Brahma-Sūtra 1.3.38

English of translation of Brahmasutra 1.3.38 by Roma Bose:

“On account of the prohibition of hearing, studying, and (learning) the meaning (of the Veda), (a Śūdra is not entitled to the knowledge of Brahman).”

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

A Śūdra is not entitled to the knowledge of Brahman, “on account of the prohibition of the hearing” and so on of the Veda on his part, in the text: ‘One should not study (the Veda) in the vicinity of a Śūdra’ (Vasiṣṭha-smṛti 18.9^[1]) and so on.

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

For this reason, too, a Śūdra is not entitled to the knowledge of Brahman. For what reason? “On account of the prohibition of hearing” and the rest on the part of a Śūdra, in the passage ‘A cemetery, endowed with feet, is, verily, a Śūdra.^[2] Hence one should not study (the Veda) in the vicinity of a Śūdra’ (Vasiṣṭha-smṛti 18.9), ‘Hence a Śūdra is a beast,^[3] not fit for sacrifices’ and on so. The sense (of the first passage) is: A ‘cemetery’ that is ‘endowed with feet’, i.e. capable of moving, ‘is a Śūdra’, in whose presence one should not even study the Vedas. The sense is that the hearing of the Veda, the study of it, the performance of the religious duties mentioned therein, are prohibited, all the more, to a Śūdra.

Comparative views of Śaṅkara, Bhāskara and Baladeva:

They treat this sūtra and the next as one sūtra.^[4]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

P. 216, line 20. Quoted by Śaṅkara, Rāmānuja, Bhāskara, Śrīkaṇṭha and Baladeva.

[2]:

Reading slightly differs, viz. ‘Eka vai tac-chmaśānam....’ (p. 216).

[3]:

‘Bahu-paśuḥ paśu sadṛśa iti arthaḥ.’ Śrī-bhāṣya (Madras edition) 1.3.38, p. 339, Part I.

[4]:

Brahma-sūtras (Śaṅkara’s commentary) 1.3.38, p. 376; Brahma-sūtras (Bhāskara’s Commentary) 1.3.38, p. 68; Govinda-bhāṣya 1.3.38.