introduction xli different gods prescribed in different religions. This point is clear from Ag.'s lengthy gloss on येऽप्यन्यदेवता- W: etc. (ch. IX, 24). Here in this verse worships and sacrifices to different gods are referred to. Commentators in general would naturally view the worships prescribed in their respective systems as good ones and dub those found in other systems as wrong methods undertaken out of ignorance or pres- cribed by wrong injunctions. But Ag.is of a firm opinion that all sorts of worship of all gods may, in a way, be worship of the Supreme. The difference between these two opinions lies in the way in which the word avidhi in the verse is interpreted by the commentators. Sankara takes avidhi in the sense of ajñana.* 1. I. e. 'ignorance'. Almost all the other commentators of Sankara's school seem to follow the Bhasyakara. How- ever, nowhere it appears to have been made clear how avidhi could be made to yield the meaning ajňana 'ignor ance'. In this context one may, if permitted, suggest the following: Vidhi 'injunction' is usually defined as Ajñātārtha- jaapaka 'that which gives us the correct knowledge of what is otherwise unknown' (see pt. II, p. 201). Thus Vidhi is the means to gain Jñana or correct knowledge. Often the ends are referrable by the terms ordinarily denoting the means. Thus Jaana (knowledge) can be an extended meaning of vidhi and avidhi may signify thus ajñana 'igno- to suggest a rance'. One may also venture etymology that perhaps suites the context and makes the meaning in question a Vācyārtha (word meaing): विशिष्टा: विशेषेण वा धीयन्ते अस्मिन्निति विधि: ज्ञानम्, आत्मज्ञानम्; अथवा अमानित्वमित्यारभ्य तत्वज्ञानार्थ दर्शन मित्यन्सेन (ch. XIII, 7-11) परिगणय्य एतज्ज्ञानमिति प्रोक्तमिति श्रृंगग्राहिकया निर्दिष्टं शानम् (Contd. in p. xlii) sort of Gita-6 Fy
