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

PREFACE vii
under the name of 'Acintya-Bhedābheda-vāda', i. e. the Bhedābheda
relation of Brahman and the Universe is Acintya or incomprehensible
by reason.
The doctrine of Nimbārka, which developed in the atmosphere of
general reaction against Śaṃkara's Advaitism, shared the views of the
above schools in their insistence on the reality of the Many. According
to Nimbārka, Brahman and Jīva-Jagat are equally real as was also
held by Rāmānuja, but the difference between them is not superseded
by non-difference as the latter supposed. In fact, the difference
between the two is just as significant as their non-difference. While
it is true, as Rāmānuja thought, that the Jīva-Jagat or the entire
universe inheres in the unity of Brahman as an organic whole and as
such can lay no claim to separate existence, yet as the effect is different
from the cause, in the same sense is the Many different from the One,
and their difference is as fundamental as their non-difference.
Nimbārka's system has therefore been called the Svābhāvika-Bhedā-
bheda-vāda in which the relation between Brahman and the Jīva-Jagat
is regarded as one of eternal difference-non-difference during Saṃsāra
or the cosmic existence as well as Pralaya or dissolution, and not
only during the former state as Bhāskara thought. According to his
view even the freed Soul (Mukta-Jīvātman) is both different and non-
different from Brahman and even in Pralaya does the Jagat inhere in
Brahman as a distinct entity.
In her English rendering of the Vedānta-Pārijāta-Saurabha and
Vedānta-Kaustubha, Dr. Bose has not only given Nimbārka's
reading and interpretation of each Sūtra, but has compared them with
those of Śaṃkara, Rāmānuja, Śrīkaṇṭha, Bhāskara and Baladeva
belonging to the antagonistic and allied schools of the Vedānta
Philosophy. Differences from the religious and ethical grounds have
not either been ignored. The present work therefore is not to be
considered as a mere translation, but it gives also reviews of the main
tenets of the post-Śaṃkara theistic schools which arose in opposition
to Advaita-Vedāntism, though the full philosophical exposition of
Nimbārka's doctrine and the comparative study of the development of
Indian thought during this period has been discussed by her in a
separate work which will form the third and concluding volume
of this series.
The work consists of four chapters. In Chapter I
(Samanvayādhyāya), it is sought to establish that Brahman is the sole
subject of all Scriptures. The nature of Brahman, His attributes and

viii PREFACE
the sources of our knowledge of Him are discussed in this chapter. In
Chapter II (Avirodhādhyāya), Nimbārka first refutes the rival views
of Sāṁkhya-Yoga, Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika, Buddhism, Jainism, Śaivism
and Śāktaism, and considers the problems of Jīva and Jagat, their
natures and attributes and the manner in which they are related to
Brahman. These two chapters are purely metaphysical and supply
the philosophical foundations of the doctrine of Nimbārka. The
remaining ones are chiefly of devotional and ethical interests. In
Chapter III (Sādhanādhyāya), for example, the means of attaining
Mokṣa (salvation), the nature and importance of meditations as
mentioned in the Upanishads are discussed. In Chapter IV
(Phalādhyāya), Nimbārka gives his views on Mokṣa, the fruit and the
conditions of the Mukta (released) Jīvātman or soul, etc. According
to him Mokṣa or salvation implies two conditions, namely, the attain-
ment of qualities and nature similar to Brahman (Brahma-Svarūpa-
lābha), and the full development of one's own individuality (Ātma-
Svarūpa-lābha). This full development means the complete manifesta-
tion of one's real nature as consciousness (Jñāna-Svarūpa) and bliss
(Ānanda), untainted and unimpeded by matter which screens it during
Saṁsāra, and deceives it into believing that it is self-sufficient and
independent of Brahman. When, however, Mokṣa is attained, it is
realized that it is dependent on Brahman as His organic part and in
that sense non-different from Him. It implies the destruction of
narrow egoity, but not the annihilation of individuality as is the goal
of the Advaita school. Nimbārka's ideas on Mokṣa or salvation
therefore are the logical outcome of his theistic mind which seeks to
find a place for the devotional soul without completely merging it in
Brahman.
The first two chapters containing the metaphysical portion of the
work is now issued as Volume I consisting of 474 pages. Volume II
will comprise the remaining two chapters and indexes for both the
volumes. The latter is expected also to be published during this year.
B. S. GUHA,
29th February, 1940. General Secretary,
Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal.

