Brahma-Sūtra 3.1.8

English of translation of Brahmasutra 3.1.8 by Roma Bose:

“On the passing away of works, (the soul re-descends as) possessed of the remnants of results, on account of what is seen (i.e. scripture) and Smṛti, as (it) had come and not thus.”

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

On the decay of the works, productive of fruits in the next world, the soul, possessed of the works, productive of fruits in this world, re-descends “as (it had) come and not thus”, in accordance with the scriptural text: ‘Hence those who are of a pleasant conduct here, the prospect is indeed that they will attain a pleasant birth’ (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 5.10.7 ^[1]), and in accordance with the Smṛti passage: ‘Men of (different) castes and stages of life, who are devoted to their own works, having departed and having undergone the fruits of works, attain, through the remnant of that, births in distinguished castes and families, endowed with beauty, longevity, scriptural knowledge, wealth, happiness and intelligence’ (Gautama-dharma-śāstra 11.2.9^[2]).

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

Thus it has been established that the workers, while ascending, are closely embraced by water and the rest. Now, if all Karinas be exhausted by enjoyment there, the souls cannot evidently attain again various kinds of bodies,—it is being established now that while descending, they are possessed of the remnants of the consequences of their acts.

In the test: ‘Having dwelt there as long as there is a remnant (of their good works) (Sampāta), then they return again by the way they came’ (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 5.10.5) and so on, the descent of those who are in heaven is recorded. Here a doubt arises, viz. whether the soul, which is in heaven, re-descends without any remnants of the results of its acts, or as possessed of the remnants of results. The prima facie view is as follows: The word “Sampāta” means whereby one falls down,^[3] i.e. work. Hence in accordance with the text: ‘Having dwelt as long as there is sampāta’ (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 5.10.5), the soul enjoys all the fruit s of its works. This being so, after enjoying all works, the soul re-descends without any remnants of the results of its acts.

With regard to it, we reply: “On the passing away”, i.e. on the decay, through enjoyment, “of works”, i.e. only of works like sacrifices and the rest, performed with the attainment of heaven in view, the individual soul, “possessed of the remnants of consequences”, re-descends “as (it had) come”, i.e, as it had gone, or in the way of its ascent, “and not thus”, i.e. in a different way. By the scripture text: ‘As long as there is sampāta’ (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 5.10.5) and so on, the group of works, the cause of the attainment of heaven, is denoted. By the term “remnants of results” (“anuśaya”) the works, other than the above and the causes of the attainment of the body and the rest, are understood. The sense is that one, who is possessed of these remnants of results, re-descends by the way of its ascent, the order of which is: smoke, night, the other (viz. the dark) fortnight, the six months of the northern progress of the sun, the world of fathers, the ether and the moon,^[4] i.e. through the order: the moon, the ether, the air, smoke, mist, cloud and rain,^[5] Why? “On account of what is seen and Smṛti.” ‘What is seen’ means Scripture, and it declares the descent of the soul as possessed of the remnants of its works thus: ‘Then those who are of a pleasant conduct here,—the prospect is indeed that they will attain a pleasant birth, the birth of a Brāhmaṇa, or the birth of Kṣatriya, or the birth of a Vaiśya. Now, who are of a stinking conduct here,—the prospect is indeed that they will attain a stinking birth, the birth of a dog, or the birth of a pig, or the birth of a Caṇḍāla’^[6] (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 5.10.7). The sense is: ‘Those who are of a pleasant conduct’, i.e. those who perform good deeds, when re-descended here from heaven, attain the births of a Brāhmaṇa and the rest. But ‘those who are of a stinking conduct’, i.e. those who perform contemptible deeds, having returned here from hell, attain the births of dogs, pigs, and the rest. Smṛti too declares the descent of the soul as possessed of the remnants of its works thus: ‘Men of (different) castes and stages of life, who are devoted to then own works, having departed and having undergone the fruits of works, attain, through the remnant of these, births in distinguished castes and families, endowed with beauty, longevity, scriptural knowledge, wealth, happiness and intelligence’ (Gautama-dharma-śāstra 11.29).

Comparative views of Bhāskara:

Beading slightly different, viz. he leaves out the “Ca”.^[7]

Comparative views of Baladeva:

Comparison of Baladeva’s reading and interpretation (of Brahma-Sūtra 3.1.8) with the readings and interpretations of Bhāskara.

He divides this sūtra into two separate sūtras,—thus: “Kṛtā’tyaye.....” and “Yathetam... ca”.^[8]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Quoted by Śaṅkara, Rāmānuja, Bhāskara, Śrīkaṇṭha. Quoted by Baladeva.

[2]:

P. 15, lines 18-20. Slight variations are found.

Quoted by Śaṅkara, K., Bhāskara

[3]:

Sampatati anena sampātaḥ.

[4]:

Vide Chāndogya-upaniṣad 5.10.3-4. This is, the order of ascent.

[5]:

Vide Chāndogya-upaniṣad 5.10.5-6. That is, the order of descent is partly similar (“Yathetam”) to that of ascent, and partly dissimilar (“anevam”) to it. The two journeys are alike, as in both cases the soul passes through the moon, the ether and smoke; but different, as the descending soul passes through the air and does not pass through the world of fathers and the rest of the stages of ascent. Vide also Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 6.2.16—exactly similar account given.

[6]:

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

[7]:

Quoted by Bhāskara  Quoted by Baladeva 3.1.8, p. 154.

[8]:

Govinda-bhāṣya 3.1.8.