Sūtra 3.4.19

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Sūtra 3.4.19:

अनुष्ठेयं बादरायणः साम्य-श्रुतेः

anuṣṭheyaṃ bādarāyaṇaḥ sāmya-śruteḥ

anuṣṭheyam – what should be practiced; bādarāyaṇaḥ – Vyāsa; sāmya – equality; śruteḥ – from the Śruti-śāstra.

“Vyāsa says it may be done because the Śruti-śāstra describes equality.” (19)

Sūtra pagination:
Adhyāya 3:
  Devotional Service;
Pāda 4:
  Transcendental Knowledge is Independent of Vedic Rituals;
Adhikaraṇa 4:
  The Glories of Transcendental Knowledge.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa’s commentary (Govinda-bhāṣya)

The words anuṣṭheyaṃ bādarāyaṇaḥ here mean, “Vyāsa thinks that a person situated in transcendental knowledge may perform Vedic rituals, or not, as he chooses.” Why is that? The sūtra explains, sāmya-śruteḥ: “Because the Śruti-śāstra declares that whether he performs these rituals or not it is the same.”

The words “When he attains this stage he may act in whatever way he likes,” of Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 3.5.1 quoted in the purport of Sūtra 3.4.17 mean that a person situated in transcendental knowledge may act in any way, but the result he obtains is always the same. Jaimini’s opinion is that this description of the actions of a person situated in transcendental knowledge are only words of empty praise, for one must perform Vedic rituals completely in order to get a good result. If a person renounces some part of the Vedic rituals he is not equal to a person who performs all rituals perfectly.

Vedic rituals should be performed by a svaniṣṭha devotee. The statement that a person who neglects Vedic rituals becomes sinful like a person who kills his own children [Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa quoted in the purport of Sūtra 3.4.7] applies only to a person who is not situated in transcendental knowledge. In this way the seeming contradictions are reconciled. Jaimini’s theory that all scriptural passages encouraging renunciation are intended for they who are crippled or somehow unable to perform Vedic rituals is refuted by the passage of Mahā-Nārāyaṇa Upaniṣad quoted in the purport of Sūtra 3.4.13.