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BIBLIOTHECA INDICA
Work No. 259
VEDĀNTA-PĀRIJĀTA-SAURABHA
OF
NIMBĀRKA
AND
VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA
OF
ŚRĪNIVĀSA
(COMMENTARIES ON THE BRAHMA-SŪTRAS)
(ENGLISH TRANSLATION)

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VEDANTA-PĀRIJĀTA-SAURABHA
OF
NIMBĀRKA
AND
VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA
OF
ŚRĪNIVĀSA
(COMMENTARIES ON THE BRAHMA-SŪTRAS)
TRANSLATED AND ANNOTATED BY
ROMA BOSE, M.A., D.Phil. (Oxon.)
VOLUME II
PRINTED AT THE BAPTIST MISSION PRESS
PUBLISHED BY THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF BENGAL
CALCUTTA
1941

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FIRST CHAPTER (Adhyāya)
FIRST QUARTER (Pāda)
Adhikarana 1: The section ontitled 'Enquiry'.
(Sūtra 1)
SŪTRA 1
"THEN, THEREFORE, AN ENQUIRY INTO BRAHMAN."
THE EXPLANATION OF THE BRAHMA-SŪTRAS ENTITLED VEDĀNTA-
PĀRIJĀTA-SAURABHA, COMPOSED BY THE REVEREND NIMBĀRKA.
An enquiry is to be instituted, at all times, into the Highest
Person,—Ramā's Husband, denoted by the term "Brahman", the
greatest of all because of His infinite, inconceivable and innate
nature, qualities, powers and so on,—by one who has studied the
Veda with its six parts¹; who has been assailed with doubt,
arising from texts which teach² that the fruits of works are both
transitory and eternal³; who has, for that very reason, enquired into
the science which is concerned with the consideration of religious
duties,⁴ and has, thereby, gained the knowledge determined therein⁵
regarding works, their kinds and their fruits; in whom, as a conse-
quence, there arisen a disregard (for worldly objects), that is the
result of a discrimination between the finitude and eternity of the
¹ The six parts are:—(a) Śikṣā or the science of proper articulation and
pronunciation, comprising the knowledge of letters, accents, quantity, the use
of the organs of pronunciation, and phonetics generally, but especially the laws
of euphony peculiar to the Veda, (b) Chandahs or treatises on metre;
(c) Vyākaraṇa or treatises on grammar; (d) Nirukta or treatises on the
explanation of difficult words; (e) Jyotiṣa or treatises on astronomy; and
(f) Kalpa or treatises on ceremonials. The first and second of these Vedāṅgas
are said to be intended to secure the correct recitation of the Veda, the third
and fourth the understanding of it, the fifth and sixth its proper employment
at sacrifice. M.W, p. 1016
² Prakṛṣṭena karoti iti prakaraṇam, tad-vad vākyam.
³ I.e. Whose mind is assailed with doubt owing to the contradictory
teachings regarding the fruits of works, some texts declaring that the fruits
of works are transitory, while others declaring that they are eternal. Cf.
V.K., 1.1.1.
⁴ I.e. the Pūrva-mīmāṁsā.
⁵ I.e. the Pūrva-mīmāṁsā.

2 VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA [SŪ. 1. 1. 1.
ADH. 1.]
fruits of the knowledge of works and Brahman respectively, the
former being surpassable, the latter non-surpassable ¹; who wishes
for the grace of the Lord; who is covetous of having a vision of
Him; to whom the spiritual preceptor is the only God; who has
whole-hearted devotion for the holy spiritual teacher; and who is
desirous of final release—this is the sense of the introductory text.
The commentary entitled 'Vedānta-kaustubha', composed by
the reverend teacher Śrīnivāsa.
Panegyric

