes then they spring again from breath alone.’