Brahma-Sūtra 2.3.32

English of translation of Brahmasutra 2.3.32 by Roma Bose:

“(the individual soul is) an agent, because of scripture having a sense.”

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

The soul indeed is “an agent”, because the scriptural texts, informing us about the means to enjoyment and salvation, such as: ‘One desiring heaven should perform a sacrifice’ (Taittirīya-saṃhitā 2.5.5^[1]), ‘One desiring salvation should worship Brahman’^[2] and so on, have a sense.

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

Now incidentally, the problem whether the soul is an agent is being discussed.

On the doubt, viz. whether the individual soul is an agent or not,—if the prima facie view be as follows: In the Kaṭha-vallī it is denied that the individual soul is an agent, thus: ‘If the killer thinks to kill, if the killed thinks himself killed, both these do not know. This one does not kill, nor is killed’ (Kaṭha-upaniṣad 2.19); and it has been declared by the Lord too: ‘“All actions are done by the guṇas of prakṛti. The soul, deluded by egoism, thinks: ‘I am the agent’”’ (Gītā 3.27). Hence, the guṇas alone are agents, but never the soul,—

We reply: The soul alone is the agent. Why? “Because of Scripture having a sense”, i.e. because the scriptural texts, teaching the means which are dependent on sentient beings, subject to enjoyment and salvation, viz. ‘Only doing works here, let one desire to live a hundred years’ (Īśa-upaniṣad 2), ‘One desiring heaven should perform sacrifices’ (Taittirīya-saṃhitā 2.5.5), ‘One desiring salvation should worship Brahman’, ‘Let one worship calmly’ (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 3.14.1) and so on, have a sense. If those non-sentient objects (viz. the guṇas) be the agent, the scriptural texts teaching the means must be senseless.

The (above-quoted) scriptural text, on the other hand, shows that the soul being eternal cannot be killed; but it is not by any means concerned with denying that the soul is an agent. The Smṛti passage, too, shows only that the soul, which is deluded by the guṇas of prakṛti, is an agent of mundane activities through those guṇas. And, this has been stated by the Lord Himself thus: ‘“Those deluded by the guṇas of prakṛti are attached to the activities of the guṇas’” (Gītā 3.2.9). If the guṇas be the agent and not the soul, then the following statements will be nullified: viz. “‘But if you will not carry on this righteous warfare’” (Gītā 2.33), ‘“For through action alone Janaka and the rest have attained to perfection. Having an eye to the good of the world also, you should perform action’” (Gītā 3.20), ‘“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer, whatever you give, whatever you practise as penance,—make that an offering to me’” (Gītā 9.27), ‘“I am firm, with my doubts removed. I will do according to your word’” (Gītā 18.73) and so on.

Comparative views of Śaṅkara and Bhāskara:

This is sūtra 33 in their commentaries. Literal interpretation same, but they hold that the soul’s state of being an agent is not natural, but due to limiting adjuncts.^[3] The same remarks apply to the following three sūtras also, which will not be noted separately.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Quoted by Rāmānuja, Baladeva, o. 208, line 27, vol. 2.

[2]:

Quoted by Rāmānuja, Baladeva.

[3]:

Brahma-sūtras (Śaṅkara’s commentary) 2.3.32, p. 623; Brahma-sūtras (Bhāskara’s Commentary) 2.3.32, p. 138. For the different senses of the word ‘upādhi’ in the systems of Śaṅkara and Bhāskara. see Brahma-sūtras (Bhāskara’s Commentary), etc.