Brahma-Sūtra 1.1.30

English of translation of Brahmasutra 1.1.30 by Roma Bose:

“If it be objected that (Brahman is) not (denoted), on account of the self of the speaker being taught, (we reply:) because there is a multitude of references to the self in it.”

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

If it he objected: The object denoted by the words ‘vital-breath’ and the rest cannot be Brahman. Why? Because in the text: ‘“Know me alone”’ (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.1^[1]), the very self of the speaker is taught,—

(We reply:) ‘“In this”’ chapter, there is a multitude of references to the Highest Self. Hence, the object denoted by the words ‘vital-breath’, ‘Indra’ and the rest is the Highest Self alone.

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

If it be objected: In the aphorism: ‘The vital-breath, on account of intelligibility in that way’ (Brahma-sūtra 1.1.29), it has been said that the object denoted by the words ‘vital-breath’, ‘Indra’ and so on, is Brahman. That is not the case. Why? ‘“On account of the self of the speaker being taught,”’ i.e. because the very self of the speaker, viz. Indra, who says at first: ‘“Know me alone’” (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.1), and later on: “‘I am the vital-breath, the intelligent self”’ (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.2),—his very individual character, well-known from the passage: “‘I killed the three-headed son of Tvaṣṭṛ, I delivered the Arunmukhas, the ascetics, to the wolves’” (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.1),—is taught as the object to be worshipped. Thus, the introductory text here refers to the individual soul. This being so, the concluding text too, viz. ‘Bliss, ageless, immortal’ (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.8), should refer to it,—

We reply: “‘Because there is a multitude of references to the self in it’”, i.e. “because”, i.e. certainly, “in it”, viz. in this chapter, there is “a multitude of references to the self”, i.e. numerous references to that which is above the (individual) self, viz. the Highest Self; that means, in this chapter there are (mentioned) a great many attributes of the Highest Self. Hence there cannot be any reference to any individual soul like Indra here,—this is the resulting meaning. Thus, the worship of what is the most beneficial, mentioned in the introductory text: “‘What you consider to be the most beneficial for mankind”’ (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.1), is nothing but the worship of the Highest Self, because He alone is the most auspicious Being, as declared by another scriptural text: ‘By knowing Him alone, one surpasses death; there is no other way to salvation’ (Śvetāśvatara-upaniṣad 6.15). Similarly, making one do good or evil deeds as declared by the text: ‘He alone makes one, whom he wishes to lead up from these worlds, perform good action. He alone makes one, whom he wishes to lead downwards from these worlds, perform evil action’^[2] (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.8), is a quality of the Highest Self alone. Likewise, being the support of all sentient and non-sentient objects,—depicted by the term ‘elements of intelligence’ in the text which, beginning thus: ‘The vital-breath alone is the intelligent self that, taking hold of the body, makes it stand up’ (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.3), goes on: ‘As of a chariot the rim of the wheel is fixed on the spokes, and the spokes are fixed on the nave, even so these elements of being are fixed on the elements of intelligence, and the elements of intelligence are fixed on the vital-breath’ (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.8);—as well as bliss and the rest, mentioned in the text: ‘Now, this vital-breath, forsooth, is the intelligent self, bliss, ageless, immortal’ (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.8), are qualities of the Highest Self alone. ‘Being the Self’ and ‘being the object to be known’, mentioned in conclusion in the text: ‘“Let one know: “He is my self”’ (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.8), are also qualities of the Highest Self. Hence, a great many attributes of the Highest Self being mentioned here, the Highest Self alone is denoted by the terms ‘Indra’, ‘vital-breath’ and the rest.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Quoted by Śaṅkara, Rāmānuja, Bhāskara, Śrīkaṇṭha and Baladeva.

[2]:

Correct quotation translated: ‘Eṣa hi eva enam....., eṣa u eva enam asādhu karma kārayati taṃ yam adho niniṣate’. Vide Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.8, p. 130.