Brahma-Sūtra 3.2.33 (correct conclusion, continued)

English of translation of Brahmasutra 3.2.33 by Roma Bose:

“(The designation of measure is) for the purpose of understanding, as in the case of feet.”

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

The designations of measure are for promoting meditation. It is for this reason that Brahman is designated as having feet thus: “Let one meditate on the mind as Brahman,—thus with reference to the self” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 3.18.1^[1]), “That Brahman has four feet. Speech is one foot” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 3.18.2^[2]) and so on.

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

The designations of measure too are “for the purpose of understanding” or meditation. “As in the case of feet,” i.e, as in the case of the designation of the feet of the mind and the rest. Thus, in the text: “Let one meditate on the mind as Brahman,—thus with reference to the self. That Brahman has four feet. Speech is one foot, the vital-breath is one foot, the eye is one foot, the ear is one foot” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 3.18.1-2), the mind, a symbol of Brahman, is declared to have feet. In the same manner the fire and the rest are described as the feet of the ether (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 3.18.2) for promoting meditation, but not for indicating a particular measure or size. Similarly, here too Brahman,—who is the cause of the world and who is ascertained to be unlimited from the text: “Brahman is truth, knowledge, infinite” (Taittirīya-upaniṣad 2.1)—is designated as having four feet (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 3.18.2) “for the purpose of understanding” only, hut this never implies that He is something measured or limited—this is the sense.

Comparative views of Baladeva:

This is sūtra 34 in his commentary. He concludes here the section concerned with showing that the bliss of Brahman is the highest. Hence the sūtra: “(If it be objected: If the bliss of Brahman be different from human bliss, i.e. if Brahman be different from the Universe of the sentient and the non-sentient, then how can the teaching in Chāndogya-upaniṣad 3.14.1, viz. that ‘All this, verily, is Brahman be reasonable we reply: that teaching is) for the purpose of Understanding, as in the case of feet”. That is, the whole world is said to be Brahman in order to bring about an easy realization of Him, just as everything is said to be His foot (Ṛgveda-saṃhitā 10.90.3) for the same reason.^[3]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Not quoted by others.

[2]:

Quoted by Rāmānuja and Śrīkaṇṭha.

[3]:

Govinda-bhāṣya 3.2.34, pp. 92-93, Chap. 3.