Brahma-Sūtra 3.3.63 (correct conclusion, 63-64)

English of translation of Brahmasutra 3.3.63 by Roma Bose:

“Or not, on account of Scripture not declaring (their) accompanying (sacrifices).”

Nimbārka’s commentary (Vedānta-pārijāta-saurabha):

There is no fixed rule that the meditations on the subsidiary parts of sacrifices are to be included always in those sacrifices, just like the subsidiary parts themselves, since Scripture does not declare them to be subsidiary parts of sacrifices.

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

Now (the author) refutes it.

The statement that there is a regular inclusion, in sacrificial acts, of the meditations based on the subsidiary parts of sacrificial acts, such as the udgītha, like those subsidiary parts themselves, is not tenable. Why? “On account of Scripture not declaring (their) accompanying.” That is, Scripture declares that the subsidiary parts of sacrifices should always accompany the sacrifices themselves. Compare the text: “Having taken the graha^[1], having raised the camas^[2], he should begin the stotra^[3] (Taittirīya-saṃhitā 3.1.2, 4^[4]). But there is no such declaration about the meditations (on the subsidiary parts).

Comparative views of Baladeva:

This is sūtra 67 in his commentary. Here he refutes the prima facie view, mentioned in the previous sūtra, thus: “Or not, (i.e. every limb of the Lord is to be meditated on as possessed of its peculiar attributes only), because there is no scriptural text (to the effect that it is to be meditated on) as accompanied by (the attributes of other limbs)”.^[5]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A graha is a vessel used for taking out a portion of fluid from a larger vessel, especially a vessel used for taking up the soma-juice.

[2]:

A camasa is a vessel used at sacrifices for drinking the soma-juice.

[3]:

A hymn of praise.

[4]:

P. 247, lines 14-15.

[5]:

Govinda-bhāṣya 3.3.67, p. 232, Chap. 3.