The present translation of the Vedânta-sûtras does not aim at rendering that sense which their author may have aimed at conveying, but strictly follows Sa@nkara's interpretation. The question as to how far the latter agrees with the views held by Bâdarâyana has been discussed above, with the result that for the present it must, on the whole, be left an open one. In any case it would not be feasible to combine a translation of Sa@nkara's commentary with an independent version of the Sûtras which it explains. Similar considerations have determined the method followed in rendering the passages of the Upanishads referred to in the Sûtras and discussed at length by Sa@nkara. There also the views of the commentator have to be followed closely; otherwise much of the comment would appear devoid of meaning. Hence, while of course following on the whole the critical translation published by Professor Max Müller in the earlier volumes of this Series, I had, in a not inconsiderable number of cases, to modify it so as to render intelligible Sa@nkara's explanations and reasonings. I hope to find space in the introduction to the second volume of this translation for making some general remarks on the method to be followed in translating the Upanishads.
I regret that want of space has prevented me from extracting fuller notes from later scholiasts. The notes given are based, most of them, on the tîkâs composed by Ânandagiri and Govindânanda (the former of which is unpublished as yet, so far as I know), and on the Bhâmatî.
My best thanks are due to Pandits Râma Misra Sâstrin and Ga@ngâdhara Sâstrin of the Benares Sanskrit College, whom I have consulted on several difficult passages. Greater still are my obligations to Pandit Kesava Sâstrin, of the same institution, who most kindly undertook to read a proof of the whole of the present volume, and whose advice has enabled me to render my version of more than one passage more definite or correct.
Footnote 19:[(return)]
Nanu vidusho z pi setikartavyatâkopâsananirvrittaye vrishyannâdiphalânîshtâny eva katham teshâm virodhâd vinâsa ukyate. Tatrâha pâte tv iti. Sarîrapâte tu teshâm vinâsah sarîrapâtâd ûrdhvm tu vidyânugunadrishtaphalâni sukritâni nasyantîty arthah.
Footnote 20:[(return)]
Upalabhyate hi devayânena panthâ gakkhato vidushas tam pratibrûuyât satyam brûyâd iti kandramasâ samvâdavakanena sarîrasadbhâvah, atah sûkshmasarîram anuvartate.
Footnote 21:[(return)]
When the jîva has passed out of the body and ascends to the world of Brahman, it remains enveloped by the subtle body until it reaches the river Vijarâ. There it divests itself of the subtle body, and the latter is merged in Brahman.
Footnote 22:[(return)]
Kim ayam param, yotir upasampannah saivabandhavinirmuktah pratyagatma svatmanam paramâtmanah prithagbhutam anubhavati uta tatprahâratayâ tadavibhaktam iti visnye so, snate sarvân kamân saha brahmanâ vipaskitâ pasyah pasyate rukmavarnam kartaram ìsam purusham brahmayonim tadâ vidvin punyapape vidhuya nirañganah paramam sâmyam upaiti idam jñanam upasritya mama sâdharinyam âgatah sarve, punopajâyante pralayena vyathanti ketyadysruysmntibhyo muktasta parena sâhityasâmyasádharmyâvagamât prithagbhutam anubhavatîu prâpte ukyate. Avibhâgeneti. Parasmâd brahmanah svatmanam avibhâgenânubhavati muktah. Kutah. Drishtatvât. Param brahmopasampadya nivrittavidyânrodhanasya yathâtathyena svâtamano drishtatvât. Svatmanah ssvarûpam hi tat tvam asy ayam âtmâ brahma aitadâtmyam idam sarvam sarvam khalv idam brahnetyâdisâmânâdhikaranyanirdesai h ya âtmani tishtan atmano ntaro yam âtmâ na veda yastatmâ sarîram ya âtmânam antaro yamayati âtmântaryamy amritah antah pravishtah sâstâ anânâm ityâdibhis ka paramatmâtmakam takkharîtatayâ tatprakâtabhûtam iti pratipâditam avashitei iti kasakristnety atrâto vibhagenaham brahmâsmîty cvanubhavati
Footnote 23:[(return)]
Sa@nkara's favourite illustrative instance of the magician producing illusive sights is—significantly enough—not known to the Sûtras.
Footnote 24:[(return)]
Cp. Gough's Philosophy of the Upanishads, pp. 240 ff.