Brahma-Sūtra 1.3.41

English of translation of Brahmasutra 1.3.41 by Roma Bose:

“Because of perceiving light.”

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

Because in the text: ‘Through his light’ (Kaṭha 5.15^[1]), ‘light’ is mentioned, the measured Person is the Supreme Being.

In the very same Kaṭha-vallī, in the section of the Person measured as of the size of a thumb, it is declared, prior to the text about the vital-breath, (viz. Kaṭha 6.2): ‘The sun does not shine there, nor the moon and the stars, nor do these lightnings shine, much less this fire. He shining, everything else shines after him. All this shines through his light’ (Kaṭha 6.2). “Because” in this text, light, belonging exclusively to the Supreme Soul who is denoted by the term ‘light’, “is seen” (i.e. declared), it is established that what is of the size of merely a thumb is none but the Supreme Soul.

Here ends the section entitled ‘What is measured’ (6).

Comparative views of Śaṅkara, Bhāskara and Śrīkaṇṭha:

Interpretation different, viz. they take this sūtra as forming a new adhikaraṇa by itself, concerned with the question whether the term ‘light’ in the Chāndogyopaniṣad (8.12.6) denotes Brahman or not.^[2]

Comparative views of Baladeva:

Interpretation different, viz. ‘(The word “vajra” in the Kaṭhopaniṣad must mean the Lord), because it is seen (that in a preceding-passage He is called) light’.^[3]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Quoted by Rāmānuja and Baladeva.

[2]:

Brahma-sūtras (Śaṅkara’s commentary) 1.3.40, pp. 380 et seq.; Brahma-sūtras (Bhāskara’s Commentary) 1.3.40, p. 69; Brahma-sūtras (Śrīkaṇṭha’s commentary) 1.3.41, pp. 498 et seq. Part 5.

[3]:

Govinda-bhāṣya 1.3.40.