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 II, Section IV, Adhikarana VII

Adhikarana summary: The presiding deities of the organs

Brahma-Sutra 2.4.14: Sanskrit text and English translation.

ज्योतिराद्यधिष्ठानं तु तदामननात् ॥ १४ ॥

jyotirādyadhiṣṭhānaṃ tu tadāmananāt || 14 ||

jyotirādi-adhiṣṭhānaṃ—Presiding over by Fire and others; tu—but; tat-āmananāt—on account of the scriptures teaching that.

14. But there is the presiding over by Fire and others (over the organs), on account of the scriptural teaching about that.

The dependence or independence of the Prana and the organs is taken up for discussion: The scriptures say that these are presided over by the gods like Fire etc., which direct them. For example, “(Fire) having become speech entered the mouth” (Ait. Ar. 2. 4. 2. 4). The organs etc., being inert, cannot mjve of themselves. Hence they are dependent on the presiding deities.

 

Brahma-Sutra 2.4.15: Sanskrit text and English translation.

प्राणवता, शब्दात् ॥ १५ ॥

prāṇavatā, śabdāt || 15 ||

prāṇavatā—With the one possessing the Pranas (organs); śabdāt—from the scriptures.

15. (The gods are not the enjoyers, but the soul, because the organs are connected) with the one (i.e. the soul) possessing them, (as is known) from the scriptures.

This Sutra makes it clear why the soul, and not the gods, is the enjoyer in the body. The relation betweer the soul and the organs is that of master and servant, so the scriptures declare; hence the enjoyment through the organs is of the soul, and not of the gods. “He who knows, ‘Let me smell this,’ is the self, the nose is the instrument of smelling” (Chh. 8. 32. 4). Moreover, there are many gods in the body, each presiding over a particular organ, but there is only one enjoyer. Otherwise remembrance would be impossible. Hence the senses are for the enjoyment of the soul and not the gods though they are directed by them.

 

Brahma-Sutra 2.4.16: Sanskrit text and English translation.

तस्य च नित्यत्वात् ॥ १६ ॥

tasya ca nityatvāt || 16 ||

tasya—Its; ca—and; nityatvāt—on account of permanence.

16. And on account of its (soul’s) permanence (in the body it is the enjoyer, and not the gods).

The soul abides permanently in the body as the experiencer since it can be affected by good and evil and can experience pleasure and pain. It is not reasonable to think that in a body which is the result of the souls past actions, others, e.g. the gods, enjoy. The gods have glorious positions and would disdain such lowly enjoyments as can be had through the human body. It is the soul that is the enjoyer. Moreover, the connection between the organs and the soul is permanent. Vide Sruti text, “When it departs, the vital force follows; when the vital force departs, all other organs follow” (Brih. 4, 4. 2). The soul is the master, and is therefore the enjoyer, in spite of the fact that there are presiding deities over the senses.

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