Brahma Sutras – Chapter 1, Section 2 –  Slokas 1 – Slokas 32

।। प्रथमोऽध्यायः ।।
।। द्वितीयः पादः ।।

सर्वत्र प्रसिद्धोपदेशात् ।। 1.2.1 ।।

The Supreme Brahman is extolled in the scriptures and commentaries. As IT is the Supreme Cause, the Vedas and scriptures have emanated from IT, are the essence of IT, praise IT, reveal the paths to know, perceive, realize and experience IT and have declared IT as the Supreme Goal.

 

One should not be limited to the tenets of the Vedas and scriptures but instead seek THAT which is beyond the reach of the mind and the illusory world that is a mere reflection of IT.

 

विवक्षितगुणोपपत्तेश्च।।1.2.2।।

Though the Supreme Brahman is beyond attributes and qualities, the illusory world that is a reflection of IT is multifaceted. It has the mental faculties of mind, memory, intellect and egoity, sensory organs, the five elements and its respective attributes of sense of speech and sound, sense of touch, sense of form, sight and vision, sense of taste and sense of smell that reveals the sattva, rajas and tamas. In this manner, the Absolute appears to be a reflection of ITSELF leading to myriad reflections which create qualities.

 

Therefore, it can be said that both good and bad are reflections of Consciousness with the Supreme Self remaining unattached and untainted by these.

 

अनुपपत्तेस्तु न शारीरः।।1.2.3।।

As the jeeva is the Supreme Self, eternal, Bliss, the Cause of the All, beyond the Unmanifest, Unknown and Infinite, to whom are these qualities attributed? When the whole created universe of both manifest and unmanifest is pure, infinite, eternal and unabated Bliss, who extolls who?

 

कर्मकर्तृव्यपदेशाच्च।।1.2.4।।

When the action performed, the doer of the action, the goal of the action and fruit of the action is the Supreme Brahman, who then, attains what? Is there anything that exists apart or different from the Supreme Brahman?

 

शब्दविशेषात्।।1.2.5।।

When differences arise owing to ignorance, the jeeva and the Supreme Self are deemed separate entities where one has to attain the ONE. However, in reality, the jeeva is the Supreme Self, all-pervading, pure, eternal and infinite Bliss. What is required is to see, perceive, know, realize and experience THAT.

 

स्मृतेश्च।।1.2.6।।

The Smriti that has emanated from the Supreme Self is in reality the Supreme Self. The jeeva residing in the heart lotus is the eternal, imperishable and infinite Supreme Self. Though one may interpret the Smriti as stating that the jeeva and the Supreme Self are different, it cannot be accepted as all that is created both manifest and unmanifest is a mere reflection of Supreme Consciousness and is in reality, pure and unabated Bliss.

 

अर्भकौकस्त्वात्तद्व्यपदेशाच्च नेति चेन्न निचाय्यत्वादेवं व्योमवच्च।।1.2.7।।

The jeeva residing in the heart lotus is indivisible, subtlest of the subtle, infinite and comparable to one hundredth of the tip of a hair divided into hundred parts. This imperishable and eternal Light of Lights is contemplated upon as the infinite space while meditating upon IT in the small opening in the heart lotus.

 

सम्भोगप्राप्तिरिति चैन्न वैशेष्यात्।।1.2.8।।

Though the Supreme Brahman has created this universe and the unmanifest and manifest as an illusion and a reflection of IT, IT remains unattached, untainted and a non-agent. It is the Witness, Enjoyer, Beneficiary and Doer as the Supreme Self and yet, as the Supreme Cause is beyond the limitations of illusion and IT’s own reflection which in reality is ITSELF.

 

अत्ता चराचरग्रहणात्।।1.2.9।।

The moveable and immovable and unmanifest and manifest, a mere illusion is in reality the Supreme Brahman. All that exists is the Supreme Brahman. The food, the One who eats and the One who enjoys is the Supreme Brahman.

 

प्रकरणाच्च।।1.2.10।।

Hence, as everything is in IT and IT is in everything and nothing is in IT and IT is in nothing, the Supreme Brahman is the One, Absolute, Existence, Consciousness and Bliss.

 

गुहां प्रविष्टावात्मानौ हि तद्दर्शनात्।।1.2.11।।

The two namely the jeeva and the Supreme Self are seen entering into the cavity of the heart lotus as stated by many. The real question here is who sees? What is the instrument of and for sight? What is the scene seen? When the reflection of Consciousness dissipates, the myriad vanishes and only the Supreme Self is seen, known, perceived and experienced as the One.

 

विशेषणाच्च।।1.2.12।।

Hence, distinctive qualities are attributed to the jeeva and the Supreme Self like they are separate entities. But the Truth is there is nothing apart or different from the Supreme Self and there is no second entity that can or will exist.

 

अन्तर उपपत्तेः।।1.2.13।।

The one who sees, the one who is the instrument of and for vision and sight and the scene seen is the One. The entity that exists as the eye is the Supreme Brahman and attributes and qualities attached to it is only to IT’s reflection and not ITSELF.

 

स्थानादिव्यपदेशाच्च।।1.2.14।।

And because of ignorance, destination, goal, name, form, qualities and others are attributed to the immortal, infinite and pure Supreme Brahman.

