वेदान्त पारिजात सौरभ (भगवद् निम्बार्काचार्य - द्वैताद्वैत वेदान्त ब्रह्मसूत्र भाष्य सटीक)

196 VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA [SŪ. 1. 3. 34.
ADH. 9.]
disqualification for knowledge, as knowledge is mental, and as Vidura ¹
and the rest, as well as women like Sulabhā ² and so on are found to
possess the knowledge of Brahman,—
We reply: A Śūdra is not entitled to the knowledge of Brahman
for the following reasons. First, he lacks the requisite fitness, not
having the knowledge of the nature of Brahman and the method of
worshipping Him Secondly, although the worship of Brahman may
be accomplished mentally, yet the knowledge of the nature, etc. of
Brahman is generated by the study of the Veda, preceded by the
investiture with the holy thread. Finally, a Śūdra being excluded
from investitue, is not fit for knowing Brahman and as such his seeking
is of no great value. As the injunctions regarding work hold good
in the case of the first three classes, the prohibition holds good equally
with regard to knowledgo as with regard to work. Also, as in accord-
ance with the statement: 'The Veda is to be confirmed by tradition
and Purāṇa' (Mahā. 1.260 ³), tradition and Purāṇa, too, confirm the
knowledge established by the Veda, a Śūdra cannot attain knowledge
from that too. The injunction about the 'hearing', on the other
hand, simply means that such a 'hearing' has the effect of destroying
a Śūdra's sins and securing prosperity for him, here or hereafter,
and not that he is entitled to meditation or knowledge. The possession
of knowledge by Vidura and the rest should be known to be due to the
non-destruction of the knowledge which they attained in another
birth, and their such low births should be known to be due to their
works which had begun to bear fruits. Hence a Śūdra is not entitled
to the knowledge of Brahman
On the other hand, the term 'Śūdra', mentioned in Scripture,
is to be explained thus. This the reverend author of the aphorisms
states in the words: “ grief ”, and so on. “ For ” implies the reason,
and “ his ”, means Jānaśruti Pautrāyaṇas That is, on hearing the
disrespectful words used by the swan for his want of knowledge of
Brahman, thus. '“O, who is that man of whom you speak, as if he
were Raikva, with the cart”?' (Chānd. 4.1.3), Jānaśruti at once
¹ Vidura was the younger brother of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Pāṇḍu. He was the
son of Vyāsa and a slave-girl, who was dressed as one of the widows of Vicitra-
vīryya, and mistaken by Vyāsa as such Vide Mahā. 1.4301, etc.
² Sulabhā was female mendicant who entered into a highly learned discourse
with Janaka. Vide Mahā 12.11854 et seq. (Chap. 321)
³ P. 10, line 11, vol. I.