Brahma Sutras (Nimbarka commentary)
by Roma Bose | 1940 | 290,526 words
English translation of the Brahma-sutra 1.1.31, including the commentary of Nimbarka and sub-commentary of Srinivasa known as Vedanta-parijata-saurabha and Vedanta-kaustubha resepctively. Also included are the comparative views of important philosophies, viz., from Shankara, Ramanuja, Shrikantha, Bhaskara and Baladeva.
Brahma-Sūtra 1.1.31
English of translation of Brahmasutra 1.1.31 by Roma Bose:
“But the instruction (given by Indra about himself) (is justifiable) through scriptural insight, as in the case of Vāmadeva.”
Nimbārka’s commentary (Vedānta-pārijāta-saurabha):
Realizing that everything had Brahman for its soul, Indra properly said “through scriptural insight”: “‘Know me alone”’ (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.1[1])—the scriptural text to this effect is: ‘What sorrow, what delusion is there of him who perceives the unity’ (Īśa-upaniṣad 7[2])—, just as Vāmadeva said: ‘“I was Manu and the sun’” (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 1.4.10; Ṛgveda-saṃhitā 4.26.1a[3]).
Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)
To the objection, viz.: Why then did Indra being one, (viz. an individual soul) taught himself as another (viz. Brahman) in the passage: ‘“Worship me”’ (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.2)?—it is replied here:—
No such objection can be raised. Just as a highly favoured royal servant says to the subjects, even like the king himself, ‘I am your ruler to be worshipped by you’, so is the case here. “But through scriptural insight.” That is, in, the passages, ‘“Know me alone”’ (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.1), “‘Worship me”’ (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.2), and so on, Indra, who is only an individual soul, taught the Highest Self as his own self, consequent of knowing, “through scriptural insight”, i.e. from scriptural texts, that the Supreme Brahman is the inner controller and the soul of all. The scriptural texts are the following:—All this has that for its self, that is true, that is the self, Brahman’[4] (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 6.7.8; 6.9.4; 6.10.3; 6.11.3; 6.12.3; 6.13.3; 6.14.3; 6.15.3; 6.16.3), ‘All this, verily, is Brahman, emanating from him, disappearing into him, breathing in him’ (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 3.1.4.), “‘You have, truly, attained freedom from fear, O Janaka”!’ (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 4.2.4), ‘Who knows himself: “I am Brahman”’[5] (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 1.4.10), ‘Entered within, the ruler of men, the soul of all’ (Taittirīya-āraṇyaka 3.11.2[6]), ‘This is your soul, the inner controller, immortal’ (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 3.7.3, etc.) and so on. Compare the case of Vāmadeva, who intuiting the Highest Self, the Inner Controller of all, through scriptural insight, spoke of Him alone, when he said: ‘Seeing this, the sage Vāmadeva understood: “I was Manu and the sun”’ (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 1.4.10), ‘I am the wise Kakṣivān sage’ (Ṛgveda-saṃhitā 4.26.1[7]). Hence the teaching: “‘Know me alone”’ (Kauṣītaki-upaniṣad 3.1), etc. is, indeed, proper.
Comparative views of Śrīkaṇṭha:
He gives two alternative explanations, the last of which tallies with the explanation given by Nimbārka.[8]
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
Quoted by Śaṅkara, Rāmānuja, Bhāskara, Śrīkaṇṭha and Baladeva.
[3]:
P. 285, line 8. Not quoted by others.
[4]:
The word ‘Brahman’ is not included in the original texts.
[5]:
Correct quotation: ‘ya evam vedāhaṃ Brahmāsmi’. Vide Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 1.4.10, p. 45.
[6]:
P. 181.
[7]:
The full quotation in Ṛgveda is: ‘I was Manu and the sun, I am the wise Kakṣivān sage’—said by Indra.
[8]:
[Quoted by Śrīkaṇṭha] 1.1.31 (p. 288, Part 3).