Brahma Sutras (Nimbarka commentary)
by Roma Bose | 1940 | 290,526 words
English translation of the Brahma-sutra 3.2.10, including the commentary of Nimbarka and sub-commentary of Srinivasa known as Vedanta-parijata-saurabha and Vedanta-kaustubha resepctively. Also included are the comparative views of important philosophies, viz., from Shankara, Ramanuja, Shrikantha, Bhaskara and Baladeva.
Brahma-Sūtra 3.2.10
English of translation of Brahmasutra 3.2.10 by Roma Bose:
“In the swooning person, (there is) half-attainment, on account of being left over.”
Nimbārka’s commentary (Vedānta-pārijāta-saurabha):
In one who is in a swoon, there is “half-attainment” of death.[1] The state of swoon is not included among the states of deep sleep and the rest. Hence “on account of being left over”, it is something different.
Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)
Now the state of swoon is being considered.
On the doubt, viz. whether the well-known state of swoon is included under the states of deep sleep and the rest, or is something different from them, the suggestion being: There are four well-known states of the soul, viz. waking, dream, deep sleep and death. So the state of swoon must be included under them, there being no proof that swoon is something different from them,—
We reply: “In the swooning person” there is “half-attainment”. One who has fainted owing to excessive grief is said to be a ‘swooning person’. He attains ‘half’ the place of death.[2] That is, the state of swoon is something different from the other four states. Why? “On account of being left over.” Thus, the state of swoon is not the same as the state of waking or the state of dream, on account of the absence of knowledge.[3] It is also not identical with death, on account of the presence of life and heat.[4] Nor can it be said that deep sleep itself is swoon, because the soul being embraced by the Existent then, deep sleep is a state of bliss.[5] Hence it is established that “on account of being left over”, the state of swoon is not one among the states of deep sleep and the rest, but is a different state.
Here ends the section entitled “swooning person” (4).
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
I.e. a swooning person attains half the characteristics of death, or is half-dead.
[2]:
I.e. makes a half-way approach to death.
[3]:
I.e. a swooning person is unconscious, while a person who is awake or a dreaming person is conscious.
[4]:
I.e. a swooning person is still alive and warm unlike a dead person.
[5]:
I.e. a swooning person does not enjoy any bliss as a person in a deep sleep does.