Śaṅkaraon Brahma Sūtra 2.3.8

The present Sutra extends the reasoning concerning ether to the air of which the ether is the abode.—The different views about air also arc to be arranged in an analogous manner. The phrvapakshin maintains that the air is not a product, because it is not mentioned in that chapter of the K/iandogysi which treats of the origination of things. The opposite opinion is, that the air is mentioned in the parallel chapter of the Taittiriyaka (‘ from the ether sprang the air — ’). The two scriptural passages being of a conflict- ing nature, the purvapakshin maintains that the passage which declares the air to have originated must be taken in a secondary sense ; firstly on account of the impossibility (of the literal sense being adopted), as shown (in the adhi- kara;/a treating of the ether) ; secondly on account of that passage which denies that it ever sets, ‘ V^yu (the air) is the deity that never sets’ {Bri, Up. I, 5, 2 %); and thirdly on account of those passages which declare it to be immortal. The final opinion on the other hand is, that air is a pro- duct ;^n the first place because this conclusion is conform- able to the general tendency of scripture ; «and, in the second place, because it is generally admitted that whatever is divided is an — effect. The denial of its ever setting refers to the lower knowledge (apard vidy^ and is merely a relative one, Vayu not setting in the same way as fire, &c. The statement as to the immortality, &c. of air has already received its reply (in the adhikara^a treating of the — ether). Here it maybe asked why, ether and air being equally mentioned and not mentioned in the chapters treating of the origin of the world, one adhikara//a is not considered to suffice for both, and why instead of that there is made a formal extension of the former reasoning to the latter case, although there is no difference between the two cases.—To this w'e reply that there is indeed some reason for the question ; that, however, the formal extension is made for the purpose of removing any doubts which might possibly be engendered in the minds of slow-witted people by mere words For as, in the Sawvargavidya and other passages, the glory of Vdyu is referred to as an object of worship ; and as scripture says that he never sets, &c., some men might think that he is eternal.