अग्न्यादिगतिश्रुतेरिति चेत्, न, भाक्तत्वात् ॥ ४ ॥
agnyādigatiśruteriti cet, na, bhāktatvāt || 4 ||
agnyādigatiḥ—Entering into fire etc.; śruteḥ—from the scriptures; iti cet—if it be said; na—not so; bhāktatvāt—on account of its being so said in a secondary sense.
4. If it be said (that the organs do not follow the soul), for the scriptures declare their entering into fire etc., (we say) not so, on account of its being so said in a secondary sense.
“When the vocal organ of a man who dies is merged in the fire, the nose in the air,” etc. (Brih. 3. 2. 13). This text shows that at the time of death, the organs are resolved into their presiding deities, and hence it cannot be said that they accompany the soul. This Sutra refutes that view and says that such interpretations would go against many texts which declare that they do accompany the soul, as, for example: “When it departs, the vital force follows; when the vital force departs, all the organs follow” (Brih. 4. 4. 2). Hence the text cited must be interpreted in a secondary sens like the words, “The hair on the body in the herbs” (Brih. 3. 2. 13).