अवस्थितेरिति काशकृत्स्नः ॥ २२ ॥
avasthiteriti kāśakṛtsnaḥ || 22 ||
avasthiteḥ—Because of the existence; iti—so holds; kāśakṛtsnaḥ—Kasakritsna.
22. (The initial statement is made) because of, the existence (of Brahman as the individual soul), so holds (sage) Kasakritsna.
As it is impossible that an individual soul (Jiva) quite different in nature from Brahman can be one with it in the state of release, this sage thinks , that the Supreme Self Itself exists as the individual soul. They are absolutely, non-different, the apparent difference being due to Upadhis or limiting adjuncts, which are but products of ignorance, and therefore unreal from the absolute standpoint. Hence also follows that by the knowledge of Brahman everything else is known.
Of the three schools of Vedanta depicted in the last three Sutras, that of Kasakritsna is justified by the Vedanta texts. According to Asmarathya the individual soul is a product of the Supreme Self, and hence the knowledge of the cause leads to the knowledge of everything including the individual soul. But is the effect or any portion of it different from the cause? And is the whole cause involved in each of its effects? The answer to the second question is evidently, no. If the effect or some portion of it is different from this cause, whence does it come? And is it separable from that? If separable, it is not its nature, for nature cannot be separated. If not separable, the cause cannot be known, and the proposition, “The soul being known, all else is known”, falls to the ground. So Asma-rathya’s view cannot stand.
According to Audulomi the individual soul (Jiva) is only a state of the Supreme Self. If the Jivahood is a reality, it can never be destroyed and freedom would be impossible. II on the other hand it becomes one with the Supreme Soul on release, then there is nothing like Jivaftood which can be a reality. So Audulomi’s view cannot stand. Jivahood is an unreality, a creation of ignorance, the Jiva being identical with Brahman. Even the creation of Jivas like sparks issuing from a fire does not speak of any real creation but only with reference to Upadhis. In reality the Jiva is neither created nor destroyed. It is our ignorance that makes us see the individual soul (Jiva) limited by Upadhis as something different from Brahman.