( 7 } iover Gods. But at sometime it must perish. This is the consideration concerning the nature of Multi, T1e other is concerned with the means, blackti. Any result that is acbeived by human efforts must corne to an end. like scargu and other rcs .lts brought about by yojnds. Bhakti is also an action. though men• tallike yajnas. If sourge attained through yojwo is suject to time limit, how could nbulatij attained through Bhakti be otherwise ? Following this line of reasoning the Nyaya philo- sophers accepted 40%ti and its means in a negative ser Se. Mukti for them is the total destruction of all pain-factiors and its means is cessation of all activities with their causes resulting from the knowledge of truth. This is not acceptable for Vedantirs. Upani . shads say clearly and unt quivocally that attainement ei Brahman is the ultimate end to be achieved by the seeker and that is nbnu%4] while the means of it is the Brahrpan-knowledge and nothing else. So a system cf philosophy which would be rational and at the same time accords with the Upanishadic teachings had to be founded. Gaudapada founded it and Sankara explained, elaborated and defended it: (1) If Muki is something newly acquired it would not and cculd not be permanent. For this Deason it had to be accepted that we have it already ; we are always u%tes (2) But this could !e impossible in case we are separate trom Brahman because we are actually born souls sufering from all sorts of afflictions.