1. I worship the holy Swan ², Sanaka and others ³, the Divine Sage ⁴,
   and Nimbābhāskara ⁵. May a devotion for Lord Kṛṣṇa
   arise in us through their grace.
   2 I bow down to the feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, in reference to whom
   alone the mass of scriptural texts does not come
   into mutual conflict, whom those who are engaged in
   meditation and Yoga obtain, and who is to be worshipped
   constantly by Varuṇa and Indra with mind and speech.
   Finding that the people on earth were being deluded by various
   sorts of false arguments, Lord Vāsudeva, the Highest Person, the
   Lord of all, and the one identical material and efficient cause of the
   entire universe, assumed the form of the son of Parāśara ⁶ and com-
   posed the Vedānta-treatise, called the 'Śārīraka-mīmāṃsā' ⁷, with a
   ¹ I. e. in whose mind has arisen a disgust for all worldly pursuits and objects,
   since he has apprehended the great distinction between the fruits of works,
   viz. ordinary worldly objects and heaven, and the fruit of the knowledge
   Brahman, viz salvation. Even heaven has an end, but not so salvation, and
   even heaven is not the highest end, but salvation is. See V.K. 1.1.1.
   ² The Swan Incarnation of Brahmā is supposed to be the Founder of the
   sect of Nimbārka
   ³ The Four Kumāras, Sanaka and others, the second spiritual teachers of
   the sect.
   ⁴ I.e. Nārada, supposed to be the third spiritual teacher of the sect and
   the immediate guru of Nimbārka.
   ⁵ I e. Nimbārka.
   ⁶ Parāśara is supposed to be the father of Vyāsa, the reputed author of
   the Brahma-sūtras.
   ⁷ There is difference of opinion as to why the Vedānta-sūtras or the
   Brahma-sūtras are called the 'Śārīraka-mīmāṃsā'. According to the Ratna-

[sū. 1. 1. 1.
ADH. 1.] VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA 3
view to augmenting in the people knowledge and devotion regard-
ing Himself and establishing the Highest Brahman in a manner
beyond doubt. Then, the supremely merciful reverend Nimbārka,
the founder of the sect of the reverend Sanatkumāra, composed a
commentary, very difficult to understand, called the ‘Vedānta-pāri-
jāta-saurabha’ (Fragrance of the Heavenly Flower of the Vedānta),
as an explanation of the texts of the Śārīraka-mīmāṁsā. Then,
again, through his command, and with a view to benefiting the
wise, the ‘Vedānta-kaustubha’ (Gem of the Vedānta), which is easy,
concise and explains the sense of the ‘Vedānta-pārijāta-saurabha’, is
being composed by me, his disciple, following the path recommended
by him and wishing to obtain his favour.
If it be argued : our purpose being served through an enquiry
into religious duties simply, what is the use of an enquiry into Brah-
man ?—we reply : since religious duties yield non-permanent fruits,
an enquiry into Him is to be undertaken for the sake of obtaining
unsurpassed and infinite bliss.
Here the word “then” implies ‘succession’, and not any other
sense, there being no previous distinct mention. It cannot be said
that in conformity with the statement, viz. ‘The word “om” and the
word “atha” formerly issued forth from the throat of Brahman, and
hence both are auspicious’, (the word “atha”) here indicates aus-
piciousness,—because this treatise being auspicious by itself in sound
as well as in meaning, does not await any other auspiciousness ;
because good luck is obtained through the mere hearing of it ; and
because in the very same way, the other meanings of the term
“then”, viz. special prerogative and the rest ¹ are not appropriate
here. Moreover, a word, pronounced with one particular sense in
view, should not be employed in any other sense. Here the intended
sense is ‘succession’, since the word “therefore” refers to something
prabhā commentary on Ś.B., they are so called because they treat of the
Brahman-hood of the embodied soul. (‘Śārīrako jīvas tasya Brahmatva vicāro
mīmāṁsā.’ P. 64, Kāsī ed., Part I.)
According to Baladeva, however, Brahman is ‘śārīra’ or embodied
since Scripture declares that the whole universe is the body of the Lord.
Hence the Vedānta-sūtras are called the ‘Śārīraka-mīmāṁsā’, because they
deal with Brahman, the śārīra (the embodied). G.B. 1.1.12.
¹ For the different meanings of the term ‘atha’ vide A K., p. 311, line 8.

