Sūtra 3.4.23

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Sūtra 3.4.23:

पारिप्लवार्था इति चेन् न विशेषितत्वात्

pāriplavārthā iti cen na viśeṣitatvāt

pāriplava – restlessness; arthāḥ – meanings; iti – thus; cet – if; na – not; viśeṣitatvāt – because of being specific.

“If it is said that they are pāriplava stories, then I reply No, for those are specific.” (23)

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)

In the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad [4.5.1] it is said:

अथ ह याज्ञवल्क्यस्य द्वे भार्ये बभुवतुर् मैत्रेयी च कात्यायनी च

atha ha yājñavalkyasya dve bhārye babhuvatur maitreyī ca kātyāyanī ca

“Yājñavalkya had two wives: Maitreyī and Kātyāyanī.”

In the Taittirīya Upaniṣad [3.1] it is said:

भृगुर् वै वारुणिर् वरुणं पितरम् उपससार अधीहि भगवो ब्रह्मेति

bhṛgur vai vāruṇir varuṇaṃ pitaram upasasāra adhīhi bhagavo brahmeti

“Bhṛgu approached his father, Varuṇa, and asked, O master, please teach me about the Supreme.”

In the Kauṣītakī Upaniṣad [3.1] it is said:

प्रतर्दनो ह वै दैवोदासिर् इन्द्रस्य प्रियं धामोपजगाम

pratardano ha vai daivodāsir indrasya priyaṃ dhāmopajagāma

“Divodāsa’s son Pratardana approached King Indra’s abode.”

In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad [.4.1.1] it is said:

जानश्रुतिर् ह पौत्रायणः श्रद्धोदयो बहुदायी बहुपाक्य आस

jānaśrutir ha pautrāyaṇaḥ śraddhodayo bahudāyī bahupākya āsa

“Jānaśruti Pautrāyaṇa was very faithful and generous.”

The Śruti-śāstra teaches the science of transcendental knowledge in these and other stories. Here someone may doubt: “Are these stories meant to teach transcendental knowledge or are they merely pāriplava [stories recited at a rājasūya-yajña to appease the restless mind]?” Someone may claim that these are merely pāriplava stories to appease the mind.

After all, the Śruti-śāstra declares:

सर्वाण्य् आख्यानानि पारिप्लवे शंसन्ति

sarvāṇy ākhyānāni pāriplave śaṃsanti

“All are pāriplava stories meant to appease the restless mind.”

In pāriplava stories the literary skill is most important and any philosophical instructions are all secondary. Therefore the Vedic rituals are what is really important and the transcendental Knowledge contained in the stories of the Upaniṣads is not very important.

If this is said, then the sūtra declares, na: “No. It is not so.” Why not? The sūtra explains, viśeṣitatvāt: “For they are specific.” Only certain specific stories are pāriplavas.

It is said that on the first day of the yajña the story of Vivasvān’s son King Manu should be recited, on the second day The story of Vivasvān’s son King Indra should be recited, on the third day the story of Vivasvān’s son King Yāma should be recited. In this way only certain specific stories are employed for pāriplava. If all stories were equally appropriate for pāriplava, then it would make no sense to assign specific stories to specific days.

When the scripture says “All stories should be recited as pāriplava,” the meaning is that “All stories in the chapter of pāriplavas should be recited.” Therefore the conclusion is that the Upaniṣad stories that teach transcendental knowledge are not pāriplava stories.