Brahma Sutras (Shankara Bhashya)
by Swami Vireshwarananda | 1936 | 124,571 words | ISBN-10: 8175050063
This is the English translation of the Brahma-sutras including the commentary (Bhashya) of Shankara. The Brahma-sutra (or, Vedanta-sutra) is one of the three canonical texts of the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy and represents an early exposition the Vedantic interpretation of the Upanishads. This edition has the original Sanskrit text, the r...
Chapter IV, Section I, Adhikarana VIII
Adhikarana summary: Meditations are to be observed till death
Sutra 4,1.12
आ प्रयाणात्, तत्रापि हि दृष्टम् ॥ १२ ॥
ā prayāṇāt, tatrāpi hi dṛṣṭam || 12 ||
ā prayāṇāt—Till death; tatra—then; api—even; hi—because; dṛṣṭam—is seen (from the scriptures).
12. Till death (meditations have to be observed), because (their observance) even at that moment is seen (from the scriptures).
In the first topic of this section it was said that meditations on Bradman are to be repeated till Knowledge dawrs. The question is now taken up about other meditations which are practised for attaining certain results. The opponent holds that such meditations can be stopped after a certain time; they would still yield results, like sacrifices performed only once. This Sutra says that they are to be continued till death, for the Sruti and Smriti say so. “With whatever thought he passes away from this world” (Sat. Br. 10. 0. 3. 1). “Remembering whatever form of being he leaves this body” etc. (Gita 8. 6). Such a thought at the time of death as fixes the course of life hereafter cannot be had at that moment without lifelong practice. Hence meditations must be practised till death.