Brahma-Sūtra 4.1.6

English of translation of Brahmasutra 4.1.6 by Roma Bose:

“And the ideas of the sun and the rest (are to be superimposed) on the subsidiary part, on account of appropriateness.”

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

With regard to the meditations, viz. “Verily, he who shines, let one meditate on him as the udgītha” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 1.3.1^[1]) and so on, “the ideas of the sun and the rest” are to be super-imposed on the udgītha and so on, on account of the superiority of the sun, etc.

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

Certain meditations, based on the subsidiary parts, are mentioned in Scripture thus: “Verily, he who is the sun, let one meditate on him as the udgītha” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 1.3.1) and so on. Here, on the suggestion that on account of the superiority of the udgītha and the rest,—as the subordinate parts of sacrificial acts which are means to an end,—to the sun, etc., which lead to no end, the ideas of the udgītha, etc., are to be super-imposed on the sun and so on—the author now states the correct conclusion.

“The ideas of the sun and the rest,” i.e. the views of the sun and the rest alone, are to be super-imposed “on the subsidiary parts”, i.e. on the subordinate members of sacrificial acts. Why? “On account of appropriateness,” i.e. because the superiority of the sun and the rest is appropriate. When the udgītha and the rest are ceremoniously purified by being viewed as the sun, etc., then alone can the sacrificial acts come to produce results. Hence the superiority of the sun and the rest stands to reason. So it is established that the view of the sun, etc., is to be super-imposed on the udgītha and the rest.

Here ends the section entitled “The ideas of the sun and the rest” (4).

Comparative views of Śaṅkara:

He reads “aṅgeṣu” instead of “aṅge”.^[2]

Comparative views of Baladeva:

He too takes this sūtra as forming an adhikaraṇa by itself, but, as usual, concerned with an entirely different topic, thus: “The ideas of the sun and the rest (as generating from the eyes of the Lord and so on, should be super-imposed) on the limb (of the Lord), on account of appropriateness”. That is, the Lord is to be contemplated on as-producing the sun from His eyes and so on.^[3]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Quoted by Śaṅkara, Rāmānuja, Bhāskara and Śrīkaṇṭha.

[2]:

Brahma-sūtras (Śaṅkara’s commentary) 4.1.6, p. 9, Chap. 4.

[3]:

Govinda-bhāṣya 4.1.6, p. 9, Chap. 4.