गोविन्द भाष्य (श्रील बलदेव विद्याभूषण - अचिन्त्यभेदाभेद वेदान्त ब्रह्मसूत्र भाष्य सटीक)

aśuddham—impure; iti—thus; cet—if; na—not; śabdāt—because of Śruti- śāstra. If it is said to be impure, then I reply: No, for that is the statement of the Śruti- śāstra. Purport by Śrīla Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Here someone may object: It is not at all logical to say that the scriptures' statement that the descending soul, accompanied by the remnant of his karma, takes birth in the body of a rice plant or similar species, is only a metaphor, and the soul does not really take birth in those species for the soul has no remaining karma to push it into that birth. The so-called pious deeds performed to attain residence in Svargaloka are actually impure. This is because the Agniṣomīya-yajña and other yajñas like them involve violence to animals. The scriptures give the following prohibition: mā hiṁsyāt sarva-bhūtāni "Never commit violence to anyone."* Therefore, by performing these yajñas there is a pious portion, which sends the performer to Svargaloka, and also an impious portion, which forces him to take birth as a rice plant or similar species. In the Manu-saṁhitā (12.9) it is said: śarīra-jair karma-doṣair yāti sthāvaratāṁ naraḥ "A person who sins with his body becomes an unmoving plant." Therefore the statement that the descending soul takes birth as a rice plant or similar being should be taken literally. If this is said, then the sūtra replies: "na" (No. It is not so). Why not? The sūtra explains: "śabdāt" (Because that is the statement of the Śruti-śāstra). The Vedas order: agnīṣomīyaṁ paśum ālabheta