Brahma Sutras (Nimbarka commentary)

by Roma Bose | 1940 | 290,526 words

English translation of the Brahma-sutra 3.3.40, 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 3.3.40

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English of translation of Brahmasutra 3.3.40 by Roma Bose:

“When one has approached (the lord, he comes to have freedom of movement), for this reason, on account of statement to that effect.”

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

When one has attained Brahman by means of meditating on Him who has the stated marks, one comes to have freedom of movement in all the worlds. If it be objected: How can one have freedom of movement everywhere unless one first aspires to attain those particular worlds and then practises the means leading to them?—We reply: “For this reason”, i.e. on account of this very reason of attaining (the Lord), in accordance with the statement: “Having attained the form of highest light, he is completed in his own form” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 8.3.4^[1]), “He becomes a self-ruler” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 7.2.2^[2]), “He comes to have freedom of movement in all the worlds” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 7.25.2^[3]).

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

To the objection, viz. In the texts: “Now, those who depart having the self here and these true desires come to have freedom of movement in all the worlds. If he comes to desire the world of fathers” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 8.2.1) and so on, it is declared that even by those who desire salvation, the worlds common to those who desire -enjoyment are attained. This being so, what difference is there between devotion to works and devotion to knowledge?—(the author) says:

“When one has approached,” i.e. when the knower, freed from all connection with matter in its causal and effected states, has come to attain the nature of Brahman, he attains freedom of movement in all the worlds. Why? “For this reason” alone, i.e. on account of the very reason of attaining the nature of Brahman. The sense is this: Just as a man, desirous of universal sovereignty, having given up the objects of enjoyment, common to all men, as well as the means thereto, attains universal sovereignty through the means thereto, and afterwards for just that reason, comes to have freedom of movement among the objects of enjoyment that are common to all men, as well among those that are difficult to be attained by them,—though not desired by him,—-so the knower, having given up all enjoyments, here or hereafter, as well as the means thereto, attains the nature of the Lord through the hearing, thinking, meditation, worship and so on of Him; and for that very reason of attaining His nature, comes to have freedom of movement everywhere. Whence is this known? To this (the author) replies: “From statement to that effect”, i.e. from the statement, everywhere, of a knower’s having freedom of movement, such as “Haying attained the form of highest light, he is completed in his own form” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 8.3.4; 8.12.3), “He is the excellent person. He roams about there laughing, playing, enjoying with women, or with carriages, or with relatives, not remembering the appendage of this body” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 8.12.3), “He becomes a self-ruler. He comes to have freedom of movement in all the worlds” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 7.25.2), “As to the perfection of means to the four ends of men,—without it a man, whose refuge is Nārāyaṇa, attains them”, and so on. Thus, there is a great difference between devotion to works and devotion to knowledge. Hence it is established that through the mutual insertion of the attributes of having true desires and so on and of being the controller and the rest, the Brahma-vidyās of the Chandogas and of the Vājasaneyins are the very same.

Here ends the section entitled “Desire” (17).

Comparative views of Śaṅkara and Bhāskara:

This is sūtra 41 in Śaṅkara’s commentary. Here they answer the prima facie view stated in the previous sūtra, thus; “When (eating is actually) taking place, (then alone an offering to the vital-breaths is to be made) from that (i.e. from the first food), on account of statement to the effect”.^[4]

Comparative views of Śrīkaṇṭha:

He takes it to be forming an adhikaraṇa by itself. Interpretation different. The question is whether the freed attain the very nature of Brahman, as possessed of infinite auspicious attributes, and so on, or something else. The prima facie view is that Brahman is declared to be free from distinctions or nirviśeṣa. Hence the freed souls attain this distinctionless form of Brahman. The answer is: “When one has approached (Brahman, one attains the nature of Brahman as possessed of all auspicious attributes), for that reason (i.e. because the freed soul attains its own form), (and) because of texts to that effect (i.e. that the freed become similar to the Lord)”.^[5]

Comparative views of Baladeva:

This is sūtra 42 in his commentary. Here he concludes the topic of the identity of Śrī with the parā-śakti of the Lord and hence with the Lord Himself. The contention is that if Śrī be identical with the Lord, then no erotic sentiment is possible between them, since any such sentiment is possible only if there be a difference between the lover and the beloved. The answer is: “(Śrī being the highest of the females and the Lord being the best of the males, an erotic sentiment naturally arises between them) when (they) have approached (each other), hence (such a sentiment is possible on the part of the Lord), on account of statement to that effect”.^[6]