Brahma Sutras (Nimbarka commentary)

by Roma Bose | 1940 | 290,526 words

English translation of the Brahma-sutra 3.4.31, 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 3.4.31

English of translation of Brahmasutra 3.4.31 by Roma Bose:

“And so there is a scriptural text as to non-proceeding according to liking.”

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

For this very reason, there is “a scriptural text” for preventing wanton acting, viz.: “Hence let not a Brāhmaṇa drink wine” (Kāṭhaka-saṃhitā 12.12[1]).

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

As the permission of all food to both who knows and who does not is valid only in the event of life being in danger, “so” the “scriptural text” of the Kaṭhas “as to non-proceeding according to liking”, i.e. the text regarding the reverse of acting as one likes, viz. “Hence let not a Brāhmaṇa drink wine” (Kāṭhaka-saṃhitā 12.12) fits in. The permission of all food to a worshipper of the vital-breath refers to his being in danger of life. The texts not referring to such a danger, on the other hand, are for the purpose of glorifying those particular vidyās, but are not enjoined as subsidiary parts of the doctrine of the vital-breath, like calmness and so on,—this is the resulting meaning. Hence it is established that the eating of all food is allowable only in cases of danger to life.

Here ends the section entitled “The permission of all food” (7).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

P. 174, last line but four. Quoted by Śaṅkara, Rāmānuja, Bhāskara and Śrīkaṇṭha.

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