Brahma Sutras (Nimbarka commentary)
by Roma Bose | 1940 | 290,526 words
English translation of the Brahma-sutra 3.2.32 (correct conclusion, 32-37), 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 3.2.32 (correct conclusion, 32-37)
English of translation of Brahmasutra 3.2.32 by Roma Bose:
“But on account of resemblance.”
Nimbārka’s commentary (Vedānta-pārijāta-saurabha):
The author states the correct conclusion.
The term “but” is meant for disposing of the above view. There is nothing whatsoever higher than the Universal Lord, the cause of the world. The Lord is designated as a bridge only because He is similar to the bridge in a certain respect, i.e. He keeps the worlds apart.
Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)
The author states the correct conclusion.
The word “but” is meant for disposing of the prima facie view. It cannot be said that there is something ‘higher than this’. Why? On account of the following reasons: First, the Lord is designated as a bridge “on account of resemblance”, i.e. simply because He is similar to the bridge, well-known in ordinary life. Just as in ordinary life a bridge adjusts water[1], so the Soul too is a bridge as adjusting the boundary of the world[2], in accordance with complementary passage: “For keeping these worlds apart” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 8.4.1). In the text: “Having crossed the bridge” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 8.4.2), the word ‘crosses’ means ‘attains’, as in the statement: ‘He crosses the Vedānta’.[3]
Comparative views of Baladeva:
This is sūtra 33 in his commentary. He continues the topic of the bliss of Brahman. Hence the sūtra: “(If it be objected that human bliss cannot be different from the bliss of Brahman, because the same word ‘bliss’ is applied to both, just as an object designated by the word ‘jar’ cannot be different from another object designated by the same term ‘jar’—we reply: the word ‘bliss’ is applied to human bliss) on account of generic resemblance”. That is, just as the common term ‘jar’ is applied to all jars irrespective of their individual differences, so the common term ‘bliss’ is applied to human and divine bliss, irrespective of the difference between the two.[4]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
I.e. separates one sheet of water from another, and marks the boundaries of contiguous fields.
[2]:
I.e. separates one world from another.
[3]:
Which means that he has attained or mastered the Vedānta.
[4]:
Govinda-bhāṣya 3.2.33, p. 91, Chap. 3.