Brahma-Sūtra 4.1.12

English of translation of Brahmasutra 4.1.12 by Roma Bose:

“Until death, for there also (it) is seen.”

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

Meditation is to be carried on “until death”, since “there also” that “is seen” in the text: “Verily, having stayed thus as long as he lives” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 8.15.1^[1]) and so on.

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

It has been stated above that the means are to be practised repeatedly. Now, the duration of meditation is being considered.

On the doubt, viz. whether meditation, denoted by the terms ‘contemplation’, ‘knowing’ and so on, is to be finished within a short time, or is to be continued till the fall of the body,—if it be suggested that it is to be finished within a short time, that much being sufficient to satisfy the demands of the scriptural texts which teach repetition more than one,—

We reply: “Until death”. Meditation is to be continued uninterruptedly until death. The word “for” states the reason for this: That there is the continuance of the thought of the object to be meditated on “there also”, i.e. during that period (viz. from the beginning till death), “is seen”, i.e. declared by the scriptural text: “Now, verily, a person consists of purpose. With whatever purpose he departs from this world, that he becomes on departing to that world” (Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa 10.6.3, l^[2]). The phrase: ‘consists of purpose’ means ‘is given primarily to contemplation’. Similarly, that there is the continuance of the thought of the object to he meditated on till life lasts is declared also by the scriptural text: “Verily, having stayed thus as long as he lives, he attains the world of Brahman” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 8.15.1); and in the Smṛti passage: ‘“Remembering whatever being he leaves the body at the end, to that alone he goes, O son of Kunti, ever permeated by its nature’” (Gītā 8.6). Hence it is established that meditation is to be continued day after day until death.

Here ends the section entitled “Until death” (6).

Comparative views of Śaṅkara:

Although literally Śaṅkara interprets the sūtras 7-12 like Nimbārka, yet there is a great difference between them, viz. while Nimbārka is speaking here of the meditation which leads to salvation, Śaṅkara especially excludes such a meditation and speaks of that meditation alone which leads to worldly prosperity. Thus, he points out that the rule about the posture of meditation holds good only in the case of that meditation which leads to worldly prosperity (“abhyudaya-phalopāsanā”), but neither in the case of the meditation on the subordinate members of sacrifices (“karmāṅgopāsanā”), nor in the case of the meditation which aims at real knowledge (“samyag darśanopāsanā”), since the first depends on action, the second on object.^[3] Similarly, the rule regarding the duration of meditation does not hold good in the case of the meditation aiming at knowledge, since a jīvan-mukta, i.e. one who has attained knowledge by meditation and has become freed thereby, need not carry on meditation further as long as he lives.^[4]

Comparative views of Baladeva:

He interprets the phrase: “tatrāpi” to mean ‘even after death’. That is, the devotee not only practises meditation as long as he lives, but even after death, i.e. even when he is freed, since the Lord is so beautiful that he is drawn to worshipping Him, though not enjoined to do so.^[5]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Quoted by Rāmānuja and Śrīkaṇṭha.

[2]:

P. 806, lines 14-15.

[3]:

Brahma-sūtras (Śaṅkara’s commentary) 4.1.7, pp. 915-916. “Karmāṅga-sambandhiṣu tāvad upasaneṣu karma-tantratvāt na āsnādi-cintā; nāpi samyag-darśane, vastu-tantratvāt jñānasya”.

[4]:

Op. cit., 4.1.12, p. 918.

[5]:

Govinda-bhāṣya 4.1.12, p. 15, Chap. 4. “Mokṣa-paryyantam upāsanaṃ kāryyam iti. Tatrāpi raokṣe ca.”