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

[SŪ. 1. 2. 31 ADH. 7.] VEDĀNTA-PĀRIJĀTA-SAURABHA 139 5 18 1), it is perfectly justifiable to hold that even one whose 'measure' or limit, has disappeared 'on all sides' or entirely ¹, i e. even the Highest Person, who is unlimited, can be of the measure of a span merely, i.e. of the extent measured by the thumb and the forefinger. How? "On account of manifestation." That is, with a view to favouring those who are devoted to none else except to Him, the Lord manifests Himself in the heart-lotus in a form, which is eternal, blissful and non-material, which is of the size of a span and is the fulfiller of the desire of His own devotees, just as He manifested Himself in the limited space of a pillar as a man-lion.² This is the view of the teacher Āśmarathya Or, (an alternative explanation of the sūtra), with a view to favouring the dull-witted devotees (i.e. who can grasp gross objects only), the Lord squeezes Himself, as it were, into gross regions only; though all-pervading, He limits Himself in accordance with their respective intelligence and manifests Himself in those respective places. Thus, "on account of manifestation", He can, very well, be of the measure of merely a span,—so thinks "Āśmarathya",—this is the sense. COMPARISON Rāmānuja and Śrīkaṇṭha Interpretation of the word 'abhivyakteḥ' different, viz 'on account of definiteness', i e the texts speaks of the Lord of a definite extent with a view to rendering the thought of the meditating devotee more definite.³ SŪTRA 31 "ON ACCOUNT OF REMEMBRANCE, BĀDARI (THINKS SO)." Vedānta-pārijāta-saurabha The imagination of a body from head to foot is "on account of remembrance", i.e. for the purpose of recollection (or meditation),— so thinks the teacher "Bādari". ¹ Abhitaḥ vigataḥ mānaḥ = abhivimānaḥ. ² The reference is to the killing of Hiraṇyakaśipu by the Lord in the form of a man-lion Vide Mahā 3.15835, etc. ³ Śrī. B 1 2.30, p. 274, Part 1 ŚK. B. 1.2.30, p 392 Part 1