 

सुखविशिष्टाभिधानादेव च।।1.2.15।।

Prāna is the Supreme Brahman, the Light of Lights is the Supreme Brahman, Existence is the Supreme Brahman, Consciousness is the Supreme Brahman, Bliss is the Supreme Brahman and one is the Supreme Brahman.

 

श्रुतोपनिषत्कगत्यभिधानाच्च।।1.2.16।।

The Upanishads have categorically declared that the eye, the one who sees, the instrument of and for vision, the scene seen and the knower of the eye is the Supreme Brahman. The wise who have realized that this entire universe is in reality pure, infinite, eternal and unabated Bliss have stated this to be the Supreme Truth.

 

अनवस्थितेरसम्भवाच्च नेतरः।।1.2.17।।

As everything created, both manifest and unmanifest is a reflection of Consciousness, the myriad forms and reflections seen are in reality the immortal Supreme Brahman. However, due to ignorance, the illusion that the jeeva and the Supreme Self are different makes it difficult to understand that this universe is also an illusion and a reflection of the Consciousness. Nothing exists besides the Supreme Self and therefore, this universe and the beings are also the Supreme Self.

 

अन्तर्याम्यधिदैवादिषु तद्धर्मव्यपदेशात्।।1.2.18।।

The creator, sustainer, destroyer, doer, witness, enjoyer and beneficiary residing in all the beings including gods and goddesses is the Supreme Brahman. All qualities both good and bad are attributed only to IT’s reflection and not to ITSELF.

 

न च स्मार्तमतद्धर्माभिलापात्।।1.2.19।।

Qualities spoken of are only attributed to illusion and not the pure, eternal and infinite Supreme Brahman.

 

शारीरश्चोभयेऽपि हि भेदेनैनमधीयते।।1.2.20।।

Differences between the jeeva and Supreme Self are a result of ignorance caused by the reflection of Consciousness. In reality, the jeeva is the Truth, Consciousness, infinity, the very embodiment of bliss, Supreme Self, the ultimate Light, unmanifest and the cause of the manifest world, the maya.

 

अदृश्यत्वादिगुणको धर्मोक्तेः।।1.2.21।।

Qualities, the description of qualities and the one they are attributed to is a mere reflection of Consciousness. As the Supreme Brahman is beyond description, the Unmanifest and the Unknown, how and who can describe THAT? IT is Existence, Consciousness and Bliss.

 

विशेषणभेदव्यपदेशाभ्यां च नेतरौ।।1.2.22।।

As the qualities, the description of qualities and the one they are attributed to is an illusion created by the Supreme Brahman, differences between the jeeva and the Supreme Self leads to countless qualities both good and bad. As everything arises from the Supreme Brahman and there is nothing apart or different from IT, these qualities and their description are nothing more than a reflection of ITSELF which ultimately dissipates for the wise who abides in the Supreme Self.

 

रूपोपन्यासाच्च।।1.2.23।।

Form, description of form, vision and the sight are also attributed only to the reflection of Consciousness. The Supreme Brahman is indescribable and beyond form, shape and colour.

 

वैश्वानरः साधारणशब्दविशेषात्।।1.2.24।।

Vaiśvānara, the self-effulgence residing in the heart lotus of all the beings is the Supreme Self. One can realize the Self only through the Self residing in one’s heart lotus.

 

स्मर्यमाणमनुमानं स्यादिति।।1.2.25।।

The glorious splendour of the Supreme Self is beyond description and is the TRUTH. All descriptions of IT’s cosmic form is referable only to IT’s reflection that is the illusion.

 

शब्दादिभ्योऽन्तःप्रतिष्ठानाच्च नेति चेन्न तथादृष्ट्युपदेशादसम्भवात्पुरुषमपि चैनमधीयते।।1.2.26।।

Though it may seem that Vaiśvānara mentioned previously as the Light of Lights refers to the fire that burns brightly in the abdomen, it should be known that this Light in the abdomen is all-pervading and is the fire that burns away ignorance, delusion and illusion. This pure Light of Lights burns away the differences arising from the reflections of Consciousness.

 

अत एव न देवता भूतं च।।1.2.27।।

Hence, Vaiśvānara is the infinite Light of Lights beyond form, vision and description.

 

साक्षादप्यविरोधं जैमिनिः।।1.2.28।।

Jaimini Maharshi says even if Vaiśvānara is taken to be an object of worship, then there is no contradiction as worship is the Supreme Brahman, the object of worship here is the Supreme Brahman and the one who worships is also the Supreme Brahman.

 

अभिव्यक्तेरित्याश्मरथ्यः।।1.2.29।।

As the entire creation of both manifest and unmanifest is a mere reflection of Consciousness, Vaiśvānara described as the fire burning in the abdomen is referable only to the illusion according to Āśmarathya.

 

अनुस्मृतेर्बादरिः।।1.2.30।।

It is important to meditate on Vaiśvānara though described as the fire burning in the abdomen in several commentaries as the Supreme Self residing in the heart lotus according to Bādari.

 

सम्पत्तेरिति जैमिनिस्तथा हि दर्शयति।।1.2.31।।

Qualities and attributes of the Supreme Being are only referable to IT’s reflection as the Supreme Being is the Unmanifest and the Unknown as per Jaimini Maharshi.

 

आमनन्ति चैनमस्मिन्।।1.2.32।।

The Jabala Upanishad states that one should meditate on the Supreme Being in the space between the head and the chin.

 

[Brahma Sutras – Chapter 1, Section 2 –  Slokas 1 – Slokas 32]