Brahma-Sūtra 3.2.2 (prima facie view, concluded)

English of translation of Brahmasutra 3.2.2 by Roma Bose:

“And some (designate) the maker, and sons of the rest.”

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

In the passage: “He who is awake in those that are asleep, the person making desire after desire” (Kaṭha-upaniṣad 5.8^[1]) “some” speak of a creator of the desires of the soul,^[2] viz. sons and so on, in the state of dream.

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

Moreover, in the text: “He who is awake in those that are asleep, the person making desire after desire” (Kaṭha-upaniṣad 5.8), the followers of “some” branches speak of the individual soul as a creator, making objects of desire in the state of dream. The author states the objects of desire, referred to in the text, thus “sons and the rest”. By the word‘desire’, objects that are desired, viz. sons of the rest, are denoted, and not a mere wish, in accordance with the introductory texts:

‘“Ask for all objects of desire (kāma) just as you wish”’ (Kaṭha-upaniṣad 1.25), ‘“Choose sons and grandsons living a hundred years”’ (Kaṭha-upaniṣad 1.23). The statement of Prajāpati^[3] clearly establishes that the individual soul has true resolves and so on. Hence it is possible for the soul, endowed as it is with (the attributes) of true resolves and so on, to be the creator of chariots, etc.—this is the prima facie view.

Comparative views of Śaṅkara and Bhāskara:

Interpretation different. They too take this sūtra as laying down the prima facie view, but as pointed out above, the problem is a different one for them. Thus: “Some (depict the Lord as) the maker (of dream-objects); and sons and the rest”. That is, just as, the prima facie objector continues, the objects in the waking state are created by the Lord, so are the dream-objects. Hence just as the former are real, so must he the latter.^[4]

Comparative views of Baladeva:

He does not regard this sūtra too as laying down a prima facie view, but the correct conclusion. Hence it means: “Some (depict the Lord alone) as the maker (of dream-objects), sons and the rest”.^[5]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

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

[2]:

Other editions, viz. the [Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series] ed. (p. 53) and the Brindaban ed. (1905) (p. 826) read: “jīvam kāmānām”, in which case the meaning would be: “some speak of the soul as the creator of desires”. This reading seems preferable. Vedānta-kaustubha also follows it.

[3]:

Vide Chāndogya-upaniṣad 8.7.1.

[4]:

Brahma-sūtras (Śaṅkara’s commentary) 3.2.2, pp. 706-7; Brahma-sūtras (Bhāskara’s Commentary) 3.2.2, p. 161.

[5]:

Govinda-bhāṣya 3.2.2, pp. 41-42, Chap. 3.