Brahma-Sūtra 3.4.33

English of translation of Brahmasutra 3.4.33 by Roma Bose:

“Also because of being auxiliary.”

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

Since sacrifice and the rest are enjoined “also as auxiliary” to knowledge in the text: “The Brāhmaṇas desire to know by sacrifice” (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 4.4.22^[1]), they are to be performed also by one who is desirous of salvation, a double purpose being possible in accordance with the maxim of conjunction and separateness.

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

To the objection, viz.: If this be so, then sacrifices and the rest cannot be auxiliaries to knowledge,—the author replies:

Since sacrifice and the rest are enjoined “also as auxiliary” to knowledge, by way of bringing about its origination, in the passage: “Him the Brāhmaṇas desire to know by sacrifice” (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 4.4.22) and so on, works like sacrifice and the rest are to be performed also by one who is desirous of salvation. If it be objected that the same works cannot serve the purpose of a stage of life and that of knowledge,—we reply: that is not so, because even the same works may serve different purposes, in accordance with the maxim: “But with regard to one and the same thing being both, there is conjunction and separateness” (Pūrva-mīmāṃsā-sūtra 4.3.5^[2]). Just as the same quality of being made of the Khādira-wood is laid down as serving the purpose of sacrifices in the passage: “The sacrificial post is made of the Khādira-wood”; and is, again, laid down as serving the purpose of men in the passage: “For one desiring power, let one make a post of the Khādira-wood”, so is the case here.

Comparative views of Baladeva:

Here he continues the topic, viz. that the svaniṣṭha devotee should continue to act even after attaining knowledge. Hence the sūtra: “And (the works must be done by the svaniṣṭha devotee) as being auxiliary (to knowledge)”, i.e. with a view to its further increment.^[3]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Quoted by Śaṅkara, Rāmānuja and Bhāskara.

[2]:

P. 493.

[3]:

Govinda-bhāṣya 3.2.33, p. 271, Chap. 3.