Brahma-Sūtra 2.1.27 (correct conclusion continued)

English of translation of Brahmasutra 2.1.27 by Roma Bose:

“And since these various (modifications) (are seen) in the soul also.”

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

When various modifications are appropriate on the part of individual souls, like gods and the rest, how can they possibly be inappropriate on the part of the omnipotent Lord of all, the cause of the universe?

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

The author is confirming the stated view on the rule of ‘how much more’?

No wonder that if the creation of the world be due to one who is possessed of true resolves, of inconceivable and infinite powers, and is unchangeable by nature, then faults like entire creator being transformed and so on never result,—“since”, i.e. because “in the soul too”, i.e. in the individual soul which has come to attain lordship, “this”, i.e. without there resulting any faults like entire transformation, “various” creations are seen in accordance with its own power. The second “and” (“ca”) is indicative of ‘how much more’? (i.e. obviousness).^[1]

To begin with, the forms of swans and the rest, assumed by individual souls, are well-known in Scripture.^[2]

The following Smṛti passages are indicative of the power of the king of gods: ‘Now he changes into those particular forms repeatedly. He becomes a bearer of the crest and the thunder-bolt, armed with a bow, and wearing the ear-rings, then in an instant, he comes to look like a Caṇḍāla.^[3] Then, again, my son, he comes to be clad in bark, with a tuft of hair on the top of his head and matted hair. Then he comes to have a large body, becomes fine, likewise stout or thin. Again he changes himself as fair, dark, likewise black; ugly or handsome, likewise young or old; learned, dull or ignorant, likewise short or long. Then the performer of a hundred sacrifices becomes a high caste or a low caste. He assumes the forms of a parrot or a crow, man or cuckoo, and again assumes the forms of a lion, a tiger or an elephant’, and so on.

The Smṛti passages concerned with power of the sun are as follows: ‘The abode of many wonders is the revered Sun, from whom arise all beings, honoured in the three worlds’, and so on. Similarly, the creative power of other gods may be known from Scripture itself.

The following Smṛti passage is indicative of the power of gods: ‘They may make a non-god god, and a god non-god. When incensed, they may create rulers of worlds and other worlds’.

The following Smṛti passage designates the power Cyavana: ‘O, the power of the Brahma-sage Cyavana, the great-soul! The ascetic can create other worlds, simply by wishing, through the power of austerities’.

The following Smṛti texts refer to the power of Vasiṣṭha’s cow, viz. ‘The cow, with her head and neck raised, look terrific, her eyes reddened with anger, and lowing repeatedly. Her body, blazing with anger, shone like mid-day sun. The cow created the Palhavas from her tail in great frequency in the form of the piling up of the charcoal, as it were^[4]; the Drāviḍas from her tail; the Śakas from her urine; the Yavanas from her womb; numerous Śabaras from her clung; the Cicukas, the Pulindas, the Cīṇas, the Hūṇas, the Sakelaras from her foam as well as the Mlecchas of various kinds’ (Mahābhārata (Asiatic Society edition) 1.6679b-6680a, 6682-6683, 6685) and so on.

Similarly, other individual souls, too, possess the power of various kinds of creations, which are not quoted here for avoiding prolixity, and also because they are not suitable here. Even in eminent individual souls, the power of creating object is insignificant, befitting their own powers and only given by the Lord. It is not possible for even the freed soul to be the creator of the enitre universe. This will be made clear in the aphorism: “Devoid of the activity regarding the universe” (Brahma-sūtra 4.4.17).

Comparative views of Rāmānuja and Śrīkaṇṭha:

This is sūtra 28 in their commentaries. Interpretation different: viz. And thus in the soul (the attributes of the non-sentient are not found), for there are manifold (powers) (in different objects). That is, we find that the sentient individual soul, which is different from non-sentient objects, does not possess their attributes. Similarly, these non-sentient objects themselves, fire, water and the rest, which are different from one another, do not share one another’s attributes, but have manifold attributes. In the very same manner Brahman who is different from both the sentient and the non-sentient does not possess their attributes, but numerous others not found in them.^[5]

Comparative views of Baladeva:

This is sūtra 28 in his commentary. Interpretation different, viz. And thus (there are mysterious powers) in the soul (viz. Brahman), because various (powers) (belong to the tree of all desires, or to the philosopher’s stone). That is, we believe, on the ground of Scripture alone, that the tree of all desires and the philosopher’s stone possess mysterious powers, capable of giving rise to elephants, horses and the rest. So why should we not believe, on the very same ground, that the Lord is possessed of mysterious powers?^[6]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

I.e. if individual souls are capable of assuming various forms without themselves undergoing modifications, how much more so this must be the case with the Lord, the omnipotent Being. Kaimutyaka-nyāya.

[2]:

Vide, e.g. Chāndogya-upaniṣad 4.1.2, where certain divine sages are said to have assumed the form of swans. For fuller account of this story see Vedānta-kaustubha 1.3.34.

[3]:

An outcaste, born from a Śūdra father and a Brāhmaṇa mother.

[4]:

Aṅgar-vṛṣ+ṇamul. Here the suffix ‘ṇamul’ implies comparison in accordance with the rule Pāṇini-sūtra 3.4.45. ŚD. K. 3366, p. 714, vol. 2.

[5]:

Śrī-bhāṣya (Madras edition) 2.1.28, pp. 60-61, Part 2; Brahma-sūtras (Śrīkaṇṭha’s commentary) 1.2.28, p. 39, Parts 7 and 8.

[6]:

Govinda-bhāṣya 2.1.28, pp. 63-64, Chap. 2.