Brahma-Sūtra 3.4.36

English of translation of Brahmasutra 3.4.36 by Roma Bose:

“But (those) also (who stand) between, on account of that being seen.”

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

Those “also” who stand “between” the stages of life, are entitled to knowledge, since Raikva and the like are found to he well-grounded In knowledge.

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

It has been stated above that those who belong to one or other of the stages of life are entitled to knowledge, and that the works performed by them are auxiliaries to knowledge. Now a discussion is being undertaken with a view to establishing that even those who stand midway are entitled to knowledge and the works done by them also are auxiliaries to knowledge.

The doubt is as to whether those who stand ‘between’ the stages of life, such as widowers and so on, are entitled to the knowledge of Brahman or not. The prima facie view is that the knowledge of Brahman depends for its origin on the duties incumbent on the stages of life and since those who stand “between” have no duties incumbent on the special stages of life, they are not so entitled.

With regard to it, we reply: “Between”. That is, even those who stand between, i,e. outside, the stages of life are entitled to the knowledge of Brahman. Why? “On account of that being seen,” i.e. because “that”, viz. the right to the knowledge of Brahman, is found in Scripture and Smṛti to be belonging to Raikva, Samvarta and so on. The scriptural text indicating that Raikva is entitled to the knowledge of Brahman has been quoted in the first chapter.^[1] The details of the story of Samvarta, the son of Aṅgiras, may be seen in the Mahā-bhārata in the chapter treating of the horse-sacrifice thus: ‘“O King, Samvarta, Aṅgiras’s son, a pious man, roamed about in all directions, sky-clothed (i.e. naked), perplexing all beings” (Mahābhārata (Asiatic Society edition) 14. 137^[2]) and so on.

The purport is this: Religious duties like sacrifices and the rest, auxiliaries to knowledge and mentioned in the scriptural text: “Him” (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 4.4.22) and so on, are to be understood, in the case of house-holders, as Agni-hotra and the rest, productive of knowledge and fit for a house-holder who desires for salvation. In the case of those who belong to those stages of life in which chastity is compulsory, the religious duties, incumbent on those stages of life and other than Agnihotra and so on, are to be understood (as productive of knowledge). Similarly, in the case of those also who do not belong to any stage of life, muttering of prayers, fasting, worship of the deity and so on, not obligatory to the special stages of life, are to be understood (as productive of knowledge).

Comparative views of Baladeva:

Here he too begins a new adhikaraṇa (three sūtras), but concerned, specially with, the nirapekṣa devotees only. Literal interpretation same.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vide Vedānta-kaustubha 1.3.34.

[2]:

P. 278, line 1, vol. 4.