[SŪ. 1. 1. 1.
4 VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA ADH. 1.]
previous. Hence, the word "then" has the sense of 'succession'
only; the word "therefore" implies the reason.
The reality which is obtainable by one who is devoted to the
sound-Brahman,—in accordance with the following and other
scriptural and Smṛti texts, viz. 'He who does not know the Veda
does not know Him, the Great', 'There are two Brahmans to be
known, the sound-Brahman and what is Higher. Those who know
the sound-Brahman go to the Higher Brahman'. (Maitrī 6 22),—
and which is possessed of the characteristics to be mentioned here-
after, is the object denoted by the term 'Brahman'. The word
"enquiry" denotes a desire for the knowledge of the desired Brahman.
Although the supplial of the verb (in the indicative mood, viz.
'arises') is appropriate here thus: "Then", i.e. afterwards, "there-
fore", i.e. for this reason, an "enquiry into Brahman" arises, it being
possible for people with insight to have a spontaneous desire for
enquiring into a particular object (viz. Brahman) (without being
definitely told or enjoined by Scripture to do so), yet in concordance
with the text: 'O, the self verily is to be seen, to be heard, to be
thought, to be meditated on, it is to be enquired into' (Bṛh. 2.4.5;
4.5 6), we must understand here a grammatical concordance with a
word implying injunction, viz. 'should arise'.¹ In accordance with
the scriptural text: 'Desiring for release, one should see the self
in the self alone' (Bṛh. 4.4.23), the words 'one who desires for
release' in the instrumental case, are implied here—such is the
construction of the words (in the sūtra) ².
Here the term "then", implying 'succession', means: After the
knowledge regarding the nature of religious duties, the means
thereto, the mode of performing them and their fruits—which form
the subject of the enquiry into religious duties.³ Thus, having
studied the Veda with its parts,⁴—being first properly
¹ That is, we can of course make the sūtra complete thus: 'Then, there-
fore, an enquiry into Brahman (arises)', but it is better to complete it thus:
'Then, therefore, an enquiry into Brahman (should arise)', and make the sūtra
an injunction and not a plain statement.
² Thus, the entire sūtra really means: '(Mumukṣuṇā) athāto Brahma-
jijñāsā (kartavyā)', or '(By one who desires salvation) then, therefore, an
enquiry into Brahman (should be made)'.
³ I.e. the Pūrva-mīmāṁsā.
⁴ See footnote (¹), p. 1.

[sū. 1. 1. 1.
ADH. 1] VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA 5
initiated, as enjoined by the text 'One's own scripture should be
studied' ¹; having found, in a general way, the texts which are mutual-
ly contradictory, some depicting the non-permanence and others
the permanence of the fruits of works thus : 'Undecaying, indeed,
is the good deed of one who performs the Cātur-māsya ² sacrifices'
(Āp Ś.S. 8.1.1 ³), 'We have drunk the soma-juice, we have become
immortal' (Ṛg. V. 8.48.3 ⁴), 'Where there would be no heat, no cold,
no weakness, no opponents' and so on ⁵, and, 'Just as here the world,
obtained through merit perish' (Chānd. 8.6.1), 'That (work) of his
has an end' (Bṛh. 3.8.10), 'The permanent, verily, cannot be
obtained through the non-permanent (Kaṭha 1 2.10), 'What is not
made is not (obtained) through what is made' (Muṇḍ. 1.2.12), 'Frail,
indeed, are these boats of sacrifices' (Muṇḍ. 1.2.7), and so on; ⁶ being
thereby assailed with doubt; and unable to determine (the exact
nature of the fruits of works) in particular, one, with a view to re-
moving it (viz the doubt), proceeds to make an enquiry into religious
duties, and having, through such an enquiry, determined properly
the nature of works, the mode of performing them and their fruits,
one comes to have such a knowledge,—after that, this is the sense ⁷
The word "therefore" means 'because of the reason'. That is,
the enquiry into Brahman should be undertaken, because the fruit
of works are ascertained to be finite and surpassable from the scriptural
passage : 'Just as here the world acquired by work perishes, so
exactly hereafter, the world acquired by merit perishes' (Chānd. 8.1.6),
and from the Smṛti passage : '"The worlds beginning with the world of
Brahmā come and go, O Arjuna"' (Gītā 8.16); secondly, because
¹ A similar passage is found in Tait. Ār. 2.15, p. 153.
² Name of the three sacrifices performed at the beginning of the three
seasons of four months. Vide Ved. In., p. 259, vol. 1.
³ P. 1, vol. 1
⁴ P. 139, line 3.
⁵ These texts denote the permanence of the fruits of work.
⁶ These texts denote the non-permanence of the fruits of works.
⁷ That is, first a man studies (a) the Veda and finds mutually contra-
dictory statements about the fruits of works. (b) This leads him to study
the Pūrva-mīmāṁsā, with a view to learning the real nature of works and their
fruits, and he finds that the fruits of works are not everlasting. (c) This leads
him to study the Vedānta, with a view to attaining what is permanent, viz.
salvation. Hence the term 'atha' means that the Vedānta is to be studied
after the study of the Veda and the Pūrva-mīmāṁsa.

