Brahma Sutras (Shankara Bhashya)
by Swami Vireshwarananda | 1936 | 124,571 words | ISBN-10: 8175050063
This is the English translation of the Brahma-sutras including the commentary (Bhashya) of Shankara. The Brahma-sutra (or, Vedanta-sutra) is one of the three canonical texts of the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy and represents an early exposition the Vedantic interpretation of the Upanishads. This edition has the original Sanskrit text, the r...
Chapter I, Section III, Adhikarana X
Adhikarana summary: The Prana in which everything trembles is Brahman
In topic 7 it was proved that the reference to the Jiva was to inculcate the knowledge of Brahman, as the former is really identical with Brahman. But in the text to be discussed ‘Prana’ cannot refer to Brahman, as such identity is not possible—this seems to be the line of thinking of the opponent, who therefore takes up this topic for discussion.
Brahma-Sutra 1.3.39: Sanskrit text and English translation.
कम्पनात् ॥ ३९॥
kampanāt || 39 ||
kampanāt—On account of vibration.
39. (Prana is Brahman) on account of the vibration (spoken of the whole world).
“Whatever there is in the whole world has come out of and trembles in the Prana” etc. (Kath. 2 . 6 . 2). Here ‘Prana’ is Brahman and not the vital force. Why? First because of the context, since Brahman is the topic in the previous and subsequent texts. Again “The whole world trembles in Prana”—in this we have reference to an attribute of Brahman, It being the abode of the whole world. It is the cause of the life of the whole world including the Prana. Lastly, immortality is declared to him who knows this Prana, and ‘Prana’ is also often used to denote Brahman in the Sruti.