Brahma-Sūtra 1.2.30

English of translation of Brahmasutra 1.2.30 by Roma Bose:

“On account of manifestation, Āśmarathya (thinks so).”

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

With a view to favouring His worshippers who are devoted to Him alone and to none else, the Highest Self though infinite, manifests Himself in accordance with the respective capacities of His devotees. As such, He can fittingly be regarded as of the size of merely a span,—this is so “on account of manifestation”, so the sage “Āśmarathya” thinks.

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

(The author) explains, in accordance with the approbation of Āśmarathya, the text about that which is of the size of merely a span.

In the text: ‘But who meditates on the Vaiśvānara Self as of the measure of a span only and as of an unlimited dimension’ (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 5.18.1), it is perfectly justifiable to hold that even one whose ‘measure’ or limit, has disappeared ‘on all sides’ or entirely^[1], i.e. even the Highest Person, who is unlimited, can be of the measure of a span merely, i.e. of the extent measured by the thumb and the forefinger. How? “On account of manifestation.” That is, with a view to favouring those who are devoted to none else except to Him, the Lord manifests Himself in the heart-lotus in a form, which is eternal, blissful and non-material, which is of the size of a span and is the fulfiller of the desire of His own devotees, just as He manifested Himself in the limited space of a pillar as a man-lion.^[2] This is the view of the teacher Āśmarathya.

Or, (an alternative explanation of the sūtra), with a view to favouring the dull-witted devotees (i.e. who can grasp gross objects only), the Lord squeezes Himself, as it were, into gross regions only; though all-pervading, He limits Himself in accordance with their respective intelligence and manifests Himself in those respective places. Thus, “on account of manifestation”, He can, very well, be of the measure of merely a span,—so thinks “Āśmarathya”,—this is the sense.

Comparative views of Rāmānuja and Srīkaṇṭha:

Interpretation of the word ‘abhivyakteḥ’ different, viz. ‘on account of definiteness’, i.e. the texts speaks of the Lord of a definite extent with a view to rendering the thought of the meditating devotee more definite.^[3]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Abhitaḥ vigataḥ mānaḥ—abhivimānaḥ.

[2]:

The reference is to the killing of Hiraṇyakaśipu by the Lord in the form of a man-lion. Vide Mahābhārata (Asiatic Society edition) 3.15835, etc.

[3]:

Śrī-bhāṣya (Madras edition) 1.2.30, p. 274, Part I. Brahma-sūtras (Śrīkaṇṭha’s commentary) 1.2,30, p. 392. Part 1.