[SŪ. 1. 1. 1.
6 VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA ADH. 1.]
that the knowledge of Brahman has a fruit which is unsurpassed
and endless is ascertained from the following scriptural and Smṛti
passages : ‘Knowing him alone, one surpasses death, there is no
other road to salvation’ (Śvet. 3 8.), ‘When men will roll up the sky
like a piece of leather, then there will be an end of misery, (even)
without knowing the Deity’ ¹ (Śvet. 6.20), ‘Knowing the Deity,
they are free from all fetters’ (Śvet. 1.8; 2 15), ‘He who, having
searched the self, knows it, attains all the worlds and all objects of
desires’ (Chānd. 8.7 1.3), ‘The person, of the size of a thumb only,
abides in the self’ (Katha 4.12), ‘Knowing him one surpasses death,
there is no other path to salvation’, ‘ “Many people, purified by the
penance of knowledge, have come to be of my nature” ’ (Gītā 4.10),
‘He who possesses knowledge attains me’ (Gītā 7.19), ‘ “Knowing me
one attains peace” ’ (Gītā 5.20) and so on; and, finally, because we find
that one who is unacquainted with the self has been censured in
Scripture as a wretched fellow and a self-killer, in the passages :
‘Verily he who, O Gārgī, departs from this world, without knowing
this Imperishable, is a vile and wretched creature’ (Bṛh. 3.18.10) ;
‘Those worlds are said to be sunless, surrounded by blind darkness.
To them they go, after death, whosoever are destroyers of the self.’
(Īśā. 3) and so on.²
Anticipating the question: By whom (is this enquiry to be
undertaken) ? (we reply) : By one, who has grown indifferent to the
fruits of works and so on because of those reasons (stated above);
who, on hearing that the direct vision of the Lord is the special cause
of salvation, has come to be seized with a strong inclination to have such
a direct vision, which inclination is generated by proper discrimination,
itself generated through it (viz. hearing); who is desirous of the grace of
the Highest Person alone; who looks upon the spiritual preceptor as the
only God; who has approached the spiritual teacher; who has whole-
hearted devotion for the spiritual teacher; and who is desirous of final
¹ I.e. When the impossible will be possible, the sense being that the
knowledge of Brahman is the only means of putting an end to miseries.
² That is, the enquiry into Brahman is to be undertaken because of three
reasons, viz. : (1) because the fruits of works are not lasting and unsurpassed,
(2) because the knowledge of Brahman leads to infinite bliss, i.e. salvation,
and (3) because those who do not know Brahman, their self, are censured as
worthless creatures. The word “atah” (=therefore) in the sūtra implies these
three reasons.

[sū. 1. 1. 1.
ADH. 1.] VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA 7
release,—such is the construction,—in accordance with the following
scriptural passages: viz. ‘Having examined the worlds acquired by
work, let a Brāhmaṇa be indifferent to them’ (Muṇḍ. 1.2.12), ‘When the
seer sees the golden-coloured Creator, the Lord, the Person, the
source of Brahmā, the wise man, having discarded merit and
demerit, and stainless, attains supreme identity’ (Muṇḍ. 3.1.3),
‘When he sees the other, the Lord who is propitious and His great-
ness, he comes to be freed from sorrow’ (Muṇḍ. 3 1.2; Śvet. 4.7),
‘Thinking itself and the Mover as different, then favoured by Him,
it goes to immortality’ (Śvet. 1.6), ‘The knot of the heart is broken,
all doubts are solved and his works perish, when He, who is high and
low, is seen’ (Muṇḍ. 2.2 8), ‘He can be obtained by him alone whom
He chooses. To him this self reveals its own form’ (Kaṭha 2 23),
‘One who has come to be freed from sorrow sees Him who is without
active will and His greatness, through the grace of the Lord’
(Śvet. 3.20), ‘For the sake of this knowledge, let him, with fuel in
hand, approach the teacher alone, who is versed in Scripture, and
devoted to Brahman. To him, who has approached him, whose
mind is completely calm, and who is endowed with tranquillity, the
wise teacher truly told that knowledge of Brahman, through which
he knows the Imperishable, the Person, the True’ (Muṇḍ. 1.2.12-13),
‘Be one to whom the preceptor is a God’ (Tait. 1.11), ‘To one who
has the highest devotion for the Lord, as for God so for his teacher,
to that great-souled one these matters which have been declared
become manifest’ (Śvet. 6.23).
The compound “Brahma-jijñāsā” is to be explained as ‘The
enquiry concerning Brahman’¹ The genitive case: ‘concerning
Brahman’² expresses the object, in accordance with the rule ‘The
subject and the object (take the genitive case) when they are used
along with a word ending with a kṛt-affix’ (Pāṇ. 2.3.65, SD.K. 623).³
‘The enquiry concerning Brahman’ is a compound with the object-
genitive,⁴ in accordance with the rule ‘The genitive is compounded,
when used along with a word ending with the kṛt-affix (and the
compound comes under the category of the Ṣaṣṭhī-tat-puruṣa)’
(K.V.S. 1317, quoted in SD.K. 703).⁵

¹ Brahmaṇo jijñāsā. ² Brahmaṇaḥ.
³ P. 452, vol. 1.
⁴ I e. a genitive denoting an object. ⁵ P. 496, vol. 1.

[SŪ. 1. 1. 1.
8 VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA ADH. 1.]
Brahman is none but Lord Kṛṣṇa, the substratum of in-
conceivable, infinite, unsurpassed, natural and greatest nature and
qualities and so on, omniscient, omnipotent, the Lord of all, the
cause of all, without an equal or a superior, all-pervading, and the
one topic of all the Vedas, as known from the following scriptural
and Smṛti passages, viz.: ‘He grows and causes to grow, hence
He is called the supreme Brahman’, ‘Who is omniscient, all-knowing’
(Muṇḍ. 1.1.9, 2.2.7), ‘Supreme is his power, declared to be of various
kinds, and natural is the operation of his knowledge and strength’,
(Śvet. 6 8), ‘This is the Lord of all’ (Bṛh 4 4 22), ‘Him, the supreme
and great Lord among the lords, Him, the great God among the gods’
(Śvet. 6.7), ‘He has no work or organ, nothing is seen to be equal
or superior to Him’ (Śvet. 6 8), ‘The Lord of matter and soul, the
Lord of the attributes’ (Śvet. 6 16), ‘The One God is hidden in all
beings, all-pervading, and the inner soul of all beings’ (Śvet. 6.11),
‘Kṛṣṇa alone alone is the Supreme Deity. Let one meditate on
Him’ (G.P.T.¹), ‘ “I am the source of all, everything originates from
me” ’ (Gītā 10.8), ‘ “There is nothing else higher than me, O Dhanañ-
jaya” ’ (Gītā 7.7), ‘ “I alone am to be known through all the Vedas” ’
(Gītā 15.15) and so on. (This explains the term “Brahman”.)
(Now, the explanation of the term “jijñāsā”:) Knowledge
with regard to Him (viz. such Brahman) alone, i.e. the desire with
regard to the knowledge of one so desired (viz. Brahman),—this is
the sense. Scripture declares this in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka passage:
‘O, the self is to be seen, to be heard, to be thought, to be meditated
on’ (Bṛh. 2.4.5; 4.5.6), as well as in the Chāndogya passage: ‘But
the Plenty alone is to be enquired into’ (Chānd. 7.23.1). In the
passage: ‘O Maitreyī, the self is to be seen’, the suffix ‘tavya’ has the
sense of ‘fitness’ simply, in accordance with the aphorism ‘The
suffixes “kṛt” and “tṛc” are used in the sense of fitness’ (Pāṇ. 3.3.169;
Ś.D.K. 2822 ²), because the direct vision of Brahman is not something
to be enjoined,³ it being established to be the intimate and inner
means to salvation by the following texts:—‘The knot of the heart
is broken, all doubts are solved and his works perish, when the soul,
¹ P. 205. ² P. 569.
³ That is, the above quotation simply means that the Self (Brahman) is
fit or worthy to be seen, and not that the Self should be seen,—no injunction
here with regard to seeing See p. 9, footnote 4.

[sū. 1. 1. 1.
ADH. 1.] VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA 9
the Lord ¹ is seen' (Muṇḍ 2.2.8), 'Stainless, he attains a supreme
identity' (Muṇḍ. 3.1 3), 'When he sees his glory, he becomes freed
from grief' (Muṇḍ 3.1.2, Śvet 4.7), ' "Then knowing me in truth,
he forthwith enters into that" ' (Gītā 18.55), and so on Thus, with
a view to having an access to 'seeing',²---which is known from another
text, which consists in a direct vision of the Lord, and which is the
unique means to salvation,---it is 'meditation',³---which is an intimate
and inner means to it (viz. 'seeing'),---that is enjoined here.⁴ By
the term 'knowledge', the reverend Bādarāyaṇa designated, in the
aphorisms, the very same thing (viz. meditation), which is a synonym
for the words 'contemplation', 'knowledge', 'supreme devotion',
'steadfast remembrance', the rule being that tho aphorism and the
text indicating the subject-matter (viz. the Upaniṣad-texts) must
both have the same meaning. Now, here also, the texts denoting
the subject-matter are of a greater weight, as they, as the primary
object, are authoritative by themselves; and hence, the meaning of
the aphorisms is to be interproted in accordance with them alone,
otherwise they cannot stand in a relation of subject-matter and what
treats of the subject-matter.⁵ In Scripture, 'hearing' ⁶ and 'thinking' ⁷
are laid down as moans to 'meditation',⁸ since these two also are
indirect means to the attainment of salvation. Thus, having ascer-
tained that the Vedānta-texts are concerned with demonstrating the
nature, attributes and the rest of the Lord, one approaches a preceptor,
who has directly intuited the nature and the rest of Brahman, the
object to be worshipped demonstrable by the Vedānta-texts, and
learns the meaning of those texts from him who has himself realized

¹ Correct reading 'Tasmin dṛṣṭe parāvare', or when he, who is high and
low, is seen Vide Muṇḍ. 2.2.8, p 31, C.U, p 528
² Śravaṇa. ³ Nididhyāsana.
⁴ That is, in the above text (Bṛh.), the Lord is not enjoined to be seen
but to be meditated on, meditation leading to seeing or direct vision which is
the immediate cause of salvation.
⁵ That is, the Vedānta-sūtras lay down what is contained in the Upaniṣads
Henco tho Vedānta-sūtras are the viṣayin or what treat of the subject-matter,
and the Upaniṣad-texts are the viṣaya, or the subject treated. Now, the viṣayin
and the viṣaya must, evidently, refer to the same thing. And here, the viṣaya
bemg of a greater force, the viṣayin must be understood in accordance with
the viṣaya, or the sūtras are to be understood in the light of the Upaniṣads.
Hence as the latter enjoin meditation, the former must also do so.
⁶ Śravaṇa. ⁷ Manana. ⁸ Nididhyāsana.

[SŪ. 1. 1. 1.
10 VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA ADH. 1.]
that meaning directly. This is 'hearing'.¹ 'Thinking' is a kind of
reflection, by means of arguments which are in conformity with
Scripture, with a view to making the meaning of what has been
'heard' and taught, the object of one's own realization.² 'Meditating'
means a ceaseless contemplation on the object of 'thinking', which
(contemplation) is the unique cause of a direct vision (of the Lord).
Accordingly, this (viz. the above Bṛhadāraṇyaka-text) is an apūrva-
vidhi ³ concerning 'meditation', since (salvation is) absolutely
unobtainable (without meditation).⁴
The explanation of the (above-quoted Chāndogya) text 'The
Plenty', etc., may be seen under the explanation of the aphorism
'The Plenty', etc. (Br. Sū. 1.3.7).
The resulting meaning is that salvation can be obtained by an
individual, eternally fettered, and desiring for salvation, who was,
by chance, looked upon (with favour) by Madhusūdana at the time
of his birth,⁵ who has practised the group of means (to salvation), who
has worshipped the feet of his preceptor, and who has a direct vision
of Brahman, obtained through the hearing of, thinking upon and
meditating on Him, knowable through the Vedānta.
¹ That is, a man first ascertains that the Vedānta-texts demonstrate the
Lord, and then approaches a teacher and learns the meaning of those texts
from him.
² That is, for realizing directly for himself what he has so far accepted on
the authority of his preceptor.
³ An 'apūrva-vidhi' is a vidhi which enjoins something that is absolutely
necessary and indispensable for the production of the desired result, e. g. when
it is enjoined: 'The rice-grains are to be sprinkled over with water', it is meant
that without this sprinkling, the desired result, viz. the saṁskāra of these rice-
grains or making them fit for being used in a sacrifice cannot be attained by any
other means. Hence, here the vidhi with regard to the sprinkling is an 'apūrva-
vidhi'. In the very same manner, the above Bṛhadāraṇyaka text: 'The self
should be seen, be heard, be thought, be meditated on', lays down an 'apūrva-
vidhi' regarding meditation, since without meditation, the desired result, viz.
salvation, cannot be attained by any other means.
For the different kinds of vidhis—viz. apūrva, niyama and pari-saṁkhyā,
see V R M., pp. 41-43.
⁴ This finishes the explanation of the Bṛhadāraṇyaka text 'O friend, the
self should be seen', etc.
⁵ Vide V.R.M., p. 133; also p. 142, where it is said that only one man in
a thousand is looked at with favour by Madhusūdana at the time of his birth,
and that not by chance, but because of the merits accumulated through thousands
of previous births.

[sū. 1. 1. 1.
ADH. 1 ] VEDĀNTA-KAUSTUBHA 11
Salvation means attaining the nature of the Lord, resulting from
the cessation of the bondage of matter in its causal ¹ and effected
forms,² as known from the scriptural text: ‘Having attained the
form of supreme light, he is completed in his own form” (Chānd.
8 3.4 ; 8.12.2, 3); as well as from the aphorisms ‘Because release is
taught of him who takes his stand upon it’ (Br. Sū. 1.1.7), ‘And
(Scripture) teaches in it the union of this with that’ (Br Sū 1.1.20)
and so on, and from the Smṛti passage, viz : ‘The attainment of the
Lord, characterized by a feeling of unsurpassed joy and happiness,
exclusive and absolute, is supposed to be an antidote (to the disease
of transmigratory existence)’, ‘ “Many people, purified by the penance
of knowledge have come to attain my nature” ’ (Gītā 4.10) and so
on. The word ‘nature’ ³ has been explained by the Lord Himself
in the passage ‘ “Resorting to this knowledge, they have come to have
similarity with me” ’ (Gītā 14.2). This we shall expound more
clearly in the chapter dealing with the fruit.⁴
Then, in answer to the enquiry :—Of what nature is the individual,
desiring salvation ? Of what nature is his bondage ?—the scriptural
truth is being considered now, in order that those who desire for
salvation may have an easy access to Scripture.
Now, there are three kinds of reality, distinguished as the sentient,
the non-sentient and Brahman, because in the aphorisms as well,
a trinity of reals has been mentioned, viz. the object to be enquired
into (i.e. Brahman), the enquirer (i.e. the sentient), and māyā (i.e.
the non-sentient) which consists in the three guṇas and is the original
cause of his (viz. the enquirer's) nescience, as otherwise the very
enquiry will be impossible; and also because of the following scriptural
and Smṛti texts, viz. ‘By knowing the enjoyer, the object enjoyed
and the Mover, everything has been said. This is the three-fold
Brahman’ (Śvet. 1.21). ‘Perishable are all beings, the changeless
is called the Imperishable’ (Gītā 15.16), ‘But the Highest Person is
another, declared to be the supreme self’ (Gītā 15.17) and so on.
Among these, the sentient substance is different from the class
of non-sentient substances; is of the nature of knowledge; possessed
of the attributes of being a knower, being an agent and so on, of the
¹ I.e. pradhāna, the primal matter.
² I.e. the body, an effect of pradhāna.
³ Bhāva. ⁴ Viz. the fourth chapter.