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

[SŪ. 4. 1. 12.
794 VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA ADH. 6.]
a person consists of purpose. With whatever purpose he departs
from this world, that he becomes on departing to that world” (Śat.
Br. 10 6.3, 1 ¹) The phrase ‘consists of purpose’ means ‘is given
primarily to contemplation’. Similarly, that there is the continuance
of the thought of the object to be 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” (Chānd. 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 Kuntī, 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).
COMPARISON
Śaṃkara
Although literally Śaṃkara 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,
Śaṃkara 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.² 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 medita-
tion and has become freed thereby, need not carry on meditation
further as long as he lives.³
¹ P. 806, lines 14-15.
² Ś.B. 4.1.7, pp. 915-916. “Karmāṅga-sambandhiṣu tāvad upāsaneṣu
karma-tantratvāt na āsanādi-cintā; nāpi samyag-darśane, vastu-tantratvāt
jñānasya”.
³ Op. cit., 4.1.12, p. 918.