Brahma-Sūtra 4.2.7

English of translation of Brahmasutra 4.2.7 by Roma Bose:

“And same up to the beginning of the path, and the (knower attains) immortality without having burnt.”

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

The scriptural text: “There are a hundred and one veins of the heart. Of these, one goes out through the crown of the head. Going up through, it, one goes to immortality. The others are for departing in other directions” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 8.6.6^[1]), declares that a knower, too, departs from the body through a particular vein. This being so, the mode of a knower’s departure up to the beginning of the path, i.e. till entering into the vein, is just “the same” (as that of a non-knower).

The scriptural declaration of “the immortality” of the knower here and now, viz. “When all those desires which abide in the heart are loosened, then a mortal becomes immortal” (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 4.4.7^[2]) really means that a knower’s prior sins are destroyed and subsequent sins do not attach to him any more^[3], and not that his connection with sense-organs and the like is destroyed all at once.

Śrīnivāsa’s commentary (Vedānta-kaustubha)

Now, it is being considered as to whether or not the mode of departing from the body is the same for both knowers and non-knowers.

On the doubt, viz. whether this mode of departure holds good only for one who does not know, or equally for a knower and a non-knower,—if it be suggested that as the Bṛhadāraṇyaka-text: “When all those desires which abide in the heart are loosened, then a mortal becomes immortal, attains Brahman here” (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 4.4.7), declares that a knower attains immortality here and now,—so the departure is for the non-knower alone,—

We reply: “And the same up to the beginning of the path”.

The word “and” implies emphasis. The words: “up to” indicate the limit. “Up to the beginning of the path,” the mode of departure is the “same” for a knower and a non-knower; that is, up to the beginning of the path which begins with light, or prior to the soul’s entrance into the vein. The Chāndogya declares that a knower too departs from the body through the vein that passes out of the crown of the head. Compare the text: “There are a hundred and one veins of the heart. Of these, one goes out through the crown of the head. Going up through it, one goes to immortality. The others are for departing in other directions” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad 8.6.6). A difference, however, is stated with regard to the entering into the vein, thus: “For the tip of his heart is lighted up. By that light, this soul goes out, either through the eye, or through the head or through any other part of the body” (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 4.4.2). Thus, one who wishes to go to Brahman departs through the vein which passes out of the crown of the head; while a non-knower departs through the eye and the rest, and goes to heaven or hell—this is the difference.^[4]

“And the immortality, without having burnt.” The word “and” implies emphasis. The words “without having burnt” (anupoṣya) are a form of the root ‘uṣ’ meaning ‘to burn’. That immortality which one attains without having one’s connection with the body, sense-organs and so on burnt, i.e. which consists in the non-clinging and destruction of subsequent and prior sins, is what is denoted by the text: “When all these desires which abide in the heart are loosened, then a mortal becomes immortal” (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 4.4.7). Here the phrase “attains Brahman” means that one attains Brahman at the time of meditation through direct realization. Hence the departure of a knower too is justifiable.

Comparative views of Śaṅkara:

The term “anupoṣya” means according to him ‘without having burnt (nescience)’. That is, the passage in question (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 4.4.7) means that the lower knower (with whom the entire pāda is concerned, according to Śaṅkara, as noted above) attains a sort of relative immortality only.^[5]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Quoted by Śaṅkara, Rāmānuja, Śrīkaṇṭha and Baladeva.

[2]:

Quoted by Śaṅkara, Rāmānuja, Śrīkaṇṭha and Baladeva.

[3]:

Vide Brahma-sūtra 4.1.13.

[4]:

Vide Brahma-sūtra 4.2.16.

[5]:

Brahma-sūtras (Śaṅkara’s commentary) 4.2.7, p. 935.