अतस्त्वितरज्ज्यायो लिङ्गाच्च ॥ ३९ ॥
atastvitarajjyāyo liṅgācca || 39 ||
ataḥ—Than this; tu—but; itarat—the other; jyāyoḥ—better; liṅgāt—because of the indicatory marks; ca—and.
39. But better than this is the other (state of being in some Asrama or other), (being maintained by the Sruti and the Smriti) and because of the indicatory marks (in the Sruti and the Smriti).
Though it is possible for one who stands between two Asramas to attain Knowledge, yet both the Sruti and Smriti say directly and indirectly that it is a better means to Knowledge to belong to some Asrama. “The Brahmanas seek to know It through . . . sacrifices” etc. (Brih. 4. 4. 22)—this is a direct statement of the Sruti; “Any other knower of Brahman who has done good deeds” etc. (Brih. 4. 4. 9), and “Let not a Brahmana stay even for a day outside the Asrama”—these are indirect statements of the Sruti and Smriti respectively.