न भेदादिति चेत्, न, प्रत्येकमतद्वचनात् ॥ १२ ॥
na bhedāditi cet, na, pratyekamatadvacanāt || 12 ||
na—Not; bhedāt—on account of difference (being taught in the scriptures); iti cet—if it be said; na—not so; pratyekam—with respect to each; atadvacanāt—because of the declaration of the opposite of that.
12. If it be said (that it is) not so on account of difference (being taught in the scriptures), (we reply) not so, because with respect to each (such form) the Sruti declares the opposite of that.
We find that the scripture declares Brahman as having different forms in different Vidyas or meditations. In some It is described as having four feet, in some as of sixteen digits (Kalas) or again as having for Its body the three worlds and being called Vaisvanara, and so on. So we have to understand on scriptural authority that Brahman is also qualified. This Sutra refutes it and says that every such form due to Upadhi is denied of Brahman in texts like, “The shining, immortal being who is in this earth, and the shining, immortal, corporeal being in the body are but the Self” (Brih. 2. 5. 1). Such texts show that in all Upadhis like earth etc. the same Self is present, and hence there is only non-difference, oneness. It is not true that the Vedas inculcate the connection of Brahman with various forms. With regard to what we take as different, the Sruti explains at every instance that the form is not true, and that in reality there is only one formless principle.