Brahma Sutra – Chapter - IV

Brahma Sutra – Chapter - IV

PHALA – RESULT

SECTION - I


Topic-1: Repetition of Meditations etc.

1. Repetition is necessary, since the Upanishads instruct repeatedly.

2. And (this is so) on account of the indicatory mark.


Topic-2: Identity of the Self with Brahman

3. But the Upanishads acknowledge Brahman as the Self and cause It to be so understood.


Topic-3: No Self-identity with Symbols

4. (The aspirant is) not to identify (himself) with a symbol, for he cannot understand himself to be so.


Topic-4: Superimposition of the Higher on the Lower

5. The sun etc., are to be looked upon as Brahman because of the consequent exaltation.


Topic-5: Subordinate parts of Rites As the Sun etc.

6. And the ideas of the sun etc., are surely to be superimposed on the subsidiary parts of the rites, for that is reasonably maintainable.


Topic-6: Meditation in a Sitting Posture

7. One should adore mentally while having a sitting posture, since it is possible in that way alone.

8. And because of (the possibility of) concentration (in that way).

9. And (meditativeness is attributed) from the standpoint of motionlessness.

10. Moreover, they mention (this) in the Smritis.


Topic-7: No Restriction of Place

11. Meditation is to be undertaken wherever the mind gets concentrated, because there is no specification.


Topic-8: Meditation till Death

12. (Meditation is to be repeated) up till the moment of death, for it is noticed in the scriptures that it is done so even then.


Topic-9: Knowledge Destroys all Results of Actions

13. On the realization of That, there occur the non-attachment and destruction of the subsequent and previous sins respectively, because it is declared so.


Topic-10: No Remnant of Virtue Even

14. In the very same way there is no attachment of the other (ie., of virtue) as well. Liberation must follow as soon as the body falls.


Topic-11: Past Accumulated Results are Destroyed

15. But only those past (virtues and vices) get destroyed which have not begun to bear fruit, for death is set as the limit of waiting for liberation.


Topic-12: Agnihotra etc.

16. But Agnihotra etc., conduce to the very same result, for so it is revealed (in the Upanishads).

17. Besides these, there is also another kind of (good) action with regard to which some people (make the assignment), according to both Jaimini and Badarayana.


Topic-13: Rites Unaccompanied by Meditation

18. The Upanishadic text, “whatever is done with knowledge” surely indicates this.


Topic-14: Experience of the Active Merit and Demerit

19. But the (enlightenment) man merges in Brahman after exhausting the other two, (viz., merit and demerit that have started fruition), by experiencing (their results in the present life).



SECTION - II

Topic-1: At Death the Organs Merge in Mind

1. The (function) of the organ of speech merges in the mind (at the time of death) for so it is seen and so the Upanishads say.

2. And for the same reason all the functions of all the organs get merged in the mind.


Topic-2: Mind Merges in Prana

3. That mind merges in the vital force as is revealed in the subsequent text.


Topic-3: Prana Merges into the soul

4. That one (ie., the vital force) is (known to be) withdrawn into the ruler (ie., the individual Self) from such facts as approaching that (Self at the time of death).

5. The soul comes to stay among the elements, it being so declared by the Upanishads.

6. (The soul does) not (come to stay) amidst a single element, for both (the Upanishads and Smritis) show otherwise.


Topic-4: Departure of the Enlightened and the Unenlightened

7. And the mode of departure (at the time of death) is the same (for the knower of the qualified Brahman and the ignorant man) up to the beginning of the path (of the gods); and the immortality (that is spoken of) is the one that is attained without burning ignorance.


Topic-5: Relative Merger of Fire etc.

8. That group of elements (counting from fire) continues till complete liberation; for there is a declaration of the continuance of the transmigratory state till then.

9. That fire (as also other elements) is minute in its nature, as also in size, because it is seen to be so.

10. For this (very) reason the subtle body is not destroyed even when the gross one is.

11. And this warmth belongs to this subtle body to be sure, for that stands to reason.


Topic-6: No Departure for a Knower of Brahman

12. If it be contended that the organs of the man of knowledge do not depart from the body because of the denial in the scripture, then (according to the opponent) it is not so, for the denial is about the departure from the individual soul.

13. This is not so, for in case of the followers of one recension there is a clear denial of the soul’s departure.

14. And the Smriti also says so.


Topic-7: the Organs of the Knower Merge in Brahman

15. Those organs get merged in the supreme Brahman, for such is the declaration of the Upanishad.


Topic-8: Absolute Absorption of the Constituents

16. (Absolute) non-distinction (with Brahman comes about) on the authority of the scriptural declaration.


Topic-9: Departure of one who knows the Qualified Brahman

17. (When the soul of the man who has realized the qualified Brahman is about to depart), there occurs an illumination of the top of the heart. Having that door illumined by that light, the soul, under the favour of Him who resides in the heart, departs through the hundred and first nerve, owing to the efficacy of the knowledge and the appropriateness of the constant thought about the course which is a part of that knowledge.


Topic-10: The Soul follows the Rays of the Sun

18. (The soul of the man of knowledge) proceeds by following the rays of the sun.

19. If it be argued that the soul departing at night can have no progress along the rays, then it is not so, since the connection between the nerve and the rays continues as long as the body lasts; and this is revealed in the Upanishad.


Topic-11: Soul’s Journey during the Sun’s Southern Course

20. For the very same reason (the soul gets the result of knowledge) even when departing during the sun’s southern course.

21. And these times etc., are mentioned in the Smriti for the Yogins; and these (paths of) Samkhya and Yoga are mentioned in the Smritis and not the Vedas.


SECTION - III

Topic-1: Only One Path to the World of Brahman

1. The soul travels along the path starting from flame, that being well known.


Topic-2: The Departing Soul Reaches Air after Year

2. The soul of the knower of the qualified Brahman goes from the year to air, on account of the absence and presence of specification.


Topic-3: The Soul proceeds from Lightning to Varuna

3. Varuna is to be placed after lightning, because of their connection with water (ie., cloud).


Topic-4: Guiding Deities

4. (Flame etc., are) conducting deities, owing to the indicative mark to that effect.

5. Because that stands established on account of both (the traveller and the path) being then unconscious.

6. From there they are guided by the very same being who comes to lightning; for it is of him that the Upanishad speaks.


Topic-5: The Path Leads to the Conditioned Brahman

7. Badari thinks that the souls are led to the conditioned Brahman, for it (alone) can reasonably be the goal.

8. And (the conditioned Brahman must be the goal) owing to the specific mention of this.

9. But (the conditioned Brahman has) that designation owing to nearness (to the absolute Brahman).

10. On the final dissolution of the world of the conditioned Brahman, they attain, along with the lord of the world, what is higher than this conditioned Brahman, as is known on the strength of the Upanishadic declaration.

11. This is confirmed by Smriti as well.

12. Jaimini thinks that they are led to the supreme Brahman, that being the primary meaning (of the word Brahman).

13. And (this is so) because the Upanishad reveals (this fact).

14. Moreover, the firm resolution about attainment is not concerned with the conditioned Brahman.


Topic-6: Worship with and without Symbols

15. Badarayana says that the superhuman being leads to Brahman only those who do not use symbols (in their meditation), since this twofold division involves no contradiction and one becomes what one resolves to be.

16. And the Upanishad reveals a speciality about the results (of meditations with symbols).


SECTION - IV

Topic-1: Nature of Freedom

1. Having reached the “highest Light”, the soul becomes manifest in its own real nature because of the use of the term “in its own” (in the Upanishad).

2. The soul then attains liberation, that being the (Upanishadic) declaration.

3. The Light is the Self as it is obvious from the context.


Topic-2: Liberated Soul Inseparable from Brahman

4. In liberation the soul exists in a state of inseparableness from the supreme Self, for so it is noticed in the Upanishad.


Topic-3: Characteristics of the Liberated Soul

5. Jaimini says that from references etc., (in the Upanishads) (it is evident that the liberated soul) becomes established in the attributes that Brahman has.

6. Audulomi says that the liberated soul becomes established in consciousness as consciousness itself, that being its true nature.

7. Badarayana says that even so, there is no contradiction, since the earlier nature exists according to Upanishadic reference.


Topic-4: Fulfilment of Desire through Will

8. (The fathers and others come) as a result of the will alone, because the Upanishad says so.

9. And for that very reason (a man of knowledge has) no other lord (to rule over him).


Topic-5: Body after Reaching Brahma-loka

10. Badari asserts the absence of body and organs (for one who reaches the Brahma-loka – the world of Brahman), for the Upanishad says so.

11. Jaimini asserts the existence of body and sense-organs (after the realization of the qualified Brahman), since the Upanishad speaks of option.

12. Hence Badarayana considers the released souls to be of both kinds (ie., with or without bodies and senses) just as it is the case with the Dvadasaha (twelve-day) sacrifice.

13. In the absence of a body, the fulfilment of desires is reasonably possible as in dreams.

14. When the body exists, the fulfilment of the desires is just as in the waking state.


Topic-6: Entry into many Bodies

15. The released soul can animate different bodies like a lamp, for the scripture shows this to be so.

16. (The declaration of the absence of particularized knowledge is made) from either of the two points of view, viz., deep sleep and absolute union; for this is made clear in the Upanishad.


Topic-7: Acquisition of Divine Powers

17. The released soul gets all the divine powers except that of running the universe (with its creation, continuance and dissolution), as is known from the context (which deals with God) and from the non-proximity (of the individual soul).

18. If it be held (that the powers of the liberated soul are unlimited) owing to direct scriptural declaration, then it is not so, since it is (the attainment) of Him (ie., God) who appoints others as lords of the spheres and resides in those spheres that is spoken of (in the Upanishad).

19. And there is another form of the supreme Lord that does not abide in the effect, for so has the Upanishad declared.

20. And both the Upanishadic and Smriti texts show thus (that the supreme Light is beyond all changing things).

21. Also from the indicatory mark in the Upanishads about the equality of experience alone (it is known that the liberated souls do not get unfettered powers).

22. There is no return for the released souls on the strength of the Upanishadic declaration; there is no return for the released souls on the strength of the Upanishadic declaration.