गतेरर्थवत्त्वमुभयथा, अन्यथा हि विरोधः ॥ २९ ॥
gaterarthavattvamubhayathā, anyathā hi virodhaḥ || 29 ||
gateḥ—Of the soul’s journey (after death) along the path of the gods; arthavattvam—utility; ubhayathā—in two ways; anyathā—otherwise; hi—for; virodhaḥ—a contradiction.
29. (The soul’s) journey along the path of the gods is applicable in two ways (i.e. differently), for otherwise (there would result) a contradiction.
A question is raised that just as the getting rid of good and evil is understood os being followed by their acceptance by others, so also the journey after death along the Devayana, the path of the gods, which is sometimes mentioned as following the discarding of good and evil, is common to all Upasakas, those of the Nirguna as well as the Saguna Brahman. This Sutra says that it is true only of the worshipper of the Saguna Brahman, for Brahmaloka being located elsewhere in space, the journey has a meaning in his case only. But the knowledge which results from absorption in the Nirguna Brahman is merely the destruction of ignorance. So what meaning has journey for such a person. If the journey applies to him also, then it would contradict Sruti texts like, “Shaking off good and evil, free from passions, he reaches the Highest Unity” (Mu. 8. 1. 8). How can one who has become Brahman, the pure, the one without movement, go to another place by Devayana. Since he has already attained his goal, viz. unity, the journey along the Devayana is meaningless for him. Therefore the worshipper of the Saguna Brahman alone goes by the Devayana.