Brahma-Sūtra 1.1.10

English of translation of Brahmasutra 1.1.10 by Roma Bose:

“(Brahman alone can be the cause of the world), on account of (the individual soul’s) entrance into itself (during deep sleep).”

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

As it is impossible that the object,—mentioned in the passage referring to the cause of the world which is denoted by the term ‘existent’, viz. ‘Understand from me, my dear, the state of deep sleep. When a person sleeps here, as we say, my dear, then he has become united with the Existent’ (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 6.8.1^[1]), can be understood as a non-sentient cause,^[2] it is reasonable to hold that Brahman alone is the cause of the world.

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

On account of the (soul’s) “entrance”, i.e. dissolution, into “itself”,^[3] i.e. into its own cause, viz. Brahman, introduced in the text: ‘“The existent alone, my dear!”’ (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 6.2.1), Brahman alone is denoted by the terms ‘existent’ and the rest, and not pradhāna. If it be the cause, then the text concerning dissolution would be contradicted. Thus, there is a scriptural text to this effect, viz. ‘“When this person sleeps here, as we say, my dear, then he has become united with the Existent, he has entered into his own. Hence they say of him “He sleeps”, for he has entered into his own”’ (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 6.8.1). There is also another scriptural text, viz. ‘Just as a man, when embraced by his dear wife, knows nothing external or internal, so this person, when embraced by the intelligent soul, knows nothing external or internal’ (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 4.3.21).

Comparative views of Baladeva:

This is sūtra 9 in his commentary. Reading different—viz. ‘Svāpyāt’. Interpretation too different, viz. ‘(The creator of the world is not the Saguṇa Brahman), because the Creator merges into himself, (not so the Saguṇa Brahman, who merges into something other than himself).’^[4]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ś.R. Bh. Śk.

[2]:

A slightly different reading is given in the [Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series] ed.—which, when translated, is as follows:—As the ‘entering’, which relates to a sentient being and is mentioned in the passage referring to the cause of the world, denoted by the term ‘existent’—viz. ‘Understand from me, my dear,...’ is possible in the case of Brahman alone, etc. (P. 3.)

[3]:

This explains the word ‘svāpyayāt’.

[4]:

Govinda-bhāṣya 1.1.9, pp. 51-52, Chap. 1.

[5]:

Vide Chāndogya-upaniṣad 